Someone’s been huffing turps again
Last year we reported horror gameAlan Wake 2would be getting a couple of expansions. We’ve already had one of these in the form ofNight Springs. And Edwin noted that the other wouldprobably be a crossoverwith Remedy’s other big game,Control, featuring secret government agency, the Federal Bureau of Control. He was right, judging by the trailer shown at yesterday’s PlayStation Showcase.
The Lake House DLC is due out in October, and does indeed feature a facility run by the shady organisation whose job it is to keep powerful “altered items” from running amok. But it looks like somebody let a messed-up oil painting out of its cage.
The DLC is “set in an eerie new location on the shores of Cauldron Lake,” say the developers, and runs parallel to the main story. It’ll see you guiding FBC agent Kiran Estevez through the Lake House research station, “where reckless experiments have caused reality to collide with the Dark Place.” Agent Estevez appeared as a character in Alan Wake 2 - a busybody whorudely takes over the investigationof player character Saga. Her name also pops up inbriefly in some documentsin Control.
The trailer shows a hallway full of bodies, and a twisted painting that screams in an anguished voice: “Murderer! Pain! Misery! Hatred!” All right, calm down Mr Painting. What is this,Layers Of Fear? Get over yourself.
Alan Wake 2 is a “stylistic tour de force and one of the most unique and confident horror games in recent years,” said Katharine (RPS in peace) inour review. But she also noted that “the climax to Saga and Alan’s story does drop the ball somewhat in its very final moments. Enough is resolved to not feel like it’s a complete disappointment, but it also leaves just enough hanging in the air to feel faintly unsatisfying at the same time.”
Maybe this second spooky slap of DLC will tie up some loose intestines. But if I know my weird storytelling rules, it’ll stubbornly refuse to make everythingtooneat.
Remedy recently paired up with Annapurna to financeControl 2and toproduce TV and film adaptationsset in their cross-pollinating world of funnyscares. It’s possible this publishing deal may be negatively affected byrecent trouble at Annapurna Interactive, where the entire staff resigned in what increasingly looks likea management power struggle. Annapurna themselvessay otherwise, though it certainly can’t be helping.
