splattered
Member
Haven't picked this game up yet... But after reading more recent opinions on here I guess that's not a bad thing and I'll wait till it has a good sale? Dang
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Alan Wake II |OT| I'm blinded by the lights.........
- Thread starter cormack12
- Start date
Ocean Dweller
Member
it just came off pretentious and confusing for the sake of being so (to me)
Salmon Snake
Member
Umbral
Member
I look forward to your full thoughts on it. I actually preferred Alan’s chapters, though that’s not saying much. Once I realized how shallow Saga’s section was, I checked out. Alan’s is shallow as well but the atmosphere and tone hit a lot better for me.
I thought you were joking but it seems you were serious. Different strokes, I guess. I expected a lot more horror from the game but it was so tame I don’t think it deserves a “survival horror” description. We can call its genre “You’ll be fine and it’s kinda dark.”
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Salmon Snake
Member
I started playing Dead Space Remake and oh my how much better the frame rate is compared to AW2.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
NG+ update releasing this monday. Will include a new ending as well DAYUM!
Little Chicken
Gold Member
Some people in here doing the most to try and downplay how great this game is for some reason.
It is hip to hate!
Dazraell
Member
I mean, it's fine to not like it. Not every design choice Remedy has made had to resonate with everyone. I really loved the game personally and think it deserved its critical reception, but I can see where some criticism is coming from
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
DirtyBast8rd
Member
I hope my 7.1.4 Hifi sound system is okay instead of headphones
? Just kidding. I can't wait to dive into Alan Wake 2, need to finish up Phantom Liberty and might finish my PS5 Alan Wake 1 playthrough first.
Hugare
Member
New ending was already leaked on Youtube since launch.
Someone found it on the game's files and uploaded it. But it has no sound, so we dont know what they are speaking.
Some cool stuff, but without sound its really hard to make sense of it
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
huh. Somehow I have completely avoided that till now, and will try my best to keep it that way until this update is formally out.
thatJohann
Member
This game won't fucking end already. A chore this has become.
Salmon Snake
Member
Feel you. The last Alan chapters really pissed me off.
Then I started to love the game again but the relationship wasn't the same as before.
Giallo Corsa
Member
This is on the Playstation January sales for 43 euros, worth it ?
I absolutely loved Control and I played AW1 via Xbox BC a couple of years ago, shall I go for it ? I've been reading that ...there's not much actual gameplay and that it's very cutscene and story heavy, any truth to that?
Cheers
I absolutely loved Control and I played AW1 via Xbox BC a couple of years ago, shall I go for it ? I've been reading that ...there's not much actual gameplay and that it's very cutscene and story heavy, any truth to that?
Cheers
kittoo
Cretinously credulous
Not sure where this trope of No gameplay came from. There is absolutely gameplay and lots of it. It's a huge long game. It's just that the gameplay is a little slow and not arcadey, which some may not like.
I would get it, despite my issues with it. The game is dripping with atmosphere, the graphics are great and the story is intriguing. I vehemently disagreed with the combat design of the Alan chapters near the end and found them frustrating, but other than that i really liked it. The beight falls areas were my favorite.
Mortisfacio
Member
Getting close to finishing Lies of P, so caved and bought Alan Wake 2 since it's 20% off and the 33% off coupon. Bought the deluxe. Feel dirty. First time spending money on EGS. Forgive me, Gabe Newell... for I have sinned.
Thick Thighs Save Lives
NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
rofif
Can’t Git Gud
2023 - the year impossible happened and I started disliking Sam Lake
midasmulligan
Member
found it a chore after the first 2 hours...
OmegaSupreme
advanced basic bitch
Did the guy from Quantum Break ever get out? Did I miss that? What about Mr. Door? Did we get some answers regarding him? I beat the game but I have questions lol
Insane Metal
Member
I have yet to beat the game. Completely lost interest on it
Ulysses 31
Member
The ending was DLC bait for the 2 story DLCs that were planned before the game even released.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
amigastar
Member
He's dancing, that's good. Never stop dancing.
