Alan Wake 2 introduces a new protagonist so you can follow the plot "even if you have not played a single Remedy game"

Alan Wake 2 will introduce a new protagonist so newcomers can still follow the game's plot even if they've "not played a single Remedy game."

In an interview with Edge magazine (Issue 388), Alan Wake's writer Sam Lake discusses the studio's decision to introduce a new playable protagonist, Saga Anderson, alongside the famous writer, Alan Wake. If you didn't know, the sequel follows FBI agent Anderson who is investigating a string of murders in the town of Bright Falls, 13 years after Wake's disappearance in the first game.

"It's been 13 years, and I feel very strongly that it would be the wrong way to say that you need to do all of this homework, go and play all of these games," Lake explains. "You need to be able to follow [the plot of Alan Wake 2] even if you have not played a single Remedy game. So we needed a point-of-view character who is, in a similar way, a newcomer into all this craziness."

Since its reveal, Remedy has stressed the fact that Alan Wake 2 newcomers don't need to have played the original game, or any of its DLCS to enjoy the upcoming sequel. The developer says that: "Alan Wake 2 is a sequel but set up as a stand-alone experience. Newcomers can enjoy the thrill-ride with no past knowledge of the previous game," however, "for the returning fans there are tons of lore and connections to be discovered."

This is just one of the things we've learned about the upcoming game in the latest issue of Edge. Alongside this quote from Lake, we've also heard from Alan Wake 2's director Kyle Rowley who revealed that Alan Wake 2 took influence from Resident Evil to make players feel "more vulnerable."

Alan Wake 2 is set to launch on October 17, 2023, and will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. As for Issue 388 of Edge, that's on sale right now and can be picked up from Magazines Direct. 

Find out what else we've got to look forward to with our new games 2023 list.