Alan Wake's American Nightmare

 PC
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 443 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 155 out of 443
  2. Mixed: 227 out of 443
  3. Negative: 61 out of 443

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  1. Sparkileptic
    Aug 2, 2013
    4
    Having struggled with the action sequences of the original, I was strapping myself for more of the same, but the prospect of a continuation of what seemed to be a finite story captured my interest.

    I am an optimistic fool. This is a rehash of the engine, with a few tweaks added to facilitate the experience, such as a map with mission waypoints, a faster charging flashlight and a handful    Having struggled with the action sequences of the original, I was strapping myself for more of the same, but the prospect of a continuation of what seemed to be a finite story captured my interest.

    I am an optimistic fool. This is a rehash of the engine, with a few tweaks added to facilitate the experience, such as a map with mission waypoints, a faster charging flashlight and a handful of new weapons for you to enjoy. The story is disposable and is actually an insult to its predecessor in every way.

    This add-on, call it what you will, is Remedy's lazy way to monetize on the engine by offering you a survival mode that has you pitted against waves of enemies, a weak plotline and some of the most cringe-worthy live action scenes performed by Ilkka Villi who acted as Alan Wake.

    The only thing this game does better than the first is the enhanced combat which now comes with 90% less cheap deaths at the hands of off screen enemies.

    If you are a die-hard fan of the original game, nothing I say will convince you not to play this. However, if you are merely as intrigued as I was, do yourself a favor and skip this, even on sale.    … Expand
  2. LetItBleed
    Feb 1, 2014
    3
    I wasn't impressed by Alan Wake and decided to give this one a chance. But AW: American Nightmare doesn't deserve a chance. It's utterly unscary just like it's predecessor. Story is not engaging, chars aren't interesting, goal are boring... You just restart a generator and than another enemy wave comes at your ass. The only good thing about this game is gunplay - flashlight+weaponsI wasn't impressed by Alan Wake and decided to give this one a chance. But AW: American Nightmare doesn't deserve a chance. It's utterly unscary just like it's predecessor. Story is not engaging, chars aren't interesting, goal are boring... You just restart a generator and than another enemy wave comes at your ass. The only good thing about this game is gunplay - flashlight+weapons technique works nicely. But it's not enough to make it a worthwhile experience. Leave it in the dark - the game is a nightmare.… Expand
  3. theGrey
    Apr 1, 2014
    4
    Started playing American Nightmare directly after the original. It's crap. I give it points for better graphics and controls. Otherwise it's NOTHING like the original, it's totally hollow. Give this one a skip.
  4. Old_Skewl_Gamer
    Sep 18, 2013
    2
    Total. Disappointing. S H I T. The original game has some of the best writing and best story lines I've ever seen in nearly 30 years of PC gaming and to have this come out with the same name just tarnishes how good the REAL Alan Wake is. The ambiance is gone, the forced playing the same areas a million times over and over is lame and unlimited ammo refill shelves that auto-refillTotal. Disappointing. S H I T. The original game has some of the best writing and best story lines I've ever seen in nearly 30 years of PC gaming and to have this come out with the same name just tarnishes how good the REAL Alan Wake is. The ambiance is gone, the forced playing the same areas a million times over and over is lame and unlimited ammo refill shelves that auto-refill totally removes any threat of 'oh I'm out of ammo' which was one of the fear factors of the original. I've heard people defend this game by saying it was just some after through for xbox or whatever. That's a lame excuse.… Expand
  5. ChocolateWilly
    Aug 9, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The people who made the game were plain LAZY. Only wanted to ride on the success of the first game.

    How lazy were they? Here's a list of their laziness:
    1. It's 3 maps 3 times over (doing the same exact things 3 times)... how much more boring can it get and how much more lazy can the game makers get?
    2. Not even a dozen types of "Taken" are introduced, and there are no bosses.
    3. Guns were supplied in boxes and you could find these guns from ACT I (but you can't open the boxes because of the lack of manuscripts). It shows that the game makers were LAZY once again. They didn't want to introduce these guns in some interesting or progressive fashion. They just put them into boxes and left it.
    4. Did I mention you do the same thing over and over and over again?
    5. Maps are small
    6. No driving? One of the best parts of the first game was the driving...
    7. Same radios and TVs in the same spot SOOO LAZY
    8. Same items and weapons in the same spot... SOOO LAZY
    9. Soo many "locked" doors; game makers were too lazy to make more than a dozen rooms in the game.
    10. Same plant life that you can walk through over and over again. You can even walk through cacti and it won't hurt you; it flops around like an elastic band instead.
    11. weakest story/plot line ever
    12. shortest game ever
    13. Where's the music and atmosphere? There is none...
    14. Where are the awesome cutscenes and awesome endings to each ACT? They threw away the good bits from the first game...

