Alan Wake II: Night Springs

Alan Wake II is an absolute masterpiece. Even against last year's steep gaming competition, the survival horror sequel dazzled with moody visuals, tense gameplay, and mind-bending storytelling that turned developer Remedy’s entire connected universe upside down. Until a sequel arrives, Alan Wake II’s $20 season pass (available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S) provides access to two DLC packs. The first pack, Night Springs, is just two to three hours long, but it expertly delivers more magnificent madness that will leave you speculating for months. It’s an Editors’ Choice winner for horror games and an easy recommendation if you own the base release.

What Is Alan Wake II: Night Springs About?

The Remedy Connected Universe is such a twisted paranormal rabbit hole that it’s hard to begin a summary. Night Springs is a fictional Twilight Zone-esque mystery sci-fi anthology show in Alan Wake’s universe. Alan Wake, a writer, is credited for the scripts. But the lines between fiction, in-game reality, and actual live-action reality are so thin they’re nonexistent. In fact, the game’s director, Sam Lake, is a major character. Alan Wake's story officially connects with Remedy’s previous Control, and unofficially ties in with even older titles, including Max Payne and Quantum Break. 

(Credit: Remedy Entertainment/PCMag)

You don’t necessarily need to know any of that to enjoy the weird fun, but the lore helps you understand what otherwise seems like totally baffling creative choices in line with the game’s heavy Twin Peaks inspiration. This DLC has you play through three different Night Springs episodes. Each one provides its own flavor of dense fan service for Remedy devotees hungry for breadcrumbs. The stories continue Alan Wake’s fascinating themes about the creative process, from fandom to performance. Each level also has a heaping helping of absurdist comedy.

Note that you must own the main game to purchase and access the DLC. This isn’t a standalone spin-off like Alan Wake’s American Nightmare (although the DLC pays homage to that forgotten stepchild). You'll want to play Alan Wake II first anyway to fully appreciate this remix.

The (Funny and Bizarre) Night Springs Episodes

The first episode casts you as Rose, a fan who loves Alan Wake’s writing with Misery levels of passion and intensity. You encounter her in the main game, but here she’s a lovestruck heroine in a much more pink version of the usually gray Bright Falls community. This is the lightest and fluffiest installment, and a good place to start.

(Credit: Remedy Entertainment/PCMag)

Things get much stranger in the second episode, which plays out like an abridged reimagining of Control. You play as that game’s main character, Jesse Faden, once again searching for her brother with the help of a guardian spirit. But now, the sinister conspiracy involves a demonic coffee corporation in a haunted amusement park.

The third and final episode takes us completely through the looking glass. You play as Shawn Ashmore, the actual actor who played several past Remedy characters. Like Everything Everywhere All At Once, Ashmore is conscripted into a multiversal war involving his nemesis (and Night Springs host), the enigmatic Mr. Door. This episode is funny like the others, but its transcendental ending seems like it’ll have serious implications for Remedy’s next projects.

Night Springs Gameplay

Night Springs' storytelling is the main draw. It’s so metafictional that it's like a AAA version of The Stanley Parable. But Alan Wake II is also a mechanically solid and frequently stunning third-person shooter, in line with recent Resident Evil remakes. That quality carries into the DLC.

(Credit: Remedy Entertainment/PCMag)

Each episode has its own gameplay spin. With her automatic shotgun, Rose’s portion resembles a boomer-shooter as she blasts away hordes of Wake’s haters. Jesse’s level resembles the main game's Saga Anderson missions, with a grounded mix of stealthy combat and environmental puzzles. Finally, Shawn Ashmore’s section starts with reality-shifting mechanics before violently morphing into all sorts of surprising genres I won’t spoil here.

The game still looks great, too, with its uncanny blend of photorealism and interdimensional corruption. I played on my Xbox Series S and didn’t encounter any of the frequent crashes that plagued Alan Wake II at launch. Granted, Night Springs repurposes many locations from the main title, but the new additions are impressive. Even the funky Night Springs theme song (first heard in Alan Wake II's soundtrack) gains new life as you transition between episodes.

The DLC’s biggest bummer is just its short length: You can beat Night Springs in about two or three hours. Here’s hoping the next upcoming installment, The Lake House, is a bit more substantial.

Verdict: Must-Play DLC for Alan Wake Fans

Months after its release, I’m still absolutely obsessed with Alan Wake II. Its looping narrative has drilled its way into my head in a way only Hideo Kojima’s games have accomplished in the past. On paper, I should be disappointed that the Night Springs DLC is a relatively brief remix of existing assets. But with its bonkers mythology, unique playable characters, and incredible atmosphere, I left the game just as energized as when I first saw Alan Wake burst into a rock opera back in October. Bless Sam Lake and those Finnish fiends at Remedy, they did it again.

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