Alan Wake 2 Review Thread
Alan Wake 2 Review Thread
Game Information
Game Title: Alan Wake 2
Platforms:
- PlayStation 5 (Oct 27, 2023)
- Xbox Series X/S (Oct 27, 2023)
- PC (Oct 27, 2023)
Trailers:
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Epic Games
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 90 average - 90% recommended - 41 reviews
Critic Reviews
Atomix - Alexis Patiño - Spanish - 87 / 100
Alan Wake II is the sequel we were waiting for. Unfortunately, it took thirteen years to find out what happened next in this story. The technological advancement is impressive, the graphics, the music, and the sound are stunning, and it couldn't have been released in a better season.
Attack of the Fanboy - J.R. Waugh - 4.5 / 5
Everything, down to the puzzles, feels appropriately placed. That's before even acknowledging the gorgeous cast of actors involved in the project and the truly compelling story that unfolds for Alan as well as Saga, who each gain an interesting presence in Bright Falls and the world beyond. It doesn't feel like the most satisfying combat, and it's rather easy to beat, but this is also exactly what I wanted and more from an Alan Wake sequel. It is also the best original horror game of 2023 by a wide margin, and a damn fine video game overall.
CGMagazine - Philip Watson - 9.5 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is possibly one of the greatest pieces of storytelling crafted, and is a must play title.
COGconnected - Mark Steighner - 90 / 100
Alan Wake 2 rewards fans of the first game for their patience, and invites new players along for a wild, sometimes terrifying and mind-bending ride.
Entertainment Geekly - Luis Alvaro - 4.5 / 5
For those who dare to step into its shadow-laden universe, the game serves as a riveting odyssey that pushes the boundaries of what a survival horror game can be.
Game Rant - Dalton Cooper - 2.5 / 5
Alan Wake 2 has incredible graphics and some memorable moments, but it's dragged down by technical issues and tedious gameplay.
GameSpot - Mark Delaney - 10 / 10
Remedy delivers its greatest game to date by turning a long-awaited sequel into a uniquely meta multimedia masterpiece.
Gamepressure - Matt Buckley - 9 / 10
Alan Wake 2 proves to be worth the wait. This sequel is an upgrade in nearly every way, and while player influence on the story can feel limited at times, the engaging narrative more than compensates. From the challenging, tense combat to the excellent environmental storytelling, Alan Wake 2 will have no trouble hooking players from start to finish.
GamesHub - Leah Williams - 5 / 5
Alan Wake 2 almost feels mad in its approach, with an overwhelming array of threads in the tale that threaten to collapse under pressure at any moment. Yet with clear and incisive logic, matched with a devotion to delightful absurdity, the team at Remedy has managed to craft a breathtaking story – one that plays out in clever, fascinating, and horrifying ways.
GamesRadar+ - Josh West - 5 / 5
"Whenever I thought I had a handle on where Alan Wake 2 was leading me it upended my expectations"
GamingBolt - Shunal Doke - 9 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is a fantastic horror game with some excellent atmosphere and an incredibly interesting story. While it does make use of jump scares that feel downright unnecessary, thankfully, the other horror aspects of the game are more than up to the task of creeping you out. Just make sure that you at least read up on the plot synopsis of the original Alan Wake before jumping in.
GamingTrend - David Burdette - 90 / 100
There is nothing you'll play this year like Alan Wake 2. The choice of two protagonists works wonderfully, with an interwoven plot that is Remedy at their best. I love the twists and turns it takes, with an incredible atmosphere set that boosts everything it touches, including the combat. Alan Wake 2 is breathtaking both visually and audibly, whether in Bright Falls or The Dark Place. Our departure thirteen years ago is long forgotten; Alan Wake's return is a triumph.
Geek Culture - Jake Su - 7.6 / 10
The 20-odd hours we spent in Alan Wake 2 left us in a strange place. While its graphical and audio prowess are clear to see, the gameplay, and more crucially, the story, are going to have their merits hotly debated and discussed, and that’s not even including the technical shortcomings. For what it’s worth, we enjoyed this haunted journey through both darkness and light, but for hardcore fans and even newcomers, this sequel might not be an instant classic right away.