DirtyBast8rd
Member
Finished AW2 today. Saga's sections are my fav's. Really love those. Alan's sections could be grander in scale. Game drags a bit in the end. My Goty anyway. It's gameplay is broken up more often so it has less flow than the original AW. I will play AW2 again at some point on ng+. If this comes of as I me not absolutely loving the game, that's not what I'm saying. I'm really thankful there are dev's making these kind of games instead of brainless cod copy's and fortnite clones.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Find places where you can use the lamp to manipulate the environment, keep an eye on the little lamp icon to help you.
Same, went back to ahti and circled around there. Had watch walkthrough on that part, since I was starting to get pissed.
elementalnocturne
Neo Member
Just finished Alan Wake 2.
I wasn’t hyped about this at all going in and it wound up being my GOTY by the end. There really is nothing else like it.
I wasn’t hyped about this at all going in and it wound up being my GOTY by the end. There really is nothing else like it.
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BigLee74
Member
I am loving this game, but the cheap jump scares (you know the ones, there you are creeping about in the quiet when it suddenly shows a small burst of a video of a screaming woman etc) are really pissing me off.
Someone is gonna drop dead with a heart attack (ie me) with that kind of nonsense.
So unnecessary. Sigh.
*changes pants*
Someone is gonna drop dead with a heart attack (ie me) with that kind of nonsense.
So unnecessary. Sigh.
*changes pants*
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rofif
Can’t Git Gud
Jump scares are so cheap.
Zuzu
Member
I posted this in the Alan Wake 2 disappointing sales thread for anyone interested:
"I finished it the other day. I didn't think it was anything exceptional. Gunplay was pretty average when you compare it to other survival horrors release last year like RE4 Remake and Dead Space Remake. Movement in combat felt clunky and not in a good way. The puzzles were either poor or average. Alan Wake's scene changing mechanic and the light switch mechanic were interesting in theory, but they hardly made any interesting puzzles around them. If Valve or Nintendo had of made this game, there would have been awesome puzzles using the type-writer/scene changing mechanic.
Saga's puzzles with the dolls and the cult stashes were pretty generic. Somewhat fun but uninspired at the same time. And some puzzles were just silly such as the maths problems on two of the cult stashes that were pretty much taken from a high school mathematics test book. The puzzles should be built using the tools and mechanics of the game world not taken from something you'd find in a schoolbook lol.
Saga's mindplace detective work was poorly done. There was hardly any actual gameplay required for putting together the evidence board and deductions were so simple and could be achieved through easy trial and error without any actual reasoning. Very poorly designed part of the game.
I disagree with people saying Saga was a good character. Imo she was a blandly written character with a pretty cookie-cutter, uninteresting personality. The story hook involving her daughter could have had more emotional weight around if her daughter actually made a physical appearance in the story. There's not one cutscene that features her daughter. All we have is some photos and some dialogue on the phone with her.
Alan Wake was a little more interesting than Saga but it didn't feel like his character developed too much either. It would have been better if they had have stuck to one character and deepened their character and story arc and they could have deepened the gameplay mechanics of a single character by giving them more skills and more weapons. Alan Wake has hardly any weapons to use. If it just focussed on him they could have made combat more interesting, at least for him.
Graphics on the Series X weren't that great imo. RE4 Remake and Dead Space Remake look better. The story was overall good though and the integration of live action into the story is the best I've ever seen in a video game. It was a master class wrt that and they've come a long way since the use of live action in Quantum Break. The connections the game makes with other Remedy games is also well done and this is one of the best connected universes in gaming atm imo. Something that I don't like is that the "true" ending is hidden behind New Game+. In a game like this where story is the central focus everyone should receive the true ending after the first playthrough imo. They also overused the jump scares in places especially in the retirement home."
I'm honestly quite disappointed in this game, Jedi Survivor and Final Fantasy 16. All three of these games from 2023 were not as good as I hoped they'd be.
