Unleashing the Horror: Alan Wake 2 and Its Exhilarating Homage to Resident Evil's Classic Traditions
Alan Wake 2, confirmed as a survival horror, has a golden opportunity to draw inspiration from a long-standing Resident Evil tradition, potentially elevating the game to new heights
Highlights
Alan Wake 2 is switching to a full survival horror experience, drawing inspiration from the Resident Evil series.
The game would greatly benefit from the inclusion of recurring boss battles, a longstanding tradition in Resident Evil games. Alan Wake 2 has the opportunity to introduce distinct and horrifying boss creatures, capitalizing on the antagonist's ability to transform into different forms and manipulate Alan's nightmares and discarded concepts.
Alan Wake 2, set to be released in a week, will see Remedy Entertainment delve into a full survival horror experience, diverging from its predecessor. Remedy has been transparent about this change in direction, opening up a host of enticing possibilities for what players can expect from Alan Wake 2. While transitioning between genres can be a risky move for a studio, Alan Wake already contains various elements that seamlessly lend themselves to true survival horror.
Taking inspiration from the renowned Resident Evil series, Remedy aims to imbue Alan Wake 2 with similar influences. Given the immense popularity and success of recent Resident Evil titles, starting from RE7 and continuing with this year's RE4 remake, it is only natural for Remedy to want to capture the same essence and deliver an experience that rivals them. Importantly, there is one particular long-standing Resident Evil tradition that would perfectly align with the essence of Alan Wake 2.
Alan Wake 2 Can Find Inspiration In This Resident Evil Tradition
Alan Wake 2 could benefit from incorporating one of the iconic elements of the Resident Evil franchise - multi-stage or recurring boss fights. While other survival horror games have utilized this feature, Resident Evil has set the standard with its elaborate and memorable set-piece battles. Alan Wake 2 has the opportunity to create its own unique boss encounters by integrating its existing elements into meaningful connections with the game's story and characters.
Unlike the grotesque abominations typically found in Resident Evil games, Alan Wake's main antagonist, The Dark Presence, possesses the ability to assume any form it desires. This opens up countless possibilities for creative and innovative boss monster designs. Furthermore, as The Dark Presence tends to manifest itself by exploiting Alan's imagination and psyche, this aspect could be utilized to deliver intense and impactful experiences. By bringing forth the distorted nightmares and discarded ideas from Alan's ongoing horror novel, the boss fights in Alan Wake 2 can explore intriguing and terrifying avenues.
Alan Wake's established lore provides an ideal opportunity for an unforgettable and layered boss encounter. Mr. Scratch, Alan's distorted doppelganger, could function akin to the formidable Nemesis or Mr. X in Resident Evil. With each subsequent confrontation, Mr. Scratch's sanity could deteriorate, necessitating players to face him in increasingly perilous forms as he unveils novel and improved attacks. Additionally, the incorporation of expanded poltergeist objects, such as the bulldozer, steam engine, and pickup trucks from the original game, would enrich the gameplay experience. Furthermore, incorporating sections where Alan must combat colossal possessed machines, requiring meticulous disassembly, would lend themselves to awe-inspiring boss encounters.
Another game mechanic from Alan Wake, the flashlight, would continue to play a crucial role. Players would need to direct its beam at enemies to eliminate their shadow shield, momentarily stunning them and leaving them vulnerable to damage. This mechanic could also be seamlessly integrated into the challenging battles against bosses, compelling players to strategically target specific areas of the enemy or the environment to exploit creative weaknesses. While there may be alternative approaches to depicting enemies in Alan Wake 2, the inclusion of Resident Evil-style bosses would be a remarkable addition, particularly considering the game's heightened utilization of RE design elements. By incorporating these multi-stage, evolving combat scenarios, Alan Wake 2 could stand alongside Resident Evil as one of the premier examples of exceptional survival horror boss design.
Alan Wake 2 releases October 27, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
