Alan Wake 2 Can’t Struggle in One Area Where Its Predecessor Shined

A game’s score and soundtrack are an important but sometimes overlooked part of its experience. An appropriate and well-composed soundscape can add an immersive layer to its other components to truly unite the experience and make a title that much more memorable. Conversely, a poorly implemented one will drag a game down and distract from it, even if the other elements are otherwise enjoyable and well-implemented. Sound design in survival horror games often needs to have more care and attention given to it versus other genres. It must be able to instantly instill and retain a sense of unease in players, but also allow for calmer moments, all while remaining unobtrusive enough for players to engage with the action.

The original Alan Wake had a fittingly eerie and haunting soundscape that perfectly matched its already striking visual art design and general environment. The sleepy small town of Bright Falls and its bordering wilderness of dense forests, constantly drenched in otherworldly fog that seemed to swallow players in its surroundings, sounded as spooky as it looked. Alan Wake 2 must be sure it can sustain the quality of its auditory atmosphere to provide players with another suitably scary soundscape alongside its gameplay.

RELATED: What An Alan Wake TV Series Should Look Like

Alan Wake 2 Should Ensure Its Music Matters

Composer Petri Alanko provided the ambient soundscape for the original Alan Wake. As he is confirmed to be returning for Alan Wake 2, this is already a strong indication that its score will be on par with the first. The music itself plays a generally larger role within the world of Alan Wake as well. Early on, Alan meets the Anderson Brothers in the local diner. One of them requests that Alan play his favorite jam on the jukebox. It’s a quirky moment, introducing players to the weird and slightly off setting of Bright Falls and its equally eclectic residents while providing a fun tune for players during a relaxing moment before the horror begins.

The Andersons are later revealed to be former members of the heavy metal rock group “Old Gods of Asgard.” When Alan encounters the brothers later in the story, it’s as if he’s struggling to understand exactly what is happening to him and the town. The Andersons point him to their run-down family farm that also functioned as their studio and stage show. Alan finds and plays one of their old records, listening to a specific song whose lyrics contain clues that allow him to piece together the true nature and threat of the situation, and start forming a plan to counteract it.

The music of Old Gods of Asgard is actually performed by Finnish band Poets of the Fall, who are close friends with Remedy Entertainment creative director Sam Lake. The band has worked in some capacity producing content for Remedy’s games since 2003. They composed the final track on Max Payne 2 and contributed a number of others to Remedy’s titles since then. Their track in Control, appropriately titled “Take Control,” is often cited by fans as one of its highlights, and is a perfect example of a piece of music elevating a gaming moment.

With Alan Wake 2 confirmed to be embracing traditional survival horror elements, this presents more opportunities for music to factor heavily into the story and setting. Perhaps a few puzzles wherein Alan or the new playable character Saga Anderson (who herself is likely related to the brothers) must interpret songs correctly to advance the plot would work well. It would be in keeping with Remedy’s use of sound as well as tying it more directly to the story and gameplay. If Alan Wake 2 is able to find unique and interesting ways of incorporating music, it would go a long way toward making it once again a standout element in the series.

Alan Wake 2 releases October 27, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: 10 Best Video Game Music Scores and Soundtracks of 2022