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. nemix3d
    Sep 10, 2023
    8
    Unlike everyone else I much preferred this to Alan Wake because I wasn't constantly submitted to cheesy scriptwriting and a game that was REALLY trying to be scary and instead it was as scary as a CYOOT LEETEL PANDA BEAR.
  2. Yakuzet
    Sep 7, 2023
    7
    It doesn't have the scary feel like the first one. It just turns into a fetch and step with uninteresting storyline. Not as immersing; but ok I guess.
  3. Umur
    Aug 23, 2023
    5
    Graphics - 5/ 10
    Story - 4 / 10
    Gameplay - 6/ 10
    Music / sound design - 4 / 10
    Map design - 5 / 10
    Conclusion: 5 / 10
  4. Ciocolici
    Jul 31, 2023
    8
    Alan Wake's American Nightmare falls somewhere between a spin-off and a sequel. While it continues the story directly, it feels more like a spin-off in its overall tone and presentation.

    Let's start with the story. It is decent, but when compared to the brilliance of the original Alan Wake, it falls short. The introduction of Mr. Scratch as an intriguing character adds some interest,    Alan Wake's American Nightmare falls somewhere between a spin-off and a sequel. While it continues the story directly, it feels more like a spin-off in its overall tone and presentation.

    Let's start with the story. It is decent, but when compared to the brilliance of the original Alan Wake, it falls short. The introduction of Mr. Scratch as an intriguing character adds some interest, but the overall concept lacks the depth and impact of the original game. Given the difference in scale between the two games, this discrepancy was somewhat expected. Nonetheless, considering its shorter length, the story is passable. However, my main disappointment lies in the change of the narrator. Alan Wake's narration, where we saw events from his perspective as he read and told the story, was a key factor in making the original game's storytelling so captivating. In American Nightmare, the narration is provided by a character from Night Springs, and while it's not necessarily bad, it lacks the emotional connection and immersion that Alan's voice lent to the experience. Nevertheless, the use of real actors in the cinematics is a commendable choice, with Alan Wake's actor delivering a solid performance. On the downside, the in-game supporting characters' dialogue with Alan feels unrealistic and somewhat disappointing.

    On the gameplay front, there are definite improvements. Combat and movement have received substantial upgrades, making Alan more responsive and agile. The camera is better, and Alan no longer feels exhausted after running short distances, resulting in a smoother and more enjoyable experience. Additionally, the game offers a wider array of weapons and enemies, addressing a potential issue of lack of variety from the first game. However, while the enemy variations are appreciated, the overall combat feels lighter and less intense than the first game, primarily due to the lack of the original's dark and eerie atmosphere. American Nightmare has shifted its focus from survival horror to action-adventure, presenting a lighter thriller story. The element of surprise is diminished as enemies spawn in waves, and the tension from being stalked by the Taken is less present. Consequently, the game feels less chilling and more lighthearted, though still entertaining. Thanks to the improved combat and movement mechanics, taking on the Taken can be a fun experience. The addition of the Arcade mode is a welcome inclusion, enhancing the game's action-packed nature.

    Regarding bugs, I encountered only one significant issue. The game occasionally fails to close properly, leaving a black screen after quitting. Without a second monitor and the task manager open, it becomes impossible to close the game. This can be frustrating for players without the necessary setup, leading them to restart or log out of their Windows account every time they want to exit the game.

    It's evident that Alan Wake's American Nightmare was never intended to be a true sequel but rather a light, side-story spin-off that explores the character of Mr. Scratch while providing a bit of additional story. Despite this, there is room for improvement. While maintaining its short duration, the game could have retained more of the original atmosphere, genre, and darkness that made Alan Wake memorable. However, as a separate experience, it is genuinely enjoyable and highly recommended for any Alan Wake fan.    … Expand
  5. Serkan0
    Nov 20, 2022
    7
    Oyunun hikayesini sevdim fakat oyunda bir sıkıntı var . Görev yerlerine gittiğim halde senaryoya girmiyor. Belki benden kaynaklıdır diye ayarları düşürdüm ama sadece birkaç görev ileri taşıdı sonra yine aynı oldu . Silip tekrar yüklememe rağmen fayda etmedi.
  6. neomoonsevin
    Nov 7, 2022
    10
    After the events of Alan wake Barry Wheeler became sons of asgards music agent they leave Brightfalls to go on the road and arrive at Nevada desert hotel to rest up before heading to a gig somewhere in America still sad over Alans Exit during Alan wake he turns on the tv to watch a episode of night springs and falls asleep this is where the game starts were now in a pocket universe ofAfter the events of Alan wake Barry Wheeler became sons of asgards music agent they leave Brightfalls to go on the road and arrive at Nevada desert hotel to rest up before heading to a gig somewhere in America still sad over Alans Exit during Alan wake he turns on the tv to watch a episode of night springs and falls asleep this is where the game starts were now in a pocket universe of Barry wheelers dream World featuring Alan wake this game is also connected to control aswell through the projector that features as an altered item in control an awesome game another favourite in my Xbox owned list you'll be abit pissed off U repeat certain parts of the game but the outcomes are different each time another awesome game I like it I own it aswell on Xbox awesome game… Expand
  7. Edik191
    Oct 26, 2022
    5
    Скучнее чем оригинал.
    Но из-за рус. озвучки Game Voice, песен и раскрытия главного злодея пойдет.
  8. 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
  9. StarkAgentos
    May 20, 2022
    10
    Прошёл игру за 2 часа. Разработчики значительно улучшили геймплей и убрали элементы ужастика. Офигенный сюжет, смешной юмор. Крутая игра.
  10. gold
    Feb 24, 2022
    9
    Неожиданно, но мне понравилось больше чем основная игра. Игровой процесс остался таким же но в разы меньше и это плюс. Сама игра не так затянута и из-за этого она маленькая, но это плюс. В общем, по геймплею, сюжету, и антуражу игра мне напоминает... Medal of Honor: Airborne. Маленькие локации, минимум задач - это мне и понравилось. Но всё ровно эта игра не дотягивает до Airborne из-заНеожиданно, но мне понравилось больше чем основная игра. Игровой процесс остался таким же но в разы меньше и это плюс. Сама игра не так затянута и из-за этого она маленькая, но это плюс. В общем, по геймплею, сюжету, и антуражу игра мне напоминает... Medal of Honor: Airborne. Маленькие локации, минимум задач - это мне и понравилось. Но всё ровно эта игра не дотягивает до Airborne из-за специфики жанра.
    Итог: 9.456/10    … Expand
  11. TEG_17
    Jan 31, 2022
    6
    Продолжение(скорее длс) лучше грфика, драйвовей геймплей, но в остальном уступает.
  12. petrkozak13
    Dec 13, 2021
    7
    Yes, in comparison to the original Alan Wake game, this one is pretty weak. But it's still fun and I enjoyed more time with the protagonist.
  13. Kelen
    Oct 9, 2021
    7
    7 / 10 - Good
    (after 11 hours of playing & completing the game)

    Short, addictive storyline.
    There is also an "arcade mode" - boredom.

    Technically everything slightly improved.
    More freedom, cutscenes with real actors, better graphics.

