Alan Wake Remastered was recently announced following an accurate retail leak. The original Alan Wake delivers competent action-adventure and psychological horror, but with enhanced character models and improved performance on current-gen platforms, Remedy Entertainment's intellectual property may be more widely resurrected for the modern generation.

Alan Wake's visuals from 2010 are imperfect by modern standards of graphical fidelity. However, it is arguable that they were never unpleasant. Because little time remains before Alan Wake Remastered officially launches, the few screenshots and teaser trailers that have dropped are most likely final promotional material. As such, comparisons between the original Alan Wake and Alan Wake Remastered may help determine how much the remaster's visuals will improve over that of the original.

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Screenshot Comparisons Show Greater Character Model Details

Most notably, Alan Wake Remastered's released screenshots suggest that a significant adjustment has been made for Alan Wake's pre-rendered, cinematic cutscenes. This indicates that an emphasis is being placed on enhancing the visuals for pre-determined sequences and character interactions. Screenshots comparing both installments demonstrate that Alan's facial model is distinguishably defined compared to the original game.

Because Alan Wake is the game's protagonist and a character whose future may hold unannounced sequels and other projects, it is unsurprising that Alan's facial model would be reworked to reflect a modern update. One reason for Remedy Entertainment to remaster Alan Wake may very well be to repackage the original game and present it to both new and old fans alike, rather than simply putting out a full sequel to an audience of modern gamers might be familiar with the original.

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Environments Are Less Evidently Improved

When looking at screenshots that highlight Alan Wake's environments, the contrast between the original and the remaster is less evident. Both Alan Wake and Alan Wake Remastered's environments are well-defined landscapes that maintain a vast depth of field, whether entering Bright Falls by ferry or walking across the bridge to Diver's Isle. Cauldron Lake's black, open body of water is beautiful in screenshots from either game. Therefore, environments may not have been a large concern for Alan Wake Remastered.

The original game's blur effects sold the eerie atmosphere that Alan Wake wanted to achieve in its darker, shadowy settings. Because so much of Alan Wake's gameplay occurs either in pitch black or bathed in light, Alan Wake was able to hide most of its rougher textures. Alan Wake Remastered appears to be keeping the grainy, filmic effect that the original Alan Wake featured, but it is clear that the intent was to concentrate on improving detail and lighting, particularly the way light reflects off surfaces.

Alan Wake Remastered Sets the Franchise Up for More

Alan Wake Remastered is not a remake, and therefore the intention is not necessarily to rework or remodel each asset that exists in the original. Rather, there appears to be focused assets and focal points that Remedy has enhanced to make Alan Wake Remastered a modern experience on current-generation and next-generation platforms.

These screenshots best represent the 4K visual output that players will be able to enjoy on compatible platforms. However, screenshots have yet to discern whether more minor and insignificant visuals will be enhanced as rigorously as character models. Identical bookshelves and other miscellaneous prop assets are examples of textures that reappear frequently throughout Alan Wake, and it currently remains unclear whether that will be rectified in the remaster.

When Remedy released DLC for Control that featured Alan Wake, it demonstrated that its plans for the troubled writer were unshelved. Alan Wake Remastered is instrumental if Remedy plans to continue the Alan Wake franchise and produce sequels. Because Alan Wake Remastered is not console-exclusive like its original counterpart, the playerbase that it will be able to grow may also be larger this time around.

Alan Wake Remastered releases October 5, 2021, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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