Remedy Entertainment has always been a studio that has prided itself on developing games that stand out from your average AAA experience, and with Alan Wake 2, the developer has taken that to the absolute extremes in the best way possible.

From the metatextual nature of its story to its mindbending visuals and storytelling methods, from its unique aesthetic and setting to even some of its gameplay mechanics, there’s no shortage of elements in the longawaited survival horror sequel that feel thoroughly different from the kind of stuff we usually see in games.

All of that comes together to create a singular experience that’s unlike anything we’ve seen in gaming in a long, long time. Here, we examine exactly how Alan Wake 2 accomplishes that.