Breaking News: The Long-Awaited Alan Wake 2 Sequel - Exclusive Developer Insights!

Highlights

The development team for Alan Wake 2 aimed to improve upon the dissonance between story and gameplay in the original game, shifting the genre to create a better balance.

The introduction of Saga Anderson as a new character offers players, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the first game, the opportunity to be immersed in the story and discover it alongside her.

With both Alan and Saga serving as dual protagonists, each with their own distinct storylines that intertwine, the game provides a fresh and unique experience. Players can alternate between them, gaining a new perspective and finding relief from the pressures of gameplay.

One of the most highly-anticipated sequels in gaming is Alan Wake 2 by Remedy. The game follows the story of the titular novelist who goes on a vacation to Bright Falls, Washington. However, things take a dark turn when he comes across an Object of Power, leading to psychological horror. The original Alan Wake was a multimedia experience that included a prequel live-action miniseries called Bright Falls, among other things. It has also been expanded upon by the game Control, released by Remedy in 2019. With this extensive and interconnected story spanning over a decade of media, it presented a challenge to catch up new players.

In a recent interview with Game Rant, the game director of Alan Wake 2, Kyle Rowley, and the principal narrative designer, Molly Maloney, discussed the growth of the Remedy Connect Universe, the experience of working on a sequel after a decade, and more. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: To begin, what was Remedy's specific plan for creating a sequel to a game that has its own fanbase, as well as appealing to fans of Remedy games who may not necessarily be Alan Wake fans? How did you manage to strike a balance between creating a sequel and ensuring the game appeals to both groups of fans?

Rowley: At the onset of game development, our primary focus was determining the direction we wanted to take with this game. We considered how we could enhance the original game, taking into account the aspects we enjoyed and those we did not.

We extensively discussed the disparity we perceived between the narrative and the gameplay, specifically noting that Alan Wake 1 prioritized action to a greater extent. This was influenced by our recent experience developing Max Payne.

We made sure to prioritize improvement in this sequel, which led us to shift the genre. Recognizing that there would be a significant time gap of 13 years since the release of the previous game, we aimed to introduce the storyline in a way that was more engaging than simply watching a video, especially for those who hadn't played the first game or were unfamiliar with it.

Introducing Saga Anderson as a character in the game served this purpose effectively. She serves as a relatable character for players, as she is unaware of the events of Alan Wake 1 and the larger Remedy Connected Universe. Throughout the gameplay, she gradually learns about these aspects, and as players, we learn alongside her.

In the early stages, we prioritize incorporating a specific perspective into the game. While we also consider connections to Control and other elements, they are not our main focus. Our primary focus is always on creating a strong foundation for the product, and only then do we incorporate these additional elements.

Maloney: Exactly. We sit down and brainstorm what would be the most exciting aspect. Fortunately, we are also fans of Remedy, so we understand the importance of getting fans excited. However, what truly excites us is creating a fantastic game experience. As Kyle mentioned, we then look for connections, but the idea itself has to be solid and function well on its own. Its connection to Control or any other game won't matter if it's not a great idea in its own right.

Rowley: Yes, we have separate teams within Remedy, and they are also fans of our work. When they witness something impressive, they exclaim, 'wow, is that our game?'

Maloney: Will you incorporate that? Is it possible for us to include that?

Rowley: It's kind of cool. We get validation that way too.

Q: It's clear that you have a new co-protagonist. Can you discuss the potential risks and advantages of creating an Alan Wake 2 where Alan Wake isn't always the main character, but Saga is also involved?

Maloney: Right from the start, the game centered around the concept of duality, such as the contrast between light and dark, two different worlds, and two individuals. It has always been about two distinct narratives.

I think it's very easy to say, 'Oh, she's a great POV character.' It's been 13 years. She's an entry point.

Rowley: That's why I said all of those things [laughs].

Maloney: She possesses all those qualities [laughs].

However, she also offers an incredibly valuable perspective. Consider it from this angle. Alan has been fully immersed in this realm for 13 years. He's a person teetering on the edge, giving his all. Yet, our best efforts are not always...you know, unpredictable.

Her outsider perspective adds significant depth to the overall experience, serving as a crucial contrast. Additionally, her presence in key locations such as Cauldron Lake and Bright Falls allows fans to eagerly revisit familiar sites. The ability to switch between different narratives offers a refreshing and valuable respite, particularly when players feel overwhelmed playing as Alan or engaged in the Saga. Beyond the narrative merits, there are numerous innovative design aspects that make her a remarkable addition.

Rowley: We discussed the concern of creating an Alan Wake game where players only get to play as Alan for half the time. That's why it was crucial for us to ensure a balanced 50/50 split between the two. Additionally, Alan is also present in the other parts of the game, not just limited to The Dark Place. We have showcased some of this in our trailers, demonstrating that there is certainly enough presence of Alan.

