Unleashing the Untapped Potential: Alan Wake 2's Manuscript Pages Hold the Key!

Highlights

Alan Wake 2 needs to improve on the Manuscript Pages from the first game in order to sustain its survival horror atmosphere.

The Manuscript Pages in the initial game were excessively explicit, divulging the storyline and exposing the destinies of crucial characters.

The sequel intends to enhance the Manuscript Pages by imbuing them with a sense of ambiguity, subtly insinuating impending events while withholding crucial particulars in order to instill fear and astonishment among players.

The highly anticipated announcement of Alan Wake 2 finally came at the Video Game Awards in Late 2021 after a period of uncertainty for the franchise. Following the cancellation of the original sequel, developer Remedy Entertainment focused their efforts on other projects such as Quantum Break and Control. Clues for a sequel were subtly integrated into Control, culminating in Alan Wake's reappearance in the game's DLC. However, the sequel must address one crucial aspect that requires improvement compared to the first game.

Early indications suggest that Alan Wake 2 will dive deeper into the survival horror genre, a departure from its predecessor. Developer comments and subsequent gameplay trailers further reinforced this notion. While certain elements from the first game, such as the Manuscript Pages, appear to be making a comeback, the developer must enhance this particular aspect to maintain the desired survival horror atmosphere.

What Were the Manuscript Pages in Alan Wake?

The first game in the franchise was primarily an action-adventure game, but it also incorporated various horror elements. Alan Wake, in particular, featured Manuscript Pages as a prominent horror element. Initially, the purpose of these pages may not be entirely clear to players, but as they progress through the game, they gradually realize that the pages serve as spoilers for the plot.

The game takes a major twist when it reveals that "The Dark Presence," an entity within the story, manipulates artists and their creations to alter reality and empower itself. Eventually, Alan becomes aware of being used by this entity and creates a new narrative in which he defeats it. The protagonist's manuscript pages are scattered throughout the game world, offering players insights into the upcoming events of the story. However, the Manuscript Page element in Alan Wake received criticism and could benefit from some improvements.

How Alan Wake 2 Might Improve On the Manuscript Pages

To improve upon the Manuscript Pages from the first game, Alan Wake 2 should adopt a more ambiguous approach, avoiding the disclosure of all information at once. In the previous game, the pages were a drawback as they revealed the entire story and the fates of crucial supporting characters. In order to maintain the horror atmosphere in the sequel, the Manuscript Pages require a revamp. They should provide subtle hints about the upcoming events while omitting key details, allowing players to experience fear and surprise. The gameplay trailer for the sequel might have already suggested a possible strategy for achieving this.

The gameplay trailer for Alan Wake 2 was filled with easily overlooked details, one of which was the return of the Manuscript Pages. Upon closer inspection of the trailer, it appears that certain words on the page have been obscured or redacted. This suggests that the characters who read these pages will only receive partial information, unaware of the full story that lies ahead. Consequently, this element adds to the fear factor of the game, as the unknown often proves more disturbing than what is known.

Predicting the game's exact plans proves challenging due to the absence of gameplay footage in the advertising for Alan Wake 2. The improvement of the Manuscript Pages, a gameplay feature from the first game, is a necessary task for Remedy Entertainment. Hopefully, they are up to the challenge and are intentionally keeping their plans under wraps. When they finally reveal their strategy, it is hoped that the developer will come forward with a winning hand, delivering a satisfying experience.

Alan Wake 2 releases October 17, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.