Alan Wake 2

About Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake 2 is a survival horror game by Remedy Entertainment, published by Epic Games and released on 27 October 2023 for PC (on the Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It is the sequel to Alan Wake (2010), and Remedy describes it as its first dive into survival horror.

There are two stories, one for each lead, which you can play in the order you choose after the opening. Saga Anderson is an FBI agent with a reputation for solving impossible cases, sent to the small town of Bright Falls in Washington State to investigate a string of ritualistic murders. Her case turns into a nightmare when she finds pages of a horror story that start to come true around her, pointing to Alan Wake, a bestselling writer who vanished in the area 13 years ago. Wake, meanwhile, is trapped in the Dark Place under Cauldron Lake, a shifting, looping reality that takes the form of a twisted, nocturnal New York, where he tries to write his way out.

It is played from a third-person view with firearms and a flashlight. Focusing the flashlight burns the darkness off enemies so you can hurt them, but it drains batteries, and both batteries and ammunition are limited. Saga sorts clues on a pin board in her Mind Place and profiles the people she meets; Alan changes the scene around him by rewriting plot details in his Writer's Room. Manuscript pages found in the world hint at what is coming.

Critics rated it highly: the PlayStation 5 version holds 89 on Metacritic from 71 reviews and 89 on OpenCritic, where 93% of critics recommend it, and PlayStation players rate it 4.62 out of 5. It is rated M by the ESRB and PEGI 18 for its gore and violence. Two expansions, Night Springs and The Lake House, are included in the Expansion Pass, and an Assist Mode added later can turn on immortality, unlimited ammo and other aids for players who want the story with less pressure. On PlayStation 5, PlayStation Plus Premium members can play a 2.5-hour trial. The main story takes about 16 hours.

How to play Alan Wake 2

1. Play through the opening, then choose whether to continue with Saga Anderson or Alan Wake.
2. Explore with your flashlight, picking up ammunition, batteries and healing items.
3. In a fight, focus the flashlight on an enemy to burn off its darkness, then shoot.
4. As Saga, pin clues in the Mind Place to work out the case and profile characters.
5. As Alan, use the Writer's Room to change plot details and reshape the scene around you.

Tips

• Do not boost the flashlight longer than needed; batteries are limited.
• Use the dodge when an enemy closes in, then put distance between you before shooting.
• Collect manuscript pages; they foreshadow events ahead.
• Check the Mind Place often; new clues can open the next step of the case.
• If combat gets in the way, Assist Mode can make it easier.

Questions