Summary
Alan Wake 2,in addition to being a full-on survival horror title versus the original, features two playable protagonists. Along with a story already spanning dimensions and realities,Alan Wake 2introduces a whole new character and viewpoint with FBI Agent Saga Anderson. Splitting both screen and playing time with Alan, Saga adds a completely new angle to the previous structure and tone of the game. Her addition expands and improves both the narrative and gameplay experience in a way not often seen either within or even outside the genre.
TheResident Evilserieshas an established history of dual main playable characters, with likely the most recognized example beingResident Evil 2. Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield are an iconic pair in the franchise due to how they were incorporated inRE2, at least in the 1998 original.
As successful and popular as theRE2remake was, a large portion of fans felt its biggest downgrade was the handling of Leon and Claire’s shared plot and gameplay mechanics, especially compared to the original.Alan Wake 2is the most recent example of how this could be done in the modern era to great effect.
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How Alan Wake 2’s Dual Protagonist Structure Compares to Resident Evil 2
Leon and Claire’s Narrative and Mechanics in Resident Evil 2
Inthe originalRE2, players were given a choice of four possible scenarios that could be done in any order: Leon and Claire A and B, respectively. Each is directly connected to the other in both story and mechanics. Taking supplies or opening a path in Claire A affected outcomes in Leon B, and vice versa. The characters would also interact depending on the same. This was innovative for the time and still remains a unique and well-integrated design, as it added an immersive factor as well as interesting gameplay loops, both seamlessly tied together.
However, that wasn’t the case intheRE2remake. Though it was a big factor in bringing the series back into the modern light, and the discussion of how a longstanding franchise could evolve and please players old and new, it managed to take a step backward in the area described above.RE2remake only has two campaigns, and while there are differences between them, they are minimal compared to the previous. It was a point of contention that the alternating scenarios were largely ignored, or at least nowhere near as refined as all ofRE2remake’s other aspects. They were less focused and fleshed out than they had already been decades ago, leaving many disappointed with the lack of attention and care seemingly shown to them.
Alan and Saga’s Story and Gameplay in Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2takes the idea of the originalRE2’s structure and improves upon it in nearly every regard.AW2balances Alan and Saga perfectly in story and gameplay. Instead of separate but interconnected scenarios, players see both perspectives in a single playthrough, but they have the freedom to swap at almost any point. Due to the nature of its mind-bending tale, this makes absolute sense withinAW2’sworld. The characters form a relationship integral to the plot while allowing a range of player choices in approaching them mechanically. It is a standout element that gives both characters equal footing and spotlight while combining them into a tightly woven and satisfying experience that never distracts or threatens immersion.
Admittedly,Alan Wake2’s 13-year development grants it the advantage of hindsight and time to fine-tune all its parts, particularly in dividing story and playtime between its characters. Remedy Entertainment was upfront abouthow much influencetheRE2remake had overAlan Wake 2.
It is perhaps fitting thatAlan Wake 2took the one element that was lackluster in theRE2remake, and elevated it in a manner that enhances the entire experience. It outdid its contemporary and arguably set a new bar for such design in the process.
Alan Wake 2
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A string of ritualistic murders threatens Bright Falls, a small-town community surrounded by Pacific Northwest wilderness. Saga Anderson, an accomplished FBI agent with a reputation for solving impossible cases arrives to investigate the murders. Anderson’s case spirals into a nightmare when she discovers pages of a horror story that starts to come true around her.Alan Wake, a lost writer trapped in a nightmare beyond our world, writes a dark story in an attempt to shape the reality around him and escape his prison. With a dark horror hunting him, Wake is trying to retain his sanity and beat the devil at his own game.Anderson and Wake are two heroes on two desperate journeys in two separate realities, connected at heart in ways neither of them can understand: reflecting each other, echoing each other, and affecting the worlds around them.Fueled by the horror story, supernatural darkness invades Bright Falls, corrupting the locals and threatening the loved ones of both Anderson and Wake. Light is their weapon—and their safe haven — against the darkness they face. Trapped in a sinister horror story where there are only victims and monsters, can they break out to be the heroes they need to be?
