Remedy Entertainment has revealed sales figures for Alan Wake 2, making it the developer’s fastest-selling game yet.

Alan Wake 2 sales herald little darkness

The developer behind Max Payne, Control, and Quantum Break announced that Alan Wake 2 has sold 1 million units by the end of December 2023, and 1.3 million units as of the beginning of February 2024.

Comparatively, Remedy’s previous best, 2019’s Control, sold over 50% fewer copies and over three times fewer digital copies in four months than Alan Wake 2 did in two months.

Control has had a long tail to its sales, with more than four million copies sold since launch, and Remedy believes the same will be true of Alan Wake 2, especially with two DLC expansions arriving soon.

“We are happy with the start of Alan Wake 2’s sales. The price point has also remained at a high level, and the game has already recouped a significant part of the development and marketing expenses. We will continue to develop the game to serve existing fans and attract new players and expect the game to continue selling well.” Remedy CEO Tero Virtala said of the news.

“The successful launch of Alan Wake 2 has supported our other game projects: Condor, Control 2 and Max Payne 1&2 remake have all increased development pace thanks to the personnel released from Alan Wake 2, and we expect these projects to reach their next development stages during the first half of 2024,” continued Virtala. ”We now have two established franchises: Control and Alan Wake, which are linked through the Remedy Connected Universe. Growing and expanding these franchises will be a key part of our future.”

Alan Wake 2 launched to critical acclaim on October 27, 2023 and was featured in PlayStation Lifestyle’s Best Horror Games of 2023 and was also the site’s Game of the Year after polling highest among staff.

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PS Plus Premium members, specifically those who have a PS5, can enjoy chunky game trials for two of 2023’s major video games: Alan Wake 2 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. While Alan Wake 2’s free trial is live, players will have to wait until next week to give Spider-Man 2 a shot.

New PS Plus Premium game trial lengths offer a good look at the games

Alan Wake 2’s PS Plus trial is three hours long. For those who haven’t been following the game, Alan Wake 2’s main story can be beaten in under 20 hours so this trial is a decent-sized slice. Spider-Man 2’s game trial, which will go live on Tuesday, February 6, will be two hours long. Its main story is roughly the same length as Alan Wake 2’s (17-18 hours, depending on playstyle).

It’s unclear how long the trials will be available but Sony says Spider-Man 2’s trial will be available for a limited time only, calling it a “Valentine’s celebration” on the PlayStation Blog. All campaign progress and trophies from trials carry over to full games, if players proceed to purchase them.

As a reminder, PS Plus Essential’s monthly games for February will also go live on Tuesday, the 6th.

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Remedy Entertainment has rolled out Alan Wake 2 update 1.15, which adds the highly-requested Chapter Select feature. The lack of Chapter Select was a sore point for trophy and achievement hunters, who were stuck having to replay the game if a collectible was missed.

Alan Wake 2 update 1.15 patch notes

The update also adds the ability to tune down horror flashes. Complete patch notes are as follows:

New features

• Added Chapter Select menu.
• Added option to choose between Low and Normal horror flash visual and audio intensity.

