Alan Wake II
Remedy Entertainment was in the process of creating a sequel to their cult-classic horror game, Alan Wake. Known for it’s eerily beautiful setting, suspenseful narrative, and unique light-based gameplay mechanics, Alan Wake captivated players and critics alike when it first launched in 2010. But it never reached mainstream success. With a sequel on the way, Remedy wanted to find a way to resonate beyond core Alan Wake fans and position the franchise for success moving forward.
The Problem
Because we were working with a horror game, it was imperative that we understood the horror genre. And in horror, players are looking for a pretty specific outcome: to be scared. Different horror games tell different stories and have different weapons and styles, but they tend to all use the same formula when it comes to actually scaring players: monsters and jump scares.
Like other horror games, Alan Wake scares players. But the way in which it scares players is different. Jump scares are few and far between, and the monsters aren’t the gory, blood and guts covered creatures of other horror games. And without those elements, some players questioned if Alan Wake could even deliver that feeling of fear they were seeking.
Alan Wake isn't really a horror game; it's more of an action-thriller game with a horror theme. You can tell by playing it that the developers of the game were not trying to make a scary game and I would argue that Prey is scarier than Alan Wake. (u/picnic-boy)
“I didnt find it that scary. There arent any jumpscares. Its more the atmosphere that is kinda creepy, but otherwise, its not really that scary.” (u/escapisc)
The Research
Fear is incredibly important when it comes to this genre, and so we knew we needed to pinpoint how Alan Wake actually scares players and why those methods are so compelling. Fans of the game would often describe the atmosphere as being incredibly compelling, and reviews of the game started to help us understand what it was about the atmosphere that actually instilled fear.
“Alan Wake’s narrative is designed like a dream. Just when you think you’ve understood its message, it transforms without clarification, leaving you, and protagonist Alan Wake, in the dark. Applying logic to the plot points only creates further confusion. This is what makes Alan Wake so frustrating and yet, at the same time, a work of art.” -Game Informer
“When Alan Wake scares you, and it will, it will be completely unexpected, the product of a slowly-building, maybe even unnoticed, dread that suddenly comes to a panicked head.” - Kotaku
“I once was playing that game, and I was very intensely focused on it. And then my asshole friend decided to call me. And I jump like a foot in the air, and heart pounding hardcore. To sum it up, in my opinion the game isnt scary however it will hook you so well that while you play it any outside interaction will scare you.” (u/thesouleater33)
As that last quote alludes to, atmosphere may not seem like the most compelling way to instill fear at first glance. But when done right it can create a more all-consuming kind of fear. This started to make even more sense when we learned that there are different levels of fear that tap into different parts of our brain.
Level One: Startled
The first level of fear is startled. The startle reflect is protective and originates in the brain stem. If we happen to step in front of a moving car, we immediately jump back. It’s an instinctive reaction that makes us jump and gives us a burst of adrenaline after.
Level Two: Scared
The second level of fear originates in the amygdala, in the mid-brain, and is triggered when we sense danger. This is the flight, flight, or freeze response. When we don’t feel safe or perceive a threat to our survival, our instincts take over and we respond by fighting back, fleeing, or freezing.
Level Three: Terrified
The third level of fear is irrational beliefs and unreasonable expectations. These beliefs are located in our higher brain, the cortex, which is the seat of judgement and executive functioning. This is the type of fear leveraged by many psychological horror movies like Midsommar or Black Swan that leaves viewers feeling deeply perplexed and unsettled.
The Insight: Whereas other horror games startle players with monsters and jump scares, Alan Wake taps into a deeper level of fear through a deeply perplexing experience that leaves players questioning the very reality of the game.
THE Positioning: A Twisted Mystery
Alan Wake uses a combination of supernatural threats, desperate combat, and psychologically unsettling storytelling to create a terrorizing level of unpredictability throughout every part of the experience.