"I finished it the other day. I didn't think it was anything exceptional. Gunplay was pretty average when you compare it to other survival horrors release last year like RE4 Remake and Dead Space Remake. Movement in combat felt clunky and not in a good way. The puzzles were either poor or average. Alan Wake's scene changing mechanic and the light switch mechanic were interesting in theory, but they hardly made any interesting puzzles around them. If Valve or Nintendo had of made this game, there would have been awesome puzzles using the type-writer/scene changing mechanic.
Saga's puzzles with the dolls and the cult stashes were pretty generic. Somewhat fun but uninspired at the same time. And some puzzles were just silly such as the maths problems on two of the cult stashes that were pretty much taken from a high school mathematics test book. The puzzles should be built using the tools and mechanics of the game world not taken from something you'd find in a schoolbook lol.
Saga's mindplace detective work was poorly done. There was hardly any actual gameplay required for putting together the evidence board and deductions were so simple and could be achieved through easy trial and error without any actual reasoning. Very poorly designed part of the game.
I disagree with people saying Saga was a good character. Imo she was a blandly written character with a pretty cookie-cutter, uninteresting personality. The story hook involving her daughter could have had more emotional weight around if her daughter actually made a physical appearance in the story. There's not one cutscene that features her daughter. All we have is some photos and some dialogue on the phone with her.
Alan Wake was a little more interesting than Saga but it didn't feel like his character developed too much either. It would have been better if they had have stuck to one character and deepened their character and story arc and they could have deepened the gameplay mechanics of a single character by giving them more skills and more weapons. Alan Wake has hardly any weapons to use. If it just focussed on him they could have made combat more interesting, at least for him.
Graphics on the Series X weren't that great imo. RE4 Remake and Dead Space Remake look better. The story was overall good though and the integration of live action into the story is the best I've ever seen in a video game. It was a master class wrt that and they've come a long way since the use of live action in Quantum Break. The connections the game makes with other Remedy games is also well done and this is one of the best connected universes in gaming atm imo. Something that I don't like is that the "true" ending is hidden behind New Game+. In a game like this where story is the central focus everyone should receive the true ending after the first playthrough imo. They also overused the jump scares in places especially in the retirement home."
I'm honestly quite disappointed in this game, Jedi Survivor and Final Fantasy 16. All three of these games from 2023 were not as good as I hoped they'd be.
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cormack12
Gold Member
So I haven't been back to Alan yet after that subway puzzle pissed me off. I think I'm near the end of Sagas story - I just beat Cynthia and have been sent back to the office. I stupidly decided to backtrack though with the bolt cutters and I'm now running round with hardly any ammo. Think I have 2 handgun, 5 rifle, 0 shotgun and 0 crossbow. Please tell me there is more ammo lying round?
Apocryphon
Member
I didn’t understand the hate for this game. I’m 13 hours in and just started Initiation 5 and I have loved every second of it. The slow pace, the daft as fuck story, the incredible visuals.. it’s fantastic and such a nice change of pace to the formulaic arcade drivel we constantly see. The We Sing chapter was bonkers 
What other western studio could get away with that?
I actually like the combat. Alan’s chapters are weaker in that respect so far, but maybe it will pick up some now that his arsenal is expanding in Initiation 4 and 5. Sagas sections have been a lot of fun. The magnetic bolt for the crossbow is very useful and I really like how weapon upgrades work. It might not flow as well as something like TLOU Part 2 but it’s still a blast to play.
The use of colour and lighting is second to none. The game looks phenomenal on PS5.. possibly the best looking game I have played so far. New York in the rain was just jaw dropping. I pray they make a Max Payne in this engine
I know it’s not selling well at the moment but I do hope it picks up because it’s so different to everything else. I don’t regret buying it at launch and wish I’d gotten around to playing it sooner. It has flaws but it’s definitely a gem in my eyes just like their previous games.
