Alan Wake II Xbox Playstation PC Gaming

[David76]

Alan Wake 2 finally has a release date, but Remedy Entertainment has shared that it will have a digital only release.

Earlier this week, Remedy Entertainment finally shared a proper look at the upcoming survival horror game Alan Wake 2, the long-awaited follow-up to the 2010 original. It's looking incredibly good so far, but for the physical collectors out there you're going to hit a bit of a snag: according to Remedy itself, a physical release isn't planned at this point in time, apparently because this means it can keep the cost of the game lower.

Alan Wake 2 - Gameplay Reveal Trailer | PS5 Games

• David76
• 29 May 2023

Monsters wear many faces Alan Wake 2 releases on October 17, 2023! The long awaited sequel to...

Remedy shared an FAQ shortly after the reveal at the PlayStation showcase going over some of the most pressing questions some of you might have had, as well as some you might not. Pretty early on in the FAQ Remedy wrote that it will be available digitally on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, later explaining why it made this decision. In response to the question "Why is Alan Wake 2 a digital-only release?" Remedy wrote, "There are many reasons for this.

"For one, a large number of [players] have shifted to digital only. You can buy a Sony PlayStation 5 without a disc drive and Microsoft's Xbox Series S is a digital-only console. It is not uncommon to release modern games as digital-only. Secondly, not releasing a disc helps keep the price of the game at $59.99 / €59.99 and the PC version at $49.99 / €49.99. Finally, we did not want to ship a disc product and have it require a download for the game - we do not think this would make for a great experience either."

That last point is likely in reference to the growing trend of games with physical discs essentially just being glorified download codes, something that many players have expressed frustration at. The FAQ did also note that "there are currently no plans to release Alan Wake 2 on disc." This obviously doesn't rule out a release in the future, but don't place any bets on there being one.

At least we know that there'll be plenty of Alan Wake to come, as the FAQ also shared that there will be an Expansion Pass that will include two bits of big DLC, the Night Springs Expansion and the Lake House expansion. While these don't have a release window, we do also know Alan Wake 2 will be out October 17, just a few months away.

 

[David76]

Wrapped it up this evening. Fantastic game, loved pretty much all of it. Only bits that got frustrating were the fast close combat parts where you had to reload, swap weapons and dodge. But I think there was only two of those and I just dropped the difficulty to story for that section and then put it back up.

New Game + is actually something that works really well within the context of the game's story. It's another "loop". Even the opening sequence has changed and you see it from another perspective with your new understanding of what everyone is doing.

 

[David76]

Today, at the Xbox PArtners Preview Show, we got our first look at gameplay from The Lake House, the second expansion coming for Alan Wake 2 – and it looks like the Remedy Connected Universe is getting more connected than ever. Putting us in the shoes of an agent from the Federal Bureau of Control, we'll be exploring an Overlap in the titular Lake House, filled with mysteries, a mysterious living painting, and the horrors it's birthing. It'll be fascinating to see how this bridges the gaps between Alan's story and the events of Control.

The doors of the Lake House will open on Xbox Series X|S from October 22

Alan Wake 2: The Lake House - Launch Trailer | Xbox Partner Preview October 2024

• David76
• 17 Oct 2024

The Lake House is a mysterious facility set up on the shores of Cauldron Lake by the Federal...

 

[David76]

It's been almost a year since the release of Alan Wake 2, and to celebrate, Remedy has rolled out a free update alongside the launch of The Lake House expansion that includes several new features and improvements. According to the developer, the Anniversary Update brings the ability to invert the X axis on the mouse and controller, which it says has been highly requested by players. Along with some PlayStation-only improvements, the update also adds a "Gameplay Assist menu," which you will be able to find in the gameplay options.

The Gameplay Assist menu allows you to enable options such as one-shot kill and player immortality. The full list of options Remedy has revealed so far is below:

• Quick turn
• Auto complete QTE
• Button tapping to single tap
• Weapon charging with taps
• Healing items with taps
• Lightshifter with taps
• Player invulnerability
• Player immortality
• One shot kill
• Infinite ammo
• Infinite flashlight batteries

I've been playing through "The Lake House" DLC. It is quite short - not much longer than two hours, possibly even shorter if you're not being thorough - and nothing special but a nice, self-contained chapter nonetheless. But it's definitely more of a mini Control sequel, albeit using AWII mechanics and a more horror tint to proceedings. If you liked Control, I'd give it a go - it contains some overt sequel teases, but the environment you're exploring is very Oldest House. The game still looks remarkable and runs smoother than when I first played it thanks to the various updates.

Still haven't gotten to Night Springs but I've been saving that, so will get around to it in the coming weeks.

 

[David76]

Remedy has released Patch 1.2.5 which brings quality of life changes, including collectibles in Saga's Mind Palace and slower enemy movements. The update also fixes issues with the Pat Maine radio show, new game plus mode, and PS5 Pro shadow problems.

Spoiler: Alan Wake 2 Update 1.2.5 Patch Notes

PlayStation 5 (1.200.005)
Xbox Series (1.2.0.5)
PC (1.2.5)

Improvements and additions

• [The Lake House] Added collectibles from The Lake House to Saga's Mind Place, when the expansion is played as part of the main campaign.
• [Night Springs] The Night Springs theme is now available in the Writer's Room after finishing any Night Springs chapter as part of the main campaign.
• It is now less frustrating to deal with the "Thrower" enemies. They move around a bit less frequently, and they take longer to teleport after receiving damage.
• [Motion Controls] Improved Gyro controls and interaction with stick input. Increased maximum available sensitivity in the options menu from 4x to 20x (for those of you that are, or could be, surgeons)

Fixes

• [PS5 Pro] Fixed missing Performance LSAO data. (Shadows went missing when swapping from Quality to Performance mode, smh)
• [Night Springs] Fixed an issue where a Night Springs episode would not be available in the main campaign after loading a nearby save.
• [Deluxe Edition] Alan's hair now gets messier, and when using the Classic Outfit, it gets properly soaked. He also remembered to put on his wedding ring.
• [Final Draft] Fixed some Alice photos that were sometimes not available.
• [Final Draft] Fixed a manuscript page in Return 6 that sometimes could not get picked up.
• Fixed some map markers persisting after interaction.
• Fixed Sheriff Stash that could not be opened in Initiation 5.
• Fixed (fingers crossed) the unobtainable Pat Maine radio shows. Good radio lives forever.
• Fixed a Return 1 manuscript page that was unavailable in the Mind Place.
• Fixed a key item in Return 3 that could be picked up too early and could lead into a soft lock.
• Fixed some objectives ("Investigate the previously flooded area") not clearing up properly.
• Scratch will no longer get stuck behind the microphone stand in Return 08.
• Fixed some localization issues across several languages.
• Minor fixes and stability improvements