RecommendedSteam player
If the original game is a stephen king book, this is a quentin tarantino movie.Show moreShow less
6.4 hours at review109 people found this helpful
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
Alan Wake's American Nightmare pairs a standalone story about Mr. Scratch with an Arcade Mode built around fighting with light until dawn. At its current tracked low, it costs ≈ $0.79 from 
Kinguin. The mix suits players seeking a focused solo story with leaderboard challenges as an extra reason to return.
The Steam PC version supports full controller use. Check that the available languages meet your needs before buying. At $1.34 from Kinguin, this matches the tracked low for this site; English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, and Russian lists the available interface languages.
KinguinAlan Wake's American Nightmare PC Steam CD KeyAll-time low ~ $0.89across Steam & third-party storesat the recorded all-time low
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Price History
Past 36 months · Updated dailyHistorical Low~ $0.892025-06Current Low Across Stores~ $1.34GOGvs. Historical Low+51%
Prices cover Steam and 39 authorized stores; only legitimate offers are counted. The chart shows weekly market-wide lows and Steam's official price across the past 36 months.
01About Alan Wake's American Nightmare
Alan Wake's American Nightmare pits Alan against his murderous double, Mr. Scratch, as he tries to reclaim his life and change reality. The standalone story mode follows this new conflict. Arcade Mode challenges you to fight with light until dawn and compete on leaderboards. The Steam PC version supports single-player and full controller support. English full audio is available. Player rating: 74% positive from 8,450 reviews. Released May 22, 2012.
Credits
WRITER
Sam Lake
Finnish video game writer
Developer
Remedy Entertainment
Publisher
Remedy Entertainment
Lowest recorded in 36 months
$0.892025-06-18 · GOGBase game · same records as the chart above; USD history, not a regional Steam low.Language support
| Language | Interface | Subtitles | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Yes | — | Yes |
| German | Yes | — | — |
| French | Yes | — | — |
Show 7 more languages
| Language | Interface | Subtitles | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Yes | — | — |
| Spanish | Yes | — | — |
| Japanese | Yes | — | — |
| Czech | Yes | — | — |
| Hungarian | Yes | — | — |
| Polish | Yes | — | — |
| Russian | Yes | — | — |
Steam PC edition data · 2026-10-20
02Before you buy
Play and controls
The Steam PC version supports single-player and full controller support.
Language
English full audio is supported. The Steam language list also includes other supported languages.
03Frequently asked questions
Is there a story mode?
Yes. The story follows Alan Wake as he fights his murderous double, Mr. Scratch.
What is Arcade Mode?
Yes. Arcade Mode challenges you to survive until dawn and compete on leaderboards.
How does combat work?
Light is central to combat: use it to confront dangerous enemies stalking in the shadows.
Popular Steam reviews
Native-language selection · 10 reviewsSelected helpful reviews in this language show both recommendations and criticisms. This selection does not represent the overall positive rating; opinions reflect the version reviewed.
Not recommendedSteam player
I enjoyed the original Alan Wake immensely: for me it is still one of the prime examples of how an action-adventure 3rd person game can be made into an exciting and scary experience. So I started playing Alan Wake's American Nightmare with high expectancies, but quickly the game let me rather down own this. American Nightmare is not really a sequel nor a prequel to the original, it's more like a standalone game on the same "universe", but on a much smaller scale, so in the end it felt like some sort of expansion pack to me, using the same protagonist, game mechanics and of course game engine. This engine still stands firm and delivers more than decent graphics: it's great in creating an atmosphere thanks to superb lighting, something which the original game used to immensely scaring effect. Although graphics are fine in this new installment, the actual gameplay is not. It felt almost painful to see the original game's tension and feeling of being utterly desperate while fighting off the forces of darkness turned into some Rambo-like experience. In the original game, guns, ammo and the ever-important batteries for the flashlight (sometimes it was the ONLY weapon to fight of enemies) were so scarce at moments that it almost drove me crazy, but the feeling of relief and accomplishment after finally getting further in the story, was all the more satisfying for it. American Nightmare uses the same game mechanics, but provides such an arsenal of over-powerful weapons, an almost endless supply of ammo and a flashlight that recharges in a matter of seconds. As a result of these changes, the entire gaming experience changed from an exciting horror adventure to a lacklustre shooter where I just blasted my way past hordes of enemies. Were it not for the obvious comparison to the original game, I'd probably have enjoyed American Nightmare a bit more, especially since after finishing the story there are a number of arcade-levels where the goal is just to get as many kills and as high a score as possible. These are played on fairly large