Is Alan Wake 2 Scary? – Answered

Ooooo spoooooooky.

Alan Wake 2 box art
Image via Remedy Entertainment.

Alan Wake 2 is labeled as a horror game when you look at official locations, but does that mean it’ll actually scare you? Here’s whether Alan Wake 2 is scary.

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Will Alan Wake 2 Scare You?

I’ll be going off my own experience here since I’ve put about 10 hours into the game so far. Alan Wake 2 definitely lives up to its name in terms of being a scary game, and this is for a few reasons. For one, you’re fighting enemies that have strangely distorted voices, ranting and raving about who they were in a past life. It’s deeply unsettling on its own, even if it doesn’t have a huge effect on me at this point. You’re also visiting locations that can go from peaceful to hostile within moments, which I suppose has its scare factor.

What is more scary though, albeit in a cheap way, is the game’s use of jumpscares. It uses them all the time, and I’ll admit that a few of them did get a jump out of me. Whether it be enemies sneaking up from behind when I don’t expect it, or images flashing on screen at inopportune times, it’s all there. Unless you’re immune to this sort of thing, that will definitely spook you.

All around, I’d say Alan Wake 2 is scary though not as scary as some other games. I was spoiled with Amnesia: The Bunker scaring the living hell out of me earlier this year, so it’s pale in comparison. However, it won’t be as peaceful as your casual run-through of Stardew Valley either. Plus hey, you got a few reliable guns to solve your problems.

Alan Wake 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you’re looking for more information regarding the game, check out our guide on Alan Wake 2’s future expansion packs.

About the Author

Shawn Robinson

Shawn is a freelance gaming journalist who's been with Prima Games for a year and a half, writing mainly about FPS games and RPGs. He even brings several years of experience at other sites like The Nerd Stash to the table. While he doesn't bring a fancy degree to the table, he brings immense attention to detail with his guides, reviews, and news, leveraging his decade and a half of gaming knowledge. If he isn't writing about games, he's likely getting zero kills in his favorite FPS or yelling at the game when it was 100% his fault that he died.