5 things to know before you buy Alan Wake 2

2023 has been a spectacular year in terms of video game releases. Alan Wake 2, one of the most highly anticipated sequels, is just around the corner. The titular novelist returns after almost a decade to finish the story that was left half-finished in the first title. The game is arriving at the perfect moment, as Halloween is a great time to play scary horror games.

Remedy Entertainment is finally ready to continue the story of author Alan Wake and his exploits at Cauldron Lake. The last time fans saw him, he was trapped in another reality known as the Dark Place.

Alan Wake 2 will continue this plot, and the game will reveal whether or not the renowned writer will be able to free himself from his predicament.

Here are a few things to keep in mind before you navigate the dark and terrifying world of Alan Wake 2.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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5 essential things to keep in mind before purchasing Alan Wake 2

1) The time gap between the games

Quite a few years have passed since the first game's events (Image via Remedy)

At the end of the first game, best-selling crime author Alan Wake finds himself imprisoned in a strange parallel reality known as the Dark Place. He is able to save his wife, but he eventually realizes that the only way he can escape this dimension is to keep writing and find ways to delete himself from this reality.

Alan Wake 2 starts 13 years after the writer's disappearance and shows us his struggle as he continues to piece together numerous situations that would allow him to escape.

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2) Two protagonists

The story will be told in two perspectives (Image via Remedy/Skill Up)

Alan Wake 2 will feature two protagonists. Saga Anderson, an FBI agent with whom players will be able to solve the mystery behind the ritualistic murders in a small town called Bright Falls, is a newcomer to the game.

Alan Wake himself will be playable as he explores a distorted version of New York to find clues that will help him escape from the Dark Place. Players will be able to switch between the two protagonists during specific segments of the game.

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3) Shared universe with other Remedy games

It seems like Remedy Entertainment has big plans for all its IPs (Image via Remedy)

Remedy's director, Sam Lake, has confirmed that both Alan Wake and Control, two of the studio's most successful games, share the same universe. Control's AWE expansion sets up the setting for Alan Wake 2.

In an interview with WCCFTech, Lake stated:

"Yeah. It's interesting. We did that in a very clear way with Control, especially the AWE DLC, setting up things. We have publicly announced that we are working on Control 2, and like you saw, the FBC (Federal Bureau of Control) does play a key role in the Alan Wake 2 story. We are not saying anything definite at this time, but we are setting things up that will play a role in the future of the Remedy Connected universe."

It will be exciting to see what plans Remedy has for its IPs and how it sets up more cross-over events between the titles.

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4) Survival horror game

Alan Wake 2 will be a proper survival-horror title, according to the developers (Image via Remedy/Skill Up)

Both of Remedy's previous projects included horror themes, whether it was twisted creatures in the Dark Place of the first Alan Wake game or SCP abnormalities lurking in the corridors of the FBC in Control. Despite the spooky hijinks, both titles were heavily action-oriented.

Alan Wake 2 is confirmed to be a survival horror game, drawing inspiration from Capcom's Resident Evil series. It is the first proper horror title from Remedy.

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5) Mind palaces for each of the game's protagonists

The game brings one of the most interesting concepts in gaming to the table (Image via Remedy)

Alan Wake 2 introduces a new tool to play with, as either of the two protagonists can connect information and scenes to solve a mystery or advance the game's story. These occur in both Saga's and Alan's subconscious minds and are referred to as Mind Place and Writer's Room, respectively.

Both of these subconscious mind palaces are reflected in the psyches of the protagonists, with Saga having to solve the murders and Alan having to invent many scenarios for the plot.

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Remedy Entertainment's latest venture has impressed many reviewers, even before its launch. Hopefully, the title will be a massive hit and cement 2023 as one of the biggest years in gaming history.