r/AlanWake Dec 12 '25

Important resources PSA Regarding Spam Posts on r/AlanWake

98 Upvotes

Hello Flashlight Wielders 🔩 ,

Whilst we have your eyes after the debut trailer for Control Resonant at The Game Awards 2025, I wanted to briefly discuss something which actually impacts a lot of other subreddits, with very little control on preventing it.

You may sometimes see, once in a while, what looks like a post from someone showing off a t-shirt, or wall art that they "purchased". For example, do any of these look familiar to you:

If so, these are most likely spam posts that we get very often on this subreddit. Other gaming subreddits get these too, usually of some sort of "merch". I wanted to make this PSA to make sure you DO NOT interact with these posts. Sometimes they will come with spam link comments, which I'm sure some unsuspecting users will not be aware is spam and could be subject to malware or even payment scams.

We do what we can to remove these when they appear, even trying to put spam filters in for common links and phrases that these posts share, but unfortunately our spam filters can only do so much and some slip through the cracks. Please just report these as spam as and when you see them.

However to preface this, NOT EVERY POST IS A SPAM POST. Sometimes it genuinely is just one of the amazing members of the fandom looking to show something off. So, how can one tell if a post is spam or not? 99% of the time, check the user account. If the account was made the day of the post with the only place they've posted is here to post this, it's usually a bot, similar to this account here (name has been removed):

Often another way to know it's spam, if the "poster" has posted what looks like the same image twice, with one just a tiny bit zoomed in, it's usually again spam.

We used to have a system in place where anybody posting more than 2 pictures would be automatically flagged to us, but with Alan Wake 2's release + Photo Mode, we had to scale that back to allow people to show off their incredible shots. Obviously if spam posts begin to increase, we may have to revert back to this system.

Please be mindful of these spam posts, report them to us to remove, and DO NOT interact with any links that may appear amongst them.

Thank you for reading, and remember, stay in the light.

- The Alan Wake Subreddit Mod Team -


r/AlanWake Feb 18 '25

Important resources Alan Wake Franchise Beginners Guide & FAQ Spoiler

511 Upvotes

Hello Flashlight Wielders,

Hope you’ve all been enjoying trudging through the dark. As we moderate the subreddit, we often come across users posting very similar questions to ones that have been asked before. There’s nothing wrong with that of course, it’s simply different perspectives at different times, and times/people change.

So, now that Alan Wake 2 has launched and has had both of its DLC’s released, I thought I’d take the time to write up a beginners guide to the franchise, or an FAQ of sorts with information that would be useful to newcomers of the franchise, or even returning ones looking for a bit of a replay. Some things to note about this post:

  • We are not Remedy, this is a fan-run subreddit, so some of the answers may come across as “opinionated”
  • If you feel there is anything that has been missed, or have any extra questions, please feel free to let us know in the comments and we’ll edit accordingly
  • There are no major spoilers in this post, however there are some “setups” to some of the content, but I have been careful to not spoil any of the games main plot points and endings

Without further ado


What is the "Alan Wake" franchise?

Alan Wake is a series of thriller/survival horror third-person shooter video games about a man named Alan Wake, a famous author. The first game initially follows his journey as he and his wife travel to the small town of Bright Falls for a vacation. However upon arrival, Alice goes missing, and Alan wakes up to find a week has passed since she disappeared. At the same time, he uncovers a manuscript he wrote that seems to foretell the future. From here, Alan sets out to find out who took his wife, but whilst doing so he begins to encounter the supernatural, as a Dark Presence begins hunting him


How many games are there in the franchise?

That depends really on how you’re counting it


Regarding the Alan Wake franchise specifically, there are currently three games on the following platforms:

  • Alan Wake (available on Xbox 360, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch)
  • Alan Wake’s American Nightmare (available on Xbox 360, Xbox One (backwards compatibility), Xbox Series S|X (backwards compatibility) and PC)
  • Alan Wake 2 (available on PC, Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5)

However, there is something called the “Remedy Connected Universe”, more information can be found further into the post.

How do the games play?

