Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 300 sampled Steam reviews (260 positive / 40 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing45% mention it
- Combat9% mention it
- Grind & repetition9% mention it
- World & exploration8% mention it
- Visuals & art7% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing50% mention it
- Combat30% mention it
- Grind & repetition23% mention it
- Visuals & art18% mention it
- Controls & UI18% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
69%
62 reviews
5-15h
92%
163 reviews
15-40h
87%
62 reviews
40-100h
100%
10 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
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.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 83 | 6 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 86 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 84 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 85 | 33 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 90% | 84 | 168 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 300 reviews sampled · 480 total reviews in window · weighted 204.4 up / 23.9 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (97)
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.
- 75
“The narration is the centerpiece of a misguided effort to keep players from drawing their own conclusions. That’s a disappointment, given the enormous potential here.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Ultimately, Alan Wake is driven -- as is any good story -- by the impulse to see what happens next. It offers up a believable world, characters worth caring about, enjoyable combat and a narrative I wanted to follow.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Remedy has done a cracking job with Alan Wake, providing a game that's solid entertainment of the survival horror nature from start to finish. There are some moments where the game does feel a bit 'samey' in terms of design, but with such an engaging and captivating story, you'll feel compelled to drive onwards and see it through to its conclusion.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Alan Wake doesn't revolutionize the video game medium, but it will definitely get inside gamers' heads.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Remedy have proved that they’re not just a one-trick pony, creating a game that’s starkly different to Max Payne but also deeply referential to it. The clever story, great voice work and presentation all work to sweeten an already sweet deal.”
read full review ↗ - 82
“Despite a five year gestation period and some unfortunate gameplay flaws, Alan Wake remains a powerhouse of interactive storytelling and sometimes unbearable tension.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With the gripping story, the chaotic gameplay and brilliant graphics, it is a game that stands out among the best games on the system.”
read full review ↗ - 67
“While the dark spooky woods environment can get a little tedious - as can the combat, the story telling is compelling enough to keep you moving forward and just when you finally think you know what is going on, the game will turn it upside down, flip you the bird, and have you rethinking everything all over again - right up until the credits roll.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“The new gameplay and the fights against horrifying shadows is very well made, but it‘s too repetitive to play for a longer period. So, the story loses a lot of drive and that‘s pretty unfortunate. Alan Wake has the looks of Max Payne, but without innovation. Nevertheless, if you‘re looking for 12 hours of horror action, Alan Wake is your way to go.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“When presented with an infinite number of possible resolutions, any answer is going to feel arbitrary. Alan Wake starts strong but finishes weak; neither the gameplay nor the story deliver on their potential by the time the credits roll.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“All in all, Alan Wake is a brilliant piece of storytelling and one that is going to stand out as an example of single-player gaming done right.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ultimately, how much you enjoy Alan Wake’s rollercoaster ride depends on how invested you become in its sophisticated yarn. And it’s one hell of a story, capped off by a quiet, breathtaking denouement that makes good on the opening lines of Alan’s initial descent.”
read full review ↗
The A.V. Club
GameWatcher
ZTGD
Worth Playing…and 85 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update NotesSep 10, 2024
- Alan Wake update 1.05 released!Mar 21, 2012
- Alan Wake update 1.05 released!Mar 21, 2012
- Alan Wake 1.04 update out.Mar 20, 2012
- Alan Wake 1.04 update out.Mar 20, 2012
- Alan Wake 1.03 update out!Mar 7, 2012
- Alan Wake 1.03 update out!Mar 7, 2012
- Alan Wake 1.02 update out!Feb 23, 2012
- Alan Wake 1.02 update out!Feb 23, 2012