I put off writing this Alan Wake 2 review because I was scared. Scared that I’d look into myself and find I wasn’t up to the task, that I lacked the right words, with nothing to offer but emptiness and failure. It’s not at all uncommon, though, for writers to be wracked with doubt. Many years ago, I saw the novelist…
“Dune: Part Two” may be delayed, but these three books make for the perfect antidote.
There is an alternate universe where, come Nov. 3, we’d all be seated for Dune: Part Two‘s theatrical run. But Dune: Part Two‘s release has been pushed back to March 15, 2024.
Luckily, there are still several ways to get into the Arrakis spirit while we wait for March. This fall saw the release of three non-fiction books that delve deep into the world and cultural impact of Frank Herbert’s classic science-fiction tome. From examining the places and people Herbert drew inspiration from to a juicy, behind-the-scenes look at David Lynch’s maligned adaptation and more, these books offer something for Dune novices and experts alike.
Here are three books to read if you’re looking for some extra Dune goodness.
For a comprehensive look at all things Dune, look no further than The Spice Must Flow. Ryan Britt charts the entire history of the franchise, beginning with Frank Herbert’s scrapped article about sand dunes and ending with Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film adaptation. In between, you’ll learn about the writing and publishing process behind each Dune novel, as well as the many proposed Dune films that never saw the light of day.
Perhaps most fascinating here is how Britt lays out just how influential Dune is to sci-fi as a whole. Yes, it’s one of the seminal works of the genre, but several Dune-related connections also led to some of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. How did an unmade Dune movie influence Ridley Scott’s Alien? Or Scott’s involvement in Blade Runner, for that matter? And what did Herbert really think about Star Wars, with it many overt similarities to Dune?
Due to the broad scope of The Spice Must Flow, there’s a lot of fictional and real-world ground to cover. That’s entire decades, not to mention thousands of years’ worth of Dune lore! Still, Britt’s guidance through Dune‘s impact on culture proves assured, especially when coupled with interviews with sci-fi historians, actors and directors, as well as members of Herbert’s own family. The Spice Must Flow takes a daunting wealth of subject matter and makes it an accessible, illuminating read that never lets you get lost in the sands.
Decades before Denis Villeneuve put his spin on Dune, director David Lynch spearheaded the first onscreen adaptation of Herbert’s work. The result, released in 1984, was a critical and commercial flop. Chiefest among its problems was how the film struggled to fit all of Dune into its two-hour runtime, leading to a nearly incoherent narrative.
Yet Lynch’s Dune is not without its bright spots, boasting stunning production design and truly fun (if occasionally broad) performances from stars like Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, and Sting. Here is a science-fiction film that isn’t afraid to lean into the bizarre, the outlandish, and the ornate — a deep contrast from Villeneuve’s more austere, brutalist interpretation of Herbert’s work. So, how did this wonderfully strange film come to be? And how did it become doomed to fail?
With his book A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch’s Dune — An Oral History, Max Evry dives deep into every facet of Dune‘s production, assembling interviews with actors like MacLachlan and Young, crew members like casting director Jane Jenkins and costume designer Bob Ringwood, and even Lynch himself. You’ll learn about everything from the challenges the crew faced shooting in Mexico to possible money laundering going on behind the scenes. Movie magic!
Clocking in at over 500 pages long, A Masterpiece in Disarray is a dream come true for anyone who loves or is fascinated by the “black sheep of David Lynch’s filmography,” as Evry calls Dune. The oral history sections are the clear standouts, lending new context and character to some of the film’s strangest bits (like Kenneth McMillan’s Baron Harkonnen). Woven through the entire book is a sense of wonder that this beast of a film got made in the first place, even if it ultimately wasn’t the film Lynch wanted to make. If you’re hungry for a deep dive on the oldest Dune adaptation or just want to take a closer look at this strange stumble in Lynch’s career, A Masterpiece in Disarray is the book for you.
Wonder where Frank Herbert got the ideas for the Bene Gesserit, the Voice, and those sweet, sweet sandworms? The Worlds of Dune by Tom Huddleston seeks to answer all your world-building questions and then some.