Gameplay and missions

• Fixed an issue in The Final Draft (New Game Plus) where if the player already had Saga’s crossbow in their inventory, they could not complete/open all required Cult Stashes and thus couldn’t get the Lighthouse Key from the final Cult Stash.
• Fixed an issue where the player could get stuck if they opened the notification about having finished watching the final Koskela brothers’ advert:
  • During RE09 Deerfest when you go to the Oh Deer Diner, the last Koskela commercial is shown and you are given a prompt that you can see it in the Mind Place, but if you press the touchpad as instructed to view it in the Mind Place, nothing happens, and your controls are frozen. The issue remains until you reload the last save.
• Fixed an issue where the player was not able to collect all the clues around Nightingale’s body.
• The objects required for the Overlap ritual in RE03 Local Girl can now only be picked up after the player finds their respective clues.
• The 10th Echo Scene after meeting Casey in the alley now unlocks properly.
• Players now receive the Coffee World Mug Charm in the The Final Chapter (New Game+) instead of a duplicate Hammer Charm.
• Fixed the camera perspective on opened Cult stashes, so the note on the lid is now legible.
• Additional fix for the Cynthia profiling not being available if the player exits the diorama too quickly in the Nursing Home.
• Resolved an issue in RE05 Old Gods where players could pick up the fuse in the basement from a locked container without solving the attached combination lock puzzle.
• Propane tanks will no longer reappear after reloading the game in Watery. Less explosions, less fun, but a smoother game.
• Gave Saga a chance to gain more resources in the RE10 Come Home mission in the subway station.
• Added missing descriptions for some case files in the Case Cabinet in Saga’s Mind Place.
• Fixed a multitude of issues with Meta Case clues.
• Added descriptions for cases that are in progress to the Case Cabinet files.
• Igniting a flare while hiding in Safe Haven will now be seen as a hostile player action and collapse the Safe Haven if enemies are nearby.
• Fixed an issue with the player camera occasionally “micro jittering” when rotating the camera in Prologue.
• Removing the fun. It’s the beginning of the year. Explosions will no longer deal damage through doors.
• Prevent players from accidentally boosting the flashlight and wasting batteries when picking it up.
• FBI Service pistol and Revolver now deal enough damage to make cultists’ masks fly off with one, carefully aimed shot. F*ck yeah!
• Curtain Call. Not the best album. Fixed curtains being incorrectly closed in the Theater Hall in some instances.
• Fixed an issue where the crossbow with double-barrel upgrade was not being holstered properly.
• Saga’s phone conversations can’t be interrupted by switching the Flashlight on and off anymore.
• The item pickup indicator has been re-tuned, so the indicator should be more easily visible now.
• The player can no longer run off the ledge behind the Monitoring Station in Cauldron Lake.
• Fixed an issue where Fadeouts in the Poet’s Cinema Theater would sit in the air or inside of the theater seats. That was too spooky.
• Fixed a, well, uh, issue with a rogue boot moving along the Cynthia boss fight arena.
• Fixed an issue in IN05 Room 665 where items from a Tim Breaker’s stash could be picked up through the wall in Room 101.
• Fixed an issue where the wolves would get killed instantly by approaching the cliff at the Radio Tower in Watery.
• Fixed an issue where the player could get stuck in Norman’s room in the Bright Falls Nursing Home.
• Fixed an issue where the doors at the Bright Falls Wellness Center kept opening at the wrong time. It’s not spooky season yet.

UI

• [PC] Added preview images for most tweakable settings in the graphics menu.
• Add per-chapter counts for found Manuscripts in the Mind Place.
• Fixed UI layout issues with localized content in the Case Board, computers, and inspectable items.
• Fixed month names so they display correctly on save game UI.
• Fixed the Options menu scroll position not to resetting when quitting the Options menu with the start button on controller.

Audio and haptics

• Re-tuned haptics on the “key events” such as weapon firing and reloading, using the Light Shift mechanic, burning off Source Points and using the flashlight.
• Added audio to the ancient computers in the Bright Falls Sheriff Station.
• Added audio for impacts when the Espresso Express hits the player. Don’t try it please. Coffee World is in enough trouble as it is.
• Cassette eject sound added to Mr. Drippy.
• Added TV static audio to the Nursing Home TV Safe Haven location.
• Fixed an issue where the TV tape selection in the Writer’s Room was not triggering any sound effects.
• Fixed an issue in RE08 Summoning where a Tank enemy weapon played the wrong weapon audio.
• Multiple fixes for the Nursery Rhymes audio.
• Improved the audio quality for crouching footsteps.
• Improved the audio performance during the RE08 Summoning mission across all platforms.

