Escape the Dark Place in Alan Wake 2 on a BenQ Gaming Projector

Alan Wake 2 is a survival horror game developed by Remedy Entertainment and is available to play on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. During the 2023 Game of the Year Awards it won Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, and Best Game Direction. With a wide range of options to play the game on, it can be hard to determine what type of device will give you the best experience with this style of game. Both PC and TV have their benefits, but with a mixture of gameplay, in-game cinematics, and in-game live action scenes, the best way to play Alan Wake 2 is on a gaming projector. The BenQ X3100i gaming projector offers a fully immersive gaming experience as you unravel the story Alan has written. Welcome to the BenQ Game Zone Series!

13 years ago Alan Wake went missing while on vacation with his wife after banishing the nightmarish horrors of the Dark Place under Cauldron Lake outside the small town of Bright Falls. Now, after having been trapped there in endless torment of his nightmares, it’s your job to uncover the clues to help him escape from the Dark Place. As he attempts to write a story that will free him, an FBI agent named Saga is searching for signs of what happened while shadows and horrors beyond imagination come after her. With enhanced contrast, true-to-life colors and CinematicSound, the X3100i brings every aspect of this game to life.

Two moments that really came to life with the projector were the “We Sing” sequence and the cutscene when Saga meets Tor and Odin. In the “We Sing” sequence Alan is making his way through a new area that features live action scenes of different resolution qualities and color variations that shift with your movements. The vivid details of the X3100i brought a new depth to this sequence and blended the gameplay tasks with the live action clips clearly. For cutscenes, the true-to-life colors added a detailed emphasis to the characters movements and facial expressions. When Saga meets Tor and Odin, her concern yet determination to stop the cult can be seen in her eyes as she gains the help of the two old drunks. Another incredible detail that’s enhanced by the X3100i is the scenery, as the breeze blowing leaves and debris can be seen behind the three as they converse.

The majority of the game is set in darkness, leaving you to rely on your flashlight to navigate new areas and stun the shadow entities to damage them. In order to spot these enemies before they get to you, you’ll need to be able to see the dark areas that surround you as you explore. TV and monitor screens will reflect light from around you, making it difficult to see these enemies or force you to turn off all the lights in the room. A gaming projector, however, does not have this issue as the gameplay images are coming from the projector itself, not the screen or wall you project on. As a high-quality gaming projector with BenQ CinematicColor technology and 4LED color volume, the X3100i offers the best all-around experience for the game without the worry of light reflection. 

Your flashlight is your greatest weapon against shadow entities, but its power supply is limited. Being able to spot supplies, such as batteries or bullets, is crucial to survival in the Dark Place. Even with the stunning visuals from the projector, turning off the lights in your room will offer the best immersive experience and keep you on the edge of your seat!

How the game is played depends on who you’re playing as. Alan’s story is set within the Dark Place where he’s fighting to stay sane and change the world around him with the story he’s writing. Saga’s story is based around the small-town of Bright Falls where she goes to investigate ritualistic murders and comes across pages of a horror story that come to life. These pages tie her story to Alan’s, and what you do as one character directly affects the other. In order to advance the story, you’ll have to switch between Alan and Saga to unlock clues, solve puzzles, and upgrade your tools to fight the enemies.

Despite the horrors surrounding the story, there is beauty in the world’s design that shines through even in the darkest moments. The Pacific Northwest reflects the stunning beauty of the landscapes across Washington State, the rolling fog over the mountains, and the serenity of the small town of Bright Falls. The Dark Place, though full of nightmarish creatures and shifting areas, maintains a dark beauty as the glow of the flashlight and the light hue from the streetlights reflect off the buildings. With the X3100i’s stunning visuals, these details are enhanced during gameplay and cutscenes, but the standout moments for the clarity of these details is during the in-game live action scenes. As these scenes transition from gameplay to live action, the projector’s colors remain vibrant and crystal clear. One example of these scenes is the Herald of Darkness music video, which tells the story of Alan’s life in a unique way and the player gets a deeper view into his struggling mind as he is slowly losing his sanity. 

In addition to the reliance you’ll have on the flashlight for discovering enemies, there are several vocal cues to listen for that will indicate when an enemy is near. The shadow entities will often whisper strange things or call out to Alan, often making it seem like they’re surrounding you. With the pinpoint sound placement provided by the X3100i,  you’ll be able to listen for and locate the entities before they can attack you. Your surroundings may present difficult challenges, but with the gaming projector you’ll feel confident as you traverse the two intertwined storylines.

As the story comes to a close, players may feel the ending was a bit too open-ended or left too many questions unanswered. This is because the story they played was not necessarily the real conclusion, and the new game plus version that was released on December 11^th is known as “The Final Draft” of the story. Players retain all weapons and upgrades from before but face a new difficulty level and unlock new information about The Dark Place that changes the perspective of the ending. With the X3100i gaming projector, you can face the new game with confidence as you navigate the story once again.

Experience the beauty of the Pacific Northwest contrasted to the horrific depths of the Dark Place on with the vivid details on the X3100i. As you explore new areas and uncover new clues, the full-range speakers will help you detect sounds and potential enemies around you. Turn the lights off and experience the thrilling game immersion as you search for Alan Wake. Already defeated the darkness? We would love for you to share your thoughts on our ProjectQ Gamer Lounge! 

*All images in this article were projected on a 75-inch screen with the X3100i gaming projector.