Summary
Alan Wake 2certainly lives up to its survival horror description. With enemies that are genuinely tough to take down, players will rarely find themselves with a large stockpile of ammo, constantly needing to manage their resources carefully. Further, thoughAlan Wake 2’s talkative enemiesand some quirky story moments ensure that some campiness still exists, it is far more terrifying than its predecessor. While the scariness is delivered in a number of ways, jumpscares are one of the biggest, and the way in which they are handled would fit aDead Space 2remake perfectly.
Jumpscares are far from the only unsettling thing aboutAlan Wake 2, as some horrifying environments and brilliant sound design make players feel unsafe at all times, but it is the near-endless jumpscares that really keep players on edge. Whenever it feels like the game is starting to get a bit less scary, a jumpscare hits out of nowhere, and players no longer feel safe as a result. Considering that theDead Spaceremake fully embraces horror, and the scarier qualities of the sequel would likely be accentuated in a potential remake, jumpscares resembling those ofAlan Wake 2would suit the game well.
There are several reasons whyDead Space 2is nearly as beloved as its predecessor. Better character development is one of them, as it was the first game to let protagonist Isaac Clarke speak, with some stellar action sequences and a flashy suit being other strengths. However, it was essentially theAliensto the originalDead Space’sAlien, leaving some horror fans disappointed due to a gameplay style that was more of an action-horror hybrid. While there were some scary sections like the return to theUSG Ishimura, a greater number of terrifying moments could help aDead Space 2remake, and jumpscares would do the trick.
Fortunately,Dead Space 2’s story provides a perfect justification forAlan Wake 2’s jumpscareformat: Isaac’s insanity. Following his exposure to the Marker in the original game, Isaac suffers from dementia and hallucinations in the sequel, as he regularly sees things that are not there and is tormented by his dead girlfriend Nicole throughout the story. Turning some of his Marker-induced visions into jumpscares that appear randomly - maybe even usingDead Space’s intensity director so that they trigger at different times on each playthrough - could makeDead Space 2far scarier.
Note: A Dead Space 2 remake has not been officially confirmed, though the solid sales of the first remake is a good sign. Fans will need to be patient, as EA Motive is hard at work on an Iron Man game.
Alan Wake 2’s jumpscares hit so hard not only because they come at unexpected times, but also because of the imagery featured within them. Creepy, distorted versions of characters from the story flashing in front of the player’s eyes makes for some genuinely disturbing moments, which is accentuated by the imagery being filmed in live action. Still, though the live action Taken ofAlan Wake 2are unsettling, they could not compete withDead Space’s Necromorphs. If live action close-ups of various Necromorphs were to randomly appear as jumpscares, players would surely be shaken to their core.
Alan Wake 2’s jumpscares also become rapid depending on how close players are getting to an Overlap and one of the game’s bosses, making entire areas more intense than they would be without them. For instance, the Valhalla Nursing Home is horrifying due to Cynthia’s constant appearances.Dead Space 2could replicate this by upping the amount of scares the closer players get to a Marker, with simple text hallucinations of Make Us Whole appearing on-screen when Isaac is far away, and intense Necromorph imagery showing up when he gets closer to his goal. If used correctly,Alan Wake 2’s intense jumpscares could be outdone in aDead Space 2remake.
Alan Wake 2
WHERE TO PLAY
A string of ritualistic murders threatens Bright Falls, a small-town community surrounded by Pacific Northwest wilderness. Saga Anderson, an accomplished FBI agent with a reputation for solving impossible cases arrives to investigate the murders. Anderson’s case spirals into a nightmare when she discovers pages of a horror story that starts to come true around her.Alan Wake, a lost writer trapped in a nightmare beyond our world, writes a dark story in an attempt to shape the reality around him and escape his prison. With a dark horror hunting him, Wake is trying to retain his sanity and beat the devil at his own game.Anderson and Wake are two heroes on two desperate journeys in two separate realities, connected at heart in ways neither of them can understand: reflecting each other, echoing each other, and affecting the worlds around them.Fueled by the horror story, supernatural darkness invades Bright Falls, corrupting the locals and threatening the loved ones of both Anderson and Wake. Light is their weapon—and their safe haven — against the darkness they face. Trapped in a sinister horror story where there are only victims and monsters, can they break out to be the heroes they need to be?