Visuals

• General visual polish.
• Fixed an issue where an enemy became partially invisible when seriously wounded.
• Fixed the vegetation not always reacting to explosions in a cool way.
• The wind has picked up in Coffee World.
• Made the basement of the Valhalla Nursing Home more atmospheric, with a lot of added dust.
• Turned off Safe Haven indicator during the Scratch fight in the parking lot.
• Improved waterproofing of the Elderwood Lodge. It should not rain indoors anymore.
• Fixed the Hunting Knife being scaled up when Alan picked it up.
• Fixed missing lighting on some narrative items.
• Improved the quality of shadows in various off the beaten path locations in the forest.
• Fixed lighting pop-in in some locations.
• Fixed some abrupt color grading changes in Watery.
• Reduced shimmering around windows inside Suomi Hall in Watery.
• Reduced shimmering inside the Elderwood Lodge in Bright Falls.
• Lighting improvements in off the beaten path areas in Watery.
• Fixed Alan’s wild shirt glitching in some cinematic sequences where Alan is sitting down.
• Improved animations for Saga’s scare reactions while running.
• Fixed some animations restarting when toggling the flashlight.
• Fixed the player character so they use arms as expected while running just after picking up items.

General

• The SDR brightness setting now affects UI and 2D videos correctly.
• Fixed maximum display luminance being outdated in Brightness calibration menu.
• [PC] You can now tweak the FOV (Field of view) in the UI.
• [PC] Improved DLSS Frame Generation stability for Alt-Tab.
• [PC] Resolution is clamped correctly to the maximum supported resolution.
• [PC] Made the warning message about there not being enough physical memory and allow the game still to start a lot more serious.
• [PC] Mouse button icons now correctly reflect the Windows primary button setting in the UI [PC].
• [Xbox Series] Fixed a threading issue that could lead to rare crashes.
• Subtitle fixes.

Performance (aka the Northlight flex section)

• [PlayStation 5] Fixed the random stuttering during perfect dodge slow-motion moves.
• [PC] Changing the graphics settings is now… snappier.
• [PC] Optimized shadow map rendering saving up to 0.3ms in the Dark Place.
• [Xbox Series] Optimized point and spotlight culling, shaving off 0.3ms in locations where lights are aplenty.
• [PlayStation 5] Optimized UI rendering when there are a lot of UI elements on screen, such as when the Inventory is visible, resulting in smoother performance.
• Optimized character controller code for improved CPU performance, saving up to 1ms – 2ms in locations with dense geometry.
• Lighting optimizations inside the Overlap in RE02 The Heart saving 1ms – 1.2ms for smoother performance.
• Lighting optimizations around the Valhalla Nursing Home during RE05 Old Gods saving 0.3ms – 0.4ms.
• The good kind of lighting and fog optimizations around Watery that didn’t result in downgrading the visuals.
• Slightly optimized texture memory usage. Slightly.

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Unfortunately, 2023 wasn’t the best year for PlayStation exclusives. The only title from Sony’s stable to make it on our Game of the Year 2023 list is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. However, there were plenty of third-party masterpieces to make up for it. Check out our favorite games of the year below!

PlayStation LifeStyle Game of the Year 2023 List:

10. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077’s had a long road to redemption. When Son kicked the game off the PlayStation Store because of technical issues, we never thought its DLC would end up on our Game of the Year list two years later. Phantom Liberty has enough content to be a game in its own right and offers an alternate take on how V’s journey could have ended up. Unfortunately, the DLC and the 2.0 update that launched alongside it are only available on PS5. However, if you have the PS4 version, you can still upgrade for free!

Buy Cyberpunk 2077 on Amazon

9. Final Fantasy 16

It seems inevitable that Final Fantasy 16 will be one of the more divisive entries in the series. It primarily concentrates on one character, Clive Rosfield, as opposed to a huge party, and the story is focused on his perspective. For some fans, that eschews franchise tradition, but we appreciated the narrowed focus compared to Final Fantasy 15, which was a bit all over the place. Clive’s story stands out as one of the more poignant we’ve seen in a Final Fantasy, and it’s a spectacle to behold.

Buy Final Fantasy 16 on Amazon

8. Assassin’s Creed Mirage

This pseudo-prequel to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes the series back to its roots and pays homage to the original. Unlike the sprawling epics we’ve gotten in the last few entries, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is localized to 9th-century Baghdad and ditches many of the role-playing elements to emphasize stealth, assassinations, and parkour. We couldn’t help but be relieved to play a distilled experience, and Basim Ibn Ishaq’s origin story reminded us why we fell in love with the franchise in the first place.

