Metacritic (88)
Opencritic (89)
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Attack of the Fanboy (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.
COGconnected (9/10)Alan Wake 2 is smartly written, visually arresting and thematically complex. It can be obtuse and perplexing, but that's a feature, not a bug. It brings together not only the worlds of several Remedy games, but demonstrates all the narrative and gameplay lessons the studio has learned over the last thirteen years. 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.
Gamerant (2.5/5)Alan Wake 2 deserves recognition for what it has accomplished with its graphics and audio design, but many will be let down by the gameplay and story. Even if the game's rather frustrating technical problems didn't exist, Alan Wake 2 would still be a disappointment because of its shortcomings in those departments. That being said, Alan Wake 2 is home to some of the best moments in any game this year, with two sequences in particular standing out as especially memorable. To go into detail would be to spoil them for anyone who plans on playing the game, but rest assured that despite its issues, Alan Wake 2 has a few bright spots that may still make it worth it for hardcore fans of the original game. Others will want to hold out for a patch and a sale.
Gamereactor UK (10/10)I may end up regretting how much I've fallen for Alan Wake 2. Now, this review is certainly not written to fit into a critical consensus I don't yet know anything about, but it's always vulnerable to step out of the shadows and proclaim that you consider a given game to be a masterpiece. But Remedy deserve that honour, they deserve all the praise I can muster for being brave enough to make some exciting design choices that limit Alan Wake 2's mass appeal, but increase the enjoyment for those of us who remain. They deserve for me to call this game what I think it is - a masterpiece. They deserve a 10, and even though the game industry's prince charming will be bathing in Game of the Year awards in December, I'll be thinking of Cauldron Lake.
Gamespot (10/10)The idea of what Alan Wake 2 could be has changed so much over the years, but in playing the game, I was reminded of Sam Lake saying how he was so happy that all the previous versions of this game never worked out, and how excited he was that this is the Alan Wake 2 the world has finally received. I have to emphatically agree. The mere existence of an Alan Wake 2 would have, at different points over the years, felt like a minor miracle, but for it to be this one, that feels singular in its achievements, and coming from a studio that refuses to shy away from the paths less traveled, makes Alan Wake 2 a miracle illuminated.
GamesRadar+ (5/5)Alan Wake 2 is a strange, imaginative, and truly ambitious sequel that never fails to upend your expectations. While some of the bigger concepts presented by Remedy Entertainment lack refinement, a few rough edges don't detract from a consistently confident and startlingly original adventure. You won't find anything else quite like Alan Wake 2 this generation.
Gamingtrend (9/10)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.
GLHF in Sports Illustrated (9/10)Alan Wake 2 is funny, scary, intense, mysterious, enthralling – and a bunch of other buzzwords I could rattle off – all at the same time. I couldn't help but smile at how silly some sections were, while others had me practically jumping out of my seat. This is Remedy Entertainment at its very best and, for me, eclipses what the team had achieved with Alan Wake, Quantum Break, and Control.
Alan Wake 2 is the best Remedy Entertainment game, and is a strong contender for one of the best games of 2023.
IGN (9/10)Alan Wake II delivers one of the boldest and most brain-bending survival-horror storylines this side of Silent Hill 2, presents it with uniformly immaculate art direction and audio design, and reinvigorates the series' signature light-based shooting as though it's been locked and loaded with a fresh pack of Energizers. Even though its skill-upgrade systems seem a little superfluous and there were a few repeated cliches in Saga's story that stuck in my craw, I nonetheless found both sides of this twisted tale to be endlessly fascinating, frequently fear-inducing, and consistently surprising. 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.
MP1st (9.5/10)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.
PCGamesN (9/10)The game is not only imaginative and impeccably designed but also incredibly consistent in its quality in a way that few games ever are. With terrific gameplay, no shortage of creativity, and a twisty, dark story, this is simply a must-play experience whether you're into horror, action, or adventure games. Remedy has absolutely outdone itself with Alan Wake 2, delivering a truly remarkable game.
PlayStation Universe (9.5/10)Alan Wake 2 is everything I wanted and more from the sequel, and I am so grateful that a studio like Remedy Games exist, and playing through this game was a stark reminder of why this industry could do with more developers just like them.
In a year full of truly great games, Alan Wake 2 easily ranks among them as a must-play and is my personal game of the year so far. It is the perfect game to play this Halloween, so do yourself a favour, and pick up this page turner.
