95%PlayStation 5

good: somewhat scary, fresh in its absurdity, great soundtrack, game options are really good for people who just want to experience the story
bad: characterization, "new ending"

it's unlike anything i've played before. i had moments where i was so scared i had to stop playing for a moment but i also laughed so hard i cried (at the koskela brothers commercials), and the musical... where do i start? it was amazing. i loved the ability to turn on immortality, infinite ammo, etc. I didn't do this for a lot of the game but there was one part where i could not run through a single door in time and i kept dying over and over so it was nice to be able to skip past something insignificant. i loved the development of alice's character and the auteur tom zane.
on the other hand, we've lost alan's original characterization -- it doesn't even seem hinted at or shown in a flashback. alan was an egotistical temperamental asshole and that's part of the reason he's interesting. his growth isn't shown. he may have matured but we don't see the process. i think it takes away all context of scratch and the dark place to leave these parts of him out. saga also felt a bit underdeveloped. i liked her but i don't feel like i cared enough about her daughter who was integral to her story. i wish the investigation part was more difficult as well. it was really fun to play as an agent, though, and i loved certain parts of the lore surrounding her family.

100%PlayStation 5

Muito mais que uma sequencia, é uma evolução!

50%PC

Okay

90%PC

An incredible multi-media story mixed together by whatever is going in in Finland to cause it, great characters, great atmosphere, cool villians etc. Kinda marred by the meh gameplay (again same as AW1) and the new game+ mode locking key story beats behind it.

Looks really good, for the most part. Had some glitching textures and turning on reflections (Raytracing only reflections) crashed my PC despite other games handling them fine. Ran well, no stuttering. Had a single crash that didn't lose much cause of autosave actually working (for the most part).

Glitches: It has them, some pretty major ones. The deductions board can have parts missing randomly. It still works but will never be able to close certain bits. Some collectable will not trigger (such as trailers or radio broadcasts).

You should probably play it, too many pretty meh jumpscares though.

DLC stuff: Night springs was fun, interesting and a neat way to connect stuff throughout remedy. Lake House was okay, too narrow for how the enemies move about all the time. Neat story in both.

75%PC

The graphics, visuals, atmosphere, and acting are really great. The story pulls you in and really makes you think about the direction the game is leading you. Trying to break down the story and piece it together is the best part about the game. The actual gameplay, meaning combat and puzzles, feel very secondary to the narrative and the characters. Overall the game doesn't strike the balance of a video game and a psychological thriller story perfectly, but the amount of passion put into this game is very present and leaves you with a game that is worthwhile if you're into the genre, a fan of remedy, and/or have been waiting so long for a sequel to alan wake.

90%Xbox Series X/S

I have questions, I think.

It’s dark, several jump scares.

I did like the two heroes, and lots of the supporting characters, the production quality, cinematography and the actors, the environments, some fun locales, great scenes (especially ones with music), finding upgrades, and humorous bits too…

Only gripes- At least once or twice I had to consult the internet to figure out what to do, which always bothers me a bit. I also got tired of certain elements in the mind place, or setting stages on the plot board as Alan, or finding ideas/inspiration around the levels and then watching shadow characters monologue or dialogue.

I would definitely recommend.

100%PlayStation 5

Alan Wake 2 has left me utterly speechless. No other game made me think so deeply about the execution and implementation of its story details on minor and major levels. I strongly recommend this game to those interested in detective and horror stories, this game truly is a major landmark in gaming history.

70%Xbox Series X/S

After 20-25h I feel bored, completed the game with DLCs on Xbox with helpers.

90%PC

The Lake House DLC gets a 50%, story was still great but the gameplay was a downgrade even from the ok gameplay of the main game

95%Xbox Series X/S

While it does feel like too many ideas are unresolved or unexplored, each one is at least creative and fun throughout the course of the game.

90%PC

Juegazo, me ha recordado en muchos aspectos a un gran RE pero con una historia mas enrevesada y mas densa. Mecanicas de disparos muy entretenidas, puzles interesantes y desafiantes y muchos sustos (jumpscares a porrillo). Me molaba jugar mas con Saga, hay que decir que no he jugado al primer alan wake, auna si lo he disfrutado mucho

90%Xbox Series X/S

Gameplay feels like Resident Evil. Story pulls you in. However, on Xbox Series S it crashes once roughly every hour.

