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Our Alan Wake 2 is packed with a useful tips and guidance on pretty much every aspect of the game, from collectibles, puzzles, and weapons, to tips, walkthroughs, and explaining the ending. It's one of the prettiest games of 2023, and is a true technical marvel - we gave it five stars in our Alan Wake 2 review.
However, if you're playing through Alan Wake 2 and find yourself stuck or confused, that's no surprise as its true survival horror leanings mean it's quite different to any of Remedy's previous games, and features a ton of puzzles. Solving them often gets you useful resources too, so it's a good idea to take the time to think them over. Moreover, it's obviously a sequel to 2010's Alan Wake and connects to several other Remedy games, so it can be narratively confusing too. Fortunately, we've got all those bases covered in our complete guide for Alan Wake 2.
Fast Facts: Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2 release date and platforms
Release date: October 27, 2023
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Epic Games Publishing
Alan Wake 2 DLC expansions
Alan Wake 2 will receive post-launch content, Remedy has confirmed. Paid expansions will launch from 2024, including 'Night Springs' and 'Lake House', alongside smaller free DLC releases. Remedy has further teased the Alan Wake 2 DLC plans, including one tied to Control.
Alan Wake 2 is digital-only
In an effort to keep the Alan Wake 2 price locked at $60 on console and $50 on PC, Remedy has launched Alan Wake 2 as a digital-only release. The developer has insisted it has "no plans" for a physical release in the future.
Alan Wake 2 minimum requirements and recommended specs on PC
Here are the full Alan Wake 2 minimum requirements and recommended specs for PC players, and a warning that they're pretty chunky!
Should you play Alan Wake before diving into Alan Wake 2?
Alan Wake 2 is a true sequel, but you don't necessarily need to fully grasp the Remedy Connected Universe to enjoy it. That also means you don't technically need to have played Alan Wake 1 to enjoy Alan Wake 2, but we really think you should play Alan Wake before diving into Alan Wake 2. But check that link for the full reasoning behind that.
Is Alan Wake 2 scary?
Wondering what the answer to "how scary is Alan Wake 2?" is? The team agrees that it's not a terrifying experience, though it's also not for the faint of heart either. It's violent, gory, unsettling, dark, tense, and there are plenty of jump scares in the form of images that briefly flash up on screen. In short, it's a survival horror game for a reason.
How long to beat Alan Wake 2?
How long is Alan Wake 2? Well with two intertwining realities, plenty of collectibles and secrets to discover, it takes a decent chunk of time - 20 hours at least - if you want to find it all. It's Remedy's biggest and most ambitious game yet.
Alan Wake 2 tips
Before you get started, take a look at our Alan Wake 2 tips, which outline the 13 things we wish we knew before playing to help you navigate Bright Falls and the Dark Place better from the off.
Alan Wake 2 difficulty
You've got a few Alan Wake 2 difficulty settings to choose from when starting a new game, and you can even adjust the difficulty in the middle of your playthrough. These range from 'Story' which is the easiest option, all the way up to 'Hard' and even 'Nightmare' for the most hardcore players.
Alan Wake 2 manual save
Knowing how to save in Alan Wake 2 is important as you have limited access to save options as you play The thermos flasks found in Break Rooms are your only option outside of autosaves and they're not exactly common, which means death can set you back quite far.
Alan Wake 2 Saga missions
Once Alan Wake 2 gets going, you'll start playing as FBI agent Saga Anderson. Although you will be switching between her and Alan as you play, here are some guides that will help you in your adventures around Bright Falls, Cauldron Lake, and Watery.
Alan Wake 2 Alan missions
Then we've got Alan, so here are some guides to help you navigate the Dark Place as our old writer pal.
Alan Wake 2 Weapons
We've got the details on where to find all the Alan Wake 2 weapons, so that you've got every gun possible for both Alan and Saga throughout this adventure.
Alan Wake 2 tools
Aside from weapons, there are a couple of tools to find in Alan Wake 2. They're mentioned early on, with the game offering up locked gates and lockboxes that can't be accessed until you've found these essential items.
Alan Wake 2 maps
Here's where to find all of the Alan Wake 2 maps so you don't get turned around trying to find the next objective or collectible.
Alan Wake 2 Codes and Passwords
There are a plethora of codes to discover in Alan Wake 2 for getting into computers, boxes, and other assorted secrets. Here's how to find each one:
Alan Wake 2 Lunch boxes
Find all the Alan Wake 2 lunch boxes while you're exploring as Saga, and solve the mystery of who just put a load of Alex Casey lunchboxes all over the place.
Alan Wake 2 Cult Stashes
Our complete guide is here to help you find all the Alan Wake 2 stashes and figure out how to solve the various puzzles for each one.
Alan Wake 2 Words of Power
Finding all the Alan Wake 2 Words of Power is crucial to being able to upgrade Alan's weapons and abilities, not to mention giving him more inventory space.
Alan Wake 2 Nursery Rhymes
We've got a full guide to finding and then solving all the Alan Wake 2 Nursery Rhymes, including where to find all the related dolls and what charms you get for solving each one.
Alan Wake 2 Deer heads
There are quite a few Alan Wake 2 deer heads you can pet as you explore Bright Falls, Cauldron Lake, and Watery as Saga. Getting all of them unlocks a special room full of goodies too.
Alan Wake 2 Story and easter eggs
The story of Alan Wake 2 can be pretty confusing at times, particularly if you're unfamiliar with Remedy's previous work. The gist is that a series of ritualistic murders in the Bright Falls area cause two FBI agents - Saga Anderson and Alex Casey - to investigate and look for answers. However, Saga is quickly embroiled in a conflict between Alan Wake and an inscrutable entity that has him trapped in an alternate dimension known as the Dark Place.
Furthermore, Alan Wake 2 also features plenty of nods to Remedy's previous games, including Control - the Federal Bureau of Control has a presence in Bright Falls and fan-favorite Finnish janitor Ahti makes an appearance, so Control lore is actually quite important to the story of Alan Wake 2.
Coupled with lots of references to and clear inspiration from all sorts of other influential films, TV shows, and books, there are Alan Wake 2 Easter eggs and references for other media throughout the game. It's definitely worth familiarizing yourself with some of them too to help you better understand the story.
Alan Wake 2 ending and New Game Plus
If you got the Alan Wake 2 ending and still didn't really understand what went on with Alan, Saga, the Clicker, Scratch, the Dark Place, and more then I don't blame you. It's an abrupt ending and ends on quite a cliff-hanger, but the guide linked above explains exactly what happens in those last few hours of the game and what it could mean for the future.
Additioanlly, now that you've finished the game, you can try replaying it via The Final Draft - a new Alan Wake 2 New Game Plus mode. In this mode, your gear carries over as you start fresh, but there are some new secrets and even an expanded ending. If you want to know how The Final Draft coclusion differs, it's also explained in the ending explainer linked above!
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