Alan Wake's American Nightmare

Interesting take on the "Stuck in a time loop" trope.

Also contains more action.

Also also love Mr. Scratch.

Exactly what it needed to be - Good fun, an okay story and gameplay which has aged better than its predecessor

I had a fun time playing this. Plenty of ammo, kinda fastpaced, just overall enjoyable.

Mr. Scratch best waifu

Continuation to Alan Wake 1 story wise. Short campagin but gives a little bit of insight to the main storyline after the end of the original game. Game mechanics are similar to the original game. No great sound tracks like the original one. The manuscripts weren't that interesting either. Not a bad game but not that great either.

I absolutely adore remedy entertainment!!! Although this game has its downsides with repetitive gameplay and such it’s still fun! To me at least. I love the Alan wake franchise and I love the remedy connected universe all together.

Short Version
+ Interesting idea
- Not a very good execution

This is pretty much "CoD Zombies" for Alan Wake

Long Version
Apparently this is what was supposed to be Alan Wake 2, but they scrapped the idea and released this. The idea is interesting, but the gameplay itself is meh at best and laughable at worst. Going through the story in a Groundhog day style loop is interesting. I even thought there was going to be some sort of "if you don't figure this out you will keep looping" sort of situation going on (there was not). The way the loop is solved is actually very clever and commendable. Characters remember issues faced during the previous loops and already act to solve them in advance to help you along.
Where it falls apart for me is the actual gameplay. Which means shooting. A lot of shooting. And that's literally it. It's a shooter. And with none of the dramatic flair or intensity of the original where you often really struggled and needed to pull out all the tricks. In this one you take the crossbow and literally one shot everything in the game. Even CoD Zombies has more tension.

It's worth checking out for the novelty and for the Alan Wake story, but if you're looking for a game, skip this.

I guess it's fine if you are really into Alan Wake lore. Besides of that the game is ok..

A nice epilogue to the first Alan Wake game. 8.0-10

Wel. . . it's something alright, it's not gret but not terrible
it's just. . . ok i guess

just feels off with how the narrator sounds so intence but the game is not even close to that.

Another peak Alan Wake game from the top 3 best developers Remedy

Standalone dlc to Alan Wake
More action than base Alan wake
I only really just fucked around with weapons
Still good but not as good as main game

Recommended for: If you enjoyed the first Alan Wake, then this is definitely a fun game to play. The focus is now more on combat, although the story remains the most important aspect. This is accompanied by excellent voice acting and dialogues. However, the game is relatively short and can probably be completed within a few hours.

If you haven’t played the first Alan Wake but find American Nightmare interesting, I would strongly recommend playing Alan Wake first. Technically, it is possible to play this game as a standalone experience, but since the story plays such a crucial role in the Alan Wake games, that doesn’t seem very logical to me. You would simply miss a lot of references to the previous game.

Although the combat has improved compared to the first Alan Wake, I wouldn’t recommend this game to players looking solely for action. In my opinion, you play Alan Wake primarily for the story, and the same applies to American Nightmare. If you're looking for pure third-person action, there are better titles out there.

My experience: I found American Nightmare to be a fun addition to the first Alan Wake. If I were to compare the first Alan Wake to a great Stephen King movie, American Nightmare feels more like a good episode of The Twilight Zone. I just don’t quite understand why this wasn’t released as DLC. Maybe for technical reasons due to all the combat adjustments? I couldn’t find a clear answer to that online.

Technical: The game crashed once while loading a level. Other than that, I had no issues.

Personal rating: 3/5

classic

This is not a sequel or even really a side game, it's more like a fun little arcade game with some lore tidbits and it's great for anyone who loved Alan Wake and wanted more of it. Don't go into it expecting to be blown away, it's just meant to be a fun time

This was panned when it came out but XBOX arcade games are now cool again. had a lot of fun with this one

Highly recommended!

The game still holds up well in 2025. I'm playing it as it is not included in the remastered Alan Wake version.

Worth playing it if you liked the other games

A Great spin-off for the original Alan wake.

While quite short, it's still a sweet little adventure from the minds of Sam Lake and company. However, the arcade mode addition is completely redundant for me. As such, I don't think it's worth 9$ but at around 5$ or 3$? Sure.

Mr. Scratch is a lot of fun, gameplay loop feels weaker than in regular Alan Wake, worth giving a shot since it's so short.

a decent side adventure

certainly the weirdest and pulpiest psychological horror game i've played. it was less of a pyscho-horror but more of a fever dream simulator. the time-loop gameplay gets super boring super fast. [b]but hey, at least the girl mechanic at the motel was hot.[b/]

overall a mildly decent experience, never played a concept like it. (it's just a shooter)

I love Alan wake 1 (not 2 because of DEI). This game is in a nice setting like the first one. I don't really like mr scratch but I always play those games for the setting and it's here. I'm so sad i was dating girls and had a social life when the game were released .... fortunately it's not the case anymore

good fast fun

I'm amazed at all the positive reviews! Have these people never played a good game in their lives?
I was not impressed by the first Alan Wake, but this one is a complete waste of time!

The whole game took me 4 hours to finish and I didn't hurry at all. There are 3 maps total and you are supposed to play them on repeat, doing the same pointless fetching quests. It's the most boring gameplay I've ever encountered! The few NPCs are extremely dull and uninteresting!

I kept playing, hoping to finally get to an interesting part, when the game suddenly finished! It's like... WHAT?!

Adds absolutely nothing of value to Alan Wake's story.