90%PC

+ rarely a game starts with my 80% score
+ initially have never seen such realistic facial animation
+ probably the best graphics in video games
+ got to give credit to the case analysis mechanics
+ first game which is scaring me after RE7
+ song in a game to go with the theme, after ages
+ man, I ca hear the breathing sound of Saga. I think this is the first time, I feel this in a game, my own breathing sound
+ this game has so much new gameplay elements
+ the forest scenes are spectacular
- Initiation puzzles are very confusing
+ for graphics alone i can give it 90%
- the studio part with Mr. Door is boring
+ the game and monsters become scary at later missions of Saga

70%PC

The audiovisual aspect of this game is impeachable. The sound design is just perfect, the soundtrack great. I do also love the dreamy atmosphere. It has a great balance of comedy and seriousness. It always had me smiling during those live action commercials. I do love the side characters in this. They absolutely outshine Saga and Alan. The places where the encounter design really shines is the more Resident Evil-like levels (Oceanview Hotel, Wellness Center). Overall, it's still the weakest aspect of a Remedy game. It's usually the same enemies, in the same types of environment thrown at you and it never really gets interesting. And for survival horror, it's too easy to avoid enemies. Some other things I didn't like: Saga's mind place (bogged down the pacing and is unsatisfying), jump scares.

It's greatest strength and weakness is its meta storytelling. It's created in a very smart and interesting way (even framing derivative elements as something unusual) but some might see that self-referential circlejerk as off-putting. I do appreciate that this is something that only Remedy can make. There is something to say about its multimedia ambitions. Even then, when you actually look at the application of it, is it really that interesting? The dancing section is basically a video file playing in the background while you do a walking section and then fight the same old enemies.

80%PC

An ocean that's a lake in a loop and you were the real monster all along (wish the second draft was more of an epilogue, and not a new game plus).

95%PC

Almost perfect. The story is easily the best part, never seen anything like it, and it builds off the first game perfectly. The only thing keeping it from being a 10/10 for me is the gameplay. It’s a huge upgrade and leans more into survival horror, which I like, but the original’s vibe is kind of lost. The arcadey feel is gone, replaced with something more streamlined that sometimes feels like a generic horror game. The more resource management and RE-style UI add to that. The Mind Place and overlap/rewrite mechanics are cool ideas, but the Mind Place feels too guided, like the game’s doing the thinking for me.

80%PlayStation 5

A 40+ hour Resident Evil game is an interesting idea, and I'm glad I tried it, but I'm not quite sure that such a long playtime for a single playthrough is the best fit for the single-player survival horror genre.

If you want the full picture of the story, you kind of need to 100% complete the game, which could last anywhere from 30-40 hours (especially if you play through the DLC during the story when prompted). I didn't mind it too much since I like collect-a-thons, but I could see it feeling like a chore for many. The Resident Evil series, which the AW2 seems to lift most of it's inspiration from, doesn't have this issue with delivering a portion of its narrative via collectibles (journal pages, computer logs, etc.) because those games are conscious in their linearity. Even RE4 Remake had a bit more constraint with it's world/level design. But if you want everything (and I mean everything), you have to play through the entire game again. An entire second playthrough, and for what? Maybe 10 minutes of extra story context. What a baffling way to execute the story.

Another issue with this runtime is that horror becomes harder to convey efficiently as time goes on. It's easy to get desensitized to the terror once you've dealt with the same thing over and over I must give credit where it is due in regards to the sheer creativity of some of the game's horror set pieces, but for every cool sequence came 10 more cheap jumpscares, something which became annoying very fast.

95%PlayStation 5

!SPOILER!