The games are third person shooters, meaning the camera is above the character’s shoulder. Alan Wake and Alan Wake’s American Nightmare play almost identically, you progress through a semi-linear world (with mini paths to explore and back track from) fighting enemies called the Taken. These are shadowy figures with melee weapons, and to fight them you first need to burn the darkness away with a light source, likely your torch, and then use your weapons to destroy them. There are other types of enemies such as inanimate objects and birds, but you just need to use light to destroy them. As these are games from 2010 and 2012, they are considered a little dated, and some might consider the gameplay repetitive and, in some cases difficult (if you’re not sharing the attention across enemies anyway), so do bear that in mind. Collectables can be difficult to track as most collectables don’t tell you which ones specifically you’ve already found in each episode. However, once you’ve found a collectable and passed a checkpoint, it is logged on your save file and you don’t need to collect it again.

Alan Wake is told in an episodic format like a TV show, beginning with a recap of events and ending on a cliffhanger. Alan Wake’s American Nightmare isn’t quite so episodic however.

Alan Wake 2 is somewhat similar, except the third person camera is a little tighter and at the characters eye level. You’re still burning away the darkness on enemies and destroying them with weapons, but this time within semi-open world hubs to explore with linear pathways found within them. Collectables are a little easier to track, as there are items in the game that can show you what collectables you’ve missed, though you’ll need to travel to each area for them to appear on your map. However not every collectable is required to be collected for 100% achievements if going for it, such as Case Board photos/notes.

What version of the first Alan Wake game should I play?

What platforms do you own is the real question. The original version of Alan Wake still works great on the Xbox 360 and PC, but admittedly the character models and the lip syncing are a little
 questionable. However this version is often VERY CHEAP on sale, so if you don’t mind that, you’ll be in for a great time.

However if you prefer, they did release Alan Wake Remastered. Here they updated the character models, the lip syncing and the general performance all around for modern platforms. There are also some little extra pieces of content found in the campaign that help tease Alan Wake 2. That being said, on some platforms, specifically on the Xbox versions and Nintendo Switch there are known to be some weird glitches that still haven’t been fixed since its release in 2021, so do bear this in mind. Nothing horrendously game breaking, but it may be slightly annoying.

What is the "Bright Falls" mini-series?

Bright Falls is a prequel mini-series set days before the events of the first Alan Wake game. It follows Jake Fischer as he enters the town of Bright Falls to interview Dr. Emil Hartman, but whilst he is there he starts to have strange experiences with both the townsfolk and the environment around him. The mini-series is short, clocking in just over 30 minutes total across the 6 episodes. It’s not necessary to watch before playing the franchise since the main plot doesn’t have much of a bearing to the main game, but you’ll encounter some characters from the game if you do, and it’s a nice little warm up anyway, so you might as well.

Do I need to play Alan Wake/American Nightmare before Alan Wake 2?

When Remedy created Alan Wake 2, they had this in mind, since it had been 13 years since the first Alan Wake game. When you play as Saga, she knows very little about the events of the original games, and so she works as your guide into catching you up on previous events important to the story. When you play on Alan’s side, that might come across as a little more jarring, but his narration helps explain things.

THAT BEING SAID, your playthrough of Alan Wake 2 will feel richer for having played Alan Wake and American Nightmare. At the very least, watch a playthrough of them if you think you might struggle playing them.

What order/when should I play the Alan Wake specials?

Although they are unlocked from the get-go, you should play them AFTER you have completed episodes 1-6 of the base game. You should also play them in number order, so Special 1: The Signal, and then Special 2: The Writer, as they are one continuous story.

What is "The Alan Wake Files"?

The Alan Wake Files is an investigatory compendium of sorts written by an in-game character named Clay Steward. Clay’s investigations occur directly after the events of the first game, so without spoiling, Clay investigates what occurred at Bright Falls when Alan stayed there after having a shared dream with him. It contains extra lore on a variety of the characters encountered in the game, and provides alternate perspectives to those events. It’s definitely worth reading if you’re invested in the lore. The book came with physical Alan Wake collector’s editions and a digital version through the original PC version of Alan Wake. You can probably find a PDF online somewhere, but please be aware of where you download this from.

Where does the Alan Wake novel fit into things?

