Alan Wake 2 vs Dead Space (remake): Which delivers a more thrilling supernatural horror experience?

Alan Wake 2 is one of the best new video game releases of the year for fans of the horror genre. But it was not the only one. At the beginning of 2023, another classic returned in the form of a remake: Dead Space, which, with the same story, improved several areas to enhance the gaming experience, graphics, and performance. But which of these games offers a more exciting supernatural horror experience?

The answer has a lot to do with your personal taste. However, here is a very brief analysis from our perspective of what each game offers and which one is capable of scaring you more.

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Alan Wake 2 vs Dead Space (remake): Which delivers?

Dead Space is a great science fiction game (Image via EA)

Both Dead Space remake and Alan Wake 2 are among the best horror games available. Their rich graphics, good stories, and terrifying atmosphere make them very difficult to compare. However, we chose some aspects that we thought it was important to take into account to say which one offers a more disturbing experience.

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Game Mechanics

The mechanics in horror video games can serve as an additional element to induce fear and anxiety in players.

In the case of Dead Space, there is a wide variety of weapons and abilities, such as telekinesis and stasis, which can be used to manipulate objects and slow down enemies. Meanwhile, Alan Wake 2 combines action with puzzle-solving, searching for clues and making decisions that affect the plot.

Both games have solid and fun mechanics, but the Dead Space remake has an advantage in terms of terror, as its combat is more intense and bloody, and its resources are more limited, creating a greater sense of vulnerability. In addition, enemies can be destroyed by attacking very specific parts of their body, which increases the tension experienced by the player during combat.

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Jumpscares

Jumpscares are very effective in Horror Games (Image via Remedy Entertainment)

Jumpscares are one of the most common tools in the horror genre to create a sense of fear in the player. Dead Space Remake and Alan Wake 2 use them a lot but in different ways.

Dead Space Remake takes advantage of the claustrophobic design of the spaceship to create situations where necromorphs can come out of anywhere (air ducts, broken walls, and leaky ceilings). These strategies are effective in keeping the player alert and on edge, but they can also become predictable and repetitive if abused.

Alan Wake 2 relies more on psychological effects, those that play with the player's expectations and mind. The game uses interactive storytelling to create situations where you don't know what's real and what's not. This makes it susceptible to abrupt changes of scenery, hallucinations, or visions.

Both games manage to scare the player, but Alan Wake 2 has an advantage in terms of terror, as its scares are more creative and unexpected, resulting in a greater sense of confusion and unease.

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Atmosphere

The atmosphere is very important in horror games (Image via EA)

Creating the right atmosphere of terror is important. Dead Space Remake and Alan Wake 2 have very different but equally impressive environments.

Dead Space Remake has a futuristic and industrial style inspired by science fiction movies like Alien or Event Horizon. The game recreates in great detail the USG Ishimura, a gigantic and decadent spaceship that has become a hellhole full of corpses, blood, and darkness. The game also makes masterful use of lighting, sound, and interface to create total immersion in the environment.

Alan Wake 2 has a realistic and contemporary design inspired by TV series such as Twin Peaks and The X-Files. The game depicts various locations in the United States with great realism, from cities and towns to forests and mountains. It also plays with the contrast between light and shadow, day and night, and fact and fiction to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.

Both games have excellent and terrifying designs, but Dead Space Remake has an advantage in terms of terror, as its setting is more oppressive and terrifying, and its atmosphere is more original and disturbing.

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Story

Alan Wake's story is really intriguing (Image via Remedy Entertainment)

The story is another key element in creating a memorable horror experience. Dead Space Remake and Alan Wake 2 have very different but equally interesting stories.

Dead Space Remake is a space horror story that follows Isaac Clarke, an engineer who must survive the horrors of the USG Ishimura while discovering the origin of the Necromorphs and the mystery of the Red Effigy, an alien artifact that seems to be connected to everything. The game has a linear and simple story, but with many details and secrets that can be discovered by exploring the ship or reading documents and recordings.

Alan Wake 2 has a psychological horror story that follows a writer trapped in a nightmare and Saga Anderson, an FBI agent investigating the mystery surrounding the writer. The game has a complex and ambitious story, with two parallel plots that intertwine and influence each other. It also has an interactive and branching storyline where the player's decisions affect the course of events.

Both games have fascinating and terrifying stories, but Alan Wake 2 has the edge in terms of terror because its story is deeper and more intriguing, and its storytelling is more innovative and interactive.

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Final Thoughts

While both the Dead Space remake and Alan Wake 2 are excellent horror games, in our opinion, Alan Wake 2 delivers the better experience. The way the story is constructed, the lack of obvious tropes, and the excellent setting all contribute to a very different but incredibly satisfying experience.

Both games have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to horror, but Alan Wake 2 is more original, creative, and unpredictable than the Dead Space remake. If you want to know more about the horror genre, we invite you to read a list of some of the scariest games.