Pokud něco odsuzuji na filmech, je to malý záběr, záběr, který hra dokáže, jako kniha, vzít ze všech koutů co nejpevněji, nejvíce rozsáhle a to ALAN WAKE 2 dokáže více než mistrovsky! Myslím si, že tohle je asi jedna z nejlepších her, co jsem kdy hrál, co kdy vznikla. Tahle hra však ztrácí po stránce gameplaye, ono, kdyby to byl film, film na třicet hodin, tak ….upřímně nevím co napsat. Tahle hra zbourala snad všechny videoherní stěny, co kdy vznikli a asi i vzniknou, je nadčasová. Bohužel tím, jaká je, je i těžkopádná a to je, co hru bohužel natahuje a to dosti uměle. Kdyby byla kratší a zabavila v tom gameplay, asi by neměla vůbec konkurenci, Vás tu žene to um... TAHLE HRA JE UMĚLECKÉ DÍLO, KTERÉ SE MUSÍ CHÁPAT! Ten příběh, který je veden ve dvou linkách, propojených ještě s jedním DLC, které naváže přímo ve hře, takže vy se utápíte v něčem, co se snažíte pochopit a najednou skočíte na třetí charakter, aby jste pochopili něco málo dalšího ...mimochodem, nyní a v tomto bodě to propojí s Control, který jsem kurva ještě nehrál! Ta hra se tak překrásně vrstvý a ne, není převrstvená, je jen nudná po stránce hratelné, ale to je jen malý kousek ve hře, která kříží vše, co miluji a to je ASTRÁLNO, PSYCHOLOGIE, NADPŘIROZENO, MULTIVESMÍR a zkrátka, na tohle nejde nalézti slov, neb to prostě nejde, neb to ještě neskončilo a LAKE HOUSE to jen potvrdil!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122116454480899186&type=3

100%PC

Amazing

85%PC

Great narrative, marred by random performance degradation, too much equipment on normal difficulty, and lack of enemy variety. The core loop of the flashlight, flares, etc was honestly still fun for me 20 hours in, somewhat unexpectedly. Beautiful graphics and art design also help save from the lack of difficulty and lack of enemies.

90%PC

Remedy's creativity and unique style oozes out of this entry, and the fun part is, it hits. The gameplay can be simple but the amazing story and presentation outweighs the cons that I have with the game.

80%PC

One step forward, half a step back?

As a big Remedy fan since Max Payne. MP 1&2 are classics, 3 I'll likely revisit soon (I was lukewarm on it the first go and thought Rockstar did an okay job), and Quantum Break had its moments, but was ultimately forgettable.
'Control' was Remedy back in top form, likely my favourite title of theirs, for its aesthetic, trigger happy gameplay (a refinement on what they began with QB and a return to MP's frantic pacing), the sense of isolated yet oddly, homey, 70s office aesthetic and Brutalist architecture all enveloping the delicious, gooey core that is the X-Files-ness of it all. So that leaves us with AW, the first one, which I played all the way back in 2012.

I thought it was solid, but didn't hit the heights that something "from the creators of mind of Sam Lake meets Twin Peaks" ought to have hit, especially considering I was all about TP back then. I never gelled well with Alan Wake as a protagonist, the combat was ropey to say the least, and it's formerly open-world underpinnings were a bit awkward when retrofitted into a linear, horror-tinged action game. Most of all, I couldn't get past the self-indulgent meta-narrative of fiction becoming reality via a Stephen King stand-in. Still, American Horror was a blast. I just like shooting things, okay?

So, AW2 immediately had a few things going for it: its not everyday you get a Remedy game, its not everyday a sequel gets made to a 13 year old sorta-classic, and they're now doubling down on true survival horror instead of giving Alan a crate barrel full of batteries and shotgun shells between every other lamp checkpoint? Great.

And it is mostly great. It's a faithful sequel to that slightly awkward 2010 game while also updated to be fresh and contemporary with what horror looks and feels like in the 2020s. Instead of its Twin Peaks inspired origins, it now also feels informed by Scandinavian true crime thrillers, if not American works such as True Detective or Hannibal. Mechanically it is a game very much in the shadow of a post-Resident Evil Remake world, with its scarcity of supplies, tough combat, claustrophobic camera and methodical clearing of rooms and solving of puzzles.

It's all great to be sure, but it also expands the lore and the verboseness and (pardon my idiocy) the obtuseness of it all nearly to the point of breaking. Yet other times a really simple point will be reiterated ad nauseum via Alan's narration or Saga's clue board. But most other times, the confusing, non-linear, asynchronous plot delivery is going to send you to TVTropes or Reddit to figure out just what happened. What now about dopplegangers or reincarnations? And alternate realities? And whats all this about it not being a loop but a spiral? A spiral is good, right? That means there's an end, right?

Anyway, I never felt a need to decipher just what the hell Twin Peaks: The Return was all about yet enjoyed it immensely, and I don't really want to start here either, so I'll just leave it at that.

Lastly, the niggles: the game is subpar on AMD GPUs, with incessant stuttering in Saga's sections and feature parity wise, the lack of ray reconstruction or frame gen is unfortunate (just do yourself a favour and play with RT off); there's one line in Saga's last mind place section that was really out of place and kinda soured the thing for me (something something Alan Woke something something); some difficulty spikes that just happen out of nowhere; the damn jump scares; as much as I dig the FBC, I'm just so over connected universes.