Buy Assassin’s Creed Mirage on Amazon

7. Hogwarts Legacy

Despite the controversy surrounding the Harry Potter franchise, Hogwarts Legacy managed to captivate us with its rendition of the titular wizarding school and the surrounding countryside. For those of us who grew up alongside Harry, the chance to attend Hogwarts was a dream come true. Exploring its nooks and crannies, attending classes, and seeing the many easter eggs the developers included was a treat. Where Hogwarts Legacy goes above and beyond, though, is that the gameplay is fun enough to stand on its own merits. Even if this is your first visit to Hogwarts, you can still have a blast and leave wanting more.

Buy Hogwarts Legacy on Amazon

6. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order itched the scratch Star Wars fans had for years when it was released in 2019, and we couldn’t wait to get back to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It’s everything the first game was, but bigger and better. Cal gets more abilities and equipment, environments are more expensive, and we even get to chill in a cantina whenever we want. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor provides the excitement that most of Disney’s projects have lacked and has done much more to keep the franchise alive than it gets credit for.

Buy Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on Amazon

5. Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is our favorite fighting game of the year because of its respect for newcomers and veterans. It’s an excellent point to enter the series, thanks to its revamped mechanics and multiple control options. However, it still retains enough of the franchise’s traditions to keep from alienating those who cut their teeth on SF 2-5. We also loved the absolutely bonkers story mode that channeled Yakuza to make one of the best create-a-fighter experiences ever. If you have even a little interest in the fighting genre, it’s worth checking this game out.

Buy Street Fighter 6 on Amazon

4. Resident Evil 4 remake

Resident Evil 4 revolutionized the series when it debuted in 2005 and is lauded as one of the best games ever. Its influence on gaming as a whole is so strong that many doubted that a remake could do it justice. However, Capcom managed to pull off a fantastic retelling that complements the original perfectly. Almost every aspect of the original has been remade or expanded, and the updated gameplay makes blasting through Ganados a thrill. Resident Evil 4 remake is another excellent entry in the alternate continuity started with RE2 remake, and we’re excited to see which game gets reimagined next (fingers crossed for Code Veronica)!

Buy Resident Evil 4 remake on Amazon

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider-Man and its Miles Morales-centric follow-up were hard acts to follow. Somehow, Insomniac Games managed to outdo themselves and then some with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Peter Parker and Miles join forces to take on a multitude of threats while navigating their personal lives. From Kraven the Hunter’s militaristic menace to the symbiote Venom sapping Peter of both his good nature and healthy relationships, this gutsy sequel took an already solid foundation and gave both heroes an expanded inventory of unlockable abilities, gadgets, and suits with which fans could explore and defend New York City. While this movie could have resulted in a tired storyline or rote gameplay loop, instead it strengthened an already excellent series with thoughtful writing, inclusive characters, and comic book-powered combat to satisfy all players. The biggest problem with this tandem adventure is that it eventually has to end.

Buy Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on Amazon

2. Baldur’s Gate 3

Player agency has been a hot topic in the gaming industry for decades. Some studios like to keep players focused on the task at hand, while others open their worlds up for a bit more interaction. However, with Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios went beyond this. It removed practically all limitations to how a player could affect their surroundings. See a locked door? You can talk the key out of an NPC, blow it down, find a hidden route to completely bypass it, or simply ignore it. The challenge in this CRPG is to find your way, and there are so many possibilities and so much raw content that everyone’s playthrough will be different.

1. Alan Wake 2

It took 13 years for Alan Wake 2 to be released, but the wait was worth it. FBI agent Saga Anderson joins Alan’s struggle to escape the Dark Place, and we’re once again thrust into the madness surrounding the town of Bright Falls. The plot is a roller coaster examining family, religion, and the supernatural, and it had us hooked from beginning to end. Excellent pacing keeps the lengthy story from becoming a slog, and the ability to alternate between Saga and Alan’s story means each player will have a slightly different experience during their playthrough. While it’s rooted in survival horror, we recommend this game to anyone who wants a strong single-player experience.