Polygon (Recommended)Alan Wake 2 is a monster of a game — the culmination of 28 years of experience, from a studio whose funding and scale finally seem to have caught up with its grandiose ideas and boundless ambition. It's at once a love letter to fans of Alan Wake and a daring reinvention for survival horror writ large. In a year that's seen remakes of such venerable horror titles as Dead Space and Resident Evil 4, Alan Wake 2 stands tall as one of the year's best in the genre.
I already consider it a modern horror classic, one that opens up a veritable ocean of possibilities for Remedy's future. If it takes another 13 years for a game of Alan Wake 2's caliber to come along again, it will have been well worth the wait.
Press-Start.com.au (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.
PushSquare (10/10)Like a mystery once thought solved, Alan Wake 2 reopens the case for what's possible in its genre. It's a delight to relive classic horror titles through modern remakes, but what Remedy has cooked up here is something special — a gust of fresh air aiming to revitalise video game horror. There's expansive lore and a twisting story that might not be for everyone, but the developer packs so many exciting and unique ideas into this ambitious sequel that you can't help but play along with a nervous smile on your face. With stunning visuals, pitch-perfect tone and atmosphere, brilliant pacing, and a fascinating mystery to sink your teeth into, there are no twists or turns about it: Alan Wake 2 is an all-timer.
Screenrant (5/5)Alan Wake 2 is an incredible achievement. Visually, it is one of the most impressive and haunting games available and the ability to seamlessly change and alter the world on a whim is a technical feat that few have done successfully. In many ways, Alan Wake 2 feels like a love letter to the history of Remedy and its universe. Not only will players stumble upon characters from and references to other games, but they will also find a number of previous actors like James McCaffery, who played Max Payne. Every part of this game is a pleasant surprise that only leaves one excited about the Remedy renaissance that seems to be coming.
Shacknews (9/10)Trying to make sense of Alan Wake 2 before its narrative has been told is an act of futility, but it's some of the most interesting futility I've faced in a horror game. You don't come here for blazing action and brutal gore. That's Resident Evil 4 or Dead Space. You don't come here to stretch your items and survive a known malevolent force. That's System Shock. You come here because there's a story to be told, and that story will bend and break its rules as much as it needs to in order to reach its conclusions. Alan Wake 2 builds upon a foundation that I felt was effective, but missing something in the original. In narrative, atmosphere, and gameplay, this sequel captures the sense of a self-aware, fictional world that's always contorting itself in real-time to move forward, and the result is a surreal horror/thriller masterpiece.
TheGamer (5/5)Remedy has always been seen to push boundaries, or experiment with different ideas using its own kooky melting pot of creative innovation, but never has it felt as accomplished as it is with Alan Wake 2. 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. To see that ambition finally realised is a delight, and the end result is one of the best survival horror games I've ever played. It's Remedy let loose, debuting a shared universe that is bound to continue changing the game for years to come.
The Sixth Axis (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.
Twinfinite (4.5/5)The 13 years the sequel took have resulted in a game that is fun to play and furthers not only the Alan Wake lore but also makes me incredibly excited for where this universe goes with Control 2. While my playthrough hit a snag that's since been fixed, I can still honestly say the rest of the game was a delight to play. If you've done all you can in the Resident Evil 4 remake and are looking for the next great survival horror to dig your teeth into, Alan Wake 2 is it.
VG247 (5/5)While Alan Wake 2 drove me up the wall as I pieced together its fractal story and resisted the urge to succumb to its mind-bending live-action scenes, it continually impressed me. I was genuinely sad as I edged closer to the game's conclusion. I want more of this tantalising cast of characters and ever-so-creepy town… more of this big psychedelic trip that refuses to let you predict where it's going. I can't get enough of this story about the battle between dark and light, good and evil, and the fight to overcome our own protagonist's subconsciousness.
Modern day horror experiences don't get much better than this, and I'm pleased we've got more to come in, at least, two sets of DLC.
VGC (5/5)Remedy has at least four more games in the pipeline, and at this point, we wouldn't be surprised if it manages to tie them all together, too. There are gameplay annoyances in Alan Wake 2 that stop it from topping the survival horror charts on those terms alone, but the narrative and technical achievements Remedy has managed here feel beyond what's being done at any other studio. Long may it continue.
Wccftech (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.
Xboxera (10/10)Alan Wake 2 is the culmination of all that Remedy has learned over the past 20+ years. It is a triumph in every way and you should play it, now.
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