Remedy Entertainment’s next big game is the highly anticipated survival-horror, Alan Wake 2, which is bringing a whole new perspective to the classic franchise. One of the main selling points for this new title is that the player will not only be able to navigate the world as main protagonist Alan Wake, but will also be playing as a new character, FBI Agent Saga Anderson.
It will be the decision of each individual gamer to decide when and at what time to play the character they desire. The only exception to this rule will be at the beginning of the game, where Saga Anderson is the required protagonist, and at the end of the game, where Alan Wake will have the concluding storyline.
Alan Wake 2 creator Sam Lake and director Kyle Rowley wanted the AAA title to feel unique without breaking the experience of the user. While there are two characters you can chose from at a given time and there is a dialogue tree that will somewhat alter the conversations, “the stories have been written in a way that you can consume them in any order.” Lake and Rowley verify that there is absolutely no wrong way to play the game and no matter what order in which you play you will be lead to a proper conclusion.
What Does It Mean For Nothing to Be Missable?
Although there will be some optional side-quests and additional paths, these are unrelated to the character switching and the overall storyline. So, no matter how you play the game and how unique the game is to you, Alan Wake 2, does not consist of a plethora of storylines. When the game has concluded the goal was never to make one feel as if they are in the multiverse of Alan Wake. It appears the main idea for the format Lake and Rowley have developed is to allow each individual gamer the chance to decide when to keep things fresh.
The two Remedy Entertainment creators explain that if the player wants to be in the Pacific Northwest as Agent Saga Anderson, then they have the ability to do so. When they become tired of playing as Anderson, they can jump to the Dark Place and see what is going on in the world of author Alan Wake. This experience will allow for an opportunity to explore the narrative threads of the two characters, as well as the duality between their worlds and choices.
Are Multiple Main Character Story Arcs in Single-Player Titles the Future of Gaming as We Know it?
If you have been keeping up with developments in the gaming world, then you might be wondering if the style of gameplay from Alan Wake 2, is the next big move for the industry. It very much appears this type of storytelling is on the rise, and there are certainly other examples of this in recent history.
Insomniac Games is another recent developer that has been trying out multiple main character story arcs in their single-player games. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is one such title that allowed the player to jump from playing as Ratchet to playing as Rivet, depending on the planet they visited. Another Insomniac game, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, has also been announced to give the gamer the ability to chose their playable character, providing the option to play as Peter Parker’s Spider-Man or Miles Morales’ Spider-Man.
Another game that used this style of gameplay, but to a more divisive end, was the Naughty Dog title, The Last of Us Part 2. This game used a method of character switching, but did not give the player control of when the switch occurred. It used this style to examine themes of vengeance, the duality of humankind, and the consequence of actions.
It did not shy away from making difficult decisions and pointing a mirror at the world. Despite the varying feelings gamers had about the game, there is no doubt this method of gameplay is a new and refreshing perspective on what is to come in the gaming industry. While this style is certainly not new, it may be a great way for developers to express themselves and make stories in creative ways.
Lake and Rowley have made it clear that gamers who are unfamiliar with the Alan Wake franchise will not need to know anything going into Alan Wake 2. However, if you are interested in playing the original, before the next game hits the shelves, the remastered edition can be found for $30 on most sites. Control, a spin-off to Alan Wake, is also a worthy title and requires no previous knowledge of the games to be played.
Source: Eurogamer
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