Alan Wake II

recyclops

Playing last night after the KT taylor fight and it was the chapter in the old folk home.

Earphones in a dark room, that was probably the scariest thing I have played all year. Proper jump scares and great tension building.

Penn

Been playing a bit, making my way through the train station section. Enjoying the style and vibe of a lot of the game, but just not really liking the gameplay.

Not sure if I'll continue.

Penn

Decided to keep going and made it through a few more chapters. Thinking of dropping it down to Story Difficulty though. I just really dislike the combat in the game.

I'm enjoying the experience of the game, but the enemies are far more annoying than they are difficult, and both the flashlight and the general gunplay just don't feel that great.

johnny_ultimate

I actually quite like the gunplay, as it's channelling a particular mode of clunky, slow survival horror shooting that I think works quite well, even if the game isn't particularly difficult.

But I agree re: the torch. The 'boost' feels satisfying but to me it seems like they got the resource mix wrong, as you're almost afraid to use it because it drains battery so fast. I believe the resources are semi-randomised, so you will find what you need when you need it - including another pack of batteries. But still, it just feels like you're sort of discouraged from using the torch too liberally, despite it being the central component of the combat.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440156#Comment_121440156

I wouldn't mind the shooting if not for the Shadow the Hedgehog Taken who zip back and forth or then split into two. That's when it just becomes an annoyance.

And as for the flashlight, for me the boost either doesn't fully damage them like it should half the time (especially trying to hit the speed taken) or in Alan's section where you can waste an entire flashlight on fake shadows, and then the one you don't check ends up being the one to knock you on your hole.

And that's my issue with it, the combat isn't difficult, it can just be annoying.

PixelPlayer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440811#Comment_121440811

Took me a while to realise you're not supposed to attack them all with the flashlight. You're supposed to wait until you get barged. It's all part of the anxiety and suspense.

one armed dwarf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440811#Comment_121440811

With enemies like this I think the point isn't to engage in a reactionary back and forth, even on PC it's hard to line up those shots. Your character has a lot of 'startup' frames for every action. You're not supposed to be able to get off those potshots on the fast enemies

The point is more to put down pressure in the form of flares and stuff, which slow them right down. Or use the shotgun a lot. The game rubberbands resources so whatever you use will be returned to you almost instantly in some cases so there's no point in being too frugal about it. Especially with flares, they really want you to use them.

With Alan's enemies, I think some of the shadows might have little tells that show if they are violent or passive but I don't really know to be honest. Either way tbh, I enjoy getting baited and thrown on my ass, I'm fine with getting it wrong sometimes

Penn

I've gotten through almost all Alan's sections now as far as I know. To be honest, I just started running past shadows as much as possible. Even when attacked I just leg it, or in the few sections where I've had to fight, it's Flare Gun City.

The combat in the game just isn't for me, and that's grand. I'm willing to just plow through at this stage to finish the game off.

johnny_ultimate

Finally got around to finishing it.

Listen, the game's problems are obvious. The story and writing are all over the shop - good, intriguing ideas mixed with loads of repetition and odd tangents. The combat is mostly fine but most definitely plagued with little annoyances and quirks. Navigation of the open, forested areas can be quite confusing - a mix of busy map design and dense visuals. The game undoubtedly could've used a tighter edit, and is full of in-jokes and self-referential bits - some undeniably cool, some which overstay their welcome.

And yet... it features a lot of the absolute coolest **** I've ever seen in a video game. Some impeccable direction, set piece design and - especially in the back half - creepy bits. The integration of live-action footage is Remedy finally fulfilling something they've been trying since the Max Payne days, and obviously doubled down on with stuff like Quantum Break and Control. It's probably on a technical level the most advanced video game I've ever played (seriously - with ray and path tracing cranked up, this thing is peerless) but more importantly it has a bunch of fantastic visual and presentational ideas to go with it. I said it earlier in the thread, but if you have any interest in visual design, this is a must-play. Hard to even describe how great some of this stuff looks, with seamless or at least bold integration of live-action footage with real-time gameplay. It's hard to even describe - just go play it if you're curious.