Huddleston kicks off our Dune tour on Arrakis before going planet by planet to Caladan, Giedi Prime, and Kaitan. At each stop, he outlines key cultural and geographical aspects of the planet, as well as the real-world inspirations behind them. Some of the inspirations are more obvious, such as Herbert’s use of Arabic words and Islamic theology. Others, like a focus on the field of semantics or anti-Soviet sentiments, are less so, making for some fascinating connections between our world and that of Paul Atreides.
Aside from being well-researched and beautifully printed, complete with illustrations from early editions of Dune and images from the films, The Worlds of Dune is careful to examine Herbert’s legacy. Huddleston pushes back on some of Herbert’s more troubling areas of inspiration, such as the eugenics-based Bene Gesserit breeding program. He also questions whether Herbert’s drawing inspiration from non-white cultures like the San people of the Kalahari Desert or the Quileute tribe of the Pacific Northwest was appropriative, appreciative, or (most likely) a mix of both. Informative and thought-provoking in equal measure, The World of Dune is perfect for people who want a closer look at Dune through religious, historical, and geo-political lenses.
A review of Remedy Entertainment’s ‘Alan Wake II’ for PS5, Xbox, and PC.
There is nothing out there quite like Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake II. A tense, slow, and acid-induced horror journey through the eyes of its main protagonists, Alan Wake and Saga Anderson, Alan Wake II sits at the very pinnacle of the survival horror genre.
If that sounds like high praise, well, it is, because it’s a damn good game. Building upon not just its predecessor, Alan Wake, but on everything within the Remedy catalog — taking the old and creating a wholly unique gaming experience, unlike anything its contemporaries in the genre offer.
Alan Wake II launched on Oct. 27, and from the 14 hours I played — about 70 percent of the game — I was very impressed. In a month stacked with heavy hitters such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Alan Wake II is a stand-out that kept me hooked.
Alan Wake II‘s inspirations reach across all genres and mediums, creating a game that both feels familiar and unique at the same time. From its Twin Peaks-inspired town to its grungy, dirty crime noir nightmare version of New York City, the games’ two worlds offer players a feast for the eyes.
The game, set 13 years after its predecessor, sees FBI Agent Saga Anderson travel to the fictional town of Bright Falls, Washington, to investigate several disappearances and murders that have taken place in town. Meanwhile, the titular Alan Wake tries to write himself out of the Dark Place — a surreal alternate reality outside space and time that can turn art into reality — which sits at the bottom of Bright Falls’ Cauldron Lake.
Players can at any time switch between the two protagonists, its two worlds offering a distinctive style and tone. The two areas are small, dense, and technical marvels to enjoy. As Saga, players are introduced to a methodical, investigatory slow-burn detective story, while Wake is trapped in a filthy art-deco neo-noir meets horror movie mashup. And it’s a clear choice by Remedy to make its story a slow, plodding build so as to invest players in its characters and mystery.
Essential to this detective story is the game’s central mechanic, the Plot Board, which Saga can access from her Mind Place — a sort of quasi-pause menu where players can piece together deductions made from their investigations of the main quest and the various side quests found around town and other areas. It’s a unique way of keeping track of character progression but also doesn’t require the player to use it in order to figure out how to progress the plot. This allows players to piece together the case themselves without the game holding their hands as they explore the surroundings on offer.
And that’s a good thing because this game demands the player’s attention as they slowly walk through the beautiful town of Bright Falls and the surrounding areas of Watery and Cauldron Lake. Set in the Pacific Northwest, trekking through these areas as Saga is a treat as the environments feel natural and authentic, with Remedy playing into its strength with compelling environmental storytelling. Wading through the woods outside of town as your investigation furthers, the sound design and level of detail make sure you never feel safe. There is always a sense of foreboding doom the minute you leave your safe havens, and it makes for a tense journey as you progress through the game.
The stark contrast to the greenery and stunning views of Bright Falls is Alan Wake’s nightmare version of New York City. An unnatural, grimy place, this version of New York feels like being trapped in an art museum after hours. Each building was placed with careful consideration, as if the city was put on display for the mind of its imprisoned inhabitant. The area is detailed and dense, with everything from the street clutter to the graffiti on the wall having some message behind it. The ambiance of the city is filled with broken street lamps and dingy neon lights that guide Alan toward his next objective. Compared to the strange eeriness of Bright Falls, the world of Nightmare New York is more hard-boiled, its city inspired by right-wing vigilante fantasies like Death Wish and its ilk.
