The 2023 Game Awards featured a live performance from the Finnish metal band Poets of the Fall in the form of The Old Gods of Asgard, their persona in Alan Wake II and the greater Remedy universe.
They performed the song “Herald of Darkness,” which recaps the plot of the first game in a sequence from the sequel. The group has appeared in every game of the Remedy universe, with appearances in both Alan Wake and Control as well.
The performance featured a choreographed dance with Ilkko Vasilia, the physical Alan Wake, Matthew Porretta, the voice of Alan Wake, David Harewood, who plays Mr. Door in the series, and Sam Lake, the creative director and writer of the game.
The Old Gods of Asgard are secondary characters in Alan Wake II, and “Herald of Darkness” plays in what many consider the best sequence in the game, and one of the best gaming sequences of the year. Their characters first appeared in the original Alan Wake, and the real life band had a song featured in Control.
With these characters’ in-game significance, fans will be elated to see the group finally make their live debut in a performance that was worth the wait.