It has been a superb year for gaming.
This year has seen one of the most impressive collections of videogames in a while.
But what if you are a game developer who is about to launch the most personal and ambitious game you have ever made?
Sam Lake, creative director at Remedy Entertainment, describes the present as "thrilling" yet cautious.
The sequel to the 2010 cult classic supernatural adventure, Alan Wake 2, is soon to be released by the studio. It concerns a writer whose words have the power to alter reality.
Following some early difficulties, the protagonist of the series has returned 13 years later, featuring a darker narrative and the same kind of survival horror action seen in games like Resident Evil 4.
Sam, having written and co-directed the game, confesses that this "very personal project" has been one he's been longing to create for an extended period.
He wishes to emphasize that, similar to any other game, Alan Wake 2 was created through the hard work of a team, but Sam, who also appears in the game, is the one that people can see in relations to it.
Sam, who has just completed a "bustling tour" of various locations to advertise the game, spoke to BBC Newsbeat through a video call from the meeting room at Remedy's headquarters in Finland.
As the game's launch draws near, people are feeling highly emotional.
He states that this is a creator's torment in these times.
It is your wish that people will be pleased with it.
Prior to its release, there is an element of doubt present.
Initially, it was difficult to create demand for a sequel to Alan Wake, which had been released on Xbox 360 on the same day as the widely popular Red Dead Redemption from Rockstar Games.
Due to its competition, sales were meager and Sam reported, "publishers didn't express any enthusiasm at that time".
The success of this game spread via word-of-mouth. Subsequently, it experienced healthy sales, while Remedy put out additional games, notably the popular Control in 2019.
When work began on the sequel of Alan Wake, Sam was at last able to unleash the ambitions he had kept inside for this project.
He used the opportunity to free his primary protagonist from the distressing realm referred to as the Dark Place, which was the conclusion of the first game.
He will not be alone this time due to the presence of a second playable character, Agent Saga Anderson of the FBI. Anderson has been given the assignment to probe into Alan's disappearance in the prequel.
She serves as a conduit for new players to learn about the story of the first game.
Sam confessed that Alan Wake 2's initial launch date was delayed by 10 days in order to avoid clashing with Spider-Man 2's release, which had arrived during the same period.
Sam hails Sony's major PS5 exclusive and other 2023 titles as "huge, huge, amazing, amazing games" yet maintains Alan Wake 2 isn't "directly vying" with them.
According to Sam, the digital-only nature of Alan Wake 2 is largely thanks to Epic Games, its publisher and the creator of Fortnite, who runs its own gaming platform online.
By keeping the cost of the game low, this could be a risky tactic since even though digital purchases are more common in general, the best-selling titles of 2023 have also had a physical form.
Before Alan Wake 2's launch, much discussion was had in regards to the hardware needed to run the game on a PC.
When the conversation shifted to console capabilities, Remedy's PR head Thomas Puha attempted to assuage fans with the assurance that they would be "delightfully surprised" by the outcome.
Despite not feeling that he is a "technical guy", Sam is still hopeful that Alan Wake 2 will defy those apprehensions.
He affirms that the product they developed has a great deal of originality.
It is a quite singular experience in numerous respects.
Since its modest beginnings 28 years ago, Remedy has earned itself a reputation for providing unique experiences.
The success of Max Payne made them well-known for crafting single-player action-adventure games with a powerful story.
Despite its billing as a survival horror title, Alan Wake 2 has a range of elements that Remedy aims to make stand out from other titles.
It offers a substantial amount of live-action story sequences, and allows players to experience the dual narrative from the perspectives of Alan and Saga.
Saga, an FBI profiler, has a "Mind Place," which is akin to an investigation room containing a case board resembling those typically depicted in numerous thriller films.
Players work here to piece together clues and uncover new information, which leads to new missions and stories.
Sam characterizes this as a "vital aspect of the interactive storytelling" and "giving players the illusion of 'I am resolving this mystery, I am a detective'".
However, he adds, they were in search of methods where the participant can actively get involved with the narrative and assemble the story in a real way, as well as resolving the riddle.
In addition to Remedy's reputation for intensive detail, they are also celebrated for their playful, eccentric aspects which add life to their creations.
Coffee has an unexpectedly prominent spot in the world of Alan Wake; so much so that a portion of the sequel occurs at Coffee World, a deserted amusement park devoted to... that's right, coffee.
The hot drink was the source of the unique inspiration for Sam's TikTok account.
Rather than sharing trailers, screenshots, or progress updates, Sam's feed is full of clips of him sipping from a mug or cup.
Sam states that the reception of his work has been "surprisingly popular", and it has been far more successful than his previous attempts at going viral. Consequently, he will not discontinue his project once Alan Wake 2 is released.
When Sam talks to Newsbeat, he expresses regret for not having a mug of coffee present and not being "on-brand," but immediately following the interview, he promises to grab one.
He may ponder the past 13 years while enjoying his beverage, and finally having the opportunity to make a sequel.
He reflects on the experience, saying, "I'm glad it didn't occur earlier, and only now. The struggles made it all the more rewarding."
Throughout the years, there has been a lot of maturation and a lot of knowledge gained. Had the sequel taken place back then, we would not have been able to produce the game we have now.
Tune in to Newsbeat on weekdays at 12:45 and 17:45, or catch up with the broadcast afterwards here.
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