Is Alan Wake 2 scary?

Alan Wake 2 is a follow up to the 2010 original. Alan Wake 2 leans much more into the horror and thriller genre than its predecessor, but before you start your investigation, you might want to know just how scary Alan Wake 2 can be.

Though a beloved game of its time, the original Alan Wake was far more of an adventure game than a horror title. The follow-up coming over a decade later cranks things up a few notches and will take you on an lengthy investigation into a cult in a small, unsuspecting town.

How scary is Alan Wake 2?

Alan Wake 2 is firmly a survival horror game with very persistent horror themes. You should expect a fair amount of jump scares while traversing through its unsettling environments.

Alan Wake 2 takes inspiration from popular investigation thrillers, namely HBO’s True Detective. In the game, FBI agents Alex Casey and Saga Anderson venture into Bright Falls to uncover strange murders allegedly being perpetrated by a mysterious cult.

Despite the long wait between games, I would heavily advise you to play or read the plot of the original Alan Wake before picking up the sequel. Alan’s personal story specifically refers to events that happens in the previous game, and it could help you prepare for Alan Wake 2‘s scariest elements if you know about the monsters from the first game.

As a survival horror game, Alan Wake 2 also integrates survival elements into its gameplay. Not only do you need to piece together evidence of grizzly murders, but you are also limited in terms of the equipment you can carry.

You’ll also see various autopsies performed throughout the game that show the murder victims. If you are squeamish about corpses and body horror, then you might want to skip past these parts.