Preview: Alan Wake 2 – Exploring Saga Anderson’s Side of the Story
During a recent preview event, I had the opportunity to play Alan Wake 2 and experience two different segments of the game. In one, I played as Alan, the troubled author, and in the other, I took on the role of Saga Anderson, an FBI agent. While I have already shared my thoughts on Alan’s segment, I found Saga’s side to be equally intriguing and promising.
Saga’s Investigation in Watery
The demo begins with Saga in the third chapter of her campaign, arriving in the small town of Watery. Her mission is to hunt down a serial killer known as the Clicker, who appears to have connections to the menacing Cult of the Tree. As an FBI agent, Saga’s strengths lie in her investigative skills, and I am tasked with gathering clues by interacting with the villagers in Watery.
Exploring the town reminded me of the first Alan Wake game, with the option to even fast-travel to Bright Falls. The early section of Saga’s story heavily focuses on collecting clues, gathering information from residents, and studying various documents and signs.
The Mind Map – An Interactive Investigation Tool
An interesting feature in Saga’s campaign is the Mind Map, a menu that tracks her investigation progress. The Mind Map is presented as a cabin-like room and serves as an interactive menu. Categories such as flow charts for connecting clues, weapon upgrades, and subject profiles are accessible by walking across different areas in the room.
The Case Board, for example, displays a flowchart of photos, clues, and relationships connected by tape. As new information is gathered, players can place photos in their respective categories on the wall. However, initially, the transition to the Mind Map felt jarring as it seemed like a sudden change of location. Thankfully, a more traditional menu screen is also available, where categories are represented as tabs rather than physical areas in the Mind Map.
Following Leads and Facing Challenges
After conversing with the quirky residents of Watery, Saga is pointed towards two brothers who treat her presence as a return. She plays along, and the conversation leads her to her “home” in a nearby trailer park. However, accessing the trailer park requires collecting a key from Coffee Land, a coffee-themed amusement park.
As Saga journeys through an eerie forest path to reach Coffee Land, she encounters her first taste of combat. The over-the-shoulder gunplay feels satisfying, reminiscent of Resident Evil 4’s action. Navigating the park, Saga uncovers locked coolers placed by cult members, which offer optional puzzles and substantial rewards. She also finds a crossbow to add to her arsenal along the way.
Environmental Puzzles and Challenging Enemies
Upon arriving at Coffee Land, Saga discovers that the park is closed and the lack of visitors creates an unsettling atmosphere. In order to access the locked staff office, she must locate a screwdriver to pry the lock open. Coffee Land presents a small maze of caffeine-inspired attractions, and Saga solves environmental puzzles by deducing padlock combinations based on staff duties and identifying the correct booths on the Ferris wheel.
The park is guarded by hook-throwing enemies, potentially twisted versions of the park staff. While Saga needs to eliminate them to collect a screwdriver, she tries to avoid other threats patrolling the area to conserve her limited resources. The combat can be challenging, requiring careful management of ammo and flashlight battery. The Mind Map’s weapon upgrade menu allows for improving attributes such as accuracy, making combat encounters more manageable by concentrating the flashlight beam on enemies.
Saga’s Story – A Mix of Investigation and Action
Saga Anderson’s section of the game offers a well-balanced mix of low-key investigative gameplay and tension-filled action. It delves into her character while maintaining the bizarre and immersive atmosphere that fans of the first Alan Wake game will appreciate. The puzzles encountered during Saga’s journey are cleverly designed, offering a challenge while keeping players engaged.
I am eagerly looking forward to the release of Alan Wake 2 on October 27th to see how Saga’s story unfolds and how it intertwines with Alan’s. The game promises an improved and modernized take on the atmospheric and mysterious world of Alan Wake.