If Alan Wake 1 was Twin Peaks' original run, then this is without a doubt The Missing Pieces. The combat is snappier and feels a lot more fun, which is a big step up from the first game, but wow, is the game structure somehow even more thin and repetitive. The way the characters wise up as you continue is a cool touch, but it really doesn't make up for what is essentially 3 fetch quests on repeat.
That being said, I might just say this is worth playing solely for the TV clips. They're fantastic, and easily the best part of this whole game. If Sam Lake had scrapped this entire game and instead made a 2-3 hour film consisting of what he put on the TVs, I'd probably give it a 4.5/5. If you really can't stand the gameplay, just do all the quests once and then watch the clips (and maybe read the manuscript pages) on YouTube, it'll give you what you need to know from this game without making you trudge through repetitive missions.
That being said, I might just say this is worth playing solely for the TV clips. They're fantastic, and easily the best part of this whole game. If Sam Lake had scrapped this entire game and instead made a 2-3 hour film consisting of what he put on the TVs, I'd probably give it a 4.5/5. If you really can't stand the gameplay, just do all the quests once and then watch the clips (and maybe read the manuscript pages) on YouTube, it'll give you what you need to know from this game without making you trudge through repetitive missions.