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Alan Wake II: The Lake House Expansion

Alan Wake II: The Lake House Expansion

Remedy Entertainment · released Oct 22, 2024

SurvivalPCPlayStation 5Xbox Series X

The Lake House is a mysterious facility situated on the shores of Cauldron Lake set up by an independent government organization to conduct secret research... until something goes wrong. Explore the Lake House and embark on two separate adventures as the realities of Saga Anderson and Alan Wake collide again.

73
VGC Score
·No trend datamedium confidence
72%
Press
73%
Player sentiment
202
Ratings

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)7233
All-time Steam reviews0
Metacritic user ratings73101
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)0
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 5h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (7)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 60
    trust 66Oct 25, 2024

    This return to Alan Wake's horror roots feels a little lacking compared to the main game, but its examination of AI and art's relationship with science arguably hides its most daring meta commentary yet.

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  • 70
    trust 66Oct 23, 2024

    Overall, The Lake House is a nice expansion, it doesn't offer much of a story of its own, but it's rich with connections and hints of where Control 2 will go. Ultimately, getting players ready for Control 2 is also the goal of the expansion. Don't expect much else from it.

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  • 80
    trust 61Oct 24, 2024

    The Lake House DLC is another spectacular and spooky slice of Alan Wake II action. It introduces some fantastic new supporting characters to the Remedy Connected Universe, as well as a terrifying new enemy type to overcome and some wonderfully eerie environments to explore. The challenge of its puzzles may be light, but its combat is still chillingly dark even despite the fact it’s not hugely different from that of the main game, and scouring for the many notes, videos, and audio recordings littered throughout its fear-inducing facility made for a genuinely gripping investigation. Funny, frightening, and full of surprises, The Lake House DLC is a tightly paced slice of psychological horror that serves as an absorbing addendum to Alan Wake II.

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  • 84
    trust 59Oct 24, 2024

    A short but intense horror trip that bridges the gap between Alan Wake 2 and the rest of the Remedy universe in a clever way.

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  • 70
    trust 59Oct 24, 2024

    If Alan Wake 2: The Lake House was priced reasonably, it would have been a much better proposition, as it is a worthy continuation of the base game in terms of story, themes, and atmosphere. As the only way to get the expansion is by purchasing the Deluxe Edition, however, I don't think it offers quite enough to upgrade to the more expensive edition of the game for all but the most die-hard fans of the base game and the Remedy Connected Universe.

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  • 78
    trust 57Oct 23, 2024

    The Lake House can be considered a conservative DLC, with a gameplay that does not stray far from the classic Survival template. But what makes it special is the way it connects the universe of Remedy's games, with a narrative and a story that you can enjoy even without knowing the series, and that closes the plot well. Too bad it's too short.

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  • 50
    trust 50Oct 23, 2024

    Alan Wake: The Lake House is a disappointing finale to the game’s content. It was released alongside a solid quality-of-life update, and if you have already spent the extra money on the Deluxe Edition/Upgrade then you might as well check this one out. Just use a guide to keep frustration down.

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