Highlights

  • Alan Wake 2's Night Springs DLC showcases Remedy's mastery of meta aspects in its games.
  • Night Springs features three alternate stories with a fun, entertaining twist on the Alan Wake universe.
  • The DLC offers fresh content and hints at the future of the Remedy Connected Universe.

Alan Wake 2 continues to ride high on its success that began almost immediately after its launch last October. Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake 2 arrived 13 years after the original entry to high critical and fan acclaim, with many praising its survival horror design and use of live-action elements spliced into the action and mind-bending story. That story expanded into an even deeper narrative, weaving multiple characters and plots into a layered tale that twisted and turned into an arresting whole.

Remedy had previously revealed plans for two expansions for Alan Wake 2. The first, Night Springs, was given a "spring" window. However, as that time crept closer with Remedy keeping silent on updates, fans were starting to get anxious about when they might be able to dive into the new content. Studio Creative Director, Sam Lake, quelled these concerns when he appeared at the recent Summer Game Fest to announce, among other things, that the Night Springs DLC would be released shortly after the event. Now that Nights Spring has arrived, it's clear that the developer's skills continue to shine when it comes to employing meta aspects in its titles.

Alan Wake 2 's second expansion, The Lake House DLC , is set for release later this year and will possibly be closely connected to Control.

Alan Wake 2 night springs dlc rose with shotgun
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Alan Wake 2's Night Springs DLC Shows Remedy Remains the 'Master of Meta Worlds'

Spoilers for Alan Wake 2 's Night Springs DLC.

Remedy's Flair for Meta Devices Reaches Far Back

While it may not have been until the first Alan Wake that Remedy pushed the meta envelope to new heights, the studio has long displayed a love affair with experimenting and incorporating multimedia elements into its titles. The original Max Payne games famously had the dour detective able to watch episodes of the TV show, Address Unknown, which seemed to mirror Max's situation and memories in creepy and eerily surreal ways. On the other end, Lords and Ladies was a lighthearted romantic comedy skit show that injected a bit of needed humor into the intensity and tension of the rest of the experience. Every title in Remedy's catalog has played with elements like these to various degrees, with Alan Wake marking a bigger use of them.

Remedy Makes Great Use of its Meta Tricks Again in Alan Wake 2's Night Springs DLC

Like the above, Night Springs is an in-universe TV series in Alan Wake, with Alan's backstory stating he began his career writing episodes for it. Thus, it's no surprise that it's been featured in some form since, and the titular DLC puts a fitting spin on this facet. Night Springs is a funhouse of three alternate story scenarios framed as versions of Night Springs scripts that Alan is feverishly penning in his attempts to wrestle back his sanity and escape the Dark Place.

Number One Fan features perky waitress, Rose Marigold, in a soap opera-like quest to rescue her hero, Alan, from the clutches of his "bad boy" evil twin, aka Mr. Scratch. It's quirky and sincere, giving Rose's cheery personality more of the spotlight. North Star focuses on Control protagonist Jesse Faden, as she finds herself in a warped version of Alan Wake 2's Coffee World amusement park that is under supernatural duress. Time Breaker, starring Shawn Ashmore as a version of himself playing an interpretation of the character of Tim Breaker from the main campaign, has players going through a retro 16-bit side shooter section and later, an old school text adventure. All of these aspects are cleverly entwined with the core gameplay of the base title, and create an enjoyable collection of "What If?" styled adventures.

While this DLC may not necessarily answer some of the more outstanding mysteries and threads from the existing tale, it provides great new content while giving fans a fun look at some of Alan Wake's other characters. Night Springs acts almost like a teaser for what Remedy almost assuredly has more in store for the future. The second expansion is likely poised to be the more significant story bridge into the next chapter of the Remedy Connected Universe, and if Night Springs is any indication, Remedy will deliver on this promise in a big way.