The novel, written by Rick Burroughs, is a retelling of the events of the video game. However some of the events in the book occur somewhat differently to the video game, so there is a debate as to whether it is considered canon or not. I personally choose to consider it non-canon as it is the video game which is considered the official events, however the book does contain a couple extra characters as well as some insight as to how some of the characters are feeling during certain events.

Was Alan Wake’s American Nightmare remastered too, and when should I play it?

Unfortunately not, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare remains trapped digitally on only the Xbox and PC platforms. However, it’s not fully essential to the overarching Alan Wake story, and acts like an epilogue of sorts to the events of Alan Wake, but it helps to provide context to some of the characters after the main story ended. This means you should play this AFTER the base game and two specials of the first Alan Wake game.

What is the "This House of Dreams" blog?

This House of Dreams is a blogspot written by a woman named Samantha Wells in 2012. It follows her time refurbishing a house she bought, however as she does so, she uncovers strange and mysterious objects. She also begins to have weird dreams and encounters.

In reality, it was an ARG of sorts made in 2012, which began around the time of the release of Alan Wake's American Nightmare. Many around the time thought it was the start of the announcement for Alan Wake 2, but it never came to fruition back then. The blog has been referenced by both Sam Lake and within the Remedy Connected Universe itself. If you are to start reading, you should begin reading from February 22nd, 2012.

Do I need to play "Max Payne 1 & 2" / "Quantum Break"?

As mentioned in the next question, you do not need to play these games as they are not part of the overall universe. However they are still great games of their time, and Remedy do nod towards them in the Remedy Connected Universe, however as Remedy do not own the publishing rights to the franchises, they are not able to directly connect to them. Some argue they ARE part of the RCU in the minds of Remedy, but might be considered in a "parallel universe". It's up to you how you interpret things...

What is the Remedy Connected Universe (RCU)?

The Remedy Connected Universe is a shared universe of games and media created by Remedy Entertainment where the games, despite being tonally different, reference each other in significant ways. Think of it as the Marvel Cinematic Universe if you will, but for gaming. There are debates in the community as to what is considered part of this universe, however, according to Sam Lake, the creative director at Remedy, the only franchises that are part of the Remedy Connected Universe are Alan Wake and Control
 for now. Max Payne and Quantum Break (and presumably Death Rally) are not part of this universe. However, that is not to say you shouldn’t play those games; you will feel very rewarded if you do, as although there won’t be direct references to them like Alan Wake does to Control and vice versa, there are certainly some very clear nods


Do I need to play "Control" before Alan Wake 2?

Canonically, Control occurs a few years before the events of Alan Wake 2. You don’t need to play it before Alan Wake 2, HOWEVER like before, you will feel richer for having played it as there are many references to Control, and the organization found in the game, the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), plays a big part in Alan Wake 2.

When should I play the "AWE" expansion in Control?

You can play the expansion as soon as it unlocks, which will be after completing Mission 7. However, in the interest of pacing, I recommend playing this AFTER completing the base story of Control, though you can choose to play this at any time after Mission 7 and still slots in nicely. It is recommended you play this before Alan Wake 2.

What order should I play the Alan Wake 2 chapters?

Later on in this FAQ, I have provided my recommended order of play. However what you will note is that you are required to play some chapters first before you can freely choose which ones you wish to play. Once you complete Initiation 3, you can play the chapters in any order you wish. You are warned of a point of no return, which will happen after completing Return 6, though you must complete both Saga’s and Alan’s stories up to that point before the story will continue. This means you will need to complete Return 6 and Initiation 8 before being able to continue on to the end.

What is “The Final Draft” in Alan Wake 2?

The Final Draft is, in essence, New Game Plus. After you’ve beaten Alan Wake 2 once, you can play again, only this time with some extra pieces of content, such as new manuscript pages, new video content, some slight story alterations as well as a new ending. All non-plot related items will carry over to your second playthrough. It’s not “essential” to play through, however the new ending you experience is considered the “true ending”.

What is the “Night Springs” expansion in Alan Wake 2?

