Highlights
- Alan Wake 2 will feature a performance mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X, allowing for increased frame rates while maintaining its focus on visuals and ambiance.
- The game has been built to be a 30 FPS experience, but the developers have managed to include a solid performance mode that is still being tweaked.
- The Northlight engine used by Remedy scales well and has successfully optimized performance, even in challenging environments like the dense foliage of the Pacific Northwest.
After much speculation, a performance mode has been confirmed for Alan Wake 2. Alan Wake 2 is intended to be a cinematic experience, but the developers have allegedly managed to find a compromise that allows for an increased frame rate.
Remedy Entertainment has not been scared of setting expectations high when it comes to Alan Wake 2, and that was no clearer than a few months back when communications director Thomas Puha claimed the studio would be putting out the best-looking game of 2023. As marketing for the much-anticipated sequel marched onwards, some questioned if the graphically demanding game would be able to provide a performance mode of some kind. The past year has seen titles such as Gotham Knights, Redfall, Starfield locked to 30 FPS on consoles, a trend that is seemingly set only to continue as video games push technical boundaries further. However, Alan Wake 2 will not be joining them.
Puha took to Twitter to announce that Alan Wake 2 would feature a "solid Performance mode," but stopped short of offering any additional details, stating that more information would come at a later date. He made it clear that Remedy has built Alan Wake 2 to be a 30 FPS experience, echoing previous descriptions of the "cinematic" game. One reply to the announcement asked if the performance mode would mean an unlocked frame rate with a 60 FPS target or a true 60 FPS lock. Puha replied that the team was "still tweaking that."
Performance modes traditionally aim for 60 FPS, sacrificing resolution and graphical fidelity for a smoother experience. Follow-up tweets from Puha claim that the Northlight engine, the in-house game engine created and used by Remedy, "scales well" and cited the density of foliage present in the Pacific Northwest as a significant challenge when it came to optimizing performance. That region is where Saga Anderson, another playable character alongside the titular Alan Wake, has been seen throughout promotional material.
Alan Wake 2 previews recently went live, showcasing segments of gameplay for both characters, and the praise has been overwhelming thus far. The majority of critics are heralding the visuals, everything from facial animations to the atmosphere captured in each location, which console players will, fortunately, be able to experience soon at a higher frame rate.
Alan Wake 2 releases October 27, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
