This summer we finally got to experience the first expansion for Alan Wake 2, Night Springs. A completely different story that consisted of three separate adventures with their own themes and atmospheres. It was a fun addition, even if it didn’t do much on its own and completely lacked the feel of the game. Now the second and final part of the expansion pack, The Lake House, is out, and it’s a completely different experience than the previous add-on.
This time we weren’t playing the role of Alan Wake, Saga Anderson or any of the other Night Springs characters. Instead, it is like this a completely new protagonist which remedy we can control is called Kiran Estevezwho works as an agent of the FBC (Federal Control Office). Something has gone very wrong at the secret research facility Cauldron Lake, which could have catastrophic consequences for Bright Falls if Estevez doesn’t put a stop to it.
Set shortly before the events of Alan Wake 2, The Lake House takes place entirely in a cold, creepy laboratory. When Estevez enters it, it actually looks like a haunted house, and the surroundings suggest that people have left in a hurry. Desktop documents and email conversations show us that something really bad has happened and that all is not well. The saga itself mentions in the main game that the station was attacked by The Dark Presence and that no one survived. The puzzle is complex and anyone who wants to understand everything thoroughly should expect to have to read dozens of documents to solve the puzzle.
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Although Night Springs didn’t look much like the main game, this expansion is more like it. The atmosphere is truly eerie, with dark corridors reminiscent of the main game sequence where we explore the wellness center. Gone are the various “jumpscares” where tormented people cover the screen with terrifying screams and ammo is in short supply, unlike the Night Springs episode where we play as Rose by applying lead to enemies’ chests. At the same time, one cannot ignore the fact that The Lake House ties more closely to Remedy Control and sets the stage for a sequel to the game.
The expansion takes between two and three hours and is quite slow. In fact, the moments when enemies appear and you have to kill them are relatively rare. Instead, much of the time is spent exploring, listening and reading across a range of representations. However, it introduces an entirely new type of enemy who lives in paintings and who scientists believe can harness the mystical powers found in the Wake stories. Enemies that can suddenly appear from the paintings are completely immune to flashlights and ordinary firearms. So Kiran Estévez has no choice but to turn her back on them and seek cover in case she is discovered. At least until the final hour of the expansion, when he gets his hands on a weapon unlike anything seen before in the series.
Wake is mentioned often, but so is Rudolf Lane, who players met in the first Alan Wake game. It is Lane himself who painted the images from which the demons emerge, meaning that it is not just the author who has a connection to these inexplicable forces. The facility is run by husband and wife Jules and Diana Mormont, but whether their investigation has put an end to the nightmares that have characterized the game series, I’ll let you find out for yourself. But at least I can say that the story is not just about the author, but that other characters take center stage.
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Visually, you can expect a design that exudes luxury. The style is reminiscent of Alan Wake 2, but features elements of the raw brutalism that characterizes Control. Characters and environments are detailed and the technology impresses with the generous use of ray tracing and full path tracing. The result is extraordinary reflections, lighting and shadows that enhance the atmosphere. Remedy pushes its Northlight engine to the limit and shows it in every detail.
In short, The Lake House is an atmospheric and captivating adventure that is definitely worth the time for Control and Alan Wake fans. I just wish the game’s narrative wasn’t so limited to reading email conversations, notes, and other documents, as it slows down the already relatively slow pace. However, Kiran Estevez is a well-written protagonist in a story that will stay with me for a long time, and I hope to see a lot more of her in the future.
