Start with Alan Wake Remastered if you want the clearest narrative route out of Control. Follow it with Alan Wake 2 for the next major chapter in the connected Alan Wake–Control story. If continuity matters less than a different style of play, choose Quantum Break for cinematic, time-bending action, Max Payne 2 for noir shooting, or the original Max Payne to begin Remedy’s earlier action series.
The short list, ranked by reader priority
This is a fit-based ranking, not a claim that one game is universally better. Remedy’s catalogue covers very different tones and formats, so the useful questions are: how closely does a game connect to Control, what atmosphere does it create, and how does its action feel?
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Control Ultimate Edition - PlayStation 4 | $29.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Control Xbox One - Xbox One | $18.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Control Ultimate Edition (PS5) | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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FAMILY POCKET RS16 Portable Classic Game Controller - Built-in 260 Games, 2.5 inch LCD, Retro Arcade... | $23.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Rank | Game | Best for | Connection to Control | Gameplay and atmosphere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Wake Remastered | Story context before Alan Wake 2 | Directly relevant to Remedy’s connected universe; the first Alan Wake story | Story-led supernatural thriller with a deliberately focused atmosphere |
| 2 | Alan Wake 2 | Readers ready for the horror-focused continuation | Next major chapter after the events and setup associated with Control’s AWE expansion | Horror-oriented investigation built around Saga Anderson and Alan Wake |
| 3 | Quantum Break | A separate cinematic action story | Not established by the cited first-party material as a required connected-universe entry | Time-amplified action with a strongly cinematic presentation |
| 4 | Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne | Noir action and shooter design | Not established as part of the Control/Alan Wake narrative sequence | Crime-noir tone and focused gunplay |
| 5 | Max Payne | Starting Remedy’s older action series at its beginning | Separate from the connected-universe route in the evidence available here | Earlier noir action design; consider its age and current edition availability |
Why these games belong in different lanes
Remedy describes its catalogue as story-driven games with stylized action. That description explains why a single “best game after Control” answer can be misleading. Control players may be seeking one of three things: more information about the shared fictional world, another atmospheric mystery, or simply another Remedy-designed action game. The order above gives the strongest narrative connection first, then moves toward increasingly independent experiences.
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Remedy’s own material identifies Control and Alan Wake as part of a connected universe. It also points to the AWE expansion as setting up Alan Wake 2. That makes the two Alan Wake releases the natural path for a player who wants continuity. The sources do not establish one mandatory order for every Remedy title, so the remaining games are alternatives rather than missing chapters in a single checklist.
#1 Best Overall
- Control Ultimate Edition contains the main game and all previously released expansions ("The Foundation" and "Awe") in one great value package
- Can you handle The Bureau's dark secrets? Unfold an epic supernatural struggle, filled with unexpected characters and bizarre events, as you search for your missing brother, and discover the truth that has brought you here.
- Unleash destruction through transforming weaponry and telekinetic powers. Discover new ways to annihilate your enemies as you harness powerful abilities to turn everything around you into a lethal weapon
- Delve deep into the ominous expanses of a secretive government agency. Explore The Bureau's shifting environments only to discover that there is always more than meets the eye
- Battle a relentless enemy through exciting missions and challenging boss fights to earn powerful upgrades that maximize abilities and customize your weaponry
1. Alan Wake Remastered: the best next step for story context
Why it comes first
Alan Wake Remastered presents the first Alan Wake story before Alan Wake 2. If you finished Control curious about the writer, the references in AWE, or the wider supernatural fiction Remedy is building, this is the most informative next move. It gives the later game its original narrative foundation instead of asking you to reconstruct that history from callbacks.
What kind of experience to expect
The remaster is the story-led, atmospheric choice in this list. Its appeal is the combination of a stylized supernatural premise and a tightly directed campaign, rather than an attempt to reproduce Control’s exact action rhythm. Choose it when mood, mystery and narrative setup matter more than finding a mechanical clone of the Federal Bureau of Control’s combat.