If you played *Alan Wake*, American Nightmare is a must. It’s a direct continuation, expanding the story while shifting to a more action-packed style. Alan is trapped in a twisted version of Night Springs, facing his dark counterpart, Mr. Scratch—a fantastic, sinister villain.

The gameplay refines the original’s combat, adding new weapons, faster pacing, and better enemy variety. While it lacks the deep psychological horror of *Alan Wake*, it embraces a pulpy, surreal atmosphere with time loops and eerie storytelling.

The desert setting feels different but still captures the mystery and unease that define the series. *American Nightmare* takes risks, offering a unique experience while staying true to its roots.

[hr][/hr]
Verdict: A worthy addition for fans—short, intense, and fun. 8/10.

Pretty cool epilogue to Alan Wake 1. The story, characters, and music are pretty good, but the combat kind of sucks. The game is pretty short. It just takes a few hours to beat. If you liked Alan Wake 1 a lot, I think this is worth playing but otherwise it was kind of just okay.

Vastly different from original Alan Wake and the story is confusing as anything, but it's more of the writer we all love.

Alan Wake's American Nightmare is an excellent continuation of Alan Wake, taking place two years after the original game. Alan is still trapped in the Dark Place beneath Cauldron Lake, struggling to escape.

In this installment, the game unfolds like an episode of Night Springs, the fictional TV show from the original game. One night, while Alan's friend and manager, Barry, sleeps, an episode written and starring Alan airs. As you guide Alan through the bizarre events of Night Springs, you'll also confront his doppelganger and worst enemy, Mr. Scratch.

The game is relatively short but packed with fun. It features three main levels to explore that are bound in a time loop, alongside ten Fight Till Dawn arcade-style challenges where you fight waves of The Taken until sunrise. The game is more action-oriented than its predecessor, but fits perfectly as a third special episode of Alan Wake and is an enjoyment to play!

I played and completed Alan Wake's American Nightmare on the Steam Deck, and I highly recommend it to all fans of the Alan Wake series - just be sure to play the original game and its two special episodes first, or it won't make sense!

10/10

Quite a leap from previous Alan Wake in gameplay perspective. Main character has more stamina, greater arsenal is available, flashlight recharges much faster etc. However story leaves more to be desired. Few repeating locations which are very boring to play again and again
In general it is good, enjoyable to play at least

Schizo with a gun shooting at shadows

American Nightmare shifts from the classic horror of the original AW1 to a psychological action thriller, delivering an engaging narrative. With its layered storytelling, nightmarish time-loop structure and unique narrative style... it creates an intense and captivating experience.

Short game but follows up from original Alan Wake. If you liked that game, you'll enjoy this one.

Massive gameplay improvements over the first game, but much easier and less horror focused. The writing remains great even if it is not a massive advancement of the story. Incredibly short, but it has replay value if you enjoy the arcade mode. All in all, definitely recommend it if you enjoyed Alan Wake 1 and want more.

It's not a lake, it's a sh!t

Це не озеро, це г!мно

This is like DLC that nobody requested. The combat is better and there are more enemy/weapon varieties. However, the story in this one is really bad in my opinion. There are only three chapters and halfway through the game the story just restarts. You have to play the three chapters again with slight differences. That is really lazy and lame. I didn't bother finishing it because it felt like a chore to complete. If you like replaying the exact same levels with only minor differences, then you should buy this game. Otherwise, don't bother.

While weaker and a little more action-oriented than the original, American Nightmare is a decent follow-up to the first Alan Wake and definitely worth playing. The Arcade Mode is also pretty fun, adding a few more hours to what is admittedly a pretty short game.

loved this! remedy is clearly just having so much fun here. ilkka villi steals the show as mr. scratch, the idea to play out a bright falls episode is ingenious and the arcade mode absolutely rips - could play it forever.

yeah it's super short and you replay the same levels a handful of times each, but for what it is it absolutely rules.

Murica F*ck Yeah!... Murica F*ck Yeah?... Murica... oh hell nawh! 7/10

The voice actor for Rachel Meadows is so fucking bad I can't believe they kept her in the game

This game was OK, but its better than the Alan Wake 2 and I know that game was funded by D.E.I &/or worked with sweet baby Inc.

Great for fans of the action from the original Alan Wake. Not so much for fans of the story, There is one banger of a song in this game i was not expecting in the slightest.
It's a fun short experience.

Making my way through the Alan Wake games after finishing control and wanting to play Alan Wake 2, this one was lot of fun. The story mode has some juicy tidbits and the combat is much improved from the original.

I finished the story mode in a little under 5 hours which I think was just right for the formula of this game.

Obviously not good as the original game but it ain't half bad either, plus you have arcade mode where you can put on some good music and shoot people while smokin pot. I give it a solid 6.5/10 buy it only when it goes cheap.

Is chillin, a bit repetitive but imagine what wake had to go through and how many times.

If you haven't played it, play it. Sam Lake considers it canon, and it's a darn fun game. It loops back through the same 3 areas but keeps it fresh and fast and fun. Unlike the original game, I did go out of my way to find all the pages, it's not so punishing to do so in this game. It's a fun little jaunt and I'm glad I replayed it before starting Alan Wake II.

Whilst a lot shorter than the original, it still has a lot of charm to it and the gameplay is vastly improved in my opinion compared to the first. The flashlight and combat feels a lot more responsive, the AI on the enemies doesn't feel as bad and the overall gun play is nice as well. The story is just lacking however and is one of those "loop" stories in order to reuse the same maps over and over, however it's a nice and quick story to play if you enjoy the Alan Wake universe and is worth your 2-3 hours if you want to get more arcadey fun from it

7 / 10