Glitched Africa - Marco Cocomello - 8 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is a visual and technical showcase that brings some fresh ideas and mechanics to the series. Some evolve into fun activities while others get repetitive. The game is also marred by some awkward live-action sequences that feel out of place. But there's no doubt a captivating horror to enjoy under the surface. It is the strangest game you'll play this year in all the best ways.
God is a Geek - Lyle Carr - 9.5 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is a spectacular sequel that was more than worth the wait, with a story that simply has to be experienced to be believed.
With two protagonists exploring different worlds, this thriller is a thoroughly entertaining blend of detective procedural and narrative weirdness
Hardcore Gamer - Cory Wells - 4.5 / 5
Alan Wake 2 is the perfect release for Halloween as it presents a psychological horror movie into video game format.
Hobby Consolas - Álvaro Alonso - Spanish - 95 / 100
Alan Wake 2 is a brilliant survival horror that combines the surrealism of Twin Peaks, the investigations of True Detective and the paranormal elements of the SCP Foundation, but it is also the new graphical ceiling of the generation. And above all, it's a Remedy game; and it is glorious.
IGN - Tristan Ogilvie - 9 / 10
Alan Wake II is a superb survival-horror sequel that makes the cult-classic original seem like little more than a rough first draft by comparison.
INVEN - Kyuman Kim - Korean - 8.8 / 10
Remedy's trademark intricate narrative has evolved even further, combining with survival horror-style action to deliver a more immersive experience than ever before. In particular, the expanded lore developed over the past 13 years adds a unique appeal. However, issues with subtitles and bugs seems to be promptly addressed post-launch, and I have high hopes for improvements in this regard.
Metro GameCentral - GameCentral - 6 / 10
A peculiar sequel that at times seems to be purposefully undermining the best elements of the original, but it still gets just enough right to please both existing fans and potential newcomers.
Multiplayer First - Vitor Braz - 9.5 / 10
With a playtime that deserves all praise, easily clocking in at over 20 hours if you don’t rush through it, Alan Wake 2 is absolutely worth the time and money. It’s a remarkable achievement that is meant to be both devoured and enjoyed slowly, despite what this sounds like, plunging into all the details, exploring every beat of the locations without rushing through the main goals, as to appreciate the colossal work that has gone into it. This is a terrific television series gone videogame, with a sophisticated plot that grips every fan of survival horror and never lets go. The fantastic looks help, but the perfect pacing and intriguing mysteries keep you going despite some frustration that may arise from the Angel Lamp puzzles.
It’s one of the greatest survival horror games ever made, this shouldn’t be skipped. A fantastic example of how different types of media can crossover and create a very special outcome, it was absolutely worth the wait for Alan Wake to come up with a plan to escape the Dark Place and write an outstanding story about it for us to read, watch, play, and above all, enjoy.
Nexus Hub - Sam Aberdeen - 10 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is an innovative, bolder, and scarier sequel that pushes the survival horror genre forward. Remedy have turned its strangeness dial to 11 and it's magnificent.
PCGamesN - Andrew Farrell - 9 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is a marvel, serving up intense gameplay, a twisty, dark story, and more secrets and surprises than you could possibly imagine. Remedy has outdone itself here, delivering a truly remarkable experience.
PlayStation Universe - Tommy Holloway - 9.5 / 10
13 years since its predecessor, Alan Wake 2 was absolutely worth the wait. Improving on the original in every way, with Remedy embracing their inspirations, and honing their craft, Alan Wake 2 is a surrealist horror masterpiece.
Press Start - Brodie Gibbons - 9.5 / 10
While I'm sure there were countless drafts and edits throughout the journey to this point, this Alan Wake II is proof that great things come to those who wait. Like breaking through after a thirteen year stretch of writer's block, I can only imagine the sense of relief in letting this monster of a game loose.
