The best Remedy games, from Alan Wake 2 to the Fall of Max Payne
Nov. 16, 2023Ranking the best games from Remedy Entertainment that you should play today
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The best Remedy games are a celebration of experimentation and imagination. Remedy Entertainment has spent almost three decades pushing at the boundaries of what is possible within narrative-driven action adventures, typically with a keen focus on cinematic combat and strange storytelling sensibilities. Beloved for its implementation of bullet-time, remembered because of its impactful use of blended live-action, and beloved because of the worlds and characters it has created, the best Remedy games are a true delight.
Following the release ofAlan Wake 2, I thought that there would be no better time to celebrate the best Remedy games of all time. This ranking will stay pretty solid for the time being too, as its upcoming projects are off on a distant horizon; there’s Control 2, a remake package of Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, as well as Project Vanguard and Project Condor – the former a new co-op game made in partnership with Tencent, and the latter a multiplayer spin-off of Control. While we wait for more info on these titles, why not jump back into one of the best Remedy games.
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Alan Wake’s American Nightmare operates in this weird sort of space. It’s not a full sequel to Alan Wake (we’d have to wait 13 years for that), nor is it DLC to the original experience. I’ve always thought of it as an intermission of sorts, a spin-off that furthers some of the lore surrounding antagonist Mr. Scratch and outlines further details for the Wake-heads out there who were desperate to see a little more of how the Dark Place operates. As a result, American Nightmare is a fun, albeit inessential, extension of the Alan Wake universe that’s good for a few hours of play.
Max Payne is the archetypal Remedy game. Despite being over two decades old, it’s a foundational work that this studio is still building on to this day. There’s the dazzling, cinematic action underscored by a combat system that plays with the idea of a fraying reality. An unwavering focus on character-driven storytelling, with a narrative that draws heavily from filmic and folklore influences. And the physical appearance of creative director Sam Lake, who provides the face model for the original Max Payne. The adventure is a little dusty these days, but it’s still no less of a revelation.Remedy is currently working on a full remake in partnership with Rockstar Games.
Quantum Break has proven to be divisive, with the integration of a live-action television show into its structure drawing particular scrutiny. But as a package, Quantum Break is undoubtedly one of thebest narrative-driven adventure gamesaround. Set in a world where time is fracturing, you embark on a journey to repair an unraveling reality. Combat is cinematic and empowering, with Jack Joyce able to wield a variety of time-warping powers, and the storytelling is sublime, with Remedy drafting in Hollywood talent to help drive its narrative into pretty weird territories. Quantum Break is one of thebest games on Xbox Game Passright now, so go give it a try.
Read ourQuantum Break review.
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne remains one of thebest action gamesof its era. In this ambitious sequel, Remedy ramped up the carnage – improving the cinematic sweep of bullet-time combat, and deepening the film noir-inspired narrative flow. Max Payne 2 is a dark and gritty crime thriller with a truly astounding physics system, ensuring that bounding between rooms under a hail of slow-motion gunfire never loses its luster. A polished and powerfully evocative shooter, it’s shocking just how well The Fall of Max Payne holds up over two decades on from its release.
Controlestablishes the Remedy Connected Universe as it pulls us into mysterious occurrences at The Oldest House, the headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Control – a secret government agency that investigates paranatural phenomena. You take on the role of Jesse Faden, the FBC’s new director, and set about cleansing the facility of the invading Hiss – utilizing powerful supernatural abilities and the strange rituals that govern the shape of the looping space. Control is a weird and truly wonderful action game that implements smart metroidvania elements to keep you guessing, with the end result being one of Remedy’s best games to date.
Read the GamesRadar+Control review.
Alan Wake 2 is a triumph. This narrative-driven horror game is a confident confluence of hyper-kinetic action and cinematic spectacle, with Remedy Entertainment pushing the boundaries of what is possible on the current generation of consoles. Alan Wake 2 unravels across two realities, with Saga Anderson working to investigate a series of ritualistic murders in Bright Falls and Alan Wake fighting to write his way out of the looping labyrinth conjured by the Dark Place. Trust me when I tell you that you’ve never played anything quite like Alan Wake 2, an absurdly ambitious adventure with near-flawless execution.
Read myAlan Wake 2 reviewto learn more.
Josh West is the Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar+. He has over 15 years experience in online and print journalism, and holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Prior to starting his current position, Josh has served as GR+’s Features Editor and Deputy Editor of games™ magazine, and has freelanced for numerous publications including 3D Artist, Edge magazine, iCreate, Metal Hammer, Play, Retro Gamer, and SFX. Additionally, he has appeared on the BBC and ITV to provide expert comment, written for Scholastic books, edited a book for Hachette, and worked as the Assistant Producer of the Future Games Show. In his spare time, Josh likes to play bass guitar and video games. Years ago, he was in a few movies and TV shows that you’ve definitely seen but will never be able to spot him in.
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