ALAN WAKE 2: THE STORY WRITES BACK
9.0 of 10 bananas. Remedy's strangest, scariest, most confident game.
By the Alpha. PS5 Deluxe Edition listing. Updated Oct 2026.
Platforms: The PS5 Deluxe Edition disc is the Amazon button. Per the listing, it includes both expansions, Night Springs and The Lake House, plus a voucher for Alan Wake Remastered. Xbox Series X|S and PC through the Epic Games Store also exist. There is no Steam version, so this page sells the PS5 Deluxe disc only.
Get Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition on AmazonSit with me a moment. I am old enough to remember when horror games only wanted to make you jump. Alan Wake 2 wants to get inside your head and rearrange the furniture. One scene in the Dark Place turned into a live-action rock opera, and I put the controller down just to watch.
What It Wants To Be
Remedy Entertainment's survival horror sequel, published by Epic Games Publishing on October 27, 2023. You switch between FBI agent Saga Anderson, investigating ritual murders in the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, and writer Alan Wake, trapped for thirteen years in a nightmare version of New York called the Dark Place. The physical Deluxe Edition on PS5 arrived in October 2024.
What Works
The atmosphere is thick enough to chew. Saga's Mind Place, where you pin clues on a board to crack the case, makes you feel like a real detective. Alan's chapters let you rewrite scenes to change the world around you, which is a wild idea that works. The mix of live action and game footage is bold. Light as a weapon still feels great. It won Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, and Best Game Direction at The Game Awards 2023.
What Breaks
Listen well. It is slow, on purpose, and some players will call it boring. Combat is limited, with tight ammo and few enemy types. Backtracking through dark woods can drag, and it is easy to get lost. The story is dense, and if you never played the first game or Control, some threads will fly over your head.
Who Should Play
Play if you love psychological horror, strange storytelling, and David Lynch energy. Skip if you want constant action or a clear plot. If you want Remedy's newest work, read my CONTROL Resonant verdict next.
STRENGTHS
- Thick, unsettling atmosphere
- Detective board that makes you think
- Bold live-action mix
- Expansions included on this Deluxe disc
HONEST COSTS
- Slow pacing on purpose
- Thin combat and enemy variety
- Easy to get lost
- Dense lore for newcomers
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