Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1524863
extra fun as we got to relive the fun and exciting moments several times. One of the classic challenges was also making a distinctive feel on the outspoken and inside the narrative dialogue. We used classic MKH50 for the first and U87 for the latter; however, I really think that the great work of our voice director Hannah Price establishing those voices with Matthew Porretta, and Melanie Liburd was the key rather than just the recording equipment. RR: Can you tell us about your overall philosophy for the sound of Alan Wake 2? How did you modernize the sound while paying homage to the original game, as well as the larger universe of Remedy titles? RL: The original Alan Wake was released 13 years ago. There are two console generations between the games, so the quality expectations for Alan Wake 2 are much higher. Coupled with the slower-paced horror genre, this meant we needed to rethink almost every aspect of the original game. The slow speed of the character and the focus on horror meant that the detail in the audio was paramount. The goal was to keep the player in the moment, so nothing in the audio should sound out of place or draw negative attention to itself so it doesn't break the immersion. The design approach was to pay attention to the details and how the sound works in the game and to have it work seamlessly. A big part of this was to focus on the environment sounds. Twin Peaks was a big influence on the original game, so we kept that as one of the core reference pillars. We then compared the two games to find the strongest connection points. There were a few elements that we really wanted to pay homage to. Firstly, the 'fight with light' mechanic—how the torch gameplay and the burning of the darkness sounded and felt. Bright Falls and its quirky vibe. The Taken enemies, particularly the voice design, and most importantly, Petri Alanko's music. We then looked at the new elements in the narrative and gameplay and started playing with ideas on how we wanted these to fit into the world. The driving force for the audio direction was always centered around the narrative, balancing that with the gameplay requirements. In game audio, what the game design needs to communicate, the core Alan Wake in the Writer's Room, a supernatural location from which he must attempt to alter reality through his writing. 90 M PS E . O R G