Summary
- Alan Wake 2's Night Springs DLC not only features live-action storytelling, but further connects the game to Control and expands the Remedy Connected Universe thanks to Jesse Faden's role.
- Remedy's Connected Universe will likely continue expanding with Control 2 in development, as the game will surely provide many more crossover possibilities.
- The connection between Alan Wake, Jesse Faden, and Dr. Hartman could be explored in future games. Based on Night Springs and other recent Remedy content like the AWE DLC, Remedy capitalizes on every chance it has to add depth to its connected universe.
Remedy has promised there will be two pieces of DLC for Alan Wake 2. The first, Night Springs, has been released already, while the second, The Lake House, is set for an October 2024 release. Night Springs features three episodes, with each one tackling a hypothetical scenario within the Alan Wake universe.
Although the situations are hypothetical, Alan Wake 2's Night Springs DLC remains faithful to Remedy traditions. It features live-action portions, and it subverts expectations through its eccentric storytelling. Most importantly, it expands the Remedy Connected Universe through the inclusion of Control's Jesse Faden.
The Remedy Connected Universe
Games from Remedy are connected in various subtle ways, and if one is familiar with all the franchises, it's easy to spot the various references hidden. Officially, the Remedy Connected Universe consists of Control and Alan Wake's universe, though it's possible to find references to the studio's other franchises, including Quantum Break and Max Payne. Players got their first taste of the RCU with Control's DLC AWE, which featured the writer Alan Wake.
Alan Wake 2 continues this tradition of connectedness in its Night Springs DLC by having Jesse Faden appear as a controllable character in her very own episode titled "North Star." In the episode, Jesse is accompanied by Polaris once again as she explores the abandoned Coffee World theme park in search of her brother. The theme park plays an important role in the main game, as FBI agent Saga Anderson explored it.
Of course, nothing is ever easy or simple for Jesse, and she learns that the government has been tampering with the coffee to create "coffee monsters." Jesse interacts with Alan Wake 2's Sheriff Tim Breaker in this episode, who helps her out.
The Future of the Remedy Connected Universe
Fans can expect the Remedy Connected Universe to be further expanded with the release of Control 2, as the sequel is currently in development in collaboration with 505 Games. Thanks to Alan Wake 2, there are many more ways for the Alan Wake and Control universes to intertwine.
One of the potential paths Remedy could pursue would see Saga Anderson and Jesse Faden crosing paths. Saga finds out about the Federal Bureau of Control in Alan Wake 2, and she works directly with FBC agent Kiran Estevez. After Saga's excellent work, and given her unique abilities, players may see her recruited by the FBC to tackle paranatural forces.
Jesse Faden, Alan Wake, and Dr. Hartman
There's also the connection between Alan Wake and Jesse Faden that Remedy may want to continue exploring. In AWE, players learn that Cauldron Lake is a naturally occurring Threshold in the town of Bright Falls, with Alan Wake trapped there in the Dark Place. Dr. Hartman studies the Dark Presence within the lake and attempts to control it via the artists in his clinic, but ends up diving into the lake and is taken over by the Dark Presence.
Control 2 should delve further into Dr. Hartman's research and the FBC's investigation of Bright Falls and its lake. There's still a lot to discover concerning the Dark Presence, the Hiss, and the Threshold within Bright Falls. This could be done if Alan Wake makes an appearance in Control's sequel and interacts with Jesse Faden and the Federal Bureau of Control.
Alan Wake 2 was a critical success for Remedy, and it is the studio's fastest-selling title on top of that. This is an indication of just how hungry fans are for more of the Remedy Connected Universe, and the Finnish studio will likely aim to please fans by expanding its universe and answering questions that have been lingering for a long time. If Remedy continues to honor established tradition, further crossovers between Alan Wake and Control will happen soon, though they may end up leaving players with more questions than answers.
Alan Wake 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- October 27, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Epic Games
- Engine
- Northlight Engine
- Franchise
- Alan Wake
WHERE TO PLAY
A string of ritualistic murders threatens Bright Falls, a small-town community surrounded by Pacific Northwest wilderness. Saga Anderson, an accomplished FBI agent with a reputation for solving impossible cases arrives to investigate the murders. Anderson’s case spirals into a nightmare when she discovers pages of a horror story that starts to come true around her.
Alan Wake, a lost writer trapped in a nightmare beyond our world, writes a dark story in an attempt to shape the reality around him and escape his prison. With a dark horror hunting him, Wake is trying to retain his sanity and beat the devil at his own game.
Anderson and Wake are two heroes on two desperate journeys in two separate realities, connected at heart in ways neither of them can understand: reflecting each other, echoing each other, and affecting the worlds around them.
Fueled by the horror story, supernatural darkness invades Bright Falls, corrupting the locals and threatening the loved ones of both Anderson and Wake. Light is their weapon—and their safe haven — against the darkness they face. Trapped in a sinister horror story where there are only victims and monsters, can they break out to be the heroes they need to be?
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- How Long To Beat
- 17 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
