Highlights
- Alan Wake 2 takes inspiration from Resident Evil, aiming to create a vulnerable and tense atmosphere in the game.
- The sequel shifts away from the first game's tone, drawing inspiration from True Detective's "buddy cop" elements.
- Remedy Entertainment is focused on making Alan Wake 2 the best it can be, prioritizing polish over competition and opting for a digital-only release for more development time.
The developers of Alan Wake 2 state that the upcoming horror game is taking inspiration from a fellow horror franchise, Capcom's Resident Evil. This was revealed by the game's director, who discussed some of the inspirations that the team took when creating Alan Wake 2. According to him, this implementation was made to have players feel more vulnerable, which is what Resident Evil is able to do in its own series.
The Alan Wake sequel is one of this year's highly anticipated releases. Over a decade after the first game's release, Alan Wake 2 will be dropping October. Alan Wake 2's trailer back in May showed gameplay that was very reminiscent of other survival horror games, such as the aforementioned Resident Evil franchise, particularly the recent remakes. The comparisons have merit, as the director of Alan Wake 2, Kyle Rowley, has described the inspirations that Remedy took from Capcom's franchise.
In an interview with EDGE magazine, Alan Wake 2 director Rowley discussed how the sequel used the recent Resident Evil games as a point of reference in creating a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere. Rowley specifically pointed out how the camera perspectives and angles used in games like Resident Evil 2 were used, where it helped build something claustrophobic and by making the enemies seem more imposing and the player feel vulnerable.
Alan Wake 2's survival horror elements are on full display, with Remedy shifting away from the first game's dramedy Twin Peaks-inspired tone. The sequel instead has been partially inspired by True Detective, another critically acclaimed TV show, drawing from the series' "buddy cop" elements seen in the first season.
Alan Wake 2 is looking to launch this October, which is particularly busy with new game releases this year. Despite that, Remedy Entertainment stated that it is more concerned about Alan Wake 2 being the best it could be rather than the competition it faces that month. Other concerns were raised about Alan Wake 2 being a digital only release, but Remedy defended that decision as well. Remedy stated releasing Alan Wake 2 as digital-only would allow it more time to polish the game without having to worry about submitting a gold master version needed for the physical release. Fans will have to see if Remedy's confidence is founded later this Fall.
Alan Wake 2 launches October 17, 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Edge (via GamesRadar)