Who should choose it
- Players who want the connected-story payoff in the clearest order.
- Anyone planning to play Alan Wake 2 and willing to spend one game establishing its context.
- Readers who prefer a focused, earlier chapter before moving to a larger continuation.
What to check before buying
The official FAQ for the remaster records its historical release and platform information, but availability changes by platform and edition. Match any purchase to the system you actually use and verify the current listing rather than assuming an older platform reference means a current store version is available.
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2. Alan Wake 2: the horror-focused continuation
Why it is second, not first
Alan Wake 2 is the strongest choice for a player who wants to move directly into the newer, horror-oriented branch of the shared story. Its official game description follows FBI agent Saga Anderson as she investigates a case that draws her toward the missing writer Alan Wake. That premise makes it a substantial continuation, but the first Alan Wake remains useful context for anyone who cares about the series’ narrative architecture.
Story and atmosphere
The developer’s commentary says the team worked to bring story, atmosphere, pacing and gameplay closer together. In practical terms, that makes Alan Wake 2 a better fit for a reader who wants the investigation and the mood to shape the whole experience, not merely surround a conventional action game. It is the recommendation for horror fans who liked Control’s unsettling fiction and want that side of Remedy’s work emphasized.
Rank #2
- WORLD WITHIN A LOCATION -- Explore diverse environments and shifting architecture in a deep unpredictable world, set within a sprawling New York building.
- FLEXIBLE AND SUPERNATURAL COMBAT SYSTEM -- Define your playstyle by integrating supernatural abilities, upgrades, and modifiable loadouts.
- REACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS -- Harness dynamic environmental destruction for exciting combat possibilities and master complex rituals to alter your surroundings.
- REALITY MEETS THE UNEXPLAINABLE -- Dive into a dark and brutalist-inspired world where daily reality has been corrupted by an otherworldly force.
Choose it immediately when…
- You already know the first Alan Wake story or are comfortable accepting some missing context.
- You want the latest major chapter rather than a historical introduction.
- Your priority is horror atmosphere and investigation rather than a return to Control’s exact combat loop.
Choose the remaster first when…
Start with the remaster if names, relationships and earlier events are part of why you play connected fiction. That two-game sequence follows the clearest narrative progression supported by Remedy’s own descriptions: original Alan Wake story, then the continuation featuring Saga Anderson and Alan Wake.
3. Quantum Break: a separate cinematic action branch
What makes it different
Quantum Break is the best alternative when you want Remedy’s storytelling without committing to the Alan Wake route. The official publisher listing describes a time-amplified action premise, and Remedy includes the game in its catalogue. Its identity is cinematic and time-bending rather than horror-focused, so it changes the texture of your next game instead of extending the same mystery.
Why it is not part of the required order
The first-party material used for this recommendation does not establish Quantum Break as a required entry in the Control/Alan Wake narrative sequence. Treat it as an optional Remedy branch. Playing it will not substitute for Alan Wake Remastered if your goal is to understand the connected story, but it is a sensible choice if you want a self-contained premise and a different kind of spectacle.
Pick Quantum Break if you value…
- Cinematic presentation over a direct continuation.
- Time-related powers and action as the central hook.
- A change of genre emphasis after Control’s paranormal setting.
4. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne: noir action at its most focused
The reason to play it after Control
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is for the player whose favorite part of Control was moving through fights, not tracing the supernatural lore. Remedy’s catalogue and publisher listing place it among the studio’s games, while its defining appeal is crime-noir tone and shooter action. It offers a deliberately different atmosphere: hardboiled investigation and stylized gunplay instead of paranormal worldbuilding.
Where it sits in the ranking
It ranks below the Alan Wake games because the available first-party descriptions do not place it in the connected Alan Wake–Control sequence. It ranks above the original Max Payne for a reader who wants to sample the series’ more developed middle chapter rather than begin at its oldest point.