and well-developed maps, and felt like playing more natural than the story. The story, perhaps the main protagonist in the original Alan Wake, is perhaps the weakest point in this newer installment. It's made coplex in an unnatural feeling way and lacks focus. But most problematic of all, it forces the player to play through the three locations (only three!!) three times, each time "altering history" a little bit, but in the end this feels more like a gimmick and the net result is simply too repetitve a game. I'd loved to give this game a heartily recommendation as a worthy addition to the brilliant original one, but it really fails to do so. As it stands, it's not a bad game, but it did not live up to my expectancies at all. Gameplay: 15/30 Graphics: 14/20 Sound: 8/10 Technical: 6/10 (it felt like being slower and less well optimized) Replayability: 6/10 (SP only, but the arcade levels add some extra challenges with leaderbords) Steam integration: 5/10 (no cards, a small bunch of achievements, while the original game really shined here) Personal appreciation: 4/10 Overall score: 58/100Show moreShow less
7.9 hours at review142 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
This third-person action thriller continues the story of Alan Wake, who battles a dark doppelganger in a time loop, using light as a weapon against the forces of darkness. I was wondering whether to recommend it or not, but I will recommend it to those who want to see how Alan Wake's story unfolds. I wouldn't recommend it to people who expect a good, excellent story. ✅ Continuation of Alan Wake's adventures from the first game and explains what happened after the events of the game. ✅The graphics are truly a masterpiece, even better than in Alan Wake 1 (first of all, the characters' faces look like they were created with the latest engine, and let me remind you that the game is from 2012). ✅Matthew Porretta is very well-acted as Alan's evil, psychopathic twin. ✅We get to see more weapons in this expansion, and these weapons fit perfectly. ✅Great soundtrack that fits the atmosphere and the game. ✅More dynamic combat and action than in Alan Wake 1. ✅More open world than in the main story. ✅What I always like in every game is the "reward" for finding manuscripts, because thanks to them, we can unlock new weapons. ✅New arcade mode and several maps where you have hordes of enemies to fight for 10 minutes and compare your rankings with friends. ✅Two difficulty modes: Normal and Nightmare. ✅Radios, televisions, and manuscripts to find (we have a radar that shows us on the map how close we are to a manuscript). ✅New enemies that teleport, split, and are fast. ✅Good price for an expansion. ❌The developers probably ran out of ideas for the story; we only have three locations and the tasks "collect an item and protect the area," and that's how the whole story unfolds. ❌Poor game optimization; I sometimes had serious glitches despite having powerful hardware. ❌Definitely weaker enemies than in Alan Wake 1, despite the same difficulty level. ❌Less diverse locations, mostly empty. ✅✅ Verdict: Very Bad , Bad , Decent , Good , Very good , Excellent , Masterpiece If you have any questions about my reviews, feel free to ask. I'm happy to answer them. All reviews are my own!! Best regards, King Viking Bezimienny, Polish Game Reviewer.Show moreShow less
5.5 hours at review105 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
I don't understand why this game is so highly rated. The game is repetitive (you basically have to replay the game 3x as part of the story), and the voice acting and writing are horrible. Seriously, isn't Alan Wake supposed to be a writer? The dialogue in this game is laughably bad. The story is very weak, and doesn't add much to the original. The atmosphere of this game isn't anything like Alan Wake. The original had plenty of moments keeping you on the edge of your seat; this one isn't frightening at all. For how good Alan Wake was, this one is that bad. Save your time and money and do not get this game.Show moreShow less
3.6 hours at review50 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
American Nightmare is a fun combat focused episode set between the original game and the not-yet-if-ever-released sequel. In this chapter Alan is trying to escape from the Dark Place by writing a script of a twisted TV show, where he can alter reality and defeat his doppelganger, Mr. Scratch as he tries to take over Alan's life in the 'real world'. The game brings some fixes of its prequel. The horrible and non-reactive controls are - fortunately - things of the past. It's a much more combat focused game, which is proven by a wast array of weapons you can find, from UZI to combat shotgun. The game introduces some - though not many - new elements and mechanics. There are new enemies like the Splitter, who splits into two when your flashlight is pointed at him. The area map and HUD are reworked, where scripts and points of interest are indicated. It's a nice addition since on the contrary of the first game, here you are encouraged to find those "damn" sheets of papers. You can get better weapons and it is fun, too. While Alan Wake's story was controversial but well written, the same can't be said about this chapter. It sometimes feels rushed and underdeveloped. At least the ending is much more clearer now. The part where the game disappoints the most is the level design. There