Alan Wake 2
HDR Analysis: #AlanWake2 on PC and PS5 / PS5 Pro.
Alan Wake 2’s HDR implementation is one of the strongest examples, I think, of an artist-driven HDR title. Remedy clearly spent time crafting every scene with HDR in mind, resulting in a filmic, moody horror experience that feels handcrafted rather than “max brightness demo reel.”
The lighting and mood seems to have been designed by artists and colorists to look cinematic in both SDR and HDR.
HDR Max Luminance:
The game automatically takes the max luminance value we have setup in Windows HDR calibration tool and in PS5's HDR system settings, and applies it in the game.
The game outputs this exact value in its most bright highlights👍
You can't adjust this value in-game so set it up correctly in Windows and on PS5.
However, many light sources are intentionally muted — for example, the neon signs in the rainy “Between with Mr. Door” sequence only reach around 400 nits. This is the opposite of titles like Cyberpunk 2077 that blast every neon to peak luminance values.
In Alan Wake 2, the restrained highlights contribute to the dark, oppressive mood rather than fighting it. Every scene feels deliberately graded. It looks amazing to my eyes👍
Paper White:
The in-game Game Brightness slider defaults to 50, which corresponds to roughly 200 nits paper white — You can push it higher (up to ~500 nits), but the default already feels perfectly balanced for the game’s cinematic look.
Shadows and Black Levels:
Black levels are generally excellent, with true 0-nit blacks in many areas (perfect for the horror atmosphere). There are occasional artistic black-level raises - these are clearly intentional creative choices rather than technical shortcomings. The overall contrast is superb and never feels crushed or washed out.
Color (Wide Color Gamut):
Another area where this HDR implementation really stands out, is its artistic driven use of saturated Rec.2020 (BT.2020) colors. The game doesn’t blanket the entire experience in ultra-vivid colors; instead, it deploys rich, saturated hues selectively and with purpose to heighten mood and atmosphere.
Scenes like the thick red fog on the nighttime street and the sickly yellow-green bathroom interior show strong Rec.2020 usage that pushes well beyond Rec.709.
This restrained but impactful color strategy makes the wide color volume feel truly artistic rather than gimmicky.
Overall Verdict:
Alan Wake 2 features an outstanding HDR implementation. It’s easy to set up (just run the HDR Calibration in Windows and on PS5, and set your display to its true peak), technically sound — It doesn’t do anything “wrong” — it simply lets Remedy’s dark, moody, handcrafted vision shine through. Amazing👍
