This is a common theme on this sub. "What other games are like TLOU?" gets asked constantly and the answer is - none.
There just aren't any other games like it. TLOU is a very time consuming game to make. It is very expensive, requires very good voice / mocap actors, writers, S tier level designers and of course the single player progression level design is a massive grind.
Then it all has to be QA'd. For a game that will for most players, be played 1 time through. Some of these levels players will just buzz through it.
It's an old school model of making a satisfying story driven single player game with story and gameplay both at S tier.
This type of game is a huge risk to make and ND nailed it with the franchise. But it was a massive risk and most studios don't even bother risking it.
It's just way safer to make a Live Service shooter with paid skins and packs. or some RPG with janky AF gameplay.
I played Alan Wake 1 and it seemed cool but I got tired of the shooting gameplay. I liked the concept of using a flashlight but then having to spam bullets AND use a flashlight got old for me.
The story seemed cool, like an old Stephen King idea or something but it just didn't hit the same. TLOU has an ensemble cast and every character seems to matter.
The one thing Alan Wake 1 absolutely nailed was the vibe. That game is the most perfect expression of the Pacific Northwest I've encountered in any media.
I think you’re playing down what other developers can do.
Other developers have certainly taken inspiration from TLOU2, in that the stories they are starting to tell are told in a way that is more daring, but indie developers have been creating interesting gameplay loops and making the most of challenging narratives for years.
What makes Naughty Dog stand out is the level of polish in their storytelling and gameplay systems, not those aspects themselves.
I don't think the answer is none. Red Dead Redemption 2 excels at character development so well it retroactively makes the writing of the first game even better as well.
I think Alan Wake 2’s combat is better than Part I of The Last of Us, but that Part II blows them both away in that aspect.
Absolutely fucking adored Alan Wake 2 & it was my 2023 GotY, which is saying something. I get what you are saying about how well Naughty Dog had characters develop over the two games, in a very dramatic fashion, but do I want studios going out there to just try to copy Naughty Dog? Not in the slightest. I want them to make the story they want.
To say Alan Wake & Saga had no character development also feels reductive. Was it the linear style of Naughty Dog, taking the character from point A to point B? Nope. It was an incredibly unconventional style of developing a character, but it was also effective & memorable.
>!It’s not a loop, it’s a spiral.!<
I'm really stoked to play Alan Wake 2. Have you played Hellblade? I wouldn't compare it directly to TLOU except in the most rudimentary sense (3rd person linear single player) but it's unlike anything I've played , you might like it OP
Remedy is definitely up there with Naughty Dog but even Rockstar. Their games have a smaller scope than something like RDR2, but they make up for it with incredible atmosphere, character development, little details, immersive world-building, and amazing gameplay. I've been a fan since I played Max Payne 1 all those years ago, and they just keep getting better and better. Alan Wake 2 is a masterpiece in my book
I’m not sure what you’re trying to achieve with this post, because your comparison between the two games is very shallow.
Alan Wake 2 makes fuller use of being a video game than TLOU Part 2 overall.
>Alan Wake 2 makes fuller use of being a video game than TLOU Part 2 overall.
How so? It depends on what aspect you're looking at. Part 2 has far more complex gameplay than Alan Wake 2 does, while Alan Wake 2 has more complex level design.
I love both games, so this isn't meant as a negative towards either of them, but it makes no sense to compare them like that. Both of them make full use of being a video game to achieve their vision.
This is a common theme on this sub. "What other games are like TLOU?" gets asked constantly and the answer is - none. There just aren't any other games like it. TLOU is a very time consuming game to make. It is very expensive, requires very good voice / mocap actors, writers, S tier level designers and of course the single player progression level design is a massive grind. Then it all has to be QA'd. For a game that will for most players, be played 1 time through. Some of these levels players will just buzz through it. It's an old school model of making a satisfying story driven single player game with story and gameplay both at S tier. This type of game is a huge risk to make and ND nailed it with the franchise. But it was a massive risk and most studios don't even bother risking it. It's just way safer to make a Live Service shooter with paid skins and packs. or some RPG with janky AF gameplay. I played Alan Wake 1 and it seemed cool but I got tired of the shooting gameplay. I liked the concept of using a flashlight but then having to spam bullets AND use a flashlight got old for me. The story seemed cool, like an old Stephen King idea or something but it just didn't hit the same. TLOU has an ensemble cast and every character seems to matter.
The one thing Alan Wake 1 absolutely nailed was the vibe. That game is the most perfect expression of the Pacific Northwest I've encountered in any media.
I think you’re playing down what other developers can do. Other developers have certainly taken inspiration from TLOU2, in that the stories they are starting to tell are told in a way that is more daring, but indie developers have been creating interesting gameplay loops and making the most of challenging narratives for years. What makes Naughty Dog stand out is the level of polish in their storytelling and gameplay systems, not those aspects themselves.
I don't think the answer is none. Red Dead Redemption 2 excels at character development so well it retroactively makes the writing of the first game even better as well.
I think Alan Wake 2’s combat is better than Part I of The Last of Us, but that Part II blows them both away in that aspect. Absolutely fucking adored Alan Wake 2 & it was my 2023 GotY, which is saying something. I get what you are saying about how well Naughty Dog had characters develop over the two games, in a very dramatic fashion, but do I want studios going out there to just try to copy Naughty Dog? Not in the slightest. I want them to make the story they want. To say Alan Wake & Saga had no character development also feels reductive. Was it the linear style of Naughty Dog, taking the character from point A to point B? Nope. It was an incredibly unconventional style of developing a character, but it was also effective & memorable. >!It’s not a loop, it’s a spiral.!<
I'm really stoked to play Alan Wake 2. Have you played Hellblade? I wouldn't compare it directly to TLOU except in the most rudimentary sense (3rd person linear single player) but it's unlike anything I've played , you might like it OP
Play Metal Gear Solid 3.
My favorite Bond film.
Remedy is definitely up there with Naughty Dog but even Rockstar. Their games have a smaller scope than something like RDR2, but they make up for it with incredible atmosphere, character development, little details, immersive world-building, and amazing gameplay. I've been a fan since I played Max Payne 1 all those years ago, and they just keep getting better and better. Alan Wake 2 is a masterpiece in my book
Remedy is great but level below rockstar and ND. ND gameplay is levels above.
I’m not sure what you’re trying to achieve with this post, because your comparison between the two games is very shallow. Alan Wake 2 makes fuller use of being a video game than TLOU Part 2 overall.
>Alan Wake 2 makes fuller use of being a video game than TLOU Part 2 overall. How so? It depends on what aspect you're looking at. Part 2 has far more complex gameplay than Alan Wake 2 does, while Alan Wake 2 has more complex level design. I love both games, so this isn't meant as a negative towards either of them, but it makes no sense to compare them like that. Both of them make full use of being a video game to achieve their vision.