    A better, less coarse fight, although the basic assumptions remained unchanged.
    Opponents more diverse.
  14. gotterpotter56
    Aug 4, 2021
    7
    Проблему с оружием и с противниками, по сравнению с первой частью исправили, только вот сюжет и задания забыли сделать такими интересными как в первой . А про повторяющийся локации вообще не буду говорить. Было очень скучно и проходил дополнения только ради сюжета.Проблему с оружием и с противниками, по сравнению с первой частью исправили, только вот сюжет и задания забыли сделать такими интересными как в первой . А про повторяющийся локации вообще не буду говорить. Было очень скучно и проходил дополнения только ради сюжета.
  15. FRIST_008
    Jun 14, 2021
    6
    Плюс за экшен, но повторять одно и тоже больше 2 раз это занатто... и сюжет вообще не развивается, ну как так то? Зачем игра где сюжет стоит на месте?
  16. PublicNuisance
    Jun 12, 2021
    8
    Following a great game, even with an expansion pack, can be a tough balancing act. Alan Wake’s American Nightmare manages to do more good than harm to the series and, while it is of a different style than the original, shows that there are many ways to make a great game. The original Alan Wake was very much a light survival horror game. There were only basic firearms; scattered bits ofFollowing a great game, even with an expansion pack, can be a tough balancing act. Alan Wake’s American Nightmare manages to do more good than harm to the series and, while it is of a different style than the original, shows that there are many ways to make a great game. The original Alan Wake was very much a light survival horror game. There were only basic firearms; scattered bits of light to heal yourself; and while it wasn’t the hardest game around it manages to have a good amount of challenge without being sadistic. American Nightmare sheds a lot of the survival horror themes in favour of more action and black comedy. Gone are the basic weapons and in their place you get automatic weapons almost right away. This isn’t a terrible thing as the action is a lot more fun than the original but it lacks the tense parts you had and also gets way too easy. Never once did I feel challenged and never once did I die. Again, I’m not slamming the game nor am I angry because if you’re going to substitute tension for action and it is great action then I can make that work and enjoy it. Had it been sub par or not fun then it would be a different story. Some other differences are that the flare gun and flash bang grenades no longer have the ability to destroy enemies. Given the reduced difficulty this isn’t a terrible thing but it is unexplained why these enemies are somehow hardened against this attack all of a sudden. The game also lacked the ranged enemies of the original. All but one enemy were only effective close range which was another part that made the game easier. The game also has a more open world feel to it. The objectives require more travel and exploration with less paths blocked off. The HUD was improved to accommodate this with a great mini map. You can also unlock better weapons by finding the manuscript pages which gave extra reason aside from back story. The manuscript pages themselves now appear to move down the page as they get read which was a nice touch from the static pages of the original. The story was once again a fun and engaging ride. It had some holes in it such as just how the trap at the end actually works but overall I still highly enjoyed it. The black humour I mentioned earlier was also a great addition to the game. Your main nemesis this game is an evil alter ego of Alan called Mr. Scratch. He shows up on televisions to taunt Alan frequently as well as torture people. The music was also another strong point of the game. If Remedy came out and said they designed the whole game around the song “Clubfoot” by Kasabian then I would not only accept it but congratulate it. The game even manages to try to recreate a music scene like the one from the original where you fend off Taken on a concert stage. It wasn’t quite as good but still fun. The voice acting and characters were once again top notch. Alan; Mr. Scratch; Emma; Serena; and Dr. Meadows all were sued well and did a great job. The cut scenes were very high quality as well. Graphically the game was much the same as the original , not to say that as a negative. Even in 2012 this was still well above average in many areas.

    I played American Nightmare on Linux using Valve’s Proton. It never crashed on me. There was the same audio issue where cut scenes had no sound that was fixed with the launch command “WINEDLLOVERRIDES="xaudio2_7=b,n". There are 3 AA settings; 4 AF settings; 2 SSAO settings; a v-sync toggle and 7 other graphics options. There is an FOV slider but there are no numbers on it. Performance was better than the original with no dips below 60 with this game. You can pause and skip cut scenes. Alt-Tab works. The game uses checkpoint saves. With the open world nature of the game save points of light are scattered around the map so you can save more often. There is still just one save slot that gets overwritten. You can’t change the difficulty after starting the game although this time you can play Nightmare difficulty right from the start. There was one little glitch w=in a scene where Alan is handed a key card but no key card is in either of the characters hands.

    Disk Space Used: 2.32 GB

    Settings Used: 8x AA; 16x AF; All High; max draw distance @ 1080P; v-sync on
    GPU Usage: 66-100 %
    VRAM Usage: 1552-1789 MB
    CPU Usage: 14-30 %
    RAM Usage: 3.1-3.9 GB
    Frame Rate: 79-142 FPS

    A departure in tone and theme but a very fun and great game overall in it’s own right. It adds to the story in a meaningful way and adds things that make the change in style work. I finished the game on normal difficulty in 4 hours and 17 minutes. I paid $4.39 CAD for it and can say it is easily worth it’s current price of 10.29 CAD.

    My Score: 8.5/10

    My System:

    AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15 | MSI RX 580 8GB Gaming X | Mesa 21.1.2 | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB | Manjaro 21.0.6 | Mate 1.24.1 | Kernel 5.12.8-1-MANJARO | AOC G2460P 1920*1080 @ 144hz | Proton 6.3-4    … Expand
  17. uselence
    Apr 5, 2021
    5
    a great failure. or just a cheap way to make some money on the loud name of Alan Wake. if the last game had repetitive gameplay, this one just makes a freaking clown of you by leading through the same locations 3 times in a row. also the ending.. i don't understand it. and it makes me mad. and i don't even know if developers understand it themselves..
  18. Gorbunov2004
    Mar 25, 2021
    8
    Хорошее продолжение много видов оружия много видов новых монстров жаль что в конце не было ни какой финальной схватки но так игра получилась очень даже хороша.
  19. Bloodnes
    Feb 6, 2021
    6
    Пытался несколько раз пройти игру, но до конца оба раза не осилил, после оригинала данная поделка смотрится уныло, сюжет слабоват. 6/10
  20. SilverOrlov
    Jan 16, 2021
    6
    This DLC is good and interesting in high-quality graphics, compared to the original game, nice music and addictive texts from the found notes. This DLC is a normal in idea with time manipulations, and it is still the same story about the writer and his fight against darkness, as it is a continuation of this story (albeit with a little trick)... But this DLC is totally bad in all else: TheThis DLC is good and interesting in high-quality graphics, compared to the original game, nice music and addictive texts from the found notes. This DLC is a normal in idea with time manipulations, and it is still the same story about the writer and his fight against darkness, as it is a continuation of this story (albeit with a little trick)... But this DLC is totally bad in all else: The idea of time mentioned above is made in the most disgusting way, specifically with returning the player to the already passed zones. Three zones. Yes, only THREE... A thick atmospheric thriller turned into a banal action movie with a shooting range with waves of monsters... Excessively short duration, which is only exacerbated by the "three locations" mentioned above.
    And I think that the antagonist is made like an overly flared third-rate maniac from a banal third-rate American horror film about such maniacs. It was very repulsive and on several occasions I was almost ready to drop the game out of disgust for this character.    … Expand
  21. gamerz4life
    Oct 10, 2020
    8
    Alan Wake: American Nightmare was released under the Xbox Arcade series due to Microsoft turning down their proposal for the sequel, Alan Wake: The Return. Thus, it’s more like an expansion pack than an actual sequel. It’s about 6 hours in length and for that length; you get a pretty good addition to the Alan Wake story.

    The story starts out with a TV starting to play a Night Springs    Alan Wake: American Nightmare was released under the Xbox Arcade series due to Microsoft turning down their proposal for the sequel, Alan Wake: The Return. Thus, it’s more like an expansion pack than an actual sequel. It’s about 6 hours in length and for that length; you get a pretty good addition to the Alan Wake story.

    The story starts out with a TV starting to play a Night Springs episode, and turns into the narrator describing Alan and his situation after the first game. Then a live-action sequence starts with Alan looking around in a mist and we see Mr. Scratch appear behind him before he sends Alan into a desert type setting where we see Bird Leg Cabin sinking into the water nearby. Throughout the game, you’ll come across TVs in which Mr. Scratch is taunting Alan and showing him gleefully murdering people. You’ll also run across Mr. Scratch in-level and people who have interacted with him. The background and depth added to Mr. Scratch’s character (who was really only introduced with about 2 lines in the first game) makes him an amazing antagonist. You just want to see what offense he’ll get up to next and what he’ll do against Alan to make sure he never returns from the Dark Place.

