Alan Wake 2 features nods to other Remedy Games, but playing them isn't mandatory to enjoy the sequel

Alan Wake 2 will have connections to other Remedy games but you won't need to have played them all to enjoy the sequel, says developer Remedy. 

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Alan Wake 2 game director Kyle Rowley spoke about the upcoming sequel revealing that players won't need to have played Remedy's other games, including the first Alan Wake game or the remastered version, in order to enjoy Alan Wake 2. 

"When we were creating the concept for Alan Wake 2, it was very much on our mind that we wanted to create an experience that was welcoming to all," Rowley says, "both new players who may not be familiar with Alan Wake or the Remedy Connected Universe and our fans, who have been on the journey with us and enjoyed earlier Remedy games." 

This doesn't mean that you should jump straight into Alan Wake 2 when it releases sometime this year though. As Rowley explains: "Of course, if you have played games in the Alan Wake franchise, Control, and the Control: AWE DLC – there will be many connections, pieces of lore, and familiar characters for you to discover." 

If you did want to make the most out of your Alan Wake 2 playthrough, you should at least play Alan Wake Remastered, as well as the aforementioned Control DLC, and - if you're really dedicated and have a spare Xbox 360 lying around (or don't mind playing it via Steam) - the 2012 spin-off game Alan Wake's American Nightmare is also worth a go.

Elsewhere in the same interview, Rowley revealed that Alan Wake 2 will be full-fledged survival horror, with the sequel being "Remedy's take on the survival horror genre." Remedy's creative director Sam Lake was also interviewed for the story and revealed that Alan Wake 2 is Remedy's "biggest project yet".

There's still a lot we don't know about this game, you can find out what Alan Wake 2 story theories we can get from the game's latest trailer though.