Five things Alan Wake 2 does better than every other horror game

The game Remedy has spent its entire existence building to could teach other studios a few things

Image credit:Remedy, VG247

Multiple Game Awards nominee Alan Wake 2 is a masterpiece of horror and interactive storytelling. It’s arguably the medium at its peak: a confluence of technology, talent, and ambition that could only have happened this gen, and given how long we’ve waited since the first game, something that could well have not happened at all.

So what makes Alan Wake 2 special? Well, there’s dozens of things it does well, but here’s five things that we think it does better than any other horror game, and that make it quintessentially Remedy:

If you’re too busy to watch the video above, here’s a quick summary of Kelsey’s notes:

1. Mixed Media

It uses multiple creative mediums to tell a story; gameplay, writing, live-action footage, poetry, music. And none of them feel out of place. Balancing all these elements perfectly is key to AW2’s success.

Screenshot from Alan Wake 2 showing in-game Alan watching live-action Alan on the TV - 4

Nothing says “mixed media” like the gameplay novelist watching the live action novelist on a chunky old TV. |Image credit:Remedy

2. Meta AF

It’s the peak of meta horror, and through Sam Lake’s characterisation and the inclusion of the FBC, it successfully canonizes the developer and firmly establishes Remedy’s Connected Universe as a rich Twilight Zone playground that we can’t wait to visit again.

3. Genuine Terror, Genuine Comedy

It’s truly terrifying and will scare players senseless, but it still manages to be funny, and this never feels inappropriate. The ‘We Sing’ portion of the game that many have been talking about is completely bizarre and hilarious, but doesn’t remove from the rest of the game’s atmosphere.

Suprise Musicals can go either way, but this is up there with the best of them. |Image credit:Remedy

4. Finland, Finland, Finland

It incorporates the culture of its developers and does it brilliantly; we’re in this sleepy Pacific Northwestern town that’s packed with Finnish and Norse mythology through its characters, the cult at the heart of the story, and even the environment.

Saga Anderson in Alan Wake 2 aims at a cult member in a run-down convenience store. The only light is a flashlight in her hands, and the cultist weilds a fire axe. - 6

You’ll need to keep your wits about to, uh, Finnish this game. |Image credit:Remedy Entertainment

5. Song

Music is a huge part of Alan Wake 2, and it helps to tell the story; between chapters there are entire tracks that will tell parts of the story through song, and they’re damn good. So good, in fact, that we’ve been listening the the soundtrack outside of the game: it works beautifully on its own terms, as well as an accompaniment to the action. The true mark of a great video game soundtrack.

Five things Alan Wake 2 does better than every other horror game - 8

Alan Wake II

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

Five things Alan Wake 2 does better than every other horror game - 9

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Five things Alan Wake 2 does better than every other horror game - 10

Control 2

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Wishlisted - Our 10 Best Steam Next Fest Demos

Another Next Fest kicks off soon, but we’ve already done the digging for you.

Welcome to Wishlisted, a showcase of our favourite demos from Steam Next Fest: June 2024. Check the video above or watch on YouTube .

Finding the Best NextFest Demos is all about the joy of discovery, but with so many Steam Next Fest demos getting released in such a short amount of time, it can be bewildering. So we’ve decided to show you our ten Best Steam Next Fest games which we think deserve your attention. These are all upcoming Steam Next Fest games that we’re genuinely excited for, and that we think should play nicely on PC handhelds too!

This is just the start of our Next Fest coverage. This week we’ll be previewing loads of upcoming demos across the entire network - right here on VG247, of course, but also over on our sister sites Eurogamer and Rock Paper Shotgun. Bookmark our Wishlisted Steam Fest hub to stay in the loop. And this is well before Next Fest actually starts, so you, dear reader, get to bask for a solid fortnight celebrating all the wonderful new games that are just around the corner. Enjoy!