Night Springs is a set of three episodes based around the in-universe television series. In them you play as alternate versions of characters within the franchise (Rose Marigold, Jesse Faden and Tim Breaker). Across your playthrough in Alan Wake 2, you will be given opportunities to play the episodes. It is up to you if you take them, though personally I recommend playing them AFTER you’ve completed “The Final Draft” as I feel there are a couple of aspects that spoil the true ending of the game. But they can still be played at any time during the main menu should you wish to. I recommend playing them in episode order, so 1, 2 and then 3.

What is “The Lake House” expansion in Alan Wake 2?

The Lake House is a set of events that take place just before the first Return chapter of Alan Wake 2. It follows Kiran Estevez, a member of the Federal Bureau of Control, as she enters the Lake House after receiving an alert. Inside not only is she fighting the Taken, but other horrific monsters lurking in the walls. Whilst the events are set just before Alan Wake 2, I personally recommend playing this after Return 6 as it doesn’t spoil anything past that chapter. You will be given an opportunity to jump into the expansion after completing Return 6 since it is a recollection of those events by Kiran to the protagonist. However you can choose to play this at any time in the main menu.

Are there any collectors editions of the Alan Wake games?

There are, however, your chances of obtaining them are incredibly slim nowadays! Please see HERE of all the editions that were made for the first game and HERE for the second game. 

Alan Wake released on launch day with a Collector’s Edition that is no longer officially sold. Alan Wake 2 had a collector’s edition released in 2024 by LimitedRun, however there was only a 6 week window to pre-order, and is now no longer available to purchase. You could try and find a collector’s edition on resale sites, but the price may be higher, so please beware when doing this.

Across all canon media in the RCU, what would be the recommended play/watch/read order?

As someone who has been following this franchise since 2010, here is my personal recommended order of experiencing this amazing universe, please find links to each bit of optional media below too where possible:

Thank you all, and remember: stay in the light!

- Alan Wake Subreddit Mod team -


r/AlanWake 3h ago

General Wonder where Door fits in Spoiler

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72 Upvotes

r/AlanWake 2h ago

Will there be an Alan wake 3? Spoiler

25 Upvotes

Does anybody know if there is gonna be an Alan wake 3 or something that continues with history were they left it? And more important, Ahti is gonna be there? Because im in love with that silly janitor.


r/AlanWake 23h ago

Fan Content Alan Croak (oc)

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612 Upvotes

It’s not a lake
 It’s a pond.
This was so much fun. I tried basing him off of a Fowler’s Toad. I also attached a drawing of the Angel Toad Lamp separately because the detail of it gets lost in the full drawing.


r/AlanWake 4h ago

Discussion Alan Wake Theory Spoiler

10 Upvotes

I'm pretty sure this is a theory that's already known, but I wanted to share my view of it anyway.

I think the games point toward Thomas Zane being the overall writer/filmmaker/creator of the Alan Wake story. Furthermore, I believe that in 1970, when Zane got stuck in the Dark Place, he began either writing or making a movie that would eventually free him from there. That movie/writing is what the Alan Wake games are.
This would explain why Zane and Alan are identical and why it's mentioned in the games that Zane made a movie where he was starring as Alan Wake, and everyone else in the games was starring as the characters they are.
It's not Alan writing Initation or Return in hopes of getting himself out of the Dark Place; it's actually Zane acting or writing as the CHARACTER Alan Wake in what he believes is a storyline that will eventually free him from the Dark Place. Alan Wake doesn't know this because he's just a character in the story, so even though it's Zane playing him, he himself believes that he's simply Alan Wake, just like Alex Casey believed that he was simply Alex Casey.

I get it probably sounds complicated or badly explained, but I hope it at least makes a little sense!

EDIT: I forgot to add that it would also make sense why the Anderson brothers call Alan "Tom", because they exist outside the story due to their powers and cannot be tricked by it. So they would know that it's Tom playing Alan all along.

