Summary
For the last 27 years, Remedy Entertainment has continued to give the world some of the most cerebral, experimental video games on the mainstream market, andAlan Wake 2may just be the developer’s most complex to date. WhileDeath RallyandMax Payneweren’t the most complicated games out there, 2010’sAlan Wakedid go all-in on the supernatural thriller genre, including plenty of pretty out-there concepts. ThenQuantum Breaktried its hand at some complex time-shift mechanics, andControldoubled down onAlan Wake’s wonderfully strange supernatural themes.
But while Remedy’s past few games have all dabbled with some often confusing concepts, none come close toAlan Wake 2, a game that features multiple timelines, two central protagonists, a few different realities, and some Norse mythology sprinkled in for good measure. But somehowAlan Wake 2’s storyremains fairly clear throughout its 20-hour runtime, and a lot of that has to do with its Mind Place mechanic.
RELATED:Alan Wake 2 Has Something Big in Common With a Recent Soulslike
Alan Wake 2’s Mind Place Has Its Upsides and Downsides
Alan Wake 2features two central protagonists, the titular writer Alan Wake, andFBI Agent Saga Anderson. Players swap between both of these characters throughoutAlan Wake 2, both traveling on their own separate, yet connected journeys, and both equipped with their own unique arsenal and set of skills. One of the tools at Saga Anderson’s disposal is her Mind Place, a psychological technique that allows Saga to keep track of all the major events she encounters in Bright Falls, and the various characters she meets along the way.
Alan Wake 2’s Mind Place Can Drag the Pacing Down a Bit
While the Mind Place has several functions such as upgrading weapons, reading collectibles, and profiling characters for more information, the vast majority of the player’s time in the Mind Place will be spent organizing all of Saga’s various case notes via the Case Board. Here, players will be given a number of files, each one correlating to a major case or event that’s happened in the game so far. Every time Saga discovers a new piece of information or evidence in reality, it’ll be added to herMind Place Case Boardin the form of a photograph.
Players are then tasked with sorting these photographs into specific categories on the board. For instance, in her search for the mysterious Cult of the Tree, Saga’s Case Board will pose several questions about the cult’s symbols, their psychology, and their goal. Evidence photographs need to be allocated by the player into one of these questions, and when enough are sorted, Saga makes a deduction that reveals a bit more about the game’s story. This whole process needs to be repeated throughoutAlan Wake 2, and if the player lets their evidence pile up then it could take a good chunk of playtime to sift through everything, dragging the game’s pacing down a lot in the process.
Alan Wake 2’s Mind Place Acts as a Fun Way to Recap the Plot
However, as mentioned up top,Alan Wake 2doesn’t have the most straightforward plot in a video game. Without spoiling too much,Alan Wake 2gives players mysteries inside of mysteries inside of mysteries, all interconnected in various mind-bending ways. Though Remedy does a great job of keeping things as linear and clear as possible, it’s easy for even the most avid fan to get lost inAlan Wake 2’s many different characters, organizations, threats, and themes. That’s where the Mind Place really shines. With every photograph that Saga sorts onto the Case Board, the player is reminded of the game’s most important events and characters, which goes a long way in keeping everything clear.
Without spoiling the ending ofAlan Wake 2, the Mind Place is also used in an extremely creative way towards the end of the game, acting as one of the best examples in gaming of when a great story is made even greater by its implementation of core mechanics, and its willingness to bend those in a creative and unique way.
So whileAlan Wake 2’s Mind Place can be a bit of a chore to use at times, its inclusion in the game was definitely a smart move on Remedy’s part. With a story as complex and interlapping asAlan Wake 2, the Mind Place is a necessary inclusion, helping to keep things clear at all times.
