Developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Epic Games, Alan Wake 2 seems to be following a similar style of story to its predecessor, with two FBI agents seemingly caught in a psychological horror story filled with monsters and creatures. The game will have two playable protagonists, whose goal is that the FBI characters are looking for Alan Wake.
According to PlayStation Blog, the original game won several game of the year awards when it originally came out back in 2010, so there is high anticipation for the sequel. This game is meant to be playable by any person who finds the premise interesting, with no prior experience with the series needed to enjoy the game. Additionally, Alan Wake 2 is meant to be exciting for experienced players, while also providing a buffer for those who are new to the franchise who simply want to enjoy the rich story.
In a statement from Thomas Puha, the Communications Director for Remedy Entertainment, he goes in depth behind the premise of this story, stating:
A string of ritualistic murders threatens Bright Falls, a small-town community surrounded by the Pacific Northwest wilderness. Anderson, an accomplished FBI agent with a reputation for solving impossible cases, arrives to investigate the murders. Soon the events spiral into a nightmare when she discovers pages of a horror story that start to come true around her. Somehow the events seem to lead to Alan Wake, the horror writer who went missing 13 years ago.
Alan Wake, a lost writer trapped in a nightmare beyond our world, writes a story in an attempt to shape the reality around him and escape his prison. With a dark horror hunting him in the Dark Place, Wake is trying to retain his sanity and beat the devil at his own game.
Saga Anderson, played by Melanie Liburd of Last of Us, Bad Boys 4, and Game of Thrones fame, is introduced in this trailer. Anderson is an accomplished FBI agent who is known for solving seemingly impossible cases, which is why she is sent to investigate the murders in Bright Falls according to a press release given by Sam Lake, Creative Director and Lead Writing of Alan Wake 2. The press release also goes a bit more in depth describing how game will work with the two main characters. Saga Anderson is in the real world trying to solve deadly murders, while Alan Wake is trying to rewrite his reality to escape somewhere called “The Dark Place,” which is portrayed as a nightmarish version of New York.
Although the trailer is short, it gives potential players an idea of the atmosphere being created, and gives a sense of mystery to the upcoming thriller. Alan Wake 2 is set to release on October 17, 2023, releasing over 13 years after its predecessor.