Alongside the new level, the expansion update will include an Assist Mode, new songs by Poe and Petri Alanko, plus a return of the beloved grey tweed jacket.
In a surprise announcement, Remedy has revealed its next Control adventure,FBC: Firebreak! The adventure is a three person, cooperative FPS set in The Oldest House.
We recently spoke Tiia Öhman about working as a photographer on the Alan Wake 2 set. Her stunning work can be seen in-game, in marketing, and on merchandise.
To celebrate the game's 10th anniversary, we sat down with Matthew Porretta, the incredible voice actor behind Alan Wake, to talk about his experiences and memories.
The inclusion of live action in games has been a technique which Remedy has been testing in many forms since Max Payne, back in 2001. They're not alone, with different studios incorporating recorded scenes to convey what technology couldn't at the time. Though things have changed quite a bit in the past two and a half decades, experimentation with the medium in the games industry has continued and flourished.
In a recent New York Times article, Diego Argüello spoke to Andrés Borghi (filmmaker and developer on Tenebris Somnia), Sam Lake (Creative Director at Remedy) and Will Doyle (Creative Director at Supermassive) about the evolution of live action in games, and the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing it for a project.
In the piece, Sam reflects on the lessons learnt from scheduling live action shoots, "we realized in a very painful way that the production models of creating live-action linear content and game content — where the process is very iterative and we keep on coming back and tweaking things — are very different."
The piece is an interesting glimpse into the complexities of bringing in live-action, particularly when set in a location which needs to match its digital double.
You can read the full article on the New York Times, HERE!
We're now falling into the depths of October which means that Halloween is fast approaching, whether you celebrate it or you're just here for the discounted chocolate and games, it's always a good time! Throughout the next two weeks, both the Epic Games Store and the PlayStation Store are holding sales, allowing you to escape the cold and find an excuse to snuggle up warm.
Taking place between October 18th - November 1st (3pm GMT) is the Epic Games Store Halloween Sale!
As the current home for Alan Wake 2 on PC, the Epic Store has the base game and the Deluxe Upgrade on sale. It may look a little strange at first as the Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition is still listed at full price, but both packages together still comes to 50%. The two options also allow players to see if they like the game first before committing to the expansion pack, or new fans to unlock the DLC separately.
Alan Wake (-80%) Alan Wake's American Nightmare (-80%) Alan Wake 2, Base Game (-50%) Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Update (-50%)
On the PlayStation Store side, the focus is more on the Control series, with similar discounts across the base game and expansion packs. At the time of writing, there are over 3000 discounted items from large AAA games to indie stories, and expansions.
Control Standard Edition (-80%) Control Expansion #1: The Foundation (-70%) Control Expansion #2: AWE (-70%)
You can check out the Control series on the PlayStation Store, HERE!
Earlier this year, Taffy (@catastrotaffy), Astor (@asteridae) and Madame Purple (@tinypurplepsycho) teamed up for a brand-new group centred around UK-based Remedy community. This weekend, the UKRC (UK Remedyverse Community) will be meeting up in person at MCM London Expo & EGX for a nerdy get-together.
While cosplaying is very welcome, it's not a mandatory part of gathering, and the invite is available to all Remedy fans who want to celebrate Alan Wake 2's first anniversary.
Writing on Instagram, the group posted, “We’re holding a Cosplay and Fan meet on Sunday to celebrate the 1st anniversary of Alan Wake 2’s release! You don’t need to be cosplaying, if you’re a fan of the games, come and hang out with us, talk about the games and take part in our legendary coffee drinking videos (deer masks included). Will have the big professional camera for photos opportunities!”
The event will be held on Sunday, October 27th at 2pm GMT located outside “on the green, under the shelter”. They note, “Look out for the Ilmo Koskela Cosplayer and Cultist, we’re your hosts!”
I've been following Taffy's preparations for this event and is sounds very sweet and very nerdy. If you're attending the show, make sure to check it out!
Last Autumn, BAFTA sat down with Sam Lake (Creative Director at Remedy) to talk about the process of creating worlds for video games. The interview was posted online via their YouTube channel this week, coinciding with the upcoming launch of Alan Wake 2's The Lake House.
In the ten-minute long conversation, Sam talks about his developmental role on Alan Wake 2 and his love of seeing a project through; being able to conceptualise it and to continue to refine those ideas until the journey is complete.
While world building is at the heart of the interview, the questions kindle discussion on a range of linked topics. On the top of collaboration, he brings up his collaborative work with Kyle Rowley (Game Director) and Anssi Määttä (Cinematics Director), how their unique backgrounds and perspectives make the discussions and results richer.
He also reflects on the themes and inspirations from outside that he brought with him going into the project. While Twin Peaks has been a long time inspiration for the original Alan Wake team, the third season of the show, set and filmed twenty-five years after the second, was a strong thematic guide for its sequel. Sam describes it as a “specific mix of elements” and of tones, with the third season showcasing a strong sense of location, with strong personalities. Similar to Alan Wake 2, the season balances quirky humour and nightmarish supernatural horror with the framework of crime in one neat package.
During Sam's role at Remedy, the video game industry has changed a lot, with expectations for AAA titles becoming more demanding across all crafts, including writing. Reflecting his process for screenplays and how they've evolved, Sam states, “when writing the screenplays for our games, in my mind, the starting point still is like, you know... as if it was a movie. Even though we do have interactive elements in it, still the idea of, you know, how do you craft a good plot? How do you craft the story arc? These days, it's always more the idea of a TV show because games are long. Alan Wake 2 will be Remedy’s longest game to date. Pretty much the screenplay is comparable to two full seasons of a TV show plus then of course all the optional exploration and the world screenplay on top of that. But really going through the story arc, dividing it into episodes, and then writing a screenplay. At first, it's very linear and that's the critical path through it. And then, more and more branching elements, more and more optional elements are added along the way.”
He also shares how the best world building is in those smaller details that players can find. Continuing, Sam describes, “Good world building in games, especially... comes on many different levels, and all of those levels are vital in creating a believable world. It's about those big ideas on what the locations are, who the characters living in these places are, what is the journey you go through. On the other end of the spectrum, the small details that you would easily ignore and feel that they are not really that critical, they really are critical. When it goes to branch in the world, when it goes to, you know, the style of how characters talk in this world. All of these small details are the thing that ultimately make it believable.”
You can find the full interview with BAFTA above or on their YouTube channel, HERE!