The post PlayStation LifeStyle’s Game of the Year 2023 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

From big-name franchise revivals to small-scale indie productions, horror gaming on PlayStation was in good health in 2023. PlayStation LifeStyle selects 14 of the year’s best horror games on PlayStation consoles.

Resident Evil 4 Remake (Capcom)

Few remakes would come with such expectations as Resident Evil 4, and yet Capcom managed to exceed them.

Resident Evil 4 Remake takes everything players loved about the 2005 classic and integrates a flurry of modern touches to make it feel like a natural evolution of the original.

Dead Space (EA Motive)

While Resident Evil 4’s remake reimagined the original, EA Motive’s Dead Space largely stuck to the script with a smattering of improvements where they were needed.

The spirit of the original is kept intact, but a PS5 sheen made every Necromorph encounter and gore-splattered outcome a grisly treat. But the real star of the new show is the Ishimura, which no longer feels like a series of interconnected rooms masquerading as a spaceship but more like an actual place.

No One Lives Under the Lighthouse (Marevo Collective)

Finally getting a console release, Marevo Collective’s atmospheric PSX-style horror is a delightful slow-burner that makes the most of its minimalist structure.

The ambiguity of the story keeps players on edge, and when chase scenes kick in, the perspective shift adds another layer to the unsettling atmosphere.

Amnesia The Bunker (Frictional Games)

Frictional Games’ ability to rewrite the rulesets of its story-led horror games is admirable and with Amnesia: The Bunker, it does its biggest edit yet.

Amnesia: The Bunker is a self-contained sandbox set in a wartime bunker where the player has to find the means to escape whilst evading a deadly monstrosity. Think of it as small-scale Alien Isolation meets Immersive Sim.

The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners 2 (Skydance Interactive)

PSVR2 had plenty of horror goodies in 2023. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners 2 was my personal pick from the brand-new bunch.

Why? Well, its immersive, intense gameplay translates so much better to the PSVR2 than the original game did with PSVR. The dread of getting cornered by the undead is offset by improvised weapons. Throw in a seemingly unstoppable behemoth out for blood and Saints and Sinners 2 will have you working up a sweat.

Killer Frequency (Team 17)

Killer Frequency stands out for me because it’s clearly doing something quite different in the horror space. Playing the part of a washed-up DJ who finds themselves having to help save locals from a returning legendary serial killer. Killer Frequency limits you to the radio station as to the extent of your help, but within that station is plenty of exploration and opportunity.

Not only can you find things to guide potential victims away from their fate, but you get the chance to play as a DJ, putting on records, ads, and, of course, taking calls. Killer Frequency does everything possible to immerse you in the role.

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (Night School Studios)

Oxenfree’s dialogue system remains one of the most refreshing and ingenious of its kind, so a return to that with Oxenfree II would always be welcome. That system is more refined now, but it’s Oxenfree II’s story is where it excels.

After the teen-centric tale of the original, Oxenfree II shifts things to an adult perspective and, in doing so, gives us a wonderfully melancholy flipside to the first game.

Homebody (Game Grumps)

Homebody puts a modern spin on classic survival horror, with plenty of homages to Clock Tower, especially on show.

A young woman and her friends are stuck in a time loop that keeps them inside a strange old house. She must solve the many puzzles of the house in order to break the loop, but every time the loop begins, the threat of a masked killer arrives with it.

Trepang2 (Trepang Studios)

If you miss the frenetic supernatural shooter action of F.E.A.R. then Trepang2 has your early 2000s needs covered. A labor of love that transformed into a full game, Trepang2 is a lovely reminder that shooters can simply be big, loud, bloody slabs of nonsense.

The slo-mo ability turns large-scale chaos into a ballet of bullets and blood, but truly the art of Trepang2 comes in chaining together kills at full speed, utilizing the various other superpowers at your disposal.

Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment)

Thirteen years after Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake, a sequel finally arrived, and it’s the quintessential distillation of everything the developer has done up until this point.

