Alan Wake 2 was released globally today, the sequel coming 13 years after the first game in the series. Going by the early reviews of the game so far, the sequel sounds like it has been worth the wait. Unlike the original, the horror element is quite magnified in the sequel, making it one of the must-play games this Halloween.
While the sequel has been time and again called a stand-alone title, there is a continuation from the original game while also including a healthy amount of lore callbacks that gamers will understand if they had played the original. Remedy’s FAQ page for the sequel has clarified the oft-repeated question of whether or not the original game must be played before the sequel.
Remedy Says Original Game Not Required To Be Completed Before Playing Alan Wake 2
While the short answer is no, the story does continue from where it ended in the original game, with Wake still trapped in the dark place, for 13 long years. Remedy’s Alan Wake 2 FAQ page has answered the oft-repeated question by gamers who haven’t played the original game, by stating it will be fine to skip the first game.
Remedy’s 2019 title, Control is also set in the same universe, but again, Remedy has mentioned there’s no mandatory requirement to play Control before Alan Wake 2 either.
However, if gamers do wish to enjoy the sequel the way it was meant to, then playing the first game would help them understand the lore even better. Understanding Wake’s story, why he is where he is at the beginning of the game, and the bridge between reality and fiction, would help gamers make the most out of the Alan Wake 2 experience.
Recapping Alan Wake and the Dark Presence
Remedy also did gamers a favor by recapping what happened in the first game, Alan Wake, to get players up to speed with the background before they play the sequel. Alan Wake’s story is briefly narrated as Wake is introduced as a bestselling writer, who visits Bright Falls with his wife, Alice Wake, a photographer, to fix his writer’s block and work on his marriage.
Unknown to the couple, the lake in the area, Cauldron Lake, plays host to a supernatural entity called the Dark Presence, living in an opening called the Dark Place. After the Dark Presence abducts his wife, Wake is forced to write a horror story to set the Dark Presence free.
Wake fights numerous people who get infected by the Dark Presence and get turned into murderous beings called Taken. Since the Dark Presence has the ability to rewrite reality, Wake finds a way to rewrite the horror story to destroy the Dark Presence. Wake manages to rescue his wife only to get himself trapped in the Dark Place, where he’s spent his life for the past 13 years setting the precedence for the sequel.
There was also a spin-off titled Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, that came out in 2012, which centered around one of the episodes of the fictional TV show, Night Springs. In a way, the show was a parody of The Twilight Zone and appeared on screens throughout the original game. The plot follows an evil doppelganger version of Alan Wake, named Mr. Scratch, who brings darkness to the fictional town of Night Springs by creating and changing reality.
Those who haven’t played the original can now choose to play the game in a remastered edition. Alan Wake Remastered was released back in 2021 after Remedy chose to remaster the game rather than remake it completely.
The visuals were improved drastically, bringing support for 4K resolution, including remade cutscenes by including new assets and new motion capture. The remastered edition also came with the two DLCs, The Signal, and The Writer, along with a commentary track by Sam Lake.
Giving the choice to the users on whether or not to play the games in order or to play the sequel first, makes it easy for new gamers to enjoy the sequel first if they choose to do so. Alan Wake 2 is now out and costs $59.99 on consoles while the PC version costs $49.99.
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