Alan Wake 2 is just over a month and a half away, and 11 minutes of gameplay have been shared by IGN to provide a closer look at the ominous vibes and world players can expect to explore in the much-anticipated sequel.
The gameplay footage follows FBI Agent Saga Anderson – one of two playable protagonists in Alan Wake 2 – through the small town of Watery, Washington, as she explores, interacts with the townsfolk, and gets into some deeply unsettling combat in the foggy woods and theme park. The video also shows Saga’s ‘Mind Place,’ where the protagonist can sift over snippets of information and make deductions about the world around her.
If you’re a fan of Remedy’s Control, the janitor Ahti makes a cameo appearance right off the bat in the Alan Wake 2 preview as he performs a song to a rather small crowd. Interestingly, in Control, Jesse can receive a postcard from the mysterious janitor for the town of Watery (“America’s Little Finland”) depending on player actions during the game.
After jumping into the gloomy town of Watery and getting (rightfully) shushed during Ahti’s performance, the footage jumps to Saga interacting with two townsfolk who seem to be very familiar with her. We get a quick glimpse into Saga’s Mind Place after delving deeper into her inner thoughts during this interaction. “They act like they’ve known me for years. This keeps happening,” she thinks to herself. Based on the storyline, this could well be due to being written into the world by Alan Wake himself.
Beyond the unsettling interactions with the inhabitants of Watery and some good old-fashioned puzzle and detective work, the Alan Wake 2 preview also provides a glimpse into the combat – with axe-wielding townsfolk proving sinister foes in the nearly pitch-black woods.
Armed with only a gun and flashlight, it makes for some high-stress, fast-paced fights even in the captured footage – and there’s bound to be plenty more where that came from in the full game. Interestingly, Saga muses over whether the supernatural-seeming enemies are a product of the Cult or a part of “the story,” suggesting that she’s possibly already aware of Wake’s abilities.
There are plenty more little details sprinkled throughout the 11-minute video to cast your eye over and analyse ahead of the Alan Wake 2’s release – which was recently delayed by ten days, with Remedy confirming they shifted the date to give “more space for everyone to enjoy their favourite games” during the busy game release calendar for October. “We can’t wait to show you what everyone’s favourite novelist is up to in the Dark Place,” they also added.
Alan Wake 2 releases on 27 October, 2023 (digital only) for PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S.
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