80%PC

Despite really enjoying it in the beginning, the longer it went, the more it dragged. It took me about 23 hours to complete and I feel like it should have been heavily trimmed, by like 1/3. The slow pace of the walking and the not so generous save points really hindered the last 6 hours for me. Still, a very good game.

50%PC

Boring

90%PlayStation 5

História envolvente, gráficos incríveis, gameplay divertida.
Me deu alguns bons sustos.

90%PC

Сюжет конечно запутанный пиздец. Я рот ебал сам разбираться, ща пойду видос на ютубе смотреть)) Но пиздатый, закручено все нереально, причины путаются со следствиями, прошлое с будущим, кто там кого написал бля непонятно. Наебывают кто там Алан, кто Скрэтч, кто кому родственник с Сагой, кто такие культ и прочее. Чисто сюжет держит в игре, потому что реально интересно как это все развернется.

Графон хорош. Включал/выключал RT - разницы почти нет блять, зато фпс 40 жрет)) Прошел без него на ультрах. Иногда мыло есть, но в целом очень хорошо, особенно лицевые анимации, что пиздец важно для такой игры с упором на нарратив. Стиля навалили, все прям очень хорошо выглядит, локи всякие и лайв экшн прям хорошо сочетается типа в катсценах, видениях, короче как в контроле еще было вроде.

Геймплей...эволюционировал. А именно в резик чистой воды. Прям все то же самое только с фонариком. Заметил, что система ресов адаптируется и дает те, которых мало, что в целом удаляет survival часть, да и вообще ресов очень дохуя, ящиков всяких блять и стешей. У меня рюкзак был постоянно в хуйне какой-нибудь. РАЗНЫЕ локации СПАСИБО. Так и не вытерпев ебаный ЛЕС из первой части, это хотя бы вполне играбельно. Да много побегушек, да, в боссфайтах особенно затянуты петли эти но бля, это прям сильная эволюция, молодцы.

В общем и целов вполне неплохо. Разбираться в этом сами будут только шизики конечно, но это прям авторский проект с видением. Чуток выпадает геймплей своей затянутостью и медлительностью, но ради сюжета с этим миришься.

95%Xbox Series X/S

This is a really great game, I loved it, it adds to the story in such a really fun way. I was given the Ultimate Edition for Christmas from a friend, which I started to play on that very day. Alan Wake II is a surreal, cerebral horror game, with a story with a nonlinear timeline with an inherently meta plot.

Now I really didn't like the violence, that I would have preferred to do without thank you very much. I note that remedy is going away from their previous linear titles (Quantum Break, Alan Wake) in favour of a non-linear form of storytelling (Control, Alan Wake II), which I like, as a creative myself, I hope to challenge myself with the mediums I work with. Though I feel Remedy is too good at crafting a linear experience. I did like how the player had a choice between playing as Saga or Alan, though eventually being forced to play both to preserve the twist.

The graphics and 3D animation was excellent, looked really realistic.

This wasn't the story I was expecting, this was violent, dark and real.

I hope what I had to say made something like an impact on you.

100%Xbox Series X/S

Pros
+ Graphics & art direction are on another level
+ Nice / cool gameplay even without adding anything new
+ Captivating story & narrative, it just draws you in
+ Remedy-verse lore is building up beautifully

Cons
- A few glitches / bugs here & there
- The jumpscares not really hitting it

Verdict
Gamers and the industry need masterpieces like this.
Kudos to Sam Lake & The Remedy Team!

80%PlayStation 5

Excellent game, but for me, it was somehow incomplete.

80%Xbox Series X/S

Difficile de noter cet Alan Wake 2, beaucoup de bonnes idées mais parfois l'impression que ça parte dans tous les sens et du coup le jeu ne semble pas prendre vraiment partie Alan et Saga sont globalement similaires alors qu'il aurait été très bien de les différencier réellement

+ l'Ost toujours au point
+ La connexion avec l'univers Remedy déjà commencé avec Control
+ Le Lore

- Saga aurait du être complétement enquête/déduction et Alan action
- Certaines zones sans saveur
- Devoir refaire TOUT le jeu pour la vraie fin...

80%PC

good story, too long to reload guns

90%PC

Cinema*1.3

100%PC

It's one of the greatest survival horror games I've ever played. Amazing atmosphere, narrative, and gameplay.