    Other bad aspects of the game:
    1. No challenge after acquiring certain guns. As soon as you get the magnum (during 2nd run) the taken pose absolutely no threat; I believe the magnum was the most versatile and BEST gun in the game.
    2. Bullets were scattered randomly and everywhere and I only had to rush back to ammo/battery supply to fill up.
    I NEVER used any of my batteries; recovery speed was soo fast (just as fast as putting a battery in)
    3. Birds/crows were basically nerfed. They went form being annoying and potentially hazardous in the first game into becoming an easy to shoot target. They transform from their crow form into a human form. The crow form is untargetable, but after they combine into a human form, it's too easy to kill.
    4. What were the point of spiders? It brings nothing to the story and game.
    5. Save feature is complete crap. There is only one slot to save in, so you have to play that one slot all the way through (or else you'll lose all of it). Don't stop and go back to the previous level to grab a manuscript (like I did); your save file will be over written or worse, you will be in the same Act/save point, but will only be holding your default handgun.
    6. Manuscripts were poorly written and boring; there's actually very little significance to the story.
    7. No team play like the 1st game. One of the best parts was the team fights with Barry and the Sheriff.

    The end was a complete disgrace and was the final/key factor for me in writing this review. Cheesiest acting ever; I don't blame the actors (the actor playing Alan wake did VERY well). The direction of the game was horrible and I bet the actors felt awkward and disappointed with the end.

    THIS SHOULDN'T BE CALLED AN ALAN WAKE GAME... it has NOTHING to do with the first game. You can replace all the character's names with something else and there wouldn't be a difference.

    Good things about the game (there were some)
    1. Alan has more stamina; he can practically run forever
    2. Alan can actually jump or climb over small obstacles now
    3. I really liked the video and the acting in the videos (for the T.V.s)
    4. It's nice to see a new assortment of guns.    … Expand
  6. LatentPotential
    Aug 5, 2013
    3
    FAIR QUICK REVIEW. If you like Alan Wake for the atmosphere, the music, the protagonist, the simplicity, the aura, the sounds or the story....then you won't like this cash grab. It's a boring flimsy drag that I couldn't play beyond an hour (it's only 3 hours long). More guns doesn't make the game better. A petty arsenal is what left room for all those other goodies in the original AlanFAIR QUICK REVIEW. If you like Alan Wake for the atmosphere, the music, the protagonist, the simplicity, the aura, the sounds or the story....then you won't like this cash grab. It's a boring flimsy drag that I couldn't play beyond an hour (it's only 3 hours long). More guns doesn't make the game better. A petty arsenal is what left room for all those other goodies in the original Alan Wake and left you always on edge. Shame on you Remedy. Sell the title to Rockstar so they can do it service like they did with Max Payne 3. I rated a 3 for the art and "survival mode" concept, although I wouldn't pay fifty cents for this joke.… Expand
  7. Mykwon
    Dec 8, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Doesn't add anything to the story and is extremely repetitive - more than the main game, which is a performance somehow! - as not only it's still a matter of killing waves of enemies in the open, but it's also going back in time and redoing the same actions over and over again. First one had a potentially rich story. This one has nothing for it. It really feels it's just a botched game, surfing on the Alan Wake franchise potential hype in attempt to make easy money by creating a coupe of levels you just do and redo again. Such a shame from Remedy, killing their reputation like this.… Expand
  8. Zanuda
    May 29, 2012
    3
    The only excuse for this big disappointment of a game (sincerely speaking it feels more like a pile of leftover bits and pieces) is its low price. In comparison with the original game, Alan Wake's American Nightmare is not scary at all, and its story is so weak that it hurts. The gameplay itself is ok, but there are only three separate locations to explore in the game (each revisited threeThe only excuse for this big disappointment of a game (sincerely speaking it feels more like a pile of leftover bits and pieces) is its low price. In comparison with the original game, Alan Wake's American Nightmare is not scary at all, and its story is so weak that it hurts. The gameplay itself is ok, but there are only three separate locations to explore in the game (each revisited three times though - that's Repetitive with a capital "R"), not that small, but still somewhat arena-like and the Taken spawn in the same places each time.… Expand
  9. Danil
    Feb 20, 2013
    1
    The game takes at most 2 hours to complete. It is not worth even those few dollars it costs. It is an obvious attempt to capitalize on the original title without putting any effort in it whatsoever. Alan Wake's American Nightmare is basically 3 small levels repeated 3 times with a new type of enemy introduced in each iteration. And the story's main point is to justify taking you throughThe game takes at most 2 hours to complete. It is not worth even those few dollars it costs. It is an obvious attempt to capitalize on the original title without putting any effort in it whatsoever. Alan Wake's American Nightmare is basically 3 small levels repeated 3 times with a new type of enemy introduced in each iteration. And the story's main point is to justify taking you through exactly the same levels 3 times. So strictly speaking it is not even 2 hours of gameplay, but rather around 40 minutes.… Expand
  10. debigman
    May 16, 2014
    3
    There is rarely a computer game that is worse than this pile of trash. The graphics are bad, it is slow and glitchy, the gunplay is stupid just like the main game. This is a sad excuse for a DLC on a sad game. Not worth 99 cents.
  11. faultiestFlea
    Aug 5, 2013
    0
    Anyone else notice a trend with Remedy titles?
    Max Payne (2001) 89
    Max Payne 2 (2003) 86
    Alan Wake (2012) 83
    Alan Wake American Nightmare (2012) 73
    Death Rally (2012) 62

