Best Moment – Alan Wake 2 (Herald of Darkness)

Austin: In a game like Alan Wake 2 it really is hard to pick the best moment, since each new moment somehow surpasses the previous one… but the musical scene wins out, just barely because of how over the top it goes. Seeing the real life actors (including creative director Sam Lake) doing choreographed dance routines, while the player character navigates through combat and an ever changing maze, was truly jaw dropping. I brought my partner in to watch, and she was both enthralled and confused, as the game I had described as intelligent, moody, and downright spooky, had erupted into a fully goofy, budget broadway performance. In the midst of my third playthrough of Alan Wake 2 and still looking forward to experiencing this musical again.

Diego: Alan Wake 2 really shoots for the moon and nails it in every regard, but it’s the “Herald of Darkness” moment especially when you realize you’re playing something truly special. You could show me an hour, or more, behind the scenes film of how they made this level and I’d be totally glued to the screen because it’s genuinely one of the most impressive feats in games in a while with how everything just clicks together perfectly.

Samantha: I haven’t gotten far enough in Alan Wake 2 to see this moment in-game yet, but the performance of “Herald of Darkness” at the Game Awards was so epic it had me scrambling to finally get the game.

Spencer: Very funny that a year into me writing a musical, I get midway through Alan Wake 2 and see a delightful out-of-nowhere musical number pop up. Hell, put musical numbers in every video game. Alan Wake 2 proved that it slaps.