Why I'm Excited for Alan Wake 2

Thanks to my wife introducing me to the Resident Evil franchise, I found myself falling in love with the horror genre. Finishing a scary game offers a unique sense of accomplishment and immense satisfaction — a feeling other games couldn't quite capture. That being said, it feels like the genre is a bit hit-or-miss — even within the Resident Evil games, some things are just not great. 

Due to this, I found myself being left wanting whenever I felt in the mood to dive into some horror titles. And whilst there are quite a few to choose from — and even some variation in gameplay, such as hiding and running vs fighting — I began feeling a sense of stagnation... until I played Alan Wake.

I didn't go into the game expecting to love it; in fact, I had the title in my Steam library for quite some years. When I first tried it, I hated it: I thought Alan was a jerk (I was quite young and wide-eyed), and I was pretty new to gaming, so my lack of skill made me dread the combat. Thanks to PlayTracker — a fantastic site that breathes life back into games by giving you achievement-hunting quests per month — I had to give it a go as part of my monthly missions. 

I didn't just like the game this time around — I fell head over heels for it! Whilst I do love the difficulty and heavy survival emphasis in the Resident Evil franchise, there was a new freedom to not having to hoard my resources or explore every nook and cranny so I wouldn't die. And, once I got a bit more confidence in the game, it felt like I was letting loose in a way I hadn't in a very long time — I stopped hoarding my resources and began using flares and flare guns just for fun. Groups of enemies became my personal bowling alley, and I quickly grew fond of that sense of unhinged joy and liberation.

However, that's not the biggest reason why I'm looking forward to Alan Wake 2. Despite the fun of murdering enemies without worry, it was the deep story and emphasis on the narrative that really tickled me the right way. Whilst Resident Evil and games like Outlast do have a story, it felt like Alan Wake's was much more intricate and unique: I was genuinely excited to unfold more of it, and I even went out of my way to try and nab every single manuscript to get all the context I could. The characters were great, the story was unique, and it was satisfying to be so immersed in a horror narrative with such quality.

One of the charms of the horror genre is that it's so unexpectedly malleable — whether you want to run and hide for your life, shoot up waves of terrifying enemies, or make every bullet count, there are tons of options for you to choose from. The problem is that most just rehash the same gameplay, setting, and story over and over with just a few changes; there's no innovation anymore. 

Despite how old the game is, Alan Wake does a great job at making the game feel cinematic and deep, almost like experiencing a movie. I think this is vital to keep the horror genre as special, varied, and fun as it is. So I can scarcely contain my excitement for the upcoming sequel, as I think another complex horror story would be much appreciated in the genre — I need more of that variety and depth that the original offered. I love Resident Evil, but change is good, and Alan Wake 2 is what I need right now.