With the sequel that fans have been begging for finally here, you may be wondering what previous games you should play before Alan Wake 2. Specifically, does one need to have played Alan Wake, Control and its AWE DLC before jumping into Alan Wake 2?
Do You Need to Play Alan Wake 1 Before 2, Answered
You should definitely play Alan Wake before Alan Wake 2, but if you don’t have time for that, here’s a quick recap of what happened in the original game.
Back in 2010, Alan Wake’s first adventure ended on a cliffhanger that created more questions than answers. Okay, maybe “cliffhanger” isn’t the write term, but the game’s ending is open to interpretation, with many fans being unable to agree on what actually becomes of the titular writer. Massive spoilers for the original Alan Wake, but come on, it’s been 12 years.
Some believe that Alan was successful in his attempts to rewrite the ending of his own story, effectively rewinding time a point where the Dark Presence never came into contact with him and his wife, Alice. However, in order to make such a drastic change to reality, he was forced to stay behind in The Dark Place, unable to escape with Alice. Why’s he trapped? I like to believe that he can’t think of an ending that he finds satisfying. Silly, I know, but given how the game goes to great length to show that the Dark Presence manipulates the minds of artists, preying on their creative insecurities, I think it’s possible that it corners him with the idea that he hasn’t earned a happy ending.
Others believe that Alan did manage to escape from The Dark Place, as suggested by Alice telling him to “wake up,” right before the credits role. It seems too be good to be true, if you ask me but that’s a commonly held belief.
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Do You Need to Play Control Before Alan Wake 2?
To get this out of the way nice and early: No, you don’t need to play Control to understand what’s happening in Alan Wake 2. Having said that, if you do happen to have completed the AWE expansion to Remedy’s beloved 2019 action-game, you’ll certainly have more context as to what’s going on in the sequel.
To quote the developer itself, when asked if it was necessary to play through Control and its DLC bundles before Alan Wake 2, they responded, “No, you do not. However, for fans who are into the universe of Alan Wake, it’s definitely recommended, but it’s completely optional.” That also applies to the first game, by the way. Remedy has insisted that Alan Wake 2 is designed as a “standalone experience” that newcomers to the franchise will be able to understand and enjoy. “For the returning fans there are tons of lore and connections to be discovered,” wrote the studio.
The AWE expansion for Control is fun in the way that playing any amount of Control is, but I wouldn’t say it’s essential to understanding Alan Wake 2 in any kind of deeper capacity. If anything, it provides some context for what’s been happening in the town of Bright Falls, since Alan Wake concluding, noting that the Federal Bureau of Control was aware of the author’s battle against the Dark Presence and has been keeping tabs on it since he was trapped in The Dark Place. As for direct story connections, there’s not too many that’ll reframe how you experience either game.
Related: Alan Wake 2 Will Get Free & Paid DLC After Launch
AWE is a bit of a different matter. Without getting into too many spoilers, AWE sets up that Jesse Faden and Alan Wake are seemingly destined to meet each other. If you want the down-low on everything that’s transpired in Alan Wake’s story since the first game, then go ahead and play AWE. It’s neat for flavor but in terms of substance, there’s not much too it.
All you need to know is that Dr. Hartman, the guy who manipulates Alan and the Dark Presence in the first game, dies in Control. Considering he was likely never coming back as some kind of “big bad,” it’s not really a big deal.
This is all to say that if you want to play Alan Wake 2 like a standard survival-horror experience and couldn’t care less for the interconnected strings of Remedy’s bizarre world, then you’re free to do so. The story will seemingly still make sense and, hopefully, be as enjoyable as the developer’s previous games. If you’re a lore junkie, then go ahead and play Alan Wake, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare and Control: AWE. They’ll at least elevate your experience and probably make it a little more intuitive!
If you’re looking for more, check out where to get the shotgun code in Alan Wake 2.
