What to know about Alan Wake 2 if you haven’t played the first

it’s been over 13 years Alan WakeRemedy Entertainment’s psychological action-thriller about a writer who gets caught up in a horror story of his own creation, was first released for the Xbox 360. Alan Wake were appalled by the disappointing sales of the original. Now, more than a decade later, alan wake 2 is almost upon us. It’s cause for celebration for fans of the original game, but for anyone else, they may be left wondering what all the fuss is about.

“We’re not expecting everyone to do their homework if they haven’t played the original game,” Remedy creative director Sam Lake said during Thursday’s Summer Game Fest presentation. alan wake 2 is both a sequel and a satisfying stand-alone experience. While you may not have done your homework, we certainly are here.

If you’re looking for a quick and concise list of what happened in Alan Wakewhat to expect from alan wake 2, and exactly how this game exists as the centerpiece of the so-called “Remedy Extended Universe,” we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you need to know before Alan Wake’s long-awaited re-emergence from the dark depths.

What happened in the original Alan Wake?

In the first game, players assume the role of Alan Wake, the bestselling author of a series of crime fiction novels that centers on a hardened detective named Alex Casey (more on that later). Alan suffers from a two-year period of writer’s block and takes a trip to Bright Falls, Washington, a small town, in an attempt to get OL’s creative juices flowing again and to mend things with his wife, Alice. short break

After familiarizing themselves with the townspeople, Alan and Alice arrive at their accommodation: a cabin located on an island in the middle of a volcanic crater lake known locally as Cauldron Lake. After settling in, Alan and Alice later get into an argument over an attempt to arrange a meeting with Doctor Emil Hartmann, a psychologist who specializes in working with patients with careers as artists. Alan takes off, only to hear Alice scream as the sky darkens and a violent flock of birds descend on the cabin. Alice arrives just in time and sees Cauldron jump into the lake before Alice dives in after him. This is where things get weird.

- Advertisement -

Image: Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

Alan wakes up from behind the wheel of his crashed car on the outskirts of Cauldron Lake, with no idea how he got there or how much time has passed. As Alan attempts to get help, he finds himself pursued by members of the town who have been haunted by a strange, shadowy presence. Along the way, Alan discovers scattered manuscript pages around Bright Falls, seemingly written by himself, that predict the future before it happens. While traveling to Bright Falls in search of answers and to avoid capture by a rogue FBI agent named Robert Nightingale, Alan learns that after diving into Cauldron Lake to save Alice, he has been sent to The Dark Place. (think twin Peaks‘Black Lodge, but more inclusive). There, Allen was possessed by a supernatural being known as the Dark Presence, which forced him to write a manuscript for a horror novel titled Departure in exchange for Alice’s safe return. The Dark Presence feeds off the creative energy of writers and artists in order to manifest itself in the physical world. Alan manages to save himself from his thugs and escapes the lake after a week in captivity, which is just before Alan turns up in his car.

With the help of a group of allies, including his publicist and best friend Barry Wheeler, Bright Falls Sheriff Sarah Brecker, musician brothers Odin and Tor Anderson, and Cynthia Weaver (think twin Peaks‘ The Log Lady), Alan returns to the depths of the Cauldron Lake and manages to defeat the Dark Presence, freeing Alice from its clutches. Unfortunately, Allen himself became trapped in the Dark Place… where he has been ever since. Oh, and the Darkness spawns a killer doppelganger of Alan named Mr. Scratch, who wreaks havoc in the world and torments Alan’s loved ones.

alan wake 2 acknowledges the passage of time

Image: Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games

alan wake 2 takes place 13 years after the in-game events of Alan Wake, Clearly a lot has happened in the world, and this new game clearly acknowledges the passage of time. set in present day, alan wake 2 Not only does it follow the story of Alan Wake as he once again attempts to escape the Dark Place, but it also features a new character from the saga, Anderson, a genius FBI agent investigating a series of murders in Bright Falls. comes to – one of which involves former FBI agent Robert Nightingale at the hands of a mysterious cult with clear ties to the Dark Presence.

Alan Wake 2 will be a survival horror game

while the original Alan Wake Can be described as an action-adventure shooter with strong horror elements, alan wake 2 is a full blown horror game. At various points in the story the player will switch between the viewpoints of Alan Wake and Saga Anderson. The emphasis on horror is evident from the gameplay seen at Summer Game Fest, as Saga Andersen is confronted by a giant, trench coat-clad figure with a deer mask, who is possessed by the Dark Presence from the first game.

We see Saga alternate between shooting an attacker with his pistol and using a flashlight to burn down on the shield of darkness around his body, similar to the first game, but we also see hints of new mechanics, such as Saga recovering a sliced ​​heart at the bottom of a freezer and collecting it as evidence.

alan wake 2 directly related to the events of Control

Image: Remedy Entertainment/505 Games

alan wake 2 and measures Control exist in the same shared universe, but the connection between the two goes much deeper than that. during the second DLC expansion for Controlknown as an add-on awePlayers control protagonist Jessie Faden as she explores the Oldest House investigation area to find answers about the “Changed World Event” (aka AWE) involving Bright Falls, Washington — yes, the setting of Alan Wake, During the expansion, Jesse not only faces off against a demonic version of Dr. Emil Hartmann, but also uncovers pages from a manuscript written by Alan Wake that suggest the events of Control It was actually a story written by Alan Wake as a way to escape the Dark Place, organizing himself back to reality after the events of the first game. In other words: Alan Wake created the world Control To return to your reality.

Control‘S awe The expansion ends with a cutscene where Jesse is informed that a new Altered World event has been found in Bright Falls, this time “a few years in the future.” events of Control Occurs in and around Halloween 2019, which suggests that the AWE detection at the end of the expansion refers to events alan wake 2, what happens in alan wake 2Allen himself will likely play a major role in Control’s storyline going forward, to say nothing of his possible role in the events to come. control 2,