Alan Wake II: The Lake House Expansion

The stronger of the two expansions presents itself as a worthwhile new "Mini-Control" that will effortlessly entertain you for three to four hours.

The Lake House DLC is another spectacular and spooky slice of Alan Wake II action. It introduces some fantastic new supporting characters to the Remedy Connected Universe, as well as a terrifying new enemy type to overcome and some wonderfully eerie environments to explore. The challenge of its puzzles may be light, but its combat is still chillingly dark even despite the fact it’s not hugely different from that of the main game, and scouring for the many notes, videos, and audio recordings littered throughout its fear-inducing facility made for a genuinely gripping investigation. Funny, frightening, and full of surprises, The Lake House DLC is a tightly paced slice of psychological horror that serves as an absorbing addendum to Alan Wake II.

Overall, The Lake House is a nice expansion, it doesn't offer much of a story of its own, but it's rich with connections and hints of where Control 2 will go. Ultimately, getting players ready for Control 2 is also the goal of the expansion. Don't expect much else from it.

If Alan Wake 2: The Lake House was priced reasonably, it would have been a much better proposition, as it is a worthy continuation of the base game in terms of story, themes, and atmosphere. As the only way to get the expansion is by purchasing the Deluxe Edition, however, I don't think it offers quite enough to upgrade to the more expensive edition of the game for all but the most die-hard fans of the base game and the Remedy Connected Universe.

This return to Alan Wake's horror roots feels a little lacking compared to the main game, but its examination of AI and art's relationship with science arguably hides its most daring meta commentary yet.