Summary
Creating a cohesive, compelling dual narrative in a video game is incredibly difficult. It’s already hard enough to create a game that centers around one main protagonist, with developers having to ensure that the character is fully fleshed out and that the game’s story remains engaging and enjoyable throughout. When a second protagonist is introduced, not only is the workload doubled, but it adds a whole extra layer of complexity to the experience, with both characters now needing equal screen time. Naturally, these games aren’t too much of a common occurrence, butOctober 2023brought not one, but two such titles to the table withAlan Wake 2andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2sees Insomniac Games bring both Miles Morales and Peter Parker together in one game, and make both larger-than-life heroes playable. A truly enormous task, Insomniac Games really needed to nail its portrayal of both Spider-Men, and while it did a good job, it doesn’t quite hold a candle toAlan Wake 2’s dual protagonistnarrative.
Alan Wake 2 Handles Dual Protagonists Better Than Spider-Man 2
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Pushes One Hero to the Sidelines A Little
The general gameplay structure ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2sees players swap between each Spider-Man at certain intervals during the main story, with some missions following Peter, some following Miles, and some switching between the two on the fly. During free-roam gameplay, players can freelyswap between the Spider-Men, though some side missions are restricted to a specific hero.
Using this structure, Miles Morales does end up getting pushed to the side a little, especially duringMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s main story. Rather than share the A-plot with Peter Parker, Miles is given the game’s B-plot, and it’s not fleshed out too well either. While Peter, Harry, and MJ deal with the Symbiote, one of Spider-Man’s most iconic comic storylines, Miles' journey sees him come to terms with his father’s killer still being at large, and him fully embracing the Spider-Man mantle, which feels like a lot of the same ground thatSpider-Man: Miles Moralesalready covered. It doesn’t help that these Miles story sequences tend to be separated by hours' worth of Peter Parker content. As mentioned up top, balancing two protagonists is no easy feat, especially when it’s two Spider-Men, butSpider-Man 2doesn’t quite stick the landing.
Alan Wake 2 Interweaves its Dual Narratives Expertly
Alan Wake 2, on the other hand, bakes its dual protagonists into the very DNA of the experience. A fairly complicated game,Alan Wake 2sees players take control ofFBI Agent Saga Andersonas she investigates the presence of a murderous cult in the fictional town of Bright Falls, but things soon take a turn for the supernatural and Alan Wake makes a sudden appearance. From here, players are given the ability to either continue Saga’s adventure in the real world, or switch over to Alan’s memories in the Dark Place, and they can swap between these almost anytime during the rest of the game.
Initially, Alan Wake and Saga Anderson’s journeys are presented as two separate stories, with Alan’s supposedly being set in the past before he washed up on Cauldron Lake’s shore. However,Alan Wake 2’s dual narrative soon becomes more closely connected than players are first led to believe, with the events of both journeys having a direct connection and impact on the other. In this way, players are constantly rewarded for playing as each character, regardless of what order they decide to do the missions in, as there’s always going to be a piece of the puzzle in one journey that connects to the other one. It also helps that both Saga Anderson and Alan Wake receive equal screentime, along with their own distinct character arcs, making them both feel worthy of their spots as the game’s main protagonists.