Rectify Gaming - Henry - 9.5 / 10
Game design is an art and Remedy Entertainment have created something of a masterpiece with Alan Wake 2. The four long years of development have paid off, and the passion and love from the studio truly speaks for itself. From the incredible worldbuilding and interconnected narratives to the elevated survival horror and detective case solving, Alan Wake 2 is a unique experience that you don’t want to miss.
SECTOR.sk - Matúš Štrba - Slovak - 9.5 / 10
When it comes to Alan Wake 2, there's no need to hold back on the superlatives; every single one of them is well-deserved. But if I had to pinpoint one element that truly captures your attention, it's the extraordinary storyline.
Screen Rant - Jacob Zeranko - 5 / 5
Alan Wake 2 is a mind-bending, epic thriller that takes the best of Remedy’s catalogue & combines it all into nothing short of a masterpiece.
Shacknews - TJ Denzer - 9 / 10
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Sirus Gaming - Jarren Navarrete - 8 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is a worthy successor to the original. However, it does come with some flaws that may grate older fans. This is the horror genre we've always thought Alan Wake could be if it shed some of its more action elements. After witnessing its gripping horror firsthand, it makes me feel like Alan Wake, too.
Spaziogames - Domenico Musicò - Italian - 8.9 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is the most visionary, bold and brillant Remedy game to date. From the terrific concept to the ambitious game design, Alan Wake 2 destroys the trivial ideas behind every pop videogame and creates a complex opera that will be remembered over the years.
Stevivor - Steve Wright - Unscored
Alan Wake 2 is the next glorious evolution of Remedy's signature gameplay and yet to put a foot wrong.
TechRaptor - Jason Rodriguez - 7 / 10
Alan Wake 2 takes you to the quiet locales of Washington and the streets of New York, places where darkness has taken root. Along the way, you can expect a tense and foreboding atmosphere, frantic action, and a memorable, mesmerizing romp. Sadly, there were several glaring issues that became prevalent during the course of this review.
This feels like the game this developer has wanted to make for years, unrestrained in the best possible way as it goes hard on layered storytelling, flawed yet fascinating heroes and a series which for over a decade now has been harbouring untold potential.
TheSixthAxis - Nick Petrasiti - 10 / 10
Just as it gives equal screen time to its two protagonists, Alan Wake 2 is a fine blend of equal parts narrative and survival horror. Both aspects are brought together in brilliant fashion to create a game that is going to mess with your head, scare the hell out of you and make you grin about it as you plunge forward once more, eager to see what's next.
VG247 - Kelsey Raynor - 5 / 5
In a superb blend of reality and fiction, Alan Wake 2 will earn its place as one of the best horror games out there.
VGC - Jordan Middler - 5 / 5
Massively confident, often groundbreaking, and full of surprises, Alan Wake 2 is Remedy at its very best. The shooting isn't stellar, but Alan Wake 2 is otherwise a horror thriller that shouldn't be missed.
Wccftech - Francesco De Meo - 9 / 10
With its excellent trippy horror story, memorable characters, amazing atmosphere, and some of the best visuals in gaming to date, Alan Wake II is a game like few others and Remedy Entertainment's best. It took 13 years for the acclaimed writer to come back, but the long wait was worth it. We could have hardly wished for a better sequel, despite the derivative survival horror gameplay holding the experience back a bit.
Windows Central - Samuel Tolbert - 4.5 / 5
Remedy Entertainment crafts a suspenseful journey full of twists, examining its title character in spades. It's a messy, imperfect narrative that doesn't even try to wrap up every plot thread, but delivers a raw, emotional ride. Solid third-person survival horror-gameplay helps carry that journey outside of a handful of technical issues.
XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 10 / 10
Alan Wake 2 is a masterpiece and you should play it, now.
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It's such a shame that it's an Epic exclusive...
Is it a timed exclusive?
Epic is the publisher, so this is likely permanent.