Summary
- Alan Wake 2 is a highly acclaimed survival horror game, offering an excellent gaming experience, so fans may be looking for something similar.
- Alone in the Dark (2024) aims to revitalize the series after a string of unsuccessful releases, and it looks promising based on the information revealed.
- The upcoming Alone in the Dark shares similarities with Alan Wake 2, including a dual protagonist structure, core genre elements, and high-profile talent involved in the project. Fans of Alan Wake 2 should consider checking out Alone in the Dark (2024).
With the resurgence of survival horror, fans of the genre have been gifted with a glut of great games in a short span. 2023 saw the release of a number of quality entries, including the Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 remakes, and most recently, Alan Wake 2. While the first Alan Wake was mostly a cult hit, the sequel is a bonafide blockbuster. Alan Wake 2' s shift to full survival horror, combined with developer Remedy's trademark flair, made for one of the best experiences to date. AW2 has already earned widespread acclaim and counts itself alongside the aforementioned titles as one of the genre's latest and greatest.
Meanwhile, the Alone in the Dark series has lain dormant since 2015. Though it played a seminal part in establishing survival horror itself, through a subsequent string of missteps and lackluster releases, it fell out of relevance in the gaming world for some time. But now, with a new title set to release March 20, 2024, fans who enjoyed Alan Wake 2 have plenty of reasons to consider checking out the upcoming Alone in the Dark.
Alone in the Dark was originally scheduled to release the same month as Alan Wake 2 before being delayed twice to the above date.
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Alan Wake 2 Fans Should be Excited About Alone in the Dark (2024)
Alone in the Dark Past & Present
Alone in the Dark has a long and winding history. The franchise started in 1992, predating Resident Evil, and utilized a fully 3D environment; one of the earliest games to do so. As such, it is considered a respected progenitor of horror games. Multiple follow-ups were released between then and 2015, many of them attempting to emulate the spirit of the original, usually unsuccessfully. This was mainly due to the IP changing hands numerous times between developers and publishers, with long gaps between releases and an ill-defined vision and execution regarding the evolution of its direction and design.
Each time another Alone in the Dark game was announced, it claimed to be aiming to rejuvenate the series via a fresh reboot or remake. Yet, time and again, they failed to make an impact on audiences and the industry and ended up largely forgotten in lieu of more polished titles. Based on the information revealed about it, though, Alone in the Dark (2024) looks poised to finally deliver on that promise of recapturing within the current climate what the original title did for the genre decades ago.
Alone in the Dark (2024) & Alan Wake 2's Similarities
The upcoming Alone in the Dark bears some striking resemblances to Alan Wake 2 and looks to be checking many of the boxes that AW2 did to achieve its status as a top-tier survival horror experience. Among them are:
- A dual protagonist structure.
- Embracing core genre elements like third-person camera view and resource management.
- Commitment to characters, setting, and atmosphere.
- High-profile talent attached to the project.
Specifically regarding the last point, David Harbour and Jodie Comer (of Stranger Things and Killing Eve fame respectively) have been cast as the leads. Along with them, Mikael Hedberg, the writer for 2024's Alone in the Dark, previously worked on SOMA and Amnesia: The Dark Descent and will be penning an entirely new story for the game. Given all these facets, fans who loved Alan Wake 2 and want more in the same vein would do well to give the latest Alone in the Dark a chance, as it's shaping up to have the same ingredients to make for a similarly excellent survival horror adventure.
Alan Wake 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- October 27, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Epic Games
- Engine
- Northlight Engine
- Franchise
- Alan Wake
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- How Long To Beat
- 17 Hours
- Metascore
- 90
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