What other western studio could get away with that? I actually like the combat. Alan’s chapters are weaker in that respect so far, but maybe it will pick up some now that his arsenal is expanding in Initiation 4 and 5. Sagas sections have been a lot of fun. The magnetic bolt for the crossbow is very useful and I really like how weapon upgrades work. It might not flow as well as something like TLOU Part 2 but it’s still a blast to play.
The use of colour and lighting is second to none. The game looks phenomenal on PS5.. possibly the best looking game I have played so far. New York in the rain was just jaw dropping. I pray they make a Max Payne in this engine
I know it’s not selling well at the moment but I do hope it picks up because it’s so different to everything else. I don’t regret buying it at launch and wish I’d gotten around to playing it sooner. It has flaws but it’s definitely a gem in my eyes just like their previous games.
cormack12
Gold Member
Finished what I can of Saga's section. Got to the point where something was meant to happen and it didn't, then it put me back to being alan.
Got to say that encounter at the end of sagas chapter was bullshit compared to the rest her campaign. I died like 13 times trying to play as the encounter is put before you. Then just cheesing it by basically ignoring it and spamming rocket flares seemed cheap. Really left a sour note. I'd enjoyed all of it up until then.
Now back as alan, just got the flare gun and ready to progress and wrap up. Really hoping the photo mode patch is pushed soon
Got to say that encounter at the end of sagas chapter was bullshit compared to the rest her campaign. I died like 13 times trying to play as the encounter is put before you. Then just cheesing it by basically ignoring it and spamming rocket flares seemed cheap. Really left a sour note. I'd enjoyed all of it up until then.
Now back as alan, just got the flare gun and ready to progress and wrap up. Really hoping the photo mode patch is pushed soon
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
It’s a solid game full of atmosphere, but I don’t think I’d play it again. There’s just too just holding it up or it isn’t a smooth experience.
Doom85
Member
Got back to the game after I took a break for a while.
Really solid, but MAN, fuck that Nursing Home chapter. Way too many of the screaming pop ups. The initial one where you try to talk to Cynthia was great, that was a good misdirect, but it was way too many after that, should have kept it to one or two after the initial one.
Like, when you have Saga herself calling it bullshit, maybe realize the player themselves might think it’s cheap, hmm?
Also I don’t see the purpose of limiting the size of the shoebox itself. Not even any of the Resident Evil games limited the Storage Box space as far as I remember. Apparently you have to be careful as this can result in missing a charm when you’re supposed to get it as it will be “sent” to the shoebox but never appear because it’s full.
But yes, the musical level was fantastic. I want to see a behind the scenes video of Alan and Mr. Door and Casey’s actors dancing and all that, that must have been a fun day(s) on set.
So really solid game, not best of the year, but still very well executed but a few rough elements.
Really solid, but MAN, fuck that Nursing Home chapter. Way too many of the screaming pop ups. The initial one where you try to talk to Cynthia was great, that was a good misdirect, but it was way too many after that, should have kept it to one or two after the initial one.
Like, when you have Saga herself calling it bullshit, maybe realize the player themselves might think it’s cheap, hmm?
Also I don’t see the purpose of limiting the size of the shoebox itself. Not even any of the Resident Evil games limited the Storage Box space as far as I remember. Apparently you have to be careful as this can result in missing a charm when you’re supposed to get it as it will be “sent” to the shoebox but never appear because it’s full.
But yes, the musical level was fantastic. I want to see a behind the scenes video of Alan and Mr. Door and Casey’s actors dancing and all that, that must have been a fun day(s) on set.
So really solid game, not best of the year, but still very well executed but a few rough elements.
In cinema checkpoints really suck, alrady rage quitted once. Change scene, walk fair amount of distance, listen to the fucking echo again, change scene, hope you dont get grabbed by teleporting enemies and get the light on which seems to be bugged. I don't even know when the next checkpoint is.
rofif
Can’t Git Gud
Man it’s so bad what they did to Cynthia. She was so much stronger and they turned her into a jump scare loud screen every 5 seconds.