It’s a weird, meta tale that blends mediums in an impressively seamless way. The shift between Alan’s and Saga’s sides of the story gives us two distinct flavors of horror that intertwine at key moments.

Stay Out of the House (Puppet Combo)

It was pretty remarkable that Amnesia: The Bunker condensed a horror immersive sim into such a small space, but Puppet Combo’s Stay Out of the House manages to pack that into an even smaller space.

You have to escape the house of The Butcher by utilizing whatever you can find. Get caught, and it’s back in your cage. Each run gives you the opportunity to discover more about how the house works and the backstory behind The Butcher.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Gun Media)

After an unfortunate licensing drama with Friday the 13th, Gun Media clearly wasn’t deterred from bringing beloved horror franchises to life in video game form, and we should be glad because it gave us The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Taking the asymmetrical multiplayer model of games like its Friday the 13th game and Dead by Daylight, Gun, and Sumo change things up by pitting a team of three family members against four unlucky potential victims. The change makes for an intense cat-and-mouse dynamic distinct to this game.

Dead Island 2 (Dambuster Studios)

Given the rocky history of Dead Island 2’s path to release and the emergence of rival franchise Dying Light by original Dead Island developers Techland in the years since it would have been understandable if Dead Island 2 turned out to be a bit of a stinker.

Yet, thanks to Dambuster Studios, it turned out to be not only good, gory fun but the best Dead Island game by far. Its tongue-in-cheek humor, detailed zombie degradation system, and general blood-splattered combat combine to make for a fine multiplayer hoot.

Dredge (Black Salt Games)

Fishing has been a staple of game activities for some time now, but few outside actual sims make that the basis for an entire game. Black Salt Games thought it was worth a go, and Dredge was the unholy result.

This open-world fishing sim has an increasingly dark undertone that taps into the core of Lovecraftian horror. The murmured warnings not to stray too far at night, the messed up fish you occasionally haul in, and the strange, ambiguous way locals talk about things. When the horrors of the deep do finally show themselves, your little fishing boat never felt more vulnerable.

The post Best of 2023: PlayStation Horror Games appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Max Payne voice actor James McCaffrey has died at the age of 65 after a battle with cancer.

Remembering James McCaffrey

TMZ reported McCaffrey’s death, and noted he passed away on Sunday whilst surrounded by family and friends.

In all three installments, McCaffrey provided the gravelly tones for Remedy Entertainment’s Max Payne. He also voiced Thomas Zane and Alex Casey in the Alan Wake series, reprising the role of Casey only this year for Alan Wake 2. mcCaffrey also appears in Remedy’s Control as the voice of Zachariah Trench.

Outside of Remedy games, he also voiced Edward carnby in the 2008 Alone in the Dark.

McCaffrey was just as busy in television and film. He starred in shows such as Rescue Me, Revenge, Jessica Jones, Suits, and Sex in the City. In film, he starred in the likes of American Splendor, Hide & Seek, and the Max Payne movie.

A representative for McCaffrey put out a statement that reads “One of Dick Wolf’s proteges (“”Swift Justice), McCaffrey went on to a successful 35-year career in television and film. Trained at the Actor’s Studio, he never lost his love for creating characters; however, his good looks often pushed him toward leading man roles.”

Remedy is currently remaking the first two Max Payne games.

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Despite being a critical hit, Alan Wake 2 may have suffered in terms of sales, partly owing to the lack of a physical disc. Remedy Entertainment had said that it opted to make the game digital-only because of a shift in consumer preferences as well as its desire to limit the price tag to $60.

Alan Wake 2 sales remain somewhat of a mystery, and here’s why

Alan Wake 2’s sales are hard to account for because publisher Epic Games doesn’t provide digital data, leaving analysts to estimate its performance based on various factors like player engagement. Circana’s Mat Piscatella reports that during the month of November, Alan Wake 2 ranked 113 on the PS5 and 147 on Xbox consoles in terms of player engagement. Meanwhile, Ampere Analysis estimates that Alan Wake 2 sold around 850,000 copies across consoles.

