A couple of days ago, I finally completed Alan 2, the first installment being an exclusive for Xbox back in the day. Although I had previously read its plot details on UCG, I hadn’t played it until now due to various reasons. Seizing the opportunity presented by the inclusion of DLSS 3.5 in the second installment, I decided to thoroughly play through it (although I still didn’t manage to achieve full collection, as I’ll explain later).
Pros:
Graphics:
Undoubtedly, it stands as one of the most visually stunning games at present, akin to 2077, reigning supreme in the gaming world of 2023.
Music:
The music in this game seamlessly complements the level design. Songs are already available on Spotify and QQ Music, making it a potential choice for driving.
Character Development:
Despite some criticism, the character Black Lady isn’t the typical annoying product of clichés, and her personality suits her FBI identity.
World Switching Gameplay:
The shift between the real and imaginary worlds adds freshness to the game, but it comes with a significant drawback, as mentioned in the cons.
Cons:
Item System:
Using a controller, despite having options to switch items and weapons, there is no feature for quick inventory management or storing items in the warehouse. This inconvenience, in 2023, is unexpected for controller users, making the gameplay cumbersome compared to the smoother inventory operations in Resident Evil 4.
World Switching Guidance:
While the idea of switching between worlds is good, the lack of proper guidance turns it into a puzzle-like experience. Some switches serve only to open doors, and players are left clueless about the location of these doors, resulting in aimless wandering in the same scene.
Combat System:
The combat system becomes monotonous in the later stages, with limited enemy types and high repetition. The lack of variety in weapons, especially compared to Resident Evil 4 and 2077, is disappointing. The boss fights lack the charisma found in classic boss battles, and the absence of QTEs makes the combat predictable and sometimes tedious.
Post-Battle Rewards:
There are no rewards after defeating a boss, which is a significant letdown. The absence of interesting drops after boss battles, as seen in Resident Evil 4 and 2077, makes these encounters forgettable.
Excessive Jump Scares:
The overuse of jump scares, particularly in the nursing home segment, is excessive and can be nauseating. The sheer number of face jumps, door openings, item pickups, and scene transitions relying on jump scares feels forced.
Story:
The narrative, portrayed as a suspenseful drama, often resorts to occult tropes, making it less engaging for those seeking a more intellectually stimulating plot. The lack of meaningful NPC dialogue contributes to the feeling of an overly cryptic storyline.
Collectible Items:
Collecting all items has little to no significance. It’s a time-consuming activity with no real rewards or Easter eggs, making it seem like a pointless endeavor.
The Dreaded Deduction Board:
The lengthy deduction segment at the end, which includes a deduction board, feels unnecessary and elongates the ending unnecessarily.
Optimization:
Optimization is a sore point, and it’s frustrating that even with a powerful GPU like the 4070, the frame rate remains unstable. The stability on a PS5 further emphasizes the subpar optimization for PC, despite the potential advantages of DLSS 3.5.
In conclusion, despite some positive aspects, Mind Killer 2 falls short in several critical areas, including gameplay mechanics, narrative execution, and optimization, making it a less-than-ideal experience for players.