Maloney: It's an adequate and satisfactory amount, ensuring a good balance.

Rowley: I can just tolerate him.

[Both laugh]

Q: Could you elaborate on the difficulties of developing a narrative viewpoint while managing two main characters and a multitude of tasks for the player to handle simultaneously? What specific obstacles have you faced in this regard?

Maloney: It's definitely a great way to stay occupied.

Rowley: That's actually one of the main reasons we decided to allocate a significant amount of resources to features like the case board and plot board. They serve as a tool for players to review and keep track of their progress. After spending a considerable amount of time playing through Saga's sequence, players can then refer back to Alan and consult their boards. This allows them to see their previous actions and where they currently stand in the game. Mechanically, it enhances the game's power dynamics and also enables players to catch up on the narrative they have already experienced.

The challenge lies in creating two distinct worlds for these two characters, ensuring they feel unique enough from each other. It's important that players don't feel like they're just playing the same game over and over again, but also don't have to constantly relearn how to play. This is why we have Saga's mind place and Alan's writer's room, as well as Saga's case board and Alan's plot board. Mechanically, they are very similar, so there's no need to learn a new gameplay style. However, the context and actions are quite different. We were aware that creating two separate games wasn't feasible. Instead, the goal was to create one game that provides a mirrored experience.

Maloney adds that both Alan and Saga have their own unique story arcs. However, the real magic happens when these arcs intersect, creating something entirely new. From a narrative design standpoint, the challenge is to ensure that the player's experience pushes the story forward. When planning the segments for Saga and Alan, it was crucial to consider how these two elements would come together.

There is a common objective among them, but it is not determined by the specific actions you take. It is rather influenced by the manner in which you execute those actions or the sequence in which you carry them out. How does this reinterpretation of the narrative alter its context? Enabling you to effortlessly switch between the content was a primary objective we aimed to achieve.

Maloney: Absolutely. The writing team was fully committed to crafting a captivating narrative. The process of narrative design was integral right from the initial outline. It's quite interesting: regardless of how many times you create a game, meticulously plan the story, see it in written form, and feel a sense of satisfaction, once you bring it to life, you often realize it needs further adjustments.

There was significant iteration involved in the process, especially considering the connection between the storylines. We made sure to understand Saga's arc and Alan's arc individually, but it was crucial to explore how they interact and how different choices such as X, Y, and Z or Y, Z, X would impact the overall satisfaction of the game experience. If it didn't feel satisfying, we would go back and revise it. Based on my experience, there is no easy way to approach this; you simply have to test it out, get people's feedback, and intentionally push its limits. We encountered numerous issues and obstacles along the way.

Rowley: Essentially, the game is structured in a way that you start off playing as Saga and get introduced to her side of the story. Then, you switch to playing as Alan and get introduced to his side. At that point, we like to transition.

Players used to have the freedom to switch between tasks, but we noticed that they would often stick to one task and complete the entire Saga arc before moving on. This caused them to have to relearn certain aspects of the game once they switched tasks. This was not ideal since we were already halfway through the game. To address this issue, we made significant structural changes to guide players' gameplay.

We soon recognized that there were crucial moments where players needed to understand certain information. For example, if someone chose to play as Alan, it was important for them to have specific knowledge before proceeding, so that the other elements of the game would make sense.

Rowley: Yeah, there was a lot of tweaking and iteration on that.

Q: Do players have clear moments in the game where it becomes apparent that they should switch to another character?

Rowley: No, the stories are not designed in a way that requires playing one character to understand the other, but they can offer additional context. The aim was to ensure that no matter how you play, the stories remain coherent and understandable. However, we focused on allowing players to switch characters at the appropriate time rather than the wrong time. For example, we wouldn't want players to switch in the middle of a mission they were already engaged in, as it would lead to confusion when returning to that mission later on.

We aimed to enable the option to switch at a moment when you have reached a conclusion, as it is easier to remember compared to switching halfway through.

Maloney: It's similar to freeway exits. Once you go past an exit, you will continue playing for a bit longer before the next one.

Rowley: That's a great analogy.

Q: Do you foresee a situation where players will have any agency in how the story plays out? or is it just completely written as is?

Maloney: We have a story to tell, and that's exactly what you'll receive. However, being a psychological horror game allows us to focus more on exploration compared to the previous game. Your agency is not only in how you experience the story, but also in your attention to detail, investigation, and awareness. By not paying attention or exploring, you risk missing crucial context that adds depth.

Will the core story be altered? No. Sam and Clay have a captivating story to share, and we have no intention of altering that. However, depending on your gameplay choices, you may not uncover the entire story.

Rowley: In each of the halves, there are scenes that offer additional context to one another. Depending on the order in which you play, when you come across that scene in the other half, you may have a better understanding or more context compared to if you didn't see it first. The same applies vice versa.

Alan Wake 2 releases October 27, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.