    Gameplay-wise the game controls closely to the first game while feeling a bit different, probably has something to do with this being an open-world game. You will still be collecting manuscript pages though they’re spread across the open-world so there will be more searching for them though I did find all of them but one in my first playthrough. This time through page collection, you will be able to unlock different cases with different weapons to try out. It took a bit before picking up the nail-gun (advertised on the cover art) thinking it was a weak weapon but it turned out to be a really great weapon and a lot of fun to use against enemies. Ka-chunk, ka-chunk!! While you do repeat the same three maps, the maps change; how you enter them, where the enemies are, the characters remember you and set things up so you don’t have to redo everything each time. There are different enemy types though they are all still Taken so you’ll still be using your trusty flashlight. I didn’t care too much for the Splitter type but still managed to take care of them after a bit of effort.

    Overall, American Nightmare is worth playing. It’ll add more to Alan’s story and what’s going on back in the real world with him having gone missing. It’s a quick play too, so there’s no real reason not to pick this up if you loved the original Alan Wake. Hopefully now that Remedy bought the rights to the Alan Wake series from Microsoft we’ll see a true sequel in the future!    … Expand
  22. 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.
  23. iddqd4
    Aug 31, 2020
    8
    Для DLC на 4 часа сделано все крайне достойно, стрельба атмосфера, на месте. Отсюда у Remedy начинается фулл моушен видео, которое дальше перерастет в полноценный сериал QB и видео вставки из Control. 8/10
  24. havrillal
    Aug 18, 2020
    5
    Nem tudom, hogy kinek készült ez a játék. Vagy azoknak, akik nem játszottak az első részével, vagy azoknak, akik egy teljesen lebutitott játékmenetre vágynak. Nem vészes, de szerintem ennél többet is kilehetett volna hozni belőle.
  25. kezzyhko
    Jul 26, 2020
    7
    ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍
  26. Garian
    Jun 26, 2020
    6
    It's not quite as deep as the main game, however the live-action scenes do give the game a little more depth. Overall it was a pretty mediocre addition to the series with one major flaw in that people do not like repetition, no matter what plot point it'll ultimately unravel.
  27. Thejodjeremie
    May 8, 2020
    8
    The game is cool spin off of the original alan wake. There's lots of new weapons and environments to play.
  28. Skyware
    Feb 16, 2020
    8
    Главное,что стот знать об этой игре,так это то,что сюжет в ней чертовски хорош.Нет,серьезно, по этому можно книгу написать.Но вот графон оставляет желать лучшего.А так,неплохое продолжение оригинала,сохраняющее геймдизайн и атмосферу оригинала.Главное,что стот знать об этой игре,так это то,что сюжет в ней чертовски хорош.Нет,серьезно, по этому можно книгу написать.Но вот графон оставляет желать лучшего.А так,неплохое продолжение оригинала,сохраняющее геймдизайн и атмосферу оригинала.
  29. PanMrkvicka
    Feb 12, 2020
    5
    This is an insult to Alan Wake. But story is still pretty cool and the main villain is very well written character.
  30. Nameless2131
    Feb 6, 2020
    6
    7/10 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  31. Tomle1202
    Dec 30, 2019
    7
    Alan Wake's American Nightmare does not have enough material to justify its quality, but at least it is able to offers a couple hours of fun, albeit repetitive, action.
  32. showt
    Dec 9, 2019
    6
    Неплохое ответвление от оригинала, но если честно, не люлю я по нескоько раз бегаь по одним и тем же локациям. Саундтрек на нефтяной вышке прям вообще выше всяких похвал!
  33. cmfrip
    Aug 12, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Alan wake 1 was quite monotonous; This is 'almost' like an open world game with smaller area to cross and more clear story, as well as a much lighter feel ; for that I will give 'Remedy' credit for making a better game, despite it being quite a bit more 'pedestrian' and 'guided' like a film. Noobs and casuals should play this rather than Alan Wake 1.

    Combat was the same as Alan wake 1 , with the ducking and diving mechanic making the game feel hard to die; though if your not used to it, or you are drunk, you will probably die; as the Enemies do flank you quite well.

    The game was also very easy on normal though , almost to a cake walk (I did not die even a hand full of times). Additionally with the quantity of ammo and supplies available, its hard to run out.

    The seeking and finding of the manuscripts is a simple fetch quest , and feels very random. It's hardly worth the effort and did cull enjoyment of the game, and requires considerable effort looking around for missed pages. May all noobs who see that they have missed one page the first visit of an area know that "its OK as you go back to those areas and are able to re-acquire those pages."

    There are other aspects of the game design that hurt the game, also, like how the game transitions you without asking to the next area, let alone the choice of check points sometimes. The UI at times could be better.

    The additional weapons are for the most part missable. You get these by gaining manuscripts. The nail-gun and carbine are good enough on their own, and for those thinking they will miss out on the bigger drops; which require you to participate in looking for these damn manuscripts, don't worry too much - your not missing much. The AA12 is worth getting, but its not the best gun IMO. The best gun does not require manuscripts to collect...

    The other weapons are not very good at all; to the point of being disappointing; so all this shirting around for manuscripts and finding the m16 is about as strong as the carbine (which is one of the first guns you pick up).

    The story was good and the interactions with NPC's were frequent, which did make the game live – as they were part of the flow of the game. What's more interactions are optional in order to get ideas of who other characters fit into the story. A person does open a view as to why Alan wake is motivated (though the most generic of Mac-Guffins)and I felt because of this, that it was worth talking to them. Given the quantity of the other activities and content in the game; the black and white element of the game was removed; making the game actually quite pleasant to follow. It had reasonable immersion factor too (except for the damn manuscripts :P)

    Again Remedy have proven them selves to piece together a decent immersible story. The combat though -make no mistake -is a remake of Alan Wake 1 - and to its credit , its not the best, but it is good enough.    … Expand
  34. 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
  35. JaydenPickens
    Feb 20, 2019
    8
    American Nightmare is a tough nut to crack. On one hand we get amazing story, references to the original Alan Wake game and better gameplay than in original Alan Wake. On the other hand we get a small map that we must explore three times and almost nothing changes, fights get repetitive after some time and the game is very short... this should be considered more as an expansion pack than aAmerican Nightmare is a tough nut to crack. On one hand we get amazing story, references to the original Alan Wake game and better gameplay than in original Alan Wake. On the other hand we get a small map that we must explore three times and almost nothing changes, fights get repetitive after some time and the game is very short... this should be considered more as an expansion pack than a stand-alone game. Despite all of this, I had fun playing the game and it wasn't a literal nightmare. Pickens approves.… Expand
  36. PortalToH3LL
    Dec 16, 2018
    6
    Игра является интерквелом игры Alan Wake. Игра представляет собой день сурка и больше похоже на 4х часовое DLC чем на полноценную игру.
  37. aralath
    Aug 7, 2018
    7
    Average game compared to the original one. Still it is a playable game.....
  38. Jay_Pickens
    Jul 24, 2018
    8
    American Nightmare is a tough nut to crack. On one hand we get amazing story, references to the original Alan Wake game and better gameplay than in original Alan Wake. On the other hand we get a small map that we must explore three times and almost nothing changes, fights get repetitive after some time and the game is very short... this should be considered more as an expansion pack than aAmerican Nightmare is a tough nut to crack. On one hand we get amazing story, references to the original Alan Wake game and better gameplay than in original Alan Wake. On the other hand we get a small map that we must explore three times and almost nothing changes, fights get repetitive after some time and the game is very short... this should be considered more as an expansion pack than a stand-alone game. Despite all of this, I had fun playing the game and it wasn't a literal nightmare. Pickens approves.… Expand
  39. AbeMC
    Feb 21, 2018
    6
    Alan Wake returns, sort of. A short, 4-hour story accompanies a decent (but solo) arcade experience. But will players survive the re-used assets to complete the single-player campaign? That is the real question. Worth a purchase when discounted if you enjoyed the previous game, but there just isn’t a lot of content here.
    Total size on my hard-drive: 2.4 GB
    + Alan Wake is back. This    Alan Wake returns, sort of. A short, 4-hour story accompanies a decent (but solo) arcade experience. But will players survive the re-used assets to complete the single-player campaign? That is the real question. Worth a purchase when discounted if you enjoyed the previous game, but there just isn’t a lot of content here.
    Total size on my hard-drive: 2.4 GB

