Best Atmosphere – Alan Wake 2

Spencer: You’d think being very neurotic would mean you avoid eerie and creepy stuff, but I’m a glutton for such punishment. Alan Wake 2 drips with dread, evoking feelings of anxiety that always serve to enhance the dreamlike story. While most homages sort of ape the surreal and emotional fugue state that David Lynch’s incredible filmography so uniquely communicates, Alan Wake 2 completely grasps it and reiterates it in a way that feels both new and familiar. Without all the pretension: Alan Wake 2’s atmosphere rocks.

Austin: The game opens with the player controlling a naked hairy man, running through the woods, and the atmosphere just builds from there. Dark, bizarre, and goofy details are layered throughout the entire experience. I found myself stopping to admire the world, and the environmental set dressings  in each new area, as the mystery built. After playing through the game three times, the mood and atmosphere still pull me in, and I remain unsettled, intrigued and engaged with everything. The occasional jump scares still get me.