Unreliable Narrator? Alan Wake's Author Protagonist Takes Control in Sequel

Alan Wake 2 was showcased in today's PlayStation Showcase, revealing much more about the highly anticipated sequel. Unlike the teaser shown at The Game Awards 2021, this trailer divulges that there will be diverging narratives and players will have an influence on both. One of the most unique aspects of Alan Wake's storytelling is that the protagonist's writing has the ability to manifest in reality. With two realities seemingly coexisting at once, players will need to balance between them to fully explore Wake's potential.

The introduction of Saga Anderson, an FBI agent tasked with solving Bright Falls' ritualistic murders, is an interesting addition to the franchise. While it may seem like Alan Wake 2 will swap back-and-forth between protagonists, the extent of Wake's writing's influence on either storyline remains to be seen. The game leans heavily into survival-horror gameplay this time around, much like Resident Evil 2's remake, but it could be even more innovative if the player cannot trust Wake when he is at his typewriter.

Overall, the potential for Alan Wake's writer to affect the game's outcome should play a greater role in the sequel, making it an even more immersive and unique experience for players.

Alan Wake's original narrative was centered around the idea that the protagonist's written work was coming to life, with manuscript pages providing insight into various occurrences. The episodic structure of the game gave it a television series feel, rather than a novel. However, the sequel's plot appears to be even more intricate, with Alan Wake's role becoming increasingly complex. The game's conclusion sets the stage perfectly for this, and Remedy's connected universe may also factor into the plot.

The fact that Alan Wake's story is being told by an unreliable narrator adds a surreal element to the game, which is a hallmark of Remedy's development style. This means that players can expect surprises to emerge from any scenario. While the manuscript pages in the original game did not have a significant impact on gameplay, incorporating them into the sequel could help prepare players for future encounters or reveal the lurking horrors that lie around every corner.

Still, Wake's unreliability as a potential author of his and Anderson's stories suggests that there may be other forces at play manipulating events. As Wake, players would have the incredible opportunity to choose certain outcomes and write them into the story, allowing for a lot of player choice. It's worth noting that Wake and Anderson's stories are apparently playable in whichever order fans desire after a certain point, which could lead to two isolated campaigns that the player can select from.

Despite this, Wake's influence as a reality-warping writer could still have a much more meaningful impact than it appeared to have in the original game. Although the narratives may be distinct, it's possible that they will intertwine in surprising ways. It will be interesting to see how the juxtaposition of each story plays out and whether one has the potential to spoil something happening in the other.

While the brief gameplay that was shown suggests that Resident Evil's over-the-shoulder survival horror has been an influence, the effects of Wake's writing and his inability to grasp his own reality should still play a definitive role in either of Alan Wake 2's narratives.

Alan Wake 2 launches on October 17, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.