    + Alan Wake is back. This takes place after the second “Special” episode of the first game.
    + Excellent (if occasionally low-res) graphics. Well-optimized.
    + New weapons. An assault rifle, sub-machine gun, auto-shotgun, crossbow – in keeping with American Nightmare’s focus as an arcade game, there are a number of new weapons that all handle and feel different. A big improvement over the first Alan Wake game, which only had a small number of weapons to choose from.
    + New enemies. Again, a by-product of the arcade focus, but the new enemies look nasty and fit right in with the world Alan Wake. Some don’t respond to light in the way you’d expect, so be careful.
    + Great sound design. Sometimes the tap-tap of footsteps is all you hear before you are attacked.
    + Short but great soundtrack from Petri Alanko once again. More great songs from Poets of the Fall as well.
    + The story is more of a pulp-style adventure, with garish over-acting from the villain and a Twilight Zone-style voice-over. A departure from the Stephen King-inspired first game, but it works well enough – especially in conjunction with the collectible manuscript pages, which supply a large amount of backstory.

    +/- Collecting manuscript pages is required to unlock the more advanced weapons. Bad news for people who don’t want to be bothered with collectibles.
    +/- Arcade mode is simple: fight hordes of “taken” and survive until the sun rises. The new guns and weapons, plus some well-designed arenas make this decent (if solitary) fun. Only five maps, and unlocking advanced weapons depends on how many manuscript pages you collected in the single-player story.

    - The looping nature of the story results in reuse of the same three levels for the entire single-player campaign. Not only the levels, but Alan’s actions and most of the events are repeated as well. It’s a Groundhog Day / Source Code / Edge of Tomorrow style narrative gamble that might work on the first playthrough, but only hard-core fans will want to replay it.
    - Though set after the events of the first game, not a proper sequel. More of a glimpse of what is happening with no time to go into detail.

    I was (and am) happy to get more Alan Wake, but with a proper sequel being forever put off by Remedy, American Nightmare is a sad, short epilogue to what promised to be a unique suspense / horror franchise. Buy it (at a discount), enjoy it, and hope Alan Wake 2 will happen someday.    … Expand
  40. 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
  41. KittyWhisky
    Jul 16, 2017
    5
    No, it's not Alan Wake. This is a cheap copy. I can't believe this game was made by Remedy. The developers this time made Alan Wake is in the spirit of Tarantino. This game was easy. Alan Wake is Stephen king, not Tarantino! From the plot there are only scraps: it's been 2 years since the first game, Alan Wake has transferred itself to the TV and tries to kill his evil twin. This is theNo, it's not Alan Wake. This is a cheap copy. I can't believe this game was made by Remedy. The developers this time made Alan Wake is in the spirit of Tarantino. This game was easy. Alan Wake is Stephen king, not Tarantino! From the plot there are only scraps: it's been 2 years since the first game, Alan Wake has transferred itself to the TV and tries to kill his evil twin. This is the whole story! No surprises and plot twists. The game and looks very cheap. Staging is lame, the graphics are too bright for a "dark" game.

    The game has 3 locations. They are not interesting. On lacazia there is one female character. These female characters are boring and flat. The dialogue was dull verbiage. In the original game was an exciting plot, interesting dialogues and characters. In AMERICAN NIGHTMARE all gone! But the developers have much improved combat system. Gameplay is now more alert, and the opponents become more diverse. For example, we have razvivayuscikhsya enemies, enemies that turn into crows, and spiders. Gameplay became more cheerful, which is good, and shoot enemies is not boring. The whole game is shooting enemies.

    You can still collect the pages that are still fun to read. The radio is interesting to listen to, since there we learn the fate of our familiar characters. TVs remained the same, only this time we see our evil twin, who creates different mess. It's funny, but pointless.

    The whole game was amusing, but pointless. It's not Alan Wake! In Alan Wake the main story, not mindless shooting. The game is boring, except sterby there's nothing here.    … Expand
  42. SaintMSent
    May 22, 2017
    7
    Not bad game at all, but a little bit worse than original Alan Wake. Never played American Nightmare, but bought with 90% discount and wasn't upset. Play this if Alan Wake is what you liked in 2010.
  43. Captain_Chaos
    May 20, 2017
    8
    Alan Wake's American Nightmare is a stand-alone followup to the events of the DLC episodes of the original game. Too big for a DLC but not quite a sequel, its more of an expansion. Nightmare features what feels like quadruple the available weapons, faster flashlight energy regeneration, more responsive controls and more action-oriented encounters. There are some who decry Nightmare as ofAlan Wake's American Nightmare is a stand-alone followup to the events of the DLC episodes of the original game. Too big for a DLC but not quite a sequel, its more of an expansion. Nightmare features what feels like quadruple the available weapons, faster flashlight energy regeneration, more responsive controls and more action-oriented encounters. There are some who decry Nightmare as of inferior quality to the base game, and while it does offer an explanation for why its the same three levels repeated three times with differences only in dialogue and enemy placement, that's still obvious repetition. Regardless of this, it really does play a lot better mechanically. It includes the obligatory wave survival mode for those inclined. It also offers an incentive for tracking down the manuscript pages beyond backstory, as they are required to access lockboxes containing new weapons- however, I found the most useful weapon to be the crossbow, accessible on the third level and found simply hanging on a tree, no manuscript pages necessary. A harder cap is placed on your flares and flashbangs, but ammunition is much more plentiful to account for the more frequent enemies encountered, as well as newer, tougher enemies.

    We find a slightly older Alan, now in plaid work shirt and jeans instead of his stuffy tweed jacket, and much more experienced in facing the shadows that haunt him. Trapped in a Twilight Zone version of a Arizona highway-side town, Alan faces a cruel doppleganger called Mr. Scratch who claims to be everything he was too weak to be, but is really just a huge **** the manifestations of Alan's feelings of inadequacy as a writer and a husband. He has the opportunity to help a few people on the way.

    American Nightmare is a good play, but it will make little sense to anyone who has not played the first game from a story standpoint. If you have the opportunity to play the first game I strongly recommend doing so before playing American Nightmare.    … Expand
  44. dandalis
    Oct 29, 2016
    7
    Its downloadable game and it feels every bit like it. Its main purpose is to expand upon original game's ending and it does it fairly decent. Alan having an evil doppelganger which he must face is cool idea. Too bad game itself is strongly repetative, whole storyline takes place over 1 chapter which you need to replay 2 more times where Alan carries what he learned forward to the next oneIts downloadable game and it feels every bit like it. Its main purpose is to expand upon original game's ending and it does it fairly decent. Alan having an evil doppelganger which he must face is cool idea. Too bad game itself is strongly repetative, whole storyline takes place over 1 chapter which you need to replay 2 more times where Alan carries what he learned forward to the next one to accomplish his goal. Thankfully you dont need to do everything 3 times, some of it is done for you while you go thru storyline to save you frustration. Horde mode is fun, but not for long. Graphicly its less impressive than original which makes it easier to run thankfully. Gameplay also feels bit improved over the original.