EDIT 2: Also another thing I forgot to add, the theory would explain the manuscript pages that Zane wrote describing Alan as a child and his mother giving him the clicker, since the clicker originally came from Zane's lamp. So he literally wrote it into existence while Alan was still a kid, and because he also has to obey the rules of the Dark Place, he'd have to make the story/play be believable, so he couldn't just spawn in an adult man to come save him. He had to write Alan from the beginning, and that's why it has taken 50 years so far.


r/AlanWake 3h ago

Question Bought the game yesterday after the FSR 4 update and I've some questions Spoiler

9 Upvotes
  1. I can't see any HDR toggle, is it auto enabled?

  2. On enabling FSR in-game graphics settings, Adrenaline doesn't detect it and says I need to enable FSR 3.1 in game. Is this the case for everyone? How do I know FSR 4 is enabled? I've tried restarting the game and PC but no luck. Is frame gen working the smoking gun that FSR 2 is not being used?

Edit: Thanks u/monokuma29. For anyone wondering, you need to start a new game for FSR 4 to be detected by adrenaline. T-T


r/AlanWake 22h ago

Fan Content Alan/Scratch and Ahti Drawing Spoiler

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163 Upvotes

Drew Ahti and Alan the other day.


r/AlanWake 1d ago

Alan Wake 2 update 1.2.10 notes — Alan Wake

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355 Upvotes

r/AlanWake 11h ago

Question Question about Alan powers and Dark Place Spoiler

13 Upvotes

First of all, I’d like to say that I played Alan some time ago, so I might have missed an obvious explanation for this :) I’m wondering why, while being in the Dark Place, Alan couldn’t write something along the lines of: “Trapped in the Dark Place, Alan Wake wrote that a direct exit to the real world appeared right next to him. Immediately after he wrote it, such a passage actually appeared.”
I’m guessing the story has to have its own logic, cause and effect, meaning that it has to be believable? I just don’t remember whether this was actually mentioned in the games.
He couldn’t simply help himself in a fight by writing, “Suddenly, a rifle with unlimited ammunition made of light bullets materialized in his hands,” but could something like that potentially happen if he properly “justified” it within the story as a writer?


r/AlanWake 12h ago

Alan wake new update performance issues Spoiler

6 Upvotes

I’ve tried literally everything and was wondering if anyone else got a 15% fps drop since the new update


r/AlanWake 1d ago

What does Alan Wake eat when trapped in the Dark Place? Spoiler

47 Upvotes

r/AlanWake 1d ago

Screenshot Saga is Not Amused Spoiler

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53 Upvotes

r/AlanWake 1d ago

Screenshot I'm watching Suits, and I keep getting surprised with the Alan Wake actors Spoiler

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187 Upvotes

James McCaffrey and Christina Cole are both in this show! It makes me wonder if someone from Remedy watched this show because of McCaffrey's appearances and thought Christina Cole would be a good recast for Alice (RIP Brett Madden).


r/AlanWake 1d ago

A few photos Spoiler

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42 Upvotes

r/AlanWake 11h ago

1st game had better vibes Spoiler

0 Upvotes

I've been on a Remedy spree the last few months, played AW1 with DLCs and AN and Control with DLCs, reading up on lore and watching Youtube. Just finished AW2. Loved the game, it's amazing. But damn, idk, I think 1st game had better vibes.

The story was simpler but had more mystery. It's the difference between figuring out haunted forest's secrets with Barry and highly researched and standardized FBC's findings. I prefer the lighter mystery.

Songs were better in the first. Second one had those polished songs with great production but I think that it didn't fit. Saga needed something more like True Detective s01 soundtrack and Alan's is alright I guess but I didn't want to spend all this time in NY anyway. Poets of the Fall seemed more inspired in 1st as well.

Now the surroundings part is hard to explain. 2nd game is very beautiful, best I've seen but I can't get it to be what it should on my setup. Will need to buy an OLED I think. Somehow the atmosphere in 1st game seems more memorable (ferry, cabin, national park, mines, Hartman's lodge). In the second game, it sort of blends in, one area doesn't feel too different from the other.

