The loop begins again as Alan Wake 2 launches a New Game Plus mode featuring a new difficulty, extra videos and manuscript pages, and a whole new ending
We're never getting out of the Dark Place.
Given Remedy's preoccupation with looping stories in Alan Wake 2, it feels particularly fitting that the game now has a New Game Plus mode. Just as Alan himself is trapped experiencing the same events over and over, now you too can pretend you're in the Dark Place by turning the year's best horror game into a lovely endless limbo for yourself.
As you'd expect, you can carry over all your unlocked weapons and upgrades from your first run—I reckon not having to hunt that stuff down will make a second playthrough very speedy indeed if you want it to be. Or you can properly put your accumulated arsenal through its paces by cranking the difficulty up to the new Nightmare level.
What's more exciting, though, is that New Game Plus also introduces new manuscript pages and live-action videos to discover, weaving even more lore into the game's rich tapestry of surreal horror. It looks like it gives everyone's favourite Control character Casper Darling more screen time too, and who could say no to that?
And once you've finished your playthrough, you'll be treated to a whole new ending unique to New Game Plus. I haven't had chance to see it myself yet, but it's probably a coin flip between being a tease for Remedy's next game, and being even more cryptic weirdness. Honestly not even sure which I'm rooting for at this point.
This will, of course, fit perfectly into everyone's annual replay of every Remedy game. What do you mean you don't do that? It's a holiday tradition among all right-thinking people. Now make yourself a coffee and settle in. And don't forget American Nightmare this time.
The mode is available now, and the accompanying patch also makes some tweaks to visuals and performance and corrects some bugs. Check out the full changelog on Remedy's official site.