80%Xbox Series X/S

4.5/5.0

I am going to need another play through to understand this one. There's so much going on here, and I can tell that it's very deep. I just couldn't figure out everything after one playthrough. I'll need to replay and do "The Final Draft". After my initial playthrough, I am thoroughly intrigued. This has to be one of the most unique and original games I've ever played. I absolutely love the unsettling way the narrations are performed for the reading of the manuscript pages, and I really like the filming style they used in the live action shots. The music performed by Poets of the Fall and the other artists is also fantastic.

I completed the base game and the Night Springs Expansion. I still need to play the Lake House expansion.

80%PC

If you like jump scares this is the game for you.

80%PlayStation 5

As well written as a story about a writer should. A complex and esoteric narrative made accessible thanks to ingenious mechanics. Can't say I liked the gameplay as much, but the story is the main attraction and its delivers successfully.

70%PlayStation 5

Worthy of praise for its ambitious and uncompromising pursuit to tell its story, yet similarly prone to criticism for its pretty lacklustre gameplay

The decision to turn the campy psychological thriller Alan Wake into a full blown horror story is a very bold one and you have to admire Remedy Entertainment's sheer balls to tell their narrative, their way. Alan Wake II takes some huge swings and although its flaws are numerous, it is ultimately a refreshing game in an industry chasing trends and too scared to take risks.

Graphically the game is excellent, and the environment design really pulls you into the game's primary Pacific Northwest and New York/Dark Place settings. Even on a base PS5 running at 30fps, I wasn't distracted by any performance issues and the lower framerate if anything immersed me more into the game's cinema-influenced narrative. The atmosphere and sound design are also outstanding, and even if the story can be sometimes hard to comprehend, you can't help but be immersed in Saga's and Alan Wake's dual nightmares. Walking through the claustrophic environments with just a flashlight is geniunely scary and the game's sparse enemy count actually adds to the fear of the unknown.

Alan Wake and Remedy stories are hard to review - because like their key inspiration David Lynch, I feel a bit out of my depth in understanding them yet can't help but read every lore note to try and grasp a semblance of what's going on. Perhaps it has the same appeal as Lost in that ultimately, the craving to piece together the mysteries and have some sort of resolution is the key reason they are so engaging and interesting. Yes, Alan Wake II can be a tad self-indulgent, too referential or 'meta' like previous Remedy works, but without these elements the games would not be as memorable or interesting.

However, Alan Wake II has plenty of things that don't work. The gameplay in the round doesn't touch its competitors such as the peerless Resident Evil series, even though its inspirations from that series and Silent Hill are clear. The movement feels sluggish and awkward, the guns do have a certain bite but lack variety, and the enemies are either too similar or just plain annoying to fight. Alan and Saga each have to interact with a personal 'storyboard' to progress through the game, and although they are initially fun and novel, they feel like a missed opportunity as player agency and choice are limited and so are the gameplay options.

The performances overall are solid, but I wouldn't say I was blown away by the character writing or any of the acting as I didn't find myself caring about any of the characters. Also, too much of the game does feel like a walking simulator with too few memorable gameplay mechanics or sequences (bar the 'We Sing' level, which felt too much like retread from previous Remedy musical numbers)

In particular, the bosses and certain groupings of enemies really grinded my gears. None of the bosses were fun to fight as you were either fighting with extensive foliage blocking your view, frequent jump scares, or a temperamental camera with enemies sniping you from a distance. The jump scares really do detract from the experience overall, as although a few generally work, by the second-half of the game I was actually bored of them and they started to detract from the game's creepy atmosphere. Alan Wake II has no shortage of puzzles to solve too, but sadly Remedy struggled to find that challenging-but-satisfying middle ground.

The game's original ending ends in a deeply unsatisfying manner, which felt like blatant sequel bait and didn't really resolve or explain anything in the main story. Although I liked some of the twists along the way, I couldn't help but feel that the original ending - although bold, was subversive just to be different rather than being cohesive or enjoyable to experience. However, the 'Final Draft' did resolve these concerns a bit, and I did like how 'meta' it felt by reacting to real player's experiences and dissatisfaction. Perhaps Sam Lake was writing the story on his typewriter and was able to accept that a satisfying ending is what the player's wanted and one he would be capable of achieving?

