Although Alan Wake 2 is a sequel title, it turns out that it’ll be accessible to newcomers to the franchise. That’s according to new insight from Remedy Entertainment, who say that knowledge and experience of its other titles won’t be a prerequisite to enjoy Alan Wake 2.
The upcoming survival horror adventure is one of the year’s most hotly-anticipated titles and has been in the making for over a decade now. As revealed to GamesRadar+ recently though, the sequel’s developers wanted to ensure that Alan Wake 2 will be accessible to those who’ve never played any of the other games in the Alan Wake series, or even connected titles such as Remedy’s other big hit Control.
Alan Wake 2‘s game director Kyle Rowley gave a recent interview in which the sequel’s ability to be enjoyed by newcomers was discussed in a bit more detail, amongst other things. Rowley explains that “when we were creating the concept for Alan Wake 2, it was very much on our mind that we wanted to create an experience that was welcoming to all.” That seemingly extends throughout the game’s target audiences, as Rowley explains Remedy’s aim to appeal to “both new players who may not be familiar with Alan Wake or the Remedy Connected Universe and our fans, who have been on the journey with us and enjoyed earlier Remedy games.”
However, it’s probably not a bad idea to dip your toe into some of the existing action in the Remedy Connected Universe before the release of Alan Wake 2. That’s especially true if you’re a complete newcomer to the franchise, as it might give you a bit of an idea of what’s to come in the sequel. As Rowley remarks, there’ll be some easter eggs for those who have played some of the existing titles to enjoy in the upcoming adventure. “Of course, if you have played games in the Alan Wake franchise, Control, and the Control: AWE DLC,” Rowley explains, “there will be many connections, pieces of lore, and familiar characters for you to discover.”
Alan Wake 2 will be much more of a dark, survival horror-type experience, Remedy has also recently revealed. The game will be the studio’s take on this type of horror genre, so longstanding fans of the series should prepare themselves for a much grittier experience in the sequel. So, while prior knowledge isn’t mandatory, it’s worth getting a feel for the franchise if you can. If you haven’t played the earlier games, you can jump into Alan Wake, Alan Wake Remastered, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare or Control now, ahead of the release of Alan Wake 2, which is expected at some point later this year.
