There’s so much I could get into, but really it just comes down to the fact that it feels like a game that was made for me. It also hit me at the perfect time in my life.

Narratively, it was the first time I was genuinely wrapped up in the story of the characters and the world, rather than the story of what I experienced as a player. Gameplay-wise, it felt great to play and had combat unlike anything else I had experienced. It also had the visuals and audio to back it up.

Beyond that though, it felt like something made with an extreme level of passion. Like every single component of it is there to contribute to the feeling it is trying to give you. Obviously, every game has an immense amount of work and care put into, but this one felt like it was made with the best of intentions.

It’s a story about art. And as an artist myself, I take a huge amount of personal meaning from it. I couldn’t be happier that a sequel is finally coming out, but I’m also fairly sure nothing could live up to the experience I had playing it for the first time.

It’s a game I recommend to everyone.

I could write for way too long about this, but it has been and will probably always be Alan Wake.

Hereditary, Possessor, The Strangers, and Suspiria (2018). All humorless and deeply upsetting. Have fun!