Top Charms in Alan Wake 2: A Definitive Ranking

Article Key Points

Alan Wake 2 features tough enemies and combat scenarios, requiring strategic gameplay and resource management to overcome.

Exploration plays a vital role in Alan Wake 2, as it unveils nursery rhymes that bestow valuable Charms, offering unique bonuses and perks. The Lantern Charm, Coffee Mug Charm, and Anchor Charm, for instance, provide benefits like extra flashlight charges, opportunities for revival in combat, and the power to immobilize adversaries. These Charms significantly aid players in overcoming the game's obstacles.

Alan Wake 2 presents a challenging experience right from the beginning, emphasizing tougher enemies rather than numerous ones, a common feature in today's survival horror games. These adversaries often require players to empty an entire clip of ammunition on them unless they approach combat strategically.

To aid in this endeavor, exploration in Alan Wake 2 becomes crucial for acquiring valuable resources. The game incorporates a series of poetry puzzles known as nursery rhymes, which, once completed, reward players with specific active bonuses or perks called Charms. These Charms can be equipped in one of the three slots dedicated to Saga. Understanding the usefulness of each Charm and knowing when to switch them out can greatly impact navigation and combat scenarios.

7. Mayor Setter Charm

Marks All Nearby Resources And Points Of Interest On Saga’s Map

Charm location:

Engage with Mayor Setter live on stage at Suomi Hall in Watery once you complete Return 6.

Unlike the other charms, obtaining this one does not involve unraveling a complicated nursery rhyme puzzle. Instead, players can conveniently drive to Suomi Hall in Watery after completing chapter 6 of the Saga, titled "Scratch," and interact with the Mayor onstage to obtain the charm.

The charm conveniently reveals all nearby collectibles, such as manuscript pages, Alex Casey lunchboxes, nursery rhymes, and cult stashes, once players approach these items. This feature offers a more seamless exploration experience, particularly for platinum trophy hunters and completionists who prefer not to toggle between an internet guide and the in-game map for each collectible.

6. Coffee Mug Charm

Saves You From Death, But Shatters In The Process

Charm location:

Upstairs in Witchfinder’s Station, Cauldron Lake

Cabin #6 in Rental Cabins, Cauldron Lake

Upstairs in Ranger Station, Cauldron Lake

Moose Statue, north of Downtown Watery

In the mailbox of a building near Suomi Hall, Downtown Watery

The Coffee Mug Charm serves as a lifeline for players who face defeat in combat, proving invaluable during difficult boss fights or extended periods of exploration when manual saves are scarce. Losing progress upon death makes this charm crucial in preserving hard-earned advancements.

Players can acquire up to five of these charms through nursery rhyme quests, guaranteeing success in challenging battles when kept in the inventory. Particularly in the later stages of the game, where each encounter intensifies, having this charm becomes essential for victory. However, it is important to mention that once utilized and broken upon death, the charm becomes permanently inaccessible for the player.

5. Lantern Charm

Adds One Charge To Saga’s Flashlight

Charm location:

Near the Break Room in Bunker Woods

Among the various resources, flashlight batteries are typically the most difficult to find. Additionally, in Alan Wake 2, the flashlight boost mechanic requires two boosts to break the darkness shields of certain enemies. This implies that in each combat scenario, two out of the four fully charged flashlight batteries can be used on just one enemy. Unlike in the previous game, batteries do not recharge in Alan Wake 2, so it is crucial to use this resource with extreme care.

4. Anchor Charm

The Lantern Charm proves to be invaluable in enhancing Saga's flashlight by providing an additional flash charge. This results in a grand total of five charges per battery, significantly bolstering the flashlight's functionality. Unquestionably, the utilization of the flashlight is of utmost significance as it allows the player to pinpoint the vulnerable areas of adversaries. Consequently, this strategic approach greatly diminishes the quantity of ammunition required to incapacitate an enemy.

Chance To Stun Enemy On Flashlight Boost

Charm location:

Boatyard, Bright Falls

After completing the nursery rhyme at the boatyard in the initial area of Bright Falls, players have the chance to acquire the Anchor Charm, which is found near one of the boats. Although the in-game codex does not specify the exact probability, the Charm seems to significantly increase the likelihood of stunning enemies when using the flashlight boost.

This functionality proves particularly advantageous as players are first required to utilize the flashlight boost on enemies before engaging in combat. When dealing with agile adversaries such as the Taken Thrower or possessed dogs, stunning them creates a brief but opportune window for launching attacks, which would otherwise be challenging due to their constant movement. Moreover, stunning more formidable foes temporarily allows players to maintain a safe distance as they make their way towards a Safe Haven or Break Room while continuing to fire their weapons.

3. Hammer Charm

Attacks Stagger Enemies More Often

Charm location:

At Cauldron Lake's campsite, there is a picnic table.

Like the Anchor Charm, the codex of Alan Wake 2 does not provide enough information to determine the exact percentage of the effect being applied. However, it appears that the charm is frequently activated. In contrast to the Anchor Charm, players can temporarily stagger enemies by causing damage with their fired rounds, even if they don't have a battery charge or flashlight boost available.

This attribute renders it an indispensable Charm, as there is no avoiding the need to inflict harm upon adversaries. In such a situation, players will undoubtedly aim to dispatch enemies as quickly as possible. Combining the Hammer Charm with the Anchor Charm ensures that any Taken are effectively held at bay, thanks to the frequency with which the enemy can be incapacitated.

2. Coffee World Token Charm

Increases Quality & Quantity Of Resources Found

Charm location:

The sink near the fish cleaning station, Lighthouse Trailer Park in Watery

Scavenging resources is crucial for survival in horror-survival games. Obtaining resources in Alan Wake 2, especially in Hard difficulty mode, can be very challenging. Enemies often require a significant amount of ammunition to defeat, and essential items like flashlight charge and med packs are frequently depleted.

To alleviate this difficulty, the Coffee World Token Charm is extremely useful. It enhances smaller health packs and painkillers, transforming them into full med-kits. Additionally, it increases the amount of ammunition dropped by enemies or found in map stashes. The Coffee World Token Charm ensures that players do not have to go out of their way to scavenge resources or face daunting mini-bosses with limited ammo.

1. Logan’s Charm

Increases Maximum Health

Charm location:

The player starts the game with this item in their inventory.

Logan, Saga's daughter, wishes her mother the best in her challenging FBI job, and this wish becomes the foundation for Saga's in-game health upgrade. Interestingly, there are no other health upgrades available for players to acquire, making Logan's Charm a crucial source of additional vitality that Saga will require on her journey.

Although the health boost is limited to a maximum of 20% of the base health, it may appear less valuable than it actually is. In certain combat situations, however, the Charm can be the crucial factor that determines whether one survives or perishes. Logan's Charm stands out as the most crucial of all, ensuring longevity in challenging battles without excessive reliance on health regeneration items.

Alan Wake 2

Platform(s) PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XReleased October 27, 2023Developer(s) Remedy EntertainmentGenre(s) Survival Horror

Editor's P/S

Alan Wake 2 is a highly anticipated sequel to the 2010 psychological thriller video game. The game features a number of new charms that can be used to enhance the player's experience. These charms can be found throughout the game world, and each one provides a unique bonus. Some charms can be used to mark resources, while others can save the player from death or boost their flashlight charges. There are also charms that can stun enemies or boost the player's health and resource acquisition.

The charms in Alan Wake 2 are a great way to customize the player's experience and make the game more enjoyable. They can be used to give the player an edge in combat, or to make exploration more rewarding. With so many different charms to choose from, players can find the ones that best suit their playstyle and make the most of their time in Alan Wake 2.