Alan Wake 2 was my big winner at the PlayStation Showcase – here’s why

The full package

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The PlayStation Showcase has come and gone, and within a veritable ocean of meaningless CG trailers and copious live service game announcements,Alan Wake 2was the clear standout.

Alan Wake 2wasn’t the showcase’s marquee title; that honor went toMarvel’s Spider-Man 2,whichclosed out the showwith a substantial 12-minute reveal. Unfortunately, that was more exception than rule during the PlayStation Showcase, which was surprisingly lacking in gameplay across many of its announcements. Even what could have been an exciting reveal inMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater,felt a little deflated thanks to its barren CG trailer.

WhenAlan Wake 2hit roughly halfway through the event, it was a much-needed breath of fresh air. Why? It simply did pretty much everything I would expect from a solid reveal trailer. A sneak peek at the story, characters, setting, and, most importantly, gameplay and a concrete release date.

Thanks, Alan

What’s immediately apparent withAlan Wake 2is just how bloody gorgeous it is. Much likeControlbefore it, Remedy has really put its in-house Northlight engine through its paces. The iconic town of Bright Falls is eerily gorgeous, while impeccable lighting and environmental design make spookier scenes really pop off.

We know thatAlan Wake 2is to be a survival horror game, and looks to be significantly scarier than the light horror touches found in the firstAlan WakeandControl’sAWE expansion. The new direction (and that sweet, sweet Northlight engine) really sells Alan’s descent into madness. Plus, adding new protagonist Saga’s journey to juxtapose Alan’s own is sure to create drama and intrigue surrounding both.

It’s also just wonderful to see a release date bolted onto the project. Delays notwithstanding, we’ll be playingAlan Wake 2right before Halloween on October 17, 2023.

There are still a few unknowns withAlan Wake 2,of course. We caught a glimpse of the original game’s use of light to vanquish otherworldly creatures, but we’re not quite sure to what extent that mechanic will tie into the sequel.Controland its AWE expansion also built upon the events ofAlan Wake,so I’ll be very curious to see if the events ofControl,in turn, will play a part in the upcoming title.Control,in turn, has its own sequel in the works, so I imagine the world both series share will be constantly built upon between each project.

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NowAlan Wake 2was far from the only impressive showing during the PlayStation Showcase. Giant Squid’sJourneyfollow-up,Sword of the Sea,is looking phenomenal, and I’m very happy to seeNight in the Woods’developer back in the spotlight with the upcomingRevenant Hill.Similarly,Dragon’s Dogma 2surprised me with a gameplay reveal that came far earlier than what I was expecting.

There were some wonderful surprises throughout the showcase, but for me,Alan Wake 2stole the show for essentially ticking all of the boxes. Story, gameplay, release date, and no CG usage to obfuscate what the game will actually look like.

Curious about the rest of the reveals? Read up onevery announcement at Sony’s PlayStation Showcaseright here.

Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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