Alan Wake 2 - snooze fest?

[Rubycube99]

I know PCG review is still due, but just wanted to throw my current experience out there as I bought this game based on the glowing critic reviews. Worth noting that I haven't played the first game.

About 6 hours deep and pretty bored. It is almost a walking sim, which I really don't mind if not for the cheap writing and weirdness being very contrived. It's totally void thematically.

Some character animations look great but others, including the female protag, is a little stiff, which I could accept if she reacted appropriately to the happenings around her. She's practically indifferent to straight up murders of innocents right in front of her and only slightly flustered when faced with a paranormal monster.

I'm playing all bells and path-traced whistles (4080 + 4K) and it looks very good but not as good as write-ups would lead you to believe. Cyberpunk PL is still the best tech showcase imo.

I will keep going with hope it cleverly gives context to some of my perceived shortfalls (and because I paid for it). But i'm not seeing the 'horror masterpiece' I keep reading about. I wouldn't even call it scary.

Wondering how other folk are getting on?

 

[Frag Maniac]

Well, as you seem to already know, that's not what most are saying about it. What concerns me more is their insistence on requiring a mesh shader capable GPU on ALL graphics settings, and using software RT even when HW RT is disabled. It's no wonder people say it takes a beast of a PC, so I've pretty much written off it being able to run on my spec.

I played the first game, and it was pretty good, and what I like even more about the design of this one is it's intended to be focused more on survival horror.

 

[ZedClampet]

The way I remember the first one, it was nearly non-stop exploration with endless combat, only occasionally interrupted by a bit of the non-sensical story. Have they changed the formula?

This is a "wait for a sale" game for me, so it's going to be awhile before I play it. I wouldn't mind watching someone else play it, though.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Its a wait for a new GPU and until I get to it one for me.

I liked the first game quite a bit, the story and atmosphere was great even if the gameplay was a bit samey. Control was one of my favourite games of the last few years though, so I'm still hopeful I'll like this one.

 

[Frag Maniac]

Its a wait for a new GPU and until I get to it one for me.

I liked the first game quite a bit, the story and atmosphere was great even if the gameplay was a bit samey. Control was one of my favourite games of the last few years though, so I'm still hopeful I'll like this one.

When I keep hearing people say games like Control and Death Stranding were great, sometimes I think I should give them another try, or in the case of Control, just try it, as I've never played it. That said, there have also been MANY players echoing my same sentiments about both.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

When I keep hearing people say games like Control and Death Stranding were great, sometimes I think I should give them another try, or in the case of Control, just try it, as I've never played it. That said, there have also been MANY players echoing my same sentiments about both.

I'd definitely recommend trying Control, its on Steam for €10 at the moment, probably works out about the same in US.

 

[ZedClampet]

I'd definitely recommend trying Control, its on Steam for €10 at the moment, probably works out about the same in US.

Checked. Same price in US.

 

[Johnway]

Not played AW2, my pc won't run it. Did play the original and i thought it was rather humdrum tbh. i did play the game twice playing the hardest difficulty and interestingly i found that combat was optional for most of the fights. it was just easier/simpler to use the flash light to stun them and make a run for it.

standing your ground and trying to kill them meant you would focus on one target allowing others to close in on you and cause all sorts of problems. on harder difficulty meant stronger enemies (i believe +1 bullet for each enemy) thus more time shooting and more time to get surrounded.

but then, hindsight is a wonderful thing.