    The lesson is clear, stop buying ****y games from the broken shell of the company formerly known as Remedy.
  12. shooterboss
    Jan 12, 2016
    4
    I absolutely loved the original Alan Wake. The first game had an addicting combat system, excellent writing, and an engaging storyline that made me not want to put the controller down. It was the first game that got me hooked on singleplayer story-driven games.

    So, naturally, I had to buy American Nightmare when it was on sale, and I have to say: had I played this first, I wouldn't have    I absolutely loved the original Alan Wake. The first game had an addicting combat system, excellent writing, and an engaging storyline that made me not want to put the controller down. It was the first game that got me hooked on singleplayer story-driven games.

    So, naturally, I had to buy American Nightmare when it was on sale, and I have to say: had I played this first, I wouldn't have felt the same way.

    The great combat system is still there, and Arcade Mode utilizes it very well. However, story mode is severely lacking. It's boringly easy (ammo is everywhere) and intentionally repetitive. Literally, the same three locations and the exact objectives are copied and pasted three times to lengthen the game.

    And don't expect the same enthralling story, either. American Nightmare brings nothing to the table that the original game didn't already do. Unlike in the original, I just didn't care for the characters or the situation they were in. There was nothing particularly memorable that got me hooked.

    I love Alan Wake, and American Nightmare's Arcade Mode is nice, but I can't help but think this expansion is a blatant cash-in. If you're an Alan Wake fan, just watch a Let's Play of this game and wait for the real sequel.    … Expand
  13. rodericrinehart
    Jun 15, 2015
    4
    This is an example of someone who has a decent story idea and then implements it so poorly with game design.

    Horrible camera, very annoying combat, graphics don't utilize any modern graphics enhancements (kind of caps out at mediocre 1080p-ish), and poor character control too. The atmosphere is good and the story is decent, but it definitely isn't worth the supreme annoyances from so    This is an example of someone who has a decent story idea and then implements it so poorly with game design.

    Horrible camera, very annoying combat, graphics don't utilize any modern graphics enhancements (kind of caps out at mediocre 1080p-ish), and poor character control too.

    The atmosphere is good and the story is decent, but it definitely isn't worth the supreme annoyances from so many of the other parts of the game.    … Expand
  14. ave
    Dec 24, 2015
    4
    If I was enthusiastic about Alan Wake, the second opus American Nightmare is a major disappointment.

    First of all, the game is mostly a shooter. You basically start with some arsenal, and get more powerful weapon as you go. Plus, there are boxes with ammuntion that auto-refills, thus loosing the pressure of trying to get out the shooting as much as you can. Alan Wake turned badass is a    If I was enthusiastic about Alan Wake, the second opus American Nightmare is a major disappointment.

    First of all, the game is mostly a shooter. You basically start with some arsenal, and get more powerful weapon as you go. Plus, there are boxes with ammuntion that auto-refills, thus loosing the pressure of trying to get out the shooting as much as you can. Alan Wake turned badass is a bad idea.

    Second, the game features only 3 maps, with the same characters and the same puzzles that you will play to death thanks to a time loop. Yep. The first time when you go back at your starting point, you ask yourself what you did wrong. Then the second time, you feel the game is just playing with you nerves and just want to finish it as soon as possible and forget it.

