I would like to start this off as I AM A HUGE REMEDY FAN. Ok, now you know how this is gonna go.

I lovd the first Alan Wake back on xbox crap60. Although they did a "remaster" that felt incredibly barebones as far as updates and I actually enjoyed it much less as time has gone on. Turns out we have come A LONG WAY in video games! Control is, in my opinion, one of the greatest games ever so my anticipation for AW2 was certainly there and somehow I KNEW that this game was going to turn up the weird factor just like that game did. So glad I was right hehe.

THE GOOD

• The opening scene playing a naked man really sets the stage of what the fuck is this.
• The PERFECT type of horror. I don't need non stop jump scares or googly eyed monsters to understand that what I am taking part of is creepy, unsettling and weird.
• STORY BABYYYYYYY. Yes the story is told so damn weird just like it was in Control, but I am here for that. Everything someone says in this game is so weird and often times makes no sense until sometimes it does. It may seem dumb sometimes but it definitely feels like art.
• You are rewarded if you have played their other games. Not to spoil much but there other easter eggs and things like that you will notice if you are familiar with any of remedy games.
• The Mind Place is a really awesome idea. Going into Saga's head and see all the information she is holding onto and doing soe detective work was great. Nothing challenging there but it was a nice extra layer of piecing together info you have come across and turning it into something to be pieced together. Again this story and world is weird as hell so just having some photos and notes that you can link things together on your detective board was great.
• Finding manuscripts, watching weird live action commercials, reading lore stuff in the world is great. I loved ALL OF IT.
• MOST IMPORTANTLY... God damn that music scene was awesome. I always know I am gonna get some fun section that centers around music in one of Remedy's games and this one certainly takes the cake. I could not help but just not play the game and just sit an watch for way to long. SO GOOD.

THE BAD

• Honestly I was really surprised how dull the gunplay is here. I did not expect anything like Control but dang you basically just aim, shoot, reload. There is not much gun variation, most enemies are the same, and basically you just point and shoot. It didn't ruin much of the game as there really isn't all that much shooting to be honest. • Looking around for loot SUCKS. This is by far the worst part of the game. For multiple hours I started to feel as though the game was dragging as I walked around a mostly empty world, devoid of things to pick up. I am actually not sure it was meant to be explored but more so put there simply to make the area seem lived in. The majority of any locked safe or anything I came across was one thing, bullets. I would crack combos, solve puzzles, find hidden stashes, all for the great reward of more bullets. I would actually recommend just not searching around TOO MUCH as bullets is not really that fun of a reward for how time consuming it becomes. thats just me though, if you are a bullet hunter do it up!
• The lighting in this game is wacky as hell. There were times where the sun is out but I had to have my flashlight on so I can see anything. One time it WAS daytime but it was supposed to be night and so street lights were on but I couldn't see them. Street lights in this game are often rest spots so not being able to physically seem is janky.

THE WEIRD

Besides some set backs, which honestly are very minor as far as how much FUN I was having, this game is the jam. It's really nice to play a game that goes deep in the sci-fi sauce and can't wait for their next game. EEK!