    Overall solid expansion, if you loved Alan Wake you should consider getting this.    … Expand
  45. mahirhasan37
    Sep 19, 2016
    8
    This game did not live up to the potential of the original Alan wake. still it gets a good score because of the game play it has to offer.the story is as exciting as the original and the repetitive levels with same environments adds much injury to the original.The only reason i played this game was for the ORIGINAL.
  46. 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
  47. 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
  48. 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
  49. jelikey
    Sep 10, 2015
    6
    When I started to play AWAN I was ready to see the continuation of Alaln's journey not through real forests and real ppl, but through the place which won't let you go so easy, the place filled with darkness and evil, the place for which Alan's suffering as a loving husband who lost his wife, friend and normal life is the best food. I was ready to see his struggle, and I saw it. He's aWhen I started to play AWAN I was ready to see the continuation of Alaln's journey not through real forests and real ppl, but through the place which won't let you go so easy, the place filled with darkness and evil, the place for which Alan's suffering as a loving husband who lost his wife, friend and normal life is the best food. I was ready to see his struggle, and I saw it. He's a writer, so his best weapon is his mind and typewriting machine.
    I think that the action that we've seen in AWAN is only his first attempt to run away from darkness, I'd even say - we've seen a draft of his new novel "Return".    … Expand
  50. Rem
    Jul 7, 2015
    6
    American Nightmare's biggest triumphs and sins lie solely on how it utilizes its gameplay to serve the story. On one hand, combat is vastly improved over the original game, opting for a more action oriented experience rather than a survival romp through the darkness. It becomes immensely fun wielding a flashlight on one hand and blasting away Taken with an assault rifle on the other. ThisAmerican Nightmare's biggest triumphs and sins lie solely on how it utilizes its gameplay to serve the story. On one hand, combat is vastly improved over the original game, opting for a more action oriented experience rather than a survival romp through the darkness. It becomes immensely fun wielding a flashlight on one hand and blasting away Taken with an assault rifle on the other. This in addition with a scored and ranked arcade mode encourages the already fun combat without the need to spill blood (or darkness in this case). But pertaining to this game's sins, the story continues the mysterious and quirky Twin Peaks vibe that the original nailed. However the differences are night and day, the antagonist this time around, your evil twin, fails to really spark an incentive to do much around the semi open world of Night Springs. Also what really checks off as a smack to the face is SPOILER ALERT: the use of time loops to repeat the same game THREE TIMES. I'm not even kidding. They had the opportunity to really utilize the already creative gameplay of American Nightmare by using its semi open world for extra doo dads, but instead opts to send you to do the same task three times, albeit with different enemies. The selling point of this game would be its fun factor and vibe, and even then the fun only got me three hours out of this downloadable content, and I had to repeat the game three times mind you.… Expand
  51. SilentHightimes
    Jun 21, 2015
    5
    Alan Wake's American Nightmare is simple arcade game, its a run and gun simple minded DLC. The DLC is simply terrible compared to the game but if you like the gun play mechanics of Alan Wake it can still be fun. All your going to do is run back and fourth threw a terrible story and kill **** I had fun for the 2 hours it took me to beat it at least it was DLC made after the game and notAlan Wake's American Nightmare is simple arcade game, its a run and gun simple minded DLC. The DLC is simply terrible compared to the game but if you like the gun play mechanics of Alan Wake it can still be fun. All your going to do is run back and fourth threw a terrible story and kill **** I had fun for the 2 hours it took me to beat it at least it was DLC made after the game and not before held to steal your money.

    Alan Wake's American Nightmare is **** compared to the Main story but still fun if you like to just shoot ****    … Expand
  52. 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
  53. Sandweech
    Jan 23, 2015
    7
    The first thing I will say about 'American Nightmare' is that this game is extremely short and can be beaten in a few hours. Which I imagine isn't what you were hoping to hear. However, if you're a huge fan of the 'Alan Wake' series, much like myself, then 'American Nightmare' is definitely worth picking up during it's next sale. Why wait until it's next sale you might ask? Well, becauseThe first thing I will say about 'American Nightmare' is that this game is extremely short and can be beaten in a few hours. Which I imagine isn't what you were hoping to hear. However, if you're a huge fan of the 'Alan Wake' series, much like myself, then 'American Nightmare' is definitely worth picking up during it's next sale. Why wait until it's next sale you might ask? Well, because this game really doesn't offer anything that the original didn't. The story-line is nothing special and the game is told through narrations that feel a little too close to old episodes of 'Twilight Zone' mixed in with what appear to be live action cut-scenes. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

    From what I could gather, you are fighting an evil version of yourself, or something. Like I said, the story isn't anything special. In fact, the best thing this game offers is one more chance to step into Alan Wake's world. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I mean, hey, if you like shining flashlights at spooky demons and then blasting them with shotguns and other weapons, then this game is without a doubt for you. And if you don't, then maybe you should go play something less frightening. And don't forget your flashlight.    … Expand
  54. Pampalini
    Dec 30, 2014
    6
    Basic principles are same as in original game. Which is good, and action scenes are fine.
    Story is not so strong but what is nice is that you meet some old friends through radio broadcastings.
    Main enemy is pretty sick.
    What is getting this game down is repetitve levels. You have to actually go through same locations three times and do almost same things. So there is not much new content. Pity
  55. gimus
    Dec 23, 2014
    6
    I was very disappointed. Continue of Alan Wake the game looked at first pretty good, but then, you had to visit the same three locations three times and it was really boring. Everything was saved by good story narration, but in the end, I an not rate the game more than 6/10. Maybe it could be 5/10, but it depends...
  56. 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
  57. sft
    May 18, 2014
    8
    The light fantastic (revisited)

    I enjoyed Alan Wake, although I had some pretty serious gripes about the gameplay. Thankfully all the things that annoyed me about the original game (control being temporarily wrenched away from the player every time enemies approached was the worst) have gone from this follow-up. As a result this short episode is a much more satisfying, if brief,    The light fantastic (revisited)

    I enjoyed Alan Wake, although I had some pretty serious gripes about the gameplay. Thankfully all the things that annoyed me about the original game (control being temporarily wrenched away from the player every time enemies approached was the worst) have gone from this follow-up. As a result this short episode is a much more satisfying, if brief, experience (there are only about 6 hours of main story gameplay here, although there is an arcade game tagged on, which is basically a survival mode where you’re pitted against waves of enemies). The story has an unusual, Groundhog Day structure which entails the player repeating tasks several times in an effort to defeat the main enemy, Mr Scratch. This sounds dull but it isn’t because the atmosphere and combat are enjoyable enough to remain fresh through the few hours it takes to complete. I also liked the use of FMV cutscenes, which, sadly, are a rare thing these days (it took me back to 90s -- the heyday for FMV games). Overall AWAN is an improvement on the original game. I do feel, however, that Remedy will have to come up with a stronger storyline to keep the player’s interest for a full-length campaign in AW2.    … Expand
  58. 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.
  59. 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.
  60. intruder313
    Feb 16, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A very disappointing pseudo-sequel: completely unchallenging, no exploration required (due to the minimap) and somehow inferior graphically.
    Worst it's three small levels which you just play through three times EACH and they barely change from visit to visit.
    The new wepaons are not just overpowerful but you get an absolute surfeit of ammo so never come close to running low on rounds or batteries.

    If you do play it I recomment using the Nightmare difficulty because Normal is actually insultingly easy.    … Expand
  61. 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
  62. markwhitton
    Nov 20, 2013
    6
    Although the combat seems to have improved on the predecessor, not much else really has… This may be more of an arcade style title, but the campaign is pretty much the same three small areas replayed three times; each time made slightly different… So it often feels like a very lazily slapped together game! The arcade ‘horde’ mode although fairly entertaining isn’t particularly good enoughAlthough the combat seems to have improved on the predecessor, not much else really has… This may be more of an arcade style title, but the campaign is pretty much the same three small areas replayed three times; each time made slightly different… So it often feels like a very lazily slapped together game! The arcade ‘horde’ mode although fairly entertaining isn’t particularly good enough to warrant return visits or to even offer a great deal of extended game-play… I guess, buying American Nightmare in the sales on Steam for a quick action experience is fair enough but I’d avoid this game at standard price, there just simply isn’t enough content to justify it!… Expand
  63. keefbaker
    Oct 6, 2013
    8
    Unlike everyone else I much preferred this to Alan Wake because I wasn't constantly submitted to cheesy scriptwriting and a game that was REALLY trying to be scary and instead it was as scary as a CYOOT LEETEL PANDA BEAR.