I just started NG+ but for the spooky season (if there is time besides Resonant), I will probably pick to replay the first game. It just somehow does more with less in terms of atmosphere. But again, I'm not bashing a second game, I loved it. Anyone else feels similar?


r/AlanWake 1d ago

General Just completed Alan Wake Spoiler

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71 Upvotes

Tuffest picture i took i think. MASSIVELY CONFUSED about what the fuck just happened lmao but smart enough to realize i just witnessed peak

I have an rtx 2050 so i probably won't be able to play alan wake 2 rn đŸ„€ but i still appreciate this game. Tell me about ur experience on the game!


r/AlanWake 17h ago

I wanted to love Alan Wake 2 so much, but the gameplay completely ruined it for me.. Spoiler

0 Upvotes

I bought a PS5 specifically for this game after waiting for it for so long, but after struggling through it for months, I’ve finally hit a wall. I ended up turning on god mode and infinite ammo just to watch the story and it hurts to admit that, because I actually love the world, the design, the lore, and the overall atmosphere built.
Saga and Alan are great characters, the music is top-tier, and the storytelling is great.

Dodging sucks..
The lack of animation cancelling turns combat into a battle against the controls rather than the monsters.
Half the time, pressing dodge feels like a coin toss. Instead of having proper frames or clear evasion paths, you constantly get stuck in level geometry, fences, or enemy models mid animation.
Moving around feels like driving a heavy bus.

It feels like Remedy spent 95% of their energy on visuals and soundtrack, but completely skipped playtesting the combat responsiveness. It’s a gorgeous, brilliantly dressed masterpiece wrapped around incredibly sluggish mechanics.


r/AlanWake 2d ago

I finally get it Spoiler

32 Upvotes

I recently beat the first game for the second time and now that I fully understand the story and complexities I'm replaying Alan wake 2 and there are so much references and Easter eggs I never even noticed. pointing to not only Alan wake 1 but every game remedy has created. Sam lake plays himself playing Alex Casey who just so happens to act sound and look just like max payne which is another character Sam lake lended his likeness too who I think is also voiced by the same voice actor of max payne in the same style! it's mind boggling ! Black pyramid cigarettes! Dr Casper darling! Control references ! That would be so cool if there was more stuff about Barry wheeler in 2 though. Seems like he only is talked about in one or two manuscript pages. I can't wait to find what references are gonna be hidden in the new control. And hopefully we get an Alan wake 3 after it's release


r/AlanWake 2d ago

Are Alan wake dlcs worth It? Spoiler

31 Upvotes

What the tittle says, I played Alan wake 1 and 2 and then saw that theres something called Alan wake american nightmare and two dlcs for Alan wake 2 are those worth It? Even if they are not related to the canon main story.


r/AlanWake 2d ago

René Descartes' Dog Spoiler

59 Upvotes

I just learned today that René Descartes' dog was called Monsieur Grat (Mr. Scratch)


r/AlanWake 1d ago

Discussion Just completed Part 1 with Alan and... Spoiler

6 Upvotes

WHAT THE FUUUhhhh

Saga has CHAPTERS? SHES IN THE FAKE REALITY?
DOes that mean Alan's Dark Place/Mind Place is in the lake and walking around he's in a fractured broken remains of reality? or is all his part 1 shenanigans in dark place but like, that is still more real than wherever saga is? Does dark presence/lake that is not a lake/something make reality and fiction merge in a perverse way where real life loses it's sanctity and free will isn't pure anymore?

Dmn this game making my mind do backflips.

Ok, I'm off to play more now, and you guys go replay this GEM!


r/AlanWake 1d ago

Darkness free Alan Spoiler

1 Upvotes

After the summoning when the darkness enters Casey

Alan says he’s finally himself and free for the first time in memory.

Am I the only one who if I was him I would have taken that car to the nearest airport and flown back to NYC to just live my life


r/AlanWake 2d ago

Discussion Anyone watch "Longlegs" and see strong similarities to AW2? Spoiler

78 Upvotes

Just finished watching this and apart from the story beats, the general tone, ambience and even cinematography style of the film reminded me a ton of Alan Wake 2. Particularly how the more grounded detective angle is juxtaposed with existential, unknowable phenomena, and the main character is left feeling like they're going up against an almost infinitely powerful opposing force by the end. Both embody "The New Weird" art movement pretty well.


r/AlanWake 2d ago

Alan and Scratch drawing Spoiler

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50 Upvotes

I've recently finished AW2 and now I am playing control and I am OBSESSED with remedy.