Soon after its launch, Alan Wake 2 received critical acclaim from almost every reviewer. The game has been complimented for almost every feature in the game. From graphics to storyline and even the sound design of the game has received positive feedback from the community. While most features are getting the credit they deserve, the movement mechanics don’t get enough of the spotlight.
While Alan Wake 2 uses simple mechanics overall, the way developers have implemented movement in the game has taken fans by storm. The feeling is not as smooth as players have seen in recent titles by Remedy, and yet, fans believe it fits into the game well.
Movement Mechanics in Alan Wake 2
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The movement physics and parameters in Alan Wake 2 were pointed out by a reliable insider. They stated that although the first game had smoother controls, the new game felt a little “Sluggish”. The user compared the game to other Remedy Entertainment titles, such as the original Alan Wake, Quantum Break, and Control.
In the post, the user said “It feels like a deliberate attempt to mimic classic survival horror and it’s an interesting choice.” This showed that the player was trying to understand why Remedy did so, and things started to make sense.
I’m loving Alan Wake 2 so far, and I’m actually going through it slowly. Just a chapter a night.
My only thing and not really a criticism (yet): I’m surprised at how it controls? It’s sluggish, but Remedy games are never sluggish. Alan Wake 1 in 2010 had tighter controls than… pic.twitter.com/6Sp2kD0XAv
— Gene Park (@GenePark) November 1, 2023
Alan Wake is not a typical action hero; he is portrayed as a writer trapped in a dangerous situation. The clunky mechanics are designed to make players feel like an average person facing peril. And this aligns with the character’s vulnerability and inexperience in life-and-death situations.
The imperfect mechanics include stumbling after a jump or struggling to aim a weapon, and vulnerability. Players can easily overshoot jumps, adding a layer of risk to even simple actions.
Similarities in the controls of Alan Wake 2 and Resident Evil 4
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Both Alan Wake 2 and Resident Evil 4 have gained recognition as two of the best horror games released in 2023. In both these games, players can notice that the controls don’t feel extremely smooth. The players often feel like they are tripping over or not being able to move in the way they would like to. While that might seem like something that puts players off, hardcore fans have understood what the studio was going for.
In Resident Evil 4, players got to see controls that didn’t feel perfect. This led to players wondering why was this done intentionally. The developers quickly responded with Alan Wake 2, emphasizing that they had considered the controls and deliberately slowed them down to convey the fear experienced by the game’s protagonist. Resident Evil 4 aimed to replicate the psychological state of a frightened human.
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Alan Wake 2 appears to have attempted to implement comparable mechanics. The slower and less responsive movement in Alan Wake 2 aims to immerse the player in the experience of controlling an ordinary, often terrified character who is ill-prepared for the horrors they encounter.
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