All Alan Wake 2 Difficulty Settings and Differences, Explained

Whisking players back to the rural town of Bright Falls, Remedy Entertainment’s long-awaited follow-up tasks two protagonists with unraveling a shadowy string of murders. For those wondering what the differences between the difficulty settings are in Alan Wake 2, we’ll help clue you in.

Which Difficulty Should You Choose in Alan Wake 2?

In total, there are three main difficulty settings in Alan Wake 2, with a fourth coming by way of a future update.

Story Mode

If you’re more interested in the narrative and you’re looking for an easier gameplay experience, then Story mode is a good fit.

Not only does it dial up your damage dealing potential — with most enemies requiring just two or three bullets to defeat — but you’ll also receive much less damage from enemies as well. In fact, when monsters land a blow in this setting, you’ll largely only accrue low chip damage.

However, you’ll still face the same amount of enemies and the puzzles will be just as complex. Furthermore, you’ll also have to remember to burn away enemies’ Shadow Shields by focusing your flashlight on them before you can hurt your foes.

Normal Mode

For those who’re looking for a more balanced gameplay experience where you’ll need to keep an eye on your resources and take on more challenging enemies, then Normal mode should be the right setting for you.

Monsters take around six or seven Pistol bullets to defeat and around two rounds from the Shotgun. Remember to keep collecting Manuscript Fragments to upgrade your gear, and don’t forget to explore every nook and cranny for Lunchboxes, Echoes, and Cache puzzles.

Hard Mode

If you’re looking for a more challenging experience, then Hard mode is the one for you.

On this setting, enemies take significantly more damage to defeat and they deal more damage to you when they land a hit. You’ll need to make sure to collect every upgrade if you’re looking to get through this difficulty setting alive.

Nightmare Mode

While this is setting is not available at launch, Nightmare mode is currently in the works alongside New Game Plus. It’s a little unclear right now, but we assume that the most challenging Nightmare mode will be unlockable once you’ve beaten the main story, much like in past Remedy titles.

Details regarding this mode remain scarce at the moment, though it’s safe to infer that enemies will be far more resistant to damage and should be able to hit you like a truck.

And that’s a wrap for our guide on the differences between the difficulty settings in Alan Wake 2. For more, here’s how to defeat Scratch and how to defeat Mulligan and Thornton. And for even more related content, make sure to check out the links below.