    Alan Wake's American Nightmare doesn't pretend to be anything but a game and it succeeds very well at that. I even care more about the characters in this than the    Unlike everyone else I much preferred this to Alan Wake because I wasn't constantly submitted to cheesy scriptwriting and a game that was REALLY trying to be scary and instead it was as scary as a CYOOT LEETEL PANDA BEAR.

    Alan Wake's American Nightmare doesn't pretend to be anything but a game and it succeeds very well at that. I even care more about the characters in this than the first one because they're not trying so desperately hard.    … Expand
  64. 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
  65. laymonage
    Aug 26, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Alan Wake's American Nightmare was amazing in the beginning, but once you've got to the time loop thing, it becomes a bit repetitive. The time loop idea is nice, but they should have added more new things for each time loop. It's a good thing that they added some new weapons and a new story, so it's not too bad at all. Not as good as the original but you should get it if you like the series.… Expand
  66. csabber
    Aug 19, 2013
    7
    American Nightmare is a fun combat focused episode set between the original game and the not-yet-if-ever-released sequel. In this chapter Alan is trying to escape from the Dark Place by writing a script of a twisted TV show, where he can alter reality and defeat his doppelganger, Mr. Scratch as he tries to take over Alan's life in the 'real world'.

    The game brings some fixes of its    American Nightmare is a fun combat focused episode set between the original game and the not-yet-if-ever-released sequel. In this chapter Alan is trying to escape from the Dark Place by writing a script of a twisted TV show, where he can alter reality and defeat his doppelganger, Mr. Scratch as he tries to take over Alan's life in the 'real world'.

    The game brings some fixes of its prequel. The horrible and non-reactive controls are fortunately things of the past. It's a much more combat focused game, which is proven by a wast array of weapons you can find, from UZI to combat shotgun. The game introduces some though not many new elements and mechanics. There are new enemies like the Splitter, who splits into two when your flashlight is pointed at him. The area map and HUD are reworked, where scripts and points of interest are indicated. It's a nice addition since on the contrary of the first game, here you are encouraged to find those "damn" sheets of papers. You can get better weapons and it is fun, too.

    While Alan Wake's story was controversial but well written, the same can't be said about this chapter. It sometimes feels rushed and underdeveloped. At least the ending is much more clearer now. The part where the game disappoints the most is the level design. There three only three levels non of which are large to say the least. In addition to this, each of the levels are reused 3 times. In the frame of the story it is understandable but still disappointing. To make it clear, it is not a full fledged game, but neither is a rip off DLC. It's something between, a full game with arcade length.

    Alan's newest script shouldn't take longer than 4 hours to finish (6 with all the collectibles). Be aware though that normal in this game is easy compared to the prequel, so if you are up to it, try Nightmare difficulty. This can be explained by the combat focused nature of the game. You'll never have to roam trying to find ammunition and your flashlight recharges a lot faster than in the first game. There is a new game mode called Arcade Challenge. It's a simple addition where you have to survive until dawn and score as many points as you can with limited ammunition. You can squeeze a couple of extra hours out of this game mode, but don't expect dozens of hours of fun. On one side this game mode should have been in the first game, but with those horrid controls nobody would've played it.

    Alan Wake's American Nightmare is not a propel sequel to Alan Wake but it's a nice side story which every fan will enjoy. The game falls short in some places to the prequel (story, level design) but bests it in other areas (controls, combat).

    Rating: 71/100; Replay Value: 2/5; To Beat: 4 hours; Played on: normal.    … Expand
  67. 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
  68. 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
  69. 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.
  70. 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
  71. Klewer
    Aug 1, 2013
    5
    A solid stand alone from the original borrowing the concept and most of the gameplay. However this is more action focused and for me it really lost the atmosphere with this gameplay that made the original great.
  72. braeden
    Jun 25, 2013
    6
    Basically Alan Wake's American Nightmare is the same Alan Wake game all over again. Only with weaker storytelling and weaker character design.

    The plot is again the same Stephen King stuff as with the original. This might be good or bad thing depending on your preferences. Personally I dislike far out horror stuff that doesn't connect with reality in any way. It's just random stuff that    Basically Alan Wake's American Nightmare is the same Alan Wake game all over again. Only with weaker storytelling and weaker character design.

    The plot is again the same Stephen King stuff as with the original. This might be good or bad thing depending on your preferences. Personally I dislike far out horror stuff that doesn't connect with reality in any way. It's just random stuff that happens, which makes me loose interest.

    To sum up, I found this game quite boring and didn't bother to play it through. Maybe some day, if I have nothing better to do, I'll look it again. Unless you really liked the original Alan Wake or you're a horror buff, I wouldn't recommend buying this.    … Expand
  73. jonnx
    Jun 15, 2013
    5
    I started to play this right after the original Alan wake.
    And what a disappointment. From survival horror to action adventure.
    Really short gameplay, you are just running up and down picking items or "pushing buttons", with practically unlimited ammo on three repeating maps. I did not unlocked all guns, but even first few guns (which you will unlock at beginning) are much more    I started to play this right after the original Alan wake.
    And what a disappointment. From survival horror to action adventure.

    Really short gameplay, you are just running up and down picking items or "pushing buttons", with practically unlimited ammo on three repeating maps.
    I did not unlocked all guns, but even first few guns (which you will unlock at beginning) are much more powerful than anything that you can get in Alan Wake.