Rank #3
- Uncover the mysteries. Can you handle the bureau's dark secrets? Unfold an epic supernatural struggle, filled with unexpected characters and bizarre events, as you search for your missing brother, and discover the truth that has brought you here
- everything is your weapon. Unleash destruction through transforming weaponry and telekinetic powers. Discover New ways to annihilate your enemies as you harness powerful abilities to turn everything around you into a lethal weapon
- explore a hidden world. Delve deep into the Ominous expanses of a secretive government Agency. Explore the bureau's shifting environments only to discover that there is always more than meets the eye
- fight for control. Battle a relentless enemy through exciting missions and challenging boss fights to earn powerful upgrades that maximize abilities and customize your weaponry
- experience true next-generation gaming with increased visual fidelity through 4K graphics, ray-tracing and a 60FPS performance mode
Best match
Choose it when you want a compact, action-led change of pace and are comfortable with an older game’s presentation. Do not choose it expecting references that explain Control or Alan Wake; that is not the role it serves in this list.
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Why start with the original
The original Max Payne is the right pick when chronology within that older action series matters more than moving toward the connected universe. Remedy lists it in its catalogue, and it provides the starting point for the noir-oriented line that continues with Max Payne 2.
Set expectations about age and editions
This is the oldest game in the ranking, so platform and edition decisions matter. Current availability was not established by the material used here; check the store listing for your system before promising a particular version. Its placement is a recommendation for historical context and noir action, not a claim that it is the easiest modern entry point.
Choose your route by what you want next
| Your priority | Play next | Then consider | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Understand the shared fiction | Alan Wake Remastered | Alan Wake 2 | This preserves the first Alan Wake story before its newer continuation. |
| Reach the newest horror chapter quickly | Alan Wake 2 | Play the remaster later if you want backstory | The official premise begins with Saga Anderson’s investigation and Alan Wake’s disappearance. |
| Try a self-contained cinematic story | Quantum Break | Return to the Alan Wake route afterward | Its time-amplified action changes the genre emphasis without requiring the connected-story order. |
| Play noir shooting | Max Payne 2 | Max Payne for series chronology | Both provide a crime-noir alternative to paranormal worldbuilding. |
| Follow Remedy’s older catalogue chronologically | Max Payne | Max Payne 2 | You begin at the start of that separate action series. |
Three practical play orders
The connected-story order
- Play Alan Wake Remastered.
- Play Alan Wake 2.
This is the shortest route that preserves the first Alan Wake story before the continuation associated with the setup in Control’s AWE expansion.
The “new horror first” order
- Play Alan Wake 2 if you want the current horror-focused experience immediately.
- Go back to Alan Wake Remastered when you want the earlier context.
This is a preference-based order, not the clearest narrative order. It prioritizes the newest experience over setup.
Rank #4
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The Remedy sampler
- Play Alan Wake Remastered for connected-story context.
- Switch to Quantum Break for a time-bending cinematic action story.
- Choose Max Payne 2 or Max Payne for noir shooting.
- Return to Alan Wake 2 when you are ready for the horror continuation.
This route treats the catalogue as a set of distinct styles rather than one mandatory chronology.
Buying and platform checks
Availability is the part of this recommendation most likely to change. The official pages supply historical release and platform information for some entries, but current store stock, editions and compatibility were not verified here. Before purchasing, check four things:
- Whether the exact game or remaster is sold for your platform.
- Whether you are buying the original release, a remaster or another edition.
- Whether your account region supports that listing.
- Whether an older game requires compatibility features on newer hardware.
Those checks are especially important for the two Max Payne games, where the age of the releases makes a platform assumption unreliable. For the Alan Wake games, match the edition to the order you intend to play rather than buying a listing solely because its title resembles another release.
Final recommendation
If you want one answer, play Alan Wake Remastered next and then Alan Wake 2. That pair best serves a Control player who wants Remedy’s connected fiction. Choose Quantum Break instead when cinematic, time-bending action sounds better than horror; choose Max Payne 2 or Max Payne when noir shooting is the real reason you are staying with Remedy. The right ranking depends on the experience you want, not on a universal score.
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