It turns out some of the biggest story moments in Alan Wake 2 are hiding in plain, uh, sound, from pretty early on in the game, and one Remedy developer is just happy people are finally taking notice.
There will be major story spoilers discussed in this piece, so turn back now if you haven't beaten Alan Wake 2 yet.
Alan Wake 2 launched back in October to rave reviews, and although it's my personal GOTY for 2023, I'll admit to never having noticed this fascinating detail about its audio until now. In a tweet from one player, it's revealed that the origins and whereabouts of the sequel's main antagonist are heavily hinted at early on in the game in The Mind Place, the room inside co-protagonist Saga Anderson's mind where she examines clues and evidence.
As evidenced in the video below, if you hover over Alan Wake's profile picture in The Mind Place, you'll hear the Dark Presence that possessed Mr. Scratch and turned him into the psychotic doppelganger at the center of Alan Wake 2's mystery. It's unlikely you'd make that connection playing the game for the first time, but it's a thoughtful way to foreshadow what's arguably the most significant reveal in the story.
Alan Wake 2 senior sound designer Josh Adam Bell confirmed that this was "100% on purpose" and said he's psyched "finally someone noticed."
Finally someone noticed 😅 This was 100% on purpose https://t.co/vzHxoWdDuyAugust 6, 2024
I booted up an old save in Alan Wake 2 to see/hear this for myself, and it turns out it isn't limited to just Wake's profile. If you hover over the Anderson brothers, who formed the Viking power metal band Old Guards of Asgard and famously performed during the absolutely wild musical chapter in the game, you'll hear a stringed instrument. Meanwhile, if you hover over the Oh Deer Diner waitress Rose Marigold, you'll hear the faint sound of dishes in a sink, and Alex Casey's profile seems to make the sound of static. Nightingale sounds like he's underwater when you hover over his profile card.
Alan Wake 2 is very much Sam Lake's passion project, dialing up the mind-bending surrealism Remedy's known for to 11, and there are so many subtle details showing a rare degree of care and artistry at every level of the game. It might be Lake's story, but it's a Remedy game, through and through.
After all, there's a reason it's high on our list of the best horror games to play today.
