Summary
- Utilize Saga's Mind Room to place clues and advance objectives. It doesn't pause gameplay, so choose the right moment to visit.
- Access different case files in the Mind Room's filing cabinet system to keep track of investigations and open new cases.
- Explore the environment for hidden clues, collectibles, and maps to upgrade weapons. Check the map often to discover points of interest.
Alan Wake 2 is a survival horror game experience with several innovative systems and mechanics for players to get used to as they investigate a series of murders across Bright Falls and beyond. While Alan Wake 2 gradually guides players on their journey in learning its core gameplay features, there are some things it doesn't necessarily explain, plus several tips for beginners to help better survive the game's many twists and turns.
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There are several handy Alan Wake 2 tips and tricks for beginners to know when first starting the game that masterfully blends horror with mystery, with these focusing on the first few hours of gameplay.
1 Use Saga's Mind Room Often
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson
One of the first mechanics Alan Wake 2 introduces players to is Saga Anderson's interactive Case Board in the Mind Room. Players must return to the Case Board regularly to place discovered clues in the correct places to advance objectives and the story, and it's the best place to check if stuck on what to do next when playing as Saga.
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Helpfully, yellow dots on the Case Board menus signal there's an action for players to take and yellow post-its lead the way, turning green when the line of investigation is complete. However, it's worth remembering that using the mind place doesn't pause gameplay, so players should pick the moment to visit it carefully.
2 Check Other Case Files On The Case Board
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson
In addition to profiling characters and navigating the Case Board, players should also check and access different case files in the Mind Room to keep tabs on all lines of investigation. This is especially helpful as players progress through Alan Wake 2's The Heart walkthrough, the second chapter in the game.
On the Case Board, players can switch to other case files in a filing cabinet system, which is also necessary when players fully complete a case line and need to open a new case. Case files are also marked with yellow dots when there's something there that players need to do.
3 Explore The Environment For Clues, Maps, And Collectibles
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson & Alan Wake
Although Alan Wake 2 is not fully open-world, there are a surprising number of different paths and places to explore when investigating an area, giving it an open-world feel. While players might need to venture to a particular map location playing as Saga, exploring other routes off the beaten track can lead to the discovery of more clues or collectibles like lunchbox locations containing manuscripts, which are necessary to upgrade weapons in Alan Wake 2.
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Exploring areas more widely can also enable players to discover more maps to further aid them, such as when first visiting the diner at Bright Falls.
4 Check And Quick-Access Maps Often
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson & Alan Wake
Checking the map often doesn't just help new players keep track of where they are, but also discover more points of interest, such as those marked with a question mark. When solving puzzles like Alan Wake 2's Witch's Hut fuse, solutions are also often nearby, so it's worth checking the map and landmark signs in the environment to keep tabs on key locations.
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However, players don't need to visit the Mind Place to access the map. If playing Alan Wake 2 using an Xbox controller, players only need to hold the select button to quickly access the map, so they can check what they need as fast as possible.
5 Quick-Slot Weapons And Items Pre-Combat
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson & Alan Wake
Alan Wake 2's combat can get pretty intense and go sideways fast, so it's best to always map weapons and items for health recovery to a suitable quick-slot location via the D-pad if using an Xbox controller. There's no time to waste in combat, so it's always best to quick-slot everything players need quick access to during breakpoints or before critical moments like boss battles.
During combat, players can quickly tap the assigned slot on the D-pad to heal or access other core equipment like batteries, which can prove invaluable in a tight spot.
6 Shoot Enemy Weak Spots
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson & Alan Wake
The best way to fight enemies is to weaken them first using light from the torch, which can also reveal their weak spots highlighted in red. Players can then target these weak spots to dish out more damage and help conserve ammo, an invaluable technique in trying to beat Nightingale in Alan Wake 2, among other tough enemies.
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Learning to identify and hit enemy weak spots is one of the best ways to survive the often challenging combat, but players should remember that weak spots don't usually mean aiming for the head.
7 Dodging Enemy Attacks Is Crucial
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson & Alan Wake
Learning to dodge in Alan Wake 2 is also essential to surviving incoming attacks enemy attacks, whether it's from a close-quarters axe swipe or a projectile thrown from a distance. Often, enemies can creep up and attack quickly, so players must often perform a well-timed dodge to avoid their attacks and save on health.
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Fortunately, the game also lets players dodge attacks when grounded to the floor, allowing them to swiftly move away before being crushed by enemies like Nightingale swinging a huge tree branch.
8 Save Often
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson & Alan Wake
To avoid repeating sections if killed in combat, players should save their progress as often as possible, wherever possible, especially when first starting and getting used to the game's combat mechanics. Playing as Saga introduces players to break-out rooms where players can quick-save their game or manually save in Alan Wake 2.
Before beginner players reach the first break room playing as Saga, the game also auto-saves players' progress at key points, so players don't necessarily have to feel the need to complete a chapter in one go.
9 Look Out For Emergency Boxes To Re-supply Ammo And Health
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson
The red emergency supply boxes from the original Alan Wake and Alan Wake Remastered make a return in Alan Wake 2. These contain handy supplies like health and ammo, making them an invaluable environmental feature to look out for, especially during and near boss battles.
It can take a bit of time to open the boxes and collect everything inside though, so players should pick their moment to resupply their equipment via these boxes. As ever, resources are few and far between, so players should use any equipment sparingly.
10 Use Light For Safe Zones
- Playable Character: Saga Anderson & Alan Wake
While light is a weapon in Alan Wake 2, it also returns as a defensive, unique video game light mechanic, with players able to utilize certain lit areas as defensive safe zones against certain enemies, such as when hiding from Nightingale in the Morgue.
Stepping into these healing Save Haven areas can make the player's character invisible to certain enemies, giving players a breather to restore health or an opportunity to plot their escape route. Looking for other light sources in the environment can also be a handy way for players to find where they need to go to escape an enemy, such as searching for a lit exit sign above a door.
Alan Wake 2
- Released
- October 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
