You know what your Steam library needs? Another game you buy on a whim because it’s oh-so-cheap. For the next week, that honor could belong to the Alan Wake franchise, which is currently on sale for .99 cents if you just want the base game, or $1.24 if you’re willing to shell out extra for its stand-alone DLC, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare.
Originally released in 2012, Alan Wake is a psychological thriller where you play a writer whose primary weapon is a flashlight. Think Twin Peaks by way of Luigi’s Mansion, except it’s made by the same people behind Max Payne. Meaning, it’s got action and narrative chops. Alan Wake knows how to handle a gun, but you can’t just mow down your enemies on sight. Instead, you have a flashlight that you must shine on enemies to burn off their shield of darkness. Focus the light for long enough, and they’ll get stunned into a vulnerable state where you can pull out your revolver and take ’em out.
What made the game special was its thick, spooky atmosphere, which descends like a fog on its sleepy Pacific Northwest town. The story is told as if it were a television series, complete with cliffhangers and in-game interstitials reminiscent of The Twilight Zone. Turns out, anything Alan Wake writes becomes real, and as this world’s version of Stephen King, the man’s written a lot. Expect a lot of surreal imagery, David Lynch references, and coffee Thermos to collect.
The original Alan Wake is now considered a cult classic whose age is somewhat apparent when you play it in 2025, but don’t let that deter you from trying it. If nothing else, it’s a good way to get ready for Alan Wake 2, which by all accounts is a modern horror classic. In it, Alan Wake can literally rearrange the plot elements in his own story to craft a mindfuck of an experience with alternate dimensions, metafiction, and even retcons. Technically, you don’t need to play the first Alan Wake to enjoy the sequel. But fans who have experienced both Control and Alan Wake will be set up to get the most out of Alan Wake 2 (and the planned Alan Wake movie/TV show).
And for a measly dollar, why not?
