Summary

• Alan Wake 2 can be enjoyed as a standalone experience without playing the previous games, but fans of the franchise will find connections and references.
• The game continues the story of the original Alan Wake, with Saga Anderson searching for a missing FBI agent and referencing events from the first game.
• Alan Wake 2 is part of a larger Remedy universe, connecting to other games like Control and the TV series Bright Falls, providing a deeper understanding for those familiar with the extended lore.

The release of Alan Wake 2 has been met with wide approval, praised for its strong storytelling and creepy atmosphere. Naturally, as a sequel to a game made in 2010, many wonder whether experience with the previous entries in the franchise is necessary to play or understand Alan Wake 2. Like many sequels, the story of Alan Wake 2 directly follows the events of the first game, but the question of whether it's required to play other Remedy Entertainment games like Alan Wake's American Nightmare is a bit more nuanced than a yes or no answer.

Alan Wake 2 is a dark mystery that follows events in the town of Bright Falls as people are thrust into the shoes of FBI agent Saga Anderson, who is assigned to a case to investigate a disappearance in the town. What she unravels is a disturbing enigma with elements that span three different games and a television show and weave their way into a narrative with its own extended universe and lore.

Alan Wake 2 Is A Standalone Experience

According to the official Alan Wake 2 FAQ, the game is a sequel to the events in the original Alan Wake but is also a standalone experience that can be enjoyed without playing Alan Wake or Alan Wake's American Nightmare. The story in Alan Wake 2 stands up on its own and has a complete story from start to finish that most should be able to understand. However, fans of the previous entries in the franchise won't be left disappointed; as the Remedy states, "For the returning fans, there are tons of lore and connections to be discovered."

Ultimately, Alan Wake 2 is part of a much larger Remedy-connected universe, which ties into several Remedy games, including American Nightmare & Control, as well as other properties. So, while it's not necessary to play either Alan Wake or Alan Wake's American Nightmare, those who do so will have a much fuller understanding of the game's sometimes complex narrative and story elements.

Alan Wake 2 Is Part Of A Bigger Remedy Universe

While Alan Wake 2 directly follows the events of Alan Wake, it's also just a part of a much larger gaming and TV universe. In fact, Alan Wake 2 touches on a variety of different properties, including Alan Wake, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Control, and the 2010 live-action prequel to the first game, Bright Falls, a six-episode series that delves into the townspeople of the setting for the games. That show followed the story of Jack Fischer, another writer affected by the strange phenomenon surrounding the town.

Control, Remedy Entertainment's 2019 action game, follows the story of the Federal Bureau of Control, which investigates paranormal events. That game had a DLC called Control: AWE, which served as a direct crossover to the events in the Alan Wake series. Similarly, while it would probably go unnoticed by many who have never played Alan Wake's American Nightmare, that game also contains content that helps fill in the narrative gaps in some of Alan Wake 2's most significant story elements.

Alan Wake 2 Continues The Original Alan Wake Story

Written by Sam Lake and Mikko Rautalahti, Alan Wake 2 can stand alone with its deep and intriguing mystery-horror narrative; however, it's still a story sequel to a cliffhanger with many loose ends from the original game. For one, the main protagonist of the game, Saga Anderson, is searching for missing FBI agent Robert Nightingale, who was featured in the first game, serving as the catalyst to events in the follow-up title.

That being said, narrative events in Alan Wake 2 do take 13 years after the original title, lending itself to an update in time period & characters, and it serves as a natural segue into the plot of the second game for a whole new audience. There are other nods to the first game at the beginning of the narrative, like Bright Falls' current sheriff, Tim Breaker, cousin to the sheriff of the first Alan Wake, Sarah Breaker. The setting, characters, and story elements will be familiar to those who have enjoyed previous Remedy titles.

Alan Wake's Barry Wheeler is not featured in the second game but is referenced throughout the story.

Playing Alan Wake 2 First Is A Different Experience

A unique aspect of Alan Wake 2 is that it plays much differently depending on the player's knowledge of Remedy's extended universe. For those going fresh into Alan Wake 2 without playing any of the previous Alan Wake games, the sequel will serve as a solid paranormal mystery that will leave many striving to uncover more clues and help Saga on her mission to crack the case. Narratively, the game is an evolving action mystery with a satisfying setup and conclusion and requires no previous knowledge of the universe.

However, those who have followed along with previous Remedy titles or are even fans of the show Bright Falls will have a completely different experience with the knowledge they already have about key elements in the Remedy extended universe. For one, they will likely already know what's going on in Bright Falls as the conclusions of the connected properties explore elements that are featured predominately in the second Alan Wake game. For those people, the second game will do a lot in answering questions created by the Remedy universe and contain a lot of references to titles in it.

Ultimately, the excellent writing and storytelling of Sam Lake and Mikko Rautalahti ensure that regardless of people's knowledge about the extended Alan Wake lore, they can still enjoy Alan Wake 2 and not feel lost because of it. In many ways, while Alan Wake 2 is a direct sequel to the first game, it also serves as a fresh introduction to those new to the franchise, with a new protagonist and fresh story. Furthermore, many who finish Alan Wake 2 may likely revisit prior Remedy properties just to get a better overall understanding of the compelling universe that Lake and Rautalahti have crafted.

Source: Remedy Entertainment