Alan Wake 2 Blends Horror and Mystery in a Unique Dark World

Alan Wake 2 takes its time building atmosphere before combat, but maintains tension across its 25-30 hour runtime. The combat feels significant and scary like classic Resident Evil games.

Playing as FBI agent Saga Anderson, you gather clues and piece together cases in a mind palace. But you aren't allowed to actively solve the cases yourself.

Alan's sections in the Dark Place blend real and imagined using live action footage layered on top of the game. The world transforms based on ideas Alan writes.

The game weaves different mediums together for a richly realized and unique creative vision. It deals with real fears like misinformation and fiction overtaking fact.

The ending resolves enough but still leaves things hanging for planned DLC. A disappointment after such a singular experience, but still a horror game like no other.