A Viking power metal opera is in full force. I stoop to pick up a pistol and flashlight, heading deeper into what becomes my favorite Alan Wake 2 chapter yet. Faded setpieces litter the space, pantomiming the detective noir world of The Dark Place outside. The word "enemies" is marked on the floor in white gaffer tape, right below an arrow pointing behind some bushes. A rock star points the way forward with the headstock of his guitar. I follow obediently.
Alan Wake: The Musical. Those are four words that shouldn't go together, but they do now. Weaving between towering screens in what appears to be an abandoned theater, fragments of a live-action musical interpretation of my character projected across each one, I've never experienced a video game chapter like 'Initiation 4: We Sing'. It's a feat of game direction that puts Remedy Entertainment in an enviable position in the lead-up to wider Game of the Year conversations, showcasing how far the developer is willing to go in the name of innovation – and weirdness.