Imagine if they did that to log lady in twin peaks
gtabro
Member
Oof, this kinda resonates with me. I put 5 hours into it and couldn't like the game. Visually impressive, but it just didn't make me care about the characters or the setting :/ Not to mention Remedy's collaboration with the infamous Sweet Baby that gave us things like
- random Saga race swap without an explanation?
- this non-racist line, because saying "another asshole" would have DEFINITELY not worked (and yes, I know the context)
Thank you Sweet Baby, thanks to you I didn't buy the game even though I wanted to support Remedy for doing something different albeit not to my taste, keep up the good work
/s
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tommib
Gold Member
That line is at the end and there’s some context to it. You played for 5 hours and are complaining about it. I don’t believe you’ve played the game at all and are just coming in with your anti-woke derangement syndrome to shit on a type of game we need more, not less.Oof, this kinda resonates with me. I put 5 hours into it and couldn't like the game. Visually impressive, but it just didn't make me care about the characters or the setting :/ Not to mention Remedy's collaboration with the infamous Sweet Baby that gave us things like
- random Saga race swap without an explanation?
- this non-racist line, because saying "another asshole" would have DEFINITELY not worked (and yes, I know the context)
Thank you Sweet Baby, thanks to you I didn't buy the game even though I wanted to support Remedy for doing something different albeit not to my taste, keep up the good work
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cormack12
Gold Member
I was gonna say I don't recall that line and I played Saga straight after the first switch to summon and I've been playing pretty solidly for the last week or so after work.
gtabro
Member
Believe what you want, I know how much time I put in it. I gain nothing by pretending.
Also I don't believe, I know you didn't fully read my post, as I said I know the context and didn't judge by a single screenshot.
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Giallo Corsa
Member
Playing this on PS5 at the moment and :
This has got to be one of the most graphically uneven games I've played in the last few years and it's a damn shame...
- pixel crawling everywhere
- jaggies-athon
- That graphical fuckery (don't know what it's called) where there's this...granular look in reflections/highlights etc (like in RE2Re)
- Framerate is kinda all over the place in some spots
- WTF is wrong with the audio levels and mixing ?
This - on consoles at least - is not the technical marvel that many people claim to be and I think that it's a PC game first and foremost.
Listen, it's a Remedy game so I'll finish it and most probably love it by the end but from a technical point of view is no bueno, too many concessions had to be made to have it running on consoles.
PS : absolutely loved Control - hope that AW2 is at least on that level when everything's said and done.
I love the slowburn, the masterful cinematics and atmosphere and general chilled tone in the form.of the investigations but I hope that it's not an interactive movie and that there will be more gameplay later on
This has got to be one of the most graphically uneven games I've played in the last few years and it's a damn shame...
- pixel crawling everywhere
- jaggies-athon
- That graphical fuckery (don't know what it's called) where there's this...granular look in reflections/highlights etc (like in RE2Re)
- Framerate is kinda all over the place in some spots
- WTF is wrong with the audio levels and mixing ?
This - on consoles at least - is not the technical marvel that many people claim to be and I think that it's a PC game first and foremost.
Listen, it's a Remedy game so I'll finish it and most probably love it by the end but from a technical point of view is no bueno, too many concessions had to be made to have it running on consoles.
PS : absolutely loved Control - hope that AW2 is at least on that level when everything's said and done.
I love the slowburn, the masterful cinematics and atmosphere and general chilled tone in the form.of the investigations but I hope that it's not an interactive movie and that there will be more gameplay later on
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Big Baller
Al Pachinko, Konami President
Finally finished it. I wanted to like it but couldnt. Gameplay is worse than the original. I dont mind a crazy story but I really wanted to punch Alan´s stupid face near the end. Sam Lake´s self righteous ass too. That white asshole line was completely out of nowhere. Unless the DLC is better I wont ever bother playing this again.