three only three levels non of which are large to say the least. In addition to this, each of the levels are reused 3 times. In the frame of the story it is understandable but still disappointing. To make it clear, it is not a full fledged game, but neither is a rip off DLC. It's something between, a full game with arcade length. Alan's newest script shouldn't take longer than 4 hours to finish (6 with all the collectibles). Be aware though that normal in this game is easy compared to the prequel, so if you are up to it, try Nightmare difficulty. This can be explained by the combat focused nature of the game. You'll never have to roam trying to find ammunition and your flashlight recharges a lot faster than in the first game. There is a new game mode called Arcade Challenge. It's a simple addition where you have to survive until dawn and score as many points as you can with limited ammunition. You can squeeze a couple of extra hours out of this game mode, but don't expect dozens of hours of fun. On one side this game mode should have been in the first game, but with those horrid controls nobody would've played it. Alan Wake's American Nightmare is not a propel sequel to Alan Wake but it's a nice side story which every fan will enjoy. The game falls short in some places to the prequel (story, level design) but bests it in other areas (controls, combat). Rating: 71/100; Replay Value: 2/5; To Beat: 4 hours; Played on: normal.Show moreShow less
3.9 hours at review85 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
★★★☆☆ Just keep it with the original game and the experimental DLC of it. This stand-alone 'sequel' is just a disappointment. It looks and plays great, but the campaign gets tiresome just too fast: you've to replay the same three (desert) maps three times in the same way as you did before. I got exhausted with the campaign not even half-way into it. It would have been OK if the player - with every revisit of the map - would start on a different spot or had to do something else. In that way, the egregious lack of content and creativity would not have been this obvious. Perhaps it was the narrative that forced the game desingers to create the sense of 'being stuck in limbo', but that is no excuse for making the gameplay so tedious. That is why I like the arcade mode more. It has Twice the amount of maps, no repeating cutscenes and no repeating objectives; just simple, non-stop action. However, with all the survival games out on Steam (including Killing Floor 2) I don't see much reason for anyone to spent more than 2 bucks on this skimpy game.Show moreShow less
11.4 hours at review49 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
Alan Wake's American Nightmare - после событий с первой части прошло целых два года и Алану так и не удалось выбраться из Тёмной Обители. Теперь он попадает в город «Найт Спрингс» и ему вновь предстоит сразить армию злых дядек с топорами, ножами и пилами, но к этому всему добавляются ужасные пауки, которые несмотря ни на что, даже на свет, напрыгивают на вас. Но на этот раз у него будет арсенал лучше! Добавили много разных огнестрельных стволов, с которыми стало гораздо проще уничтожать своих противников. Конечно же здесь есть свой сюжет, но он очень короткий, но игрушка может похвастаться аркадным режимом, где вам нужно выстоять против кучки врагов до рассвета за определенное время. А так же в каждой видюшке можно услышать хорошую музыку, которая вам должна обязательно понравиться. Рекомендую брать игрушку по скидке, так как уж больно короткая, но лично меня она заинтересовала.Show moreShow less
3.1 hours at review65 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
ＲｅｐｅｔｉｔｉｖｅShow moreShow less
7.9 hours at review38 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
Well... they essentially rewrote "Alan Wake", changing it from a psychological horror game into a 80's action movie; complete with SMGs and giant spiders. Sounds about right.Show moreShow less
5.6 hours at review64 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
The original 'Alan Wake' game was one of the most unique single-player experiences I ever had. The story was compelling, the characters were original, and the gameplay was quite inventive. If you're looking for these things in 'American Nightmare', I say: look elsewhere, or simply replay 'Alan Wake'. In this sequel, you follow Alan through a series of dreamlike sequences, and fans of the Jake Gyllenhaal films 'Donnie Darko' or 'Enemy' will be familiar with the ground covered in this game. Unsurprisingly, repeating and attempting to rewrite reality isn't quite as fun in videogame form, and so 'American Nightmare' very quickly degenerates into several hours of mindless repetition. The handful of characters accompanying Alan Wake in this game are incredibly uninteresting, and so the dialogue scenes really aren't worth sitting through. The developers seem to attempt livening the game up with a number of additions in the weapon and enemy departments, but these, again, aren't anything special. I'd only recommend this to: (a) people who've replayed 'Alan Wake' dozens of times, and are lifelong devotees of the character, and (b) people who spot this game massively reduced (i.e. £1 or less).Show moreShow less
3.5 hours at review35 people found this helpful
Source: original Steam user reviews. Helpful votes are an archived snapshot, not live data. Last collected: 08/15/2026.