It’s possible that Alan Wake 2 fared better on PC, but it is worth noting that the game is exclusive to the Epic Games Store, much to its own detriment, considering a significant number of players on other popular platforms like Steam have been left out.

When asked if the situation is as dire as it seems, Piscatella opined that Alan Wake 2 may have benefitted from better marketing and better reach, including a disc release.

It probably didn’t help that Alan Wake 2 launched in a busy period packed with blockbusters like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

The post Lack of Alan Wake 2 Physical Disc Seems to Have Hurt Sales appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Remedy Entertainment has confirmed that the next Alan Wake 2 update will be released on Monday, December 11, across all platforms. This update will bring the highly-requested New Game Plus mode along with a new ending and Nightmare difficulty.

Alan Wake 2 December 11, 2023 update details

Alan Wake 2’s new ending is titled The Final Draft, and according to Remedy, it’ll make “sure to spark speculation and theories among our dedicated fans.” Accompanying the new ending will be new lore via new videos and manuscripts that have been added to New Game Plus. Remedy also teased some “subtle additions” that the studio has left players to discover themselves.

New Game Plus will allow players to keep all weapons, charms, and character upgrades from the first playthrough. Players will certainly need them when opting for the Nightmare difficulty, which Remedy says will offer “intensified enemies, strategic gameplay, and an adrenaline-pumping experience that will push your skills to the limit.”

Players will find all their weapons from the first playthrough in the first available shoebox. They won’t be in the inventory at the start of New Game Plus.

Alan Wake 2’s update next week will also bring numerous bug fixes and improvements, patch notes for which will be available nearer the time.

The post Alan Wake 2 December Update Adds New Game Plus, Nightmare Difficulty, and More appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Remedy Entertainment has teased an imminent release date for the Alan Wake 2 New Game Plus mode.

Wake Up Again

The Finnish studio put out a post on social media that was far less cryptic than you’d normally expect from the developer of Control.

While a New Game Plus mode is nice enough in any game that offers it, Remedy previously promised it would bring something a bit different on the new playthrough.

The Alan Wake 2 New Game Plus mode will allow players to keep unlocked upgrades and weapons, provide a new Nightmare difficulty mode, and, most intriguingly, a new alternative narrative, including new Manuscript pages and new video content.

Remedy’s Sam Lake also previously revealed there would be more free DLC and two paid expansions for Alan Wake 2. The first, Night Springs, is due to come out in Spring 2024, while the second, The Lake House, has a more tentative 2024 date.

Alan Wake 2 is out now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It is currently available in digital form only.

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If Nicki Minaj can be in Call of Duty, then Alan Wake can sing and star in a music video. This is exactly what he has done in the Old Gods of Asgard music video for Herald of Darkness.

Show me the Champion of Light

One of the most memorable moments of Alan Wake 2 is the chapter titled We Sing, in which Alan Wake’s interview on a talk show turns into a multimedia musical number. Wake is played physically by Finnish actor Ilkka Villi and voiced by Matthew Porretta (Control’s Dr. Casper Darling). Both get a runout in the rock epic that spans almost 15 minutes in its original form.

The music video doesn’t just display game footage all over again; it gives us a unique presentation of the talk show interview and shapes it into a more manageable sub-10-minute package (which is still enough time for guitar solos and Alan’s brief Jazz bit). It’s still sublimely daft and catchy.

The song has also been released on music streaming services such as Spotify, with Game, Video, and Radio edits available to listen to.

Old Gods of Asgard is the alter ego of Finnish band, Poets of the Fall. The former was introduced in the original Alan Wake, and they had musical set pieces in that game and Remedy’s Control during he notable Ashtray Maze section. Old Gods of Asgard have a more significant role in Alan Wake 2, albeit not always in their more youthful visage seen in the video.

Poets of the Fall have contributed music as themselves to Remedy games before, including Late Goodbye for Max Payne 2.

Alan Wake 2 is in the running for Game of the Year at December’s The Game Awards, facing stiff competition from Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Resident Evil 4, and Baldur’s Gate 3.

Alan Wake 2 is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Epic Games Store on PC.

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