And for all those minor annoyances with things like combat and exploration, it does plenty right in those departments too! Things like the nursery rhyme puzzles and words of power are fun, interesting collectibles, with nice aesthetic ideas to accompany them. Alan's 'change the story' powers are really cleverly employed - there are times when you're standing in the right spot, and the way the new version of the level kicks in after a *just right* build-up can be deliciously bleak (again, a good example of modern tech being used with purpose). While the story does meander, it hits some key plot beats very well indeed, and I quite liked the endgame sequences and ending itself - other than a slightly frustrating enemy rush and another need for a bit of fat trimming. As... undisciplined as some of the writing is, I also found its wild mix of references intriguing - it's much less of a straight pastiche than the original, and instead dives right into the weirder side of its inspirations (like Stephen King's eccentric take on a connected storytelling universe).

Again, there are undeniable issues here, and personally I had a couple of annoying tech hiccups too - namely a few occasions in the back half of the game when textures didn't load properly, necessitating a game restart to fix (I believe it's related to saving your game at coffee thermoses). But it's also one of the wildest, most intriguing games of this scale I've played - for every point I'd dock it for rough edges, I'd give it two for sheer ambition and craftmanship. It's self-indulgent, messy and overstuffed - but it's those while still being brave, bold and often thrilling.

Penn

Finished this last night. I still stand by my comments on the combat, and even in the last few chapters, I just repeatedly legged it where possible.

But the thing that got me through the game was the story and presentation. It can definitely be self-indulgent, too self-referential to games even outside of Alan Wake 1, and can be horribly over-written at times (particularly in Saga's mind palace where every clue or question leads to a slight variation of a similar answer you already got, or a lot of the echoes in Alan's sections though I get why they're like that). When the story beats work though, it's an astounding achievement in game design and direction, how it blends live-action, performances and set-pieces to provide truly incredible sequences. I also think a lot of the mechanics such as using the plot points to change the environment around you work really well.

It's a fantastic game, and I think earns a lot of the praise and GOTY nods it's getting. But for me, I enjoyed it far more as an experience than as a game, and I nearly wish it had been more of a puzzle-type game than the combat, or at least a better balance between those.

Grumpypants

I've been playing for around 8 hours now. Just got into the coffee shopping coffee world.

Really enjoying it. Just the right balance of exploring to get stuff and moving the story along.

apache

Gonna treat myself to it for Xmas. I enjoyed the first one.

Grumpypants

Just finished "the song" part. That's up there with the best / most unexpected sequences I've played.

PixelPlayer

There's a new Alan Wake 2 ending along with an NG+ mode

https://www.alanwake.com/story/unveiling-the-final-draft-new-game-plus-for-alan-wake-2/

Grumpypants

Wrapped it up this morning. Fantastic game, loved pretty much all of it. Only bits that got frustrating were the fast close combat parts where you had to reload, swap weapons and dodge. But I think there was only two of those and I just dropped the difficulty to story for that section and then put it back up.

New Game + is actually something that works really well within the context of the game's story. It's another "loop". Even the opening sequence has changed and you see it from another perspective with your new understanding of what everyone is doing.

apache

So I went to buy and download this earlier to have over the Xmas. It's only available for playstation 5? I have a 4 pro. Very disappointing as I enjoyed the first one. I'm only a casual gamer but wondering does this happen much? Games only available for latest console? I don't play enough to justify buying one.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121531189#Comment_121531189

Yep it’s next (or current) gen only - and one of the games that pushes the new consoles hardest.

PS4 is an increasingly obsolete console for new releases - only a small amount of new releases will make it onto it at this stage.

apache

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121531226#Comment_121531226

I didn't know that. I just renewed my subscription because I think it's worth it for the free monthly games alone. But yes I'm behind the times.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121531245#Comment_121531245

Once you go past about 2 years of a new console coming out, very few of the new bigger games come out on the old console. Usually just the more franchise type of games like the annual sports games. Mostly because newer games really start using the advanced performances and features of the new consoles and they just can't really be optimised for older consoles.