    not good. not good at all.    … Expand
  74. JimCorbett
    May 31, 2013
    5
    Gameplay has been slightly improved, but American Nightmare is still the same disaster of a game that Alan Wake originally was. Horrible port, performance, camera, controls, etc.
  75. 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
  76. igor-qwe
    Feb 18, 2013
    8
    The story of original game was a line of six episodes that kept you wandering of what was going to happen next. Following the story were two episodes of DLC and "Alan Wake's American Nightmare". These were not as good as was expected by many. Both DLC added Alan's travelling in his nightmares, that basically did not add anything to the original story. So if you missed them, you would stillThe story of original game was a line of six episodes that kept you wandering of what was going to happen next. Following the story were two episodes of DLC and "Alan Wake's American Nightmare". These were not as good as was expected by many. Both DLC added Alan's travelling in his nightmares, that basically did not add anything to the original story. So if you missed them, you would still know everything from the main storyline. But both DLC and "American Nightmare" added much of action moments, that could keep you enjoying the world of Alan. Regarding the plot of "Alan Wake's American Nightmare" there is not much to say. The game itself is a horror action. If you enjoyed action sequence in original "Alan Wake" then you should probably try "Nightmare". I was one of those who enjoyed action but was bored of storyline in "Nightmare". It seems that it was supposed to be three times shorter (if you played through, you know what I mean).
    You should not think that "American Nightmare" is an original game, think of it as of a big piece of DLC.
    Anyway, I would recommend it to fans and to those who liked Alan's gameplay, because not only new weapons might be used, but also a new horde mode can be played. It requires staying alive for specific time on a map (till dawn to be exact), meanwhile you are attack by enemies. Horde mode is not an original thing nowadays, but in "Alan Wake's American Nightmare" it was better than in many other games you know.    … Expand
  77. Baenlynn
    Dec 25, 2012
    6
    Not as good as the original. I LOVED the original Alan Wake, not even a horror fan but the game rung so many bells for me that I was left deafened by the overall performance. But, a few hours into this "sequel" and I'm already enjoying myself less, plodding through this game like so many others, and that's precisely how it SHOULDN'T feel. The original Alan Wake (even the special episodes)Not as good as the original. I LOVED the original Alan Wake, not even a horror fan but the game rung so many bells for me that I was left deafened by the overall performance. But, a few hours into this "sequel" and I'm already enjoying myself less, plodding through this game like so many others, and that's precisely how it SHOULDN'T feel. The original Alan Wake (even the special episodes) had a sense of danger, of the hostile environment all around, but with American Nightmare it's as though they've taken all the teeth out of the enemy. There's too much ammo, killing enemies is too easy, and the story and immersion suffer as a consequence of that. Also: American Nightmare breaks its own rules set out at the very start of the original with Alan's opening Monologue: 'Keep the audience in the dark, don't give too much away, make them wonder, don't rely on logic, don't make sense, do the unexpected, challenge the audience's expectations and especially their hope.' The opening few minutes of the game give us all of these things, and it is too much. It kills the dark magic, OVERkills it with a flare-gun to the face. The beauty of the storytelling in the original lay in its uncertainty, until the big reveal in chapter four we were never entirely sure if Wake was sane, and even after, the ending felt like a theft but also RIGHT. But in American Nightmare the cat's out of the bag the first time we see a TV. We know the who, what, when, and where, and from there, the WHY is obvious. All of this could have been fixed with the villain NOT taunting wake, simply teasing him SILENTLY, or even giving him Amnesia again. Granted that would be clichéd by now, but still not as bad as the alternative. And it goes without saying the opening sequence DEFINITELY could have done without the TV show (HINT, HINT). Because of this we know the result even without spoilers because in every way possible the horror in this story has absolutely no teeth. I don't think one can blame the Narrative failings of this game on the scale of the production when the original was so tight. What American Nightmare needed was a second draft, with a stronger focus on keeping us guessing, keeping us confused and scared and looking for movement in the shadows until the very end. It's a worthwhile game if strictly run of the mill, and also if you want to follow the franchise, but we've seen much better work from Remedy in this regard, so I hope they lift their game on the sequel.… Expand
  78. 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
  79. Eddard
    Nov 28, 2012
    5
    This DLC was part of Alan-Wake-Franchise at Steam. I have played it through in a couple of hours on one day. Its not bad, but it has not much in common with the original Game.
  80. Rossjudas
    Oct 1, 2012
    6
    It has few stages but in my opinion this is way better than the original because gameplay has improved a little with new weapons, Alan movements are a lot better and he doesn't seem drunk when walking like in the other title but It always a tedious and repetitive game the developers in my opinion should try some new stages for Alan maybe with puzzles and not always run away from monstersIt has few stages but in my opinion this is way better than the original because gameplay has improved a little with new weapons, Alan movements are a lot better and he doesn't seem drunk when walking like in the other title but It always a tedious and repetitive game the developers in my opinion should try some new stages for Alan maybe with puzzles and not always run away from monsters or kill them, boring.… Expand
  81. dumle
    Sep 17, 2012
    7
    Alan Wakes American Nightmare is just as good as the original. The presentation is amazing, the action is great, the soundtrack is great and the narrative is splendid. The game is more action oriented than the original but i do think it works pretty well. That is partly since the enemy and weapon variety is a lot better than in the original. The game do however have the same problem as theAlan Wakes American Nightmare is just as good as the original. The presentation is amazing, the action is great, the soundtrack is great and the narrative is splendid. The game is more action oriented than the original but i do think it works pretty well. That is partly since the enemy and weapon variety is a lot better than in the original. The game do however have the same problem as the original, it gets repetitive. At the beginning of the game i thought that the developers had managed to fix it by adding a more varied combat but they do manage to ruin that later in the game by certain plot twists that shall remain a secret. The game is still great though and if you have an interest in the genre you should definitely pick it up since its gameplay, style and narrative is really something out of the ordinary. Oh and the game should take you around 5-10 hours to complete depending on how you play the game but because of its low price point i don't think that is a problem. And there is also an arcade survival mode in the game that should entertain you for a couple of hours.… Expand
  82. fhouse
    Sep 7, 2012
    7
    I liked that the story gives some explanations to the original game. The new weapons are good, and there are more kind of enemies. Arcade mode: I never liked arcade modes in similar survival horror-like games, i don't really like it here either. However, it's nice that the creators actually created new arcade levels instead of remixing the story levels. Another advantage is that it'sI liked that the story gives some explanations to the original game. The new weapons are good, and there are more kind of enemies. Arcade mode: I never liked arcade modes in similar survival horror-like games, i don't really like it here either. However, it's nice that the creators actually created new arcade levels instead of remixing the story levels. Another advantage is that it's cheap, so whenever there is a sale, pick it up, you can't really go wrong with it.… Expand
  83. Chapa9dj
    Aug 29, 2012
    9
    Take it for what the game really is, a spin-off, expansion or whatever you want to call it.
    It is very repetitive since you have to go back to the same places 3 times but i like it and i also like how things variate in the scenary every time i go back. It still a fantastic experience like the first Alan Wake, if you liked the previous game i'm sure you will find it interesting and worth    Take it for what the game really is, a spin-off, expansion or whatever you want to call it.
    It is very repetitive since you have to go back to the same places 3 times but i like it and i also like how things variate in the scenary every time i go back. It still a fantastic experience like the first Alan Wake, if you liked the previous game i'm sure you will find it interesting and worth playing it.

    Something that really loved about this was the Real time cut-scenes, god i hope they do the same with Alan Wake 2, and please i want more of The Old Gods Of Asgard.

    Not so wonderful or epic as AW but well worth the money and a must buy..    … Expand
  84. DarKMaTTeR
    Aug 28, 2012
    5
    This game feels a lot more like a concept demonstration, intended for internal use among the developers of Alan Wake, than a commercial creation. It shares most things with the original game, except the production quality. The environments are poor and reused. The story and characters are underdeveloped. The whole thing lasts a couple of hours. Very disappointing. If you don't want toThis game feels a lot more like a concept demonstration, intended for internal use among the developers of Alan Wake, than a commercial creation. It shares most things with the original game, except the production quality. The environments are poor and reused. The story and characters are underdeveloped. The whole thing lasts a couple of hours. Very disappointing. If you don't want to taint the excellent experience of the original, don't bother with this one.… Expand
  85. GPReS
    Jul 22, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I started to play AWAN I was ready to see the continuation of Alaln's journey not through real forests and real ppl, but through the place which won't let you go so easy, the place filled with darkness and evil, the place for which Alan's suffering as a loving husband who lost his wife, friend and normal life is the best food. I was ready to see his struggle, and I saw it. He's a writer, so his best weapon is his mind and typewriting machine.
    I think that the action that we've seen in AWAN is only his first attempt to run away from darkness, I'd even say - we've seen a draft of his new novel "Return".
    Advice - find all the pages to clearly understand all the things that happened in the story. AWAN is not a regular arcade game, it's the game which can easily distract from main things with all the shooting, but the seeking one will find all the answers and new food for thought here.
    So be patient, be attentive. Nothing happens out of blue in the game, and the game is simply splendid.    … Expand
  86. pnoozi
    Jul 18, 2012
    9
    Great value. Gameplay is the same as the original (that is to say, very good once you get used to it). The story isn't bad, it's just not on par with the original Alan Wake in terms of scale. I loved the setting (Arizona), thought it was a perfect change. For the price I can't give this anything less than what I gave the original Alan Wake - 9/10. It may not be a full fledged titleGreat value. Gameplay is the same as the original (that is to say, very good once you get used to it). The story isn't bad, it's just not on par with the original Alan Wake in terms of scale. I loved the setting (Arizona), thought it was a perfect change. For the price I can't give this anything less than what I gave the original Alan Wake - 9/10. It may not be a full fledged title but it still leaves me tweaking for more. You listening, Remedy? Take my money!… Expand
  87. daveyy12
    Jul 10, 2012
    5
    This game is somewhat of a disappointment compared with the original Alan Wake. But, it was still interesting to play. I just wish the game wasn't so difficult to operate the controls.
  88. DenzNoble
    Jul 4, 2012
    9
    A good spin off of Alan Wake for a good amount of money, arcade mode is incredible i think the pc version should have a better score not score from consolers that angry for the lose of the exclusive
  89. tarekmallo
    Jun 9, 2012
    8
    It certainly lacks the jolts and thrills of the original and the combat although highly satisfying gets a bit repetitive, however story-wise American Nightmare contains lots of references to the previous installment and altogether does a great job in serving its fans.
  90. MrScratch
    Jun 9, 2012
    10
    This game shouldn't be compared to original Alan Wake, this is just a spin off - tv episode going live. This game introduces us further to Mr. Scratch, doppelganger of Alan Wake (whom we saw in AW). Game is more action oriented, and it fits this episode really well. You should approach this one with no expectations - take a coke, take a whole (hot) day for this one, and enjoy.
  91. czerro
    Jun 4, 2012
    7
    This is a pretty solid release. The real game is the 'survive til dawn'. Remedy was awesome enough to include a somewhat meaty single player campaign as well. Essentially, this is two different games mashed together in a single release, so I'll review them both seperately:

    Survive til Dawn: Awesome, fun, challenging, many levels to unlock. Keep you busy for many many hours.    This is a pretty solid release. The real game is the 'survive til dawn'. Remedy was awesome enough to include a somewhat meaty single player campaign as well. Essentially, this is two different games mashed together in a single release, so I'll review them both seperately:

    Survive til Dawn: Awesome, fun, challenging, many levels to unlock. Keep you busy for many many hours. Definitely worth the 10 bucks.

    SP Campaign: Ungh. I wasn't a huge fan of the Alan Wake story. It was absurd and hokey, but the presentation and the characters made it work and kept me engaged throughout the games run time. Ironically, the biggest failing of Alan Wake for me was the WRITING in the manuscript pages. The prose was abysmal. The monologues, cringe inducing. I thought this was an intentional jab at King and Koontz's increasingly sloppy prose...but as I progressed through the game, I don't think this was the intention. Fast forward to the tacked on American Nightmare SP campaign. All pretense in a plot is completely abandoned. Wake's invented characters not only break the 4th wall from Wake's perspective...but then Wake and his characters break the 4th wall from OUR perspective. It's not clever. Characters even say things like, "I don't really get why this is happening either, all I do know is it IS happening, and I can fix it." I don't mind linear games, but I would like there to be some sort of actual meat to the story telling. The plot in the SP campaign is strictly a pantomime of absurd unexplained contrivance upon contrivance. The time loop was an interesting idea. I thought perhaps there was some game mechanic in there for the player to take advantage as to influence what happens in subsequent loops. Nope. You just play the same three levels, three times, slightly more abbreviated with every iteration.

    Buy this game for the survival mode, which really feels much more developed than the poor SP campaign. If the survival mode does not interest you, I would recommend giving this game a pass as the SP is pretty dull, the story is beyond stupid, and the writing nauseating.

    Survival Mode: 8
    SP: 5    … Expand
  92. Dethstar
    Jun 1, 2012
    6
    OK. This is a cheap version of Alan Wake in every sense. Really really short. Very few locations and less developed in terms of atmosphere, character and plot. It is cheap. Its short enough to be a DLC but sold on it own which is niether good nor bad in my opinion.

    For me, while it was worth the low price, it was very unsatisfying as it was over in one gaming session and didnt last a    OK. This is a cheap version of Alan Wake in every sense. Really really short. Very few locations and less developed in terms of atmosphere, character and plot. It is cheap. Its short enough to be a DLC but sold on it own which is niether good nor bad in my opinion.

    For me, while it was worth the low price, it was very unsatisfying as it was over in one gaming session and didnt last a full evenings gaming but balancing it out, it was nice to see Alan and his world again, even such a very very small part of it. Personally, I dont like these shortened low price games so having bought this one I wouldnt buy another follow up like this but nor does it put me off buying another full Alan Wake game either. I like the first very much indeed. Slightly disappointing even for the low price.    … Expand
  93. Pekafu
    May 31, 2012
    5
    American Nightmare is much smaller than the original, I played the whole story-mode on both difficulties within 6 hours. There was many things that made me laugh but the core of the story was a bit thin. As it makes player go through same scenes three times it could have been more like an DLC with price of 4-8e. The other game mode Arcade is quite fun and brings to mind distantly Remedy'sAmerican Nightmare is much smaller than the original, I played the whole story-mode on both difficulties within 6 hours. There was many things that made me laugh but the core of the story was a bit thin. As it makes player go through same scenes three times it could have been more like an DLC with price of 4-8e. The other game mode Arcade is quite fun and brings to mind distantly Remedy's previous series Max Payne. Storytelling isn't as good as in the previous one. New weapons are nice addition, I hoped there would have been more off them.… Expand
  94. Panther117
    May 29, 2012
    7
    Great,addicting,suspenseful.-Dima Voronovich russian amateur reviewer.
    Alan Wake:American Nightmare is a spin-off to original game.You play as Alan Wake who is a writer and you must fight your way through darkness using light and firearms. While itâ
  95. 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
  96. DrBushie
    May 26, 2012
    9
    For 10â
  97. taintedbloop
    May 25, 2012
    6
    American Nightmare simply doesn't have as thrilling a plot as the original. Its extremely tedious and they LITERALLY make you replay the same 3 objectives over and over while giving a half-assed answer as to why. Its obvious they are trying to stretch out the game as much as possible without actually having more content. By the time I was nearing the end, I just wanted it to be over and itAmerican Nightmare simply doesn't have as thrilling a plot as the original. Its extremely tedious and they LITERALLY make you replay the same 3 objectives over and over while giving a half-assed answer as to why. Its obvious they are trying to stretch out the game as much as possible without actually having more content. By the time I was nearing the end, I just wanted it to be over and it was boring. The plot itself really doesnt make very much sense at all, and you are just thrown in there. As for the gameplay, they introduce a new mechanic where gathering manuscript pages rewards you by being able to unlock new guns after a certain amount. However, I felt this was actually quite a downside - within the first 15 minutes you already have 3-4 automatic weapons. I think that they took away the iconic revolver that alan had, and instead they turned it into more of a run n gun with tons of weapons rather then having you feel somewhat vulnerable with your revolver. Also, with the automatic weapons you cant reload faster by tapping the reload key like you could in the first, which makes it less suspenseful. The enemies themselves have no voice acting, unlike the first which had their creepy morphed voices which added atmosphere and creepiness to it. The little televisions which show mini videos to you are kind of cheesy and the voice acting isnt great. Its a bad attempt at being scary. The flashlight seems to run out at least doubly as fast as the original game which is extremely frustrating. It recharges much faster, but all this accomplishes is more interruptions in the fighting. I didnt like the change. They also made some changes to the UI, which I think looked worse then before. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with how this turned out. Some of the best parts was listening to the soundtrack, but there were only 3 songs or so. some only playing for 30 seconds while you fight. I finished the game in about 4-5 hours, however due to them making you replay everything, theres probably only 1-2 hours of real original content. If you are a big alan wake fan, its still decently fun, but certainly doesnt hold up to the plot, gameplay, or style of the original.… Expand
  98. Lockie
    May 23, 2012
    8
    American Nightmare isn't so immersive, as Alan Wake was, but it's still really interesting to play. Gameplay became more dynamic, but the feeling of fear was lost. Nevertheless, the storyline is good, Mr. Scratch is a perfectly-written character. In addition, it was really interesting to find out what happened with other characters of the franchise. I was glad to hear their voice again :)American Nightmare isn't so immersive, as Alan Wake was, but it's still really interesting to play. Gameplay became more dynamic, but the feeling of fear was lost. Nevertheless, the storyline is good, Mr. Scratch is a perfectly-written character. In addition, it was really interesting to find out what happened with other characters of the franchise. I was glad to hear their voice again :) It's a spin-off, not a sequel, and i didn't expect something extraordinary from this game. So, it justified my expectations. Good game.… Expand
  99. mirimar
    May 22, 2012
    7
    It does'nt have the bite of the first one; the scary feel. It just turns into a fetch and step with a mediocre storyline. Not as immersing; but o.k. I guess.

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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.
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