My approximate 37hrs playtime includes most collectibles and Both DLCs - Night Springs and The Lake House

95%Xbox Series X/S

I was on the edge of my seat for every second with a huge smile on my face. Very cinematic, game had me in a trance. The hard boiled detective story, noire pseudo NYC, and on the nose failed writer Alan Wake were great. The combat was killer, too. I thoroughly loved this game.

100%PlayStation 5

Review: Alan Wake 2
A layered, twisted masterpiece of psychological horror and metafiction

Alan Wake 2 isn't just a sequel. It's a multi-dimensional spiral into madness, storytelling, and identity – and for fans of the Remedyverse, it's a rich, rewarding ride that connects threads across Alan Wake, American Nightmare, and Control.

From the opening moments, the game throws you into a high-concept narrative, with an intro that feels almost overwhelming in its chaos and energy. The contrast between light and dark isn’t just visual – it defines the pacing, the tension, and the emotional undertone. Within the first couple of hours, time begins to feel irrelevant, and you’re drawn deep into a story that slowly untangles itself through perspective shifts, cryptic dialogue, and a creeping sense of unease.

The dual protagonists, Alan Wake and Saga Anderson, serve as opposite reflections of each other. Alan is fragmented, trapped in layers of narrative and identity, a man caught between versions of himself. Saga, on the other hand, is peeling back those layers – of herself and the case – in search of truth and meaning. Where Alan must simplify and strip away, Saga is building and assembling. This mirroring of character arcs creates one of the game’s most compelling dynamics.

Gameplay-wise, Alan Wake 2 balances methodical exploration, atmospheric horror, and moments of stylish action. Combat is tight, weighty, and deeply tied to the light mechanic, which continues to be both symbolic and strategic. The Mind Place adds a satisfying investigative layer, and collectibles – from Cult Stashes to writer’s notes – reward sharp eyes and thoughtful play. And then, when that one scene hits, and rock music blasts from the radio mid-gunfight? Absolute Remedy magic.

Visually, the game is unsettling and beautiful. From the shadowy woods to surreal dreamscapes, it keeps you on edge. The live-action sequences blend with in-game graphics in a way that feels seamless and purpose-driven, adding to the psychological dissonance. Audio design is brilliant, and the fact that each chapter ends with its own soundtrack song is a masterstroke – a moment of release and reflection after each descent into madness.

Narratively, the mystery unfolds with metafictional brilliance. Symbols, riddles, layered realities, and connections to other games (especially Control) are embedded everywhere. There’s always more to see, more to question. It's like playing through a novel that knows it’s being read and is rewriting itself as you turn the pages.

By the end, I was left with both closure and more questions – which is exactly what I wanted. The game doesn’t hand you a singular truth, but offers a spectrum of interpretation: about identity, creativity, reality, and trauma. Whether you choose to dive into New Game+ or just read The Final Chapter, it feels like a complete experience.

Pros:
✅ Deep, intricate story rich with symbolism and mystery
✅ Stunning visuals and masterful audio design
✅ Strong character arcs and dual protagonist interplay
✅ Psychological horror at its best – subtle, emotional, disorienting
✅ One of Remedy’s best blends of gameplay and narrative
✅ Those chapter-ending tracks – pure serotonin

Cons:
❌ Some narrative complexity may overwhelm players unfamiliar with the Remedyverse
❌ A few slow moments mid-game (easily forgiven in hindsight)

Score: 10/10

Alan Wake 2 is not just a game – it’s an experience. A narrative labyrinth full of fear, beauty, and storytelling brilliance. It wrapped up questions I’ve had since Alan Wake 1, and now I can finally rest… at least until the DLCs or New Game+ call me back into the dark.

60%PlayStation 5

Production quality is great, but balancing was all over the place. Some enemies can be avoid, some not. Some are a piece of cake, some (mini-)bosses are so hard, it annoyed me. Also the story is confusing. It's not crazy like Kojima with Babies in fishtanks, but it's self referential and a multi-layer story, so it can be confussing. And it repeats itself a lot (We have to do this. But let us just repeat that on the Case-Board again).

Also you are walking very much -especially if you have to clean up missing collectables etcetera.

In the end, i have mixed feelings about Alan Wake 2. It has fantastic moments, but somehow it's too complicated and has too many flaws.

6/10

90%PC

52/88 logros

100%PC

I’m my own worst enemy. The fears in my head are stopping me from trying.

