Summary
Remedy Entertainment’s recentAlan Wake 2has impressed gamers from every corner of the industry. The game offers stunning visuals, a cerebral, meta plot, solid survival-horror gameplay fundamentals, an expansion of thelight-based mechanics of the firstAlan Wake, and a number of unique inclusions that make it unlike just about any other video game released in recent memory. On top of this, one element of its design is very reminiscent of a much-loved area fromThe Last of Us Part 2.
Alan Wake 2is split between two protagonists: the titular Alan Wake, and Saga Anderson, an FBI agent and newcomer to the Remedy Connected Universe. While the Alan and Saga sections differ in a number of ways, they share a few similarities when it comes to basic mechanics and structure. As players make their way through the locales that Alan and Saga traverse in their individual stories, a parallel betweenAlan Wake 2andThe Last of Us Part 2emerges.
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Alan Wake 2’s Level Design Shares Similarities with The Last of Us 2’s Seattle
Alan Wake 2’s absurd humorand charm stand in stark contrast withThe Last of Us 2’s grounded, bleak tone, but the two titles take a similar approach to certain elements of their level design and structure. Neither game can truly be called open-world, but they both offer a blend of open-ended exploration and linear sections. Moreover, the way each game implements this structure builds upon the foundations laid by their respective predecessors.
One of the most memorable levels inThe Last of Us Part 2takes place during the early hours of the game, when Ellie and Dina first reach Seattle. While the setting is visually appealing and realistic, its status as one of the most importantlocations inThe Last of Us 2comes down to its unique structure within the context of the game. While the rest ofThe Last of Us 2is fairly straightforward and linear, this area is a sort of semi-open world, letting players explore at their own pace and offering a number of optional areas that contain extra loot and narrative side content. This is a stand-alone area, but many fans appreciate its fresh take on Naughty Dog’s traditional linear formula, and it certainly stands out from other sections of the game.
Alan Wake2takes a similar approach in this regard, but to a far greater degree. Like the firstThe Last of Us,Alan Wakediffers from its sequelin that it is fairly linear. The second game is far from being completely open-ended, but it adds a significant amount of nonlinearity, with the Bright Falls area in particular offering open-ended exploration, optional loot, and side content to uncover alongside the more scripted, narrative moments and set pieces. UnlikeThe Last of Us 2, however,Alan Wake 2’s semi-open world approach is much more prevalent, extending beyond just a single level. Saga has access to several hub areas that branch off into different paths, with a dash of Metroidvania progression for good measure.
On a base level,Alan Wake 2andThe Last of Us 2take similar approaches to openness within a more linear experience. Like in the case ofAlan Wake 2’s parallel withSplinter Cell,however, Remedy takes this aspect of its level design a step further, implementing it not just in a single, isolated area, but at several points throughout the game, making it more of a core part of the experience than a one-off break from linearity. Essentially, the way thatAlan Wake 2fuses open areas with linear sections is very reminiscent ofThe Last of Us 2’s famous Seattle level, only a bit more expansive and fleshed-out.