The world design, by far, is the best part of Alan Wake II. It’s small and intimate, and it tells a hundred stories before a word is even said. It’s atmospheric in a way that not even a lot of immersive sims are, and it allows Remedy to do some truly bizarre and meta things within the chosen genres and motifs of its world.
I spent a lot of time gushing about the world of Alan Wake II, but how’s the gameplay? It’s fine. If you’ve played any of the Resident Evil remakes, you’ve played Alan Wake II. Not to say the gameplay is bad–it’s quite solid, actually—but it’s clear that combat was not what Remedy was focused on here.
The shooting is good, with each gun having a decent weight to it when fired. The core gameplay loop doesn’t get tiring, with your character shining their light on enemies to get rid of their darkness shield before blasting away at them. This is complemented by an excellent sound design that makes for an auditory treat whenever you shoot enemies’ weak spots. However, the options of weapons are quite limited for both characters, and the enemy variety is sparse. There are 3-4 different variants of “Taken,” there’s the big variant, the melee variants, and the ranged variants. While the game says that there are different ways to approach each of these, in my experience in the game, this is very inconsistent, and most of the enemies tend to be bullet sponges.
The bosses are particular high points. While the bosses are still of the point-and-shoot variety, they do offer compelling visual and thematic areas not found in the game as players enter “Overlaps” between the real world and the Dark Place. With the way combat is designed, Remedy understood that too much can be a bad thing, and you’ll rarely ever engage in combat and seldom, if ever, face more than one or two enemies at a time.
Alan’s side of the game is a little tenser and less combat-focused. Instead of running into bog-standard enemies, Nightmare New York is littered with shadowed silhouettes that may or may not try to engage you. The game forces you to get up close and personal with them as they whisper and shout your name. Some shadows may grab you while others will full-on attack you, with Alan never knowing which is which until it’s too late. This makes for tense encounters as you progress through the plot, and it’s clear that Remedy is more focused on building a sense of dread as the player rummages through the world than just becoming another action-horror shooter. It’s a massive improvement compared to its predecessor, Alan Wake, with its floaty combat mechanics and stilted graphics making it the quintessential 2010s bargain bin action-horror title.
Often with these kinds of games, the story is secondary to the combat, but Alan Wake II takes a different approach, building upon its connected universe without getting too in the player’s face. In each of the games, Remedy has sought to combine gameplay with narrative. Alan Wake’s story within the story told you how everything would play out, Max Payne was heavy on reactive internal monologues, and Control was a lore-rich narrative that rewarded players for exploration. All these combined create what is essentially a magnum opus for Remedy, with Alan Wake II being the culmination of a decade’s worth of experience and game design. That’s without talking about its performance, which runs almost perfectly, bar the rare visual glitch.
With the review for this game, which was possible thanks to a review code from Remedy and Epic Games, I didn’t want to talk about the story too much beyond the bare-bones plot. That’s because it has to be experienced first, and anything I can say about it will undersell just how impressive it is. Video games have never been a bastion of good writing, except in rare cases, and that just comes with the territory. But Alan Wake II is a story that needs to be replayed a couple of times — it’s a unique blend of meta-commentary, live-action, and incorporation of music that creates a story that can’t be told in other any format, medium, or genre — and it needs more than one playthrough to truly, fully understand and appreciate it. Alan Wake II touches upon and references Remedy’s other games, but does so in a way that feels familiar to fans of these games while also allowing new players to feel welcomed into the world.
In an industry littered with unfinished, high-budget triple-A video games, it is refreshing to see a near-perfect and polished game released on day one. Remedy’s Alan Wake II is not only the studio’s best game to date, but it’s one of the best games of its genre and perhaps of the year.
The other day, the official Twitter account for Alan Wake 2 tweeted, “You must write to escape…” and I felt my blood run cold. As a writer who knows the agony of writer’s block—the fear of looking inside myself and having to face all the doubts and insecurities lurking in my dark places as I struggle to put words on…
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