Wow. I’ve been waiting to play Alan Wake 2 until I had to time to properly sit down and enjoy it, and it met my expectations. This was… cathartic in a way to play. If you have OCD and deal with intrusive thoughts, perhaps you also know how it felt to have Saga recognize and break the cycle.

Right off the bat the game is breathtakingly gorgeous. Nearly ever Remedy game oozes personality with how they design environments and this was no exception. Alan Wake’s Bright Falls setting really caters to me in particular as someone who loves the aesthetics of the Pacific Northwest. The deer paraphernalia and other little touches all suck me in and charm me every time. The lighting is absolutely stunning, there were so many times I just stopped and looked at things because the way the light behaves is so good. Absolutely some of my favorite environments in all of gaming. So many little details that serve as worldbuilding. I can’t get over the way I could stop and stare in the way I would at a museum art piece, except in this medium I can interact with it and move around in it and get unique perspectives with the photo mode. Everything was so perfectly done for me that I could have sworn if I took a deep breath I’d have smelled fresh pine and outdoor air.

Another big stand out for me was the music and sound design. I love the way Remedy uses music in their games. I was so thrilled to see they kept the end of chapter songs from the first game. They are such a nice way to thematically reflect on what you just played and give a nice interlude. They really knocked it out of the park with this soundtrack and I felt like they were really perfect for every story beat. The shoot out on the beach with Old Gods of Asgard blaring and a whole fucking musical number are peak gaming moments for me. The blend of horror throughout the game mixed with incredibly fun blood pumping sequences that make me feel like I’m John Wick in the club are my favorite. Even the ambient noises were killer, especially the way sound was used in the Dark Place. Really effective in freaking you out and making you believe things are around you when they’re not.

There are a lot of things that really just worked for me and my particular tastes. The mind palace was actually the most brilliant concept. Not only was the design visually fantastic, but I loved having a physical way to keep track of all of the collectibles as someone going for 100%. Sitting there, filing things away on the case board felt really gratifying. After waxing poetic about the environments, I have to double down because they also gave me an amusement park fair type area and I just can’t get over how good every single pixel of atmosphere is just conceptually, but then they somehow execute it. Being able to see landmarks like the Ferris wheel peeking through the trees in Watery from across the map was fantastic. Also loved that we got similar accessibility settings to Control. It makes it a lot easier to recommend to friends who I know will love this story, but may get put off by the combat.

Speaking of combat, this improved the original gameplay of Alan Wake significantly. The need based loot system cured my “hoard every special item til the end”-itis and I was a super big fan of that as a mechanic. I didn’t care for the way the flashlight worked in this game at first and preferred the original style where you could deplete the darkness albeit slower without needing to expend a charge, but ultimately it still felt balanced so I was less annoyed by this after I got used to it.

It feels like every time Remedy makes a game, they take what they’ve learned and use it. I just can’t get over how this really felt like a lovingly crafted experience. Alan Wake 2 sees a lot of things converge both gameplay and narrative wise in a way you can only truly appreciate after playing a good chunk of their other games. This one more than any other, felt like a love letter to the fans. The first moment I saw Tim Breaker I went berserk. The way they mixed live action in here reminded me a lot of Quantum Break, and it just kept me invested the whole time. I love Saga as a protagonist, and I will not be hearing any objections.

Maybe this game won’t be for everyone, but is is certainly for me. It filled me with an indescribable sense of excitement and joy for the medium. There were so many times while playing I just had to pause because it made me think about how much I love video games.

ALAN WAKE IF YOU ARE READING THIS PLEASE TELL ME YOUR HAIR ROUTINE. I NEED TO KNOW HOW YOU KEPT IT SO LUSCIOUS AFTER LIVING IN A NIGHTMARE REALM FOR OVER A DECADE. MAYBE HE’S BORN WITH IT. MAYBE IT’S THE DARK PLACE.

Oh no I hit my word count limit read the rest here: https://backloggd.com/u/earthtoned/review/2767134/

95%PC

1st Try: 30th of October 2024
I tried to complete it, but i dropped it with 5 hours played, i dropped it in the fair with Saga like at 20% of the game

2nd Try: May2025
When i complete Tlou 2 Remastered (Best game ever) i will start playing this from 0%

95%PC

Best graphics ever made to date with latest 2025 update from Nvidia. One of the best single player story-driven games out there. 25 fps sometimes on 5090 4K DLAA Max settings

90%PC

Herald of darkness
ITS NOT A LOOP, ITS A SPIRAL