Alan Wake 2: Mastering the Battles Against Mulligan and Thornton

Preparing for the Mulligan and Thornton Fight

The third chapter of Alan Wake 2, featuring Saga, will conclude with an exhilarating chase into the Overlap. The objective is to track down cult members Mulligan and Thornton, who are being pursued after the Clicker. Once players have entered the Overlap and successfully completed the loop, they will ascend the hill once more to confront the two Taken townsfolk in the epic finale of Return: Chapter 3.

In Alan Wake 2, players will face the challenge of dealing with enemies like Mulligan and Thornton by employing a diverse range of weaponry and tools in rapid succession. These foes will emerge at varying distances, armed with firearms that can swiftly deplete Saga's health. Simultaneously, players must maneuver through the combat arena, seeking out orbs that can only be annihilated with the flashlight's charged attack.

Players should ensure that they have obtained the crossbow prior to this point. It is highly recommended to rely primarily on the crossbow while navigating Waterly and the Coffee World amusement park. It is advisable to save shotgun shells and pistol ammunition for the fight against Mulligan and Thornton. It is essential to upgrade and assign weapons and healing items to quick slots for effective switching between long-range and close-range damage, as well as for promptly restoring health if injured. It is noteworthy that Thornton's rifle and Mulligan's shotgun possess significant killing power, capable of eliminating Saga with just a few shots.

Upon entering the arena, players will hear Mulligan and Thornton speaking before they emerge from the well. Pay attention to the red flare, as it will indicate the location of the cultists, helping players identify where shots are originating from and whether cultists are present in the arena or on the ledges above. The cultists will appear from the ladder in the well, initiating the battles.

Tips for Beating Mulligan and Thornton

Once the battle commences, a number of orbs will materialize throughout the arena. Begin by obliterating the initial orb suspended directly above the well using the charged flashlight attack. One of the cultists will promptly emerge before the players; usually, Thornton will emerge first and seek refuge amidst the trees on the ledges above the arena. In the event that Mulligan appears first, players should take a brief moment to eliminate him - a crossbow headshot followed by a few shotgun blasts will suffice. Once Mulligan is defeated, Thornton will spawn and retreat to the trees.

Alan Wake 2

Franchise: Alan Wake

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X

Developers: Remedy Entertainment

Publisher: Epic Games

Genre: Survival Horror

To handle Thornton's attacks from the trees, players should focus on locating the remaining five dark orbs in the arena and eliminating them using the flashlight. As long as the orbs are intact, Mulligan and Thornton will continue to respawn. While exploring the area, dealing with Thornton is relatively easier compared to Mulligan. However, Mulligan incorporates grabs, throws, melee attacks, and close-range shotgun shots into his attack pattern. Saga can effectively dodge Thornton's rifle shots by timing the dodge presses with the sound of his rifle being chambered. Typically, Thornton will fire twice after loading the weapon before taking a brief pause. Dodge half a second after the chambering sound, take a step, and then dodge again.

If players can master the timing of this pattern, they can effortlessly traverse the arena and obliterate all the orbs. In the event that players do get hit once or twice, swiftly switch to a healing item and utilize the opportunity to replenish the lost health.

After destroying all the orbs, Mulligan and Thornton will emerge from the well and launch a simultaneous attack on Saga. Utilize the shotgun to swiftly defeat Mulligan by targeting his upper body and face with one crossbow bolt followed by four shotgun shots on Normal difficulty.

Once Mulligan is defeated, focus on Thornton as the remaining threat. Track his position using the red flare and position yourself on the appropriate ledge. Utilize the dodge pattern from the initial part of the fight to aim for headshots with the crossbow. Two well-placed shots will bring Thornton down, concluding the fight, triggering the next cutscene, and completing chapter 3.

Alan Wake 2 is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.