    Really, Alan Wake's American Nightmare should be played only to see how an otherwise great licence can crash and burn due to unwise design choice.    … Expand
  15. TheKingJpiter
    Jun 13, 2014
    0
    This **** of **** is hard this is why this game it's so hard that i hate it i want a refund from steam because of this abomination of a game ant its zombies are hard as ass in the beginning **** this game and you kids never play this game it's so hard in the beginning for noobs never play this game play Minecraft instead
  16. ananinami
    Dec 14, 2015
    0
    very boring game you run with a ligghter and kill ghosts . boring . not for me . better you buy resident evil its 100000 better then this game and others
  17. Mobile
    Nov 14, 2017
    2
    ENG
    Three locations, three girls with the models from 2006, the time loop, wandering according to the same three locations, the same three times in a row and that's it. Added new weapons, new hud, now Alan can run more than five meters without shortness of breath and recharge time can Shine into enemies. The start was not bad, but to run and perform the same task in three maps tires, if    ENG
    Three locations, three girls with the models from 2006, the time loop, wandering according to the same three locations, the same three times in a row and that's it. Added new weapons, new hud, now Alan can run more than five meters without shortness of breath and recharge time can Shine into enemies. The start was not bad, but to run and perform the same task in three maps tires, if removed one phase (and made two of three), it would be much better, but so disappointed. DLC can be done in 2-3 hours, as is arcade mode. Not worth the money.
    Три локации, три девушки с модельками из 2006 год, временная петля, блуждание все по тем же трем локациям, все те же три раза подряд и это все. Добавили нового оружия, новый hud, теперь Алан может пробежать больше пяти метров без отдышки и во время перезарядки может светить во врагов. Начало было не плохое, но бегать и выполнять одни и те же задания на трех картах, утомляет, если бы убрали одну фазу (и сделали из трех две), то было бы на много лучше, а так разочаровало. DLC проходится за 2-3 часа, так же есть аркадный режим. Своих денег не стоит.    … Expand
  18. Legitplayer
    Aug 2, 2019
    0
    Everything about this game is a negative

    -Story is pretty much non existent It is just using the garbage alan wake left behind -Narrator's voice is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and out of place -You need to manuscript pages to unlock new weapons? lmao -Flashlight recharges fast and all weapons are all OP even nail gun so what is the point of new OP guns ? I can shoot my out of this game just with a nail    Everything about this game is a negative

    -Story is pretty much non existent It is just using the garbage alan wake left behind
    -Narrator's voice is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and out of place
    -You need to manuscript pages to unlock new weapons? lmao
    -Flashlight recharges fast and all weapons are all OP even nail gun so what is the point of new OP guns ? I can shoot my out of this game just with a nail gun to be honest
    -Timeloop? more like developers didn't give a ♥♥♥♥ so you play in the same place [ 200 meters]
    -Alan wake? more like Alan the electrician fixing power generators
    -In the first game manuscript pages were sort of interesting but now they are so boring and poorly written that I don't even read 85% of it I just collect them for the ♥♥♥♥ of it just like developers intended it.
    -There is no reason for spiders to be in this game
    -without sale it's pricetag is an insult to humanity good thing I bought it in with whole franchise just for 5 bucks still a waste though first one had a lot to offer than this crap

    Wtf is this a joke I played same thing twice I hoped that It will end but of course not it still tries to make me play the same thing for the third time ♥♥♥♥ your time loop Im out of there Uninstalled you autistic ♥♥♥♥s    … Expand
  19. Dustfoxx
    Oct 8, 2020
    4
    A very short game which still somehow gets repetitive by cycling through three stages. As I've understood it the game is a survival arcade game with a story-mode crammed into it. The story is still a bit interesting and it plays well with a small variety of enemies. The one truly good thing it did was make me interested in playing the original Alan Wake.
  20. BenzoSt
    Jul 12, 2022
    4
    A short sequel to the original Alan Wake game. The action is practically identical, except you can acquire more powerful weapons and the number of possessed goons out to murder you is higher. Unfortunately, it's quite easy even on the harder Nightmare difficulty. As for the story and dialogue, I found it to be disappointing, especially when compared to the excellent story and presentationA short sequel to the original Alan Wake game. The action is practically identical, except you can acquire more powerful weapons and the number of possessed goons out to murder you is higher. Unfortunately, it's quite easy even on the harder Nightmare difficulty. As for the story and dialogue, I found it to be disappointing, especially when compared to the excellent story and presentation of the original game. The included arcade mode provides a bit more of a challenge, but unfortunately wasn't particularly fun.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

56
#56 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
94
#94 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Aug 31, 2012
    86
    There's something vaguely heroic when you have set your desperate, one-in-a-million trap and you pull the lever, just when Kasabian's 'Club Foot' crashes in and you witness the satellite plummeting from the heavens, while oil-rigs explode all around you and the Taken scream for your blood. American Nightmare is a journey that you can't abandon, until you have reached its end. [August 2012]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 29, 2012
    70
    We all had hopes American Nightmare would be more of a "full-featured" title. Though it's more like a stand-alone DLC. Nevertheless, fans of the original game should not avoid it. [July 2012]
  3. Absolute Games
    Jul 28, 2012
    55
    If American Nightware were an episode of an actual television series, I would have switched the channel long before the end of the first act.
    Read full review
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