The place where we say goodbye to 2023
Sam Lake stares into the camera with Max Payne's face.  (or Alex Casey).

Pictured: Sam Lake as Sam Lake, the face of Alex Casey, voiced by James McCaffrey (who, like Sam Lake, is also Max Payne, but is not).
Screenshot: Remedy Entertainment / Kotaku

Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV)
Current goal: Think about how wonderful James McCaffrey was

This has been a sad week for fans of Remedy’s games. We have lost a very creative soul James McCaffrey passed away this week.

Read more: Alan Wake II, Max Payne Voice actor James McCaffrey has died

It’s not easy to go back and play again Alan Wake II at the moment. Conversations between Saga Anderson and Alex Casey (voiced by McCaffrey), especially in the early moments, are simply different when we learn of McCaffrey’s death. There is a new emotional contour here.

James McCaffrey’s talent was such that he could immerse you in a world and a character with a single word. As soon as you hear his voice, you are back in the gloomy, dark and unforgiving world of Max Paynedrawn into the cryptic, brutalist mystery that exists controlor turning to your partner for support and support when unexplained events occur Alan Wake II.

McCaffrey’s performances remind me why I often come to video games: it’s not just about escape or a skill challenge. It’s about connecting with other people, many of whom I’ve never met, through an artistic medium. There is a recognizable piece of humanity in each of McCaffrey’s performances that I find unforgettable and deeply moving. And by existing in a video game, the interactivity makes my consciousness feel closer, whether I’m playing a character or interacting with an NPC.

And so I jump in again Alan Wake II (from scratch, not a new game plus for me) with the hope of picking up little details that I might have missed the first time around. I want to soak up McCaffrey’s latest performance. I want to remember the first time I heard his voice Max Payne, back when it seemed like I could more easily enter a state of joy while playing a video game. And in his last game I would like to say goodbye to someone who brought me and many others so much joy through his talents. –Claire Jackson

Alan Wake IIThe new Game Plus mode offers new story content

How about another trip into the spiral? Alan Wake IIis the latest new game plus update allows you to return with all your unlocked goodies and also features a new ending. And if you don’t feel like repeating yourself, remember… it’s not a loop…


And that’s a wrap. We’ll see you again in two weeks as many of us are going away for the holidays. Are there any games coming up during the long break?

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