Here we are, finally, Chapter 2 is completed. Returning to Cauldron Lake searching for a zombified Nightingale proved to be a wild trip. First, I know Alan Wake is a part of the Control universe, so I feel like I have been searching for anything that might connect the two in this game. Chapter 2 gives the first little bit. There is a guy named Steven who is fixing what he says is a monitoring station. To be fair it probably is, but he also says he is a part of the FBC, Federal Bureau of Control. Saga doesn’t recognize it at all, but that is to be expected. It’s just really cool to start to see the threads connecting properly, even if so far it’s just Steven.
This chapter finally introduces us to combat, which is more or less the same as the original. Shine the light on the bad guy, strip away its dark shield, and blast them! It’s simple enough, but also stressful when it feels like your flashlight just isn’t getting enough power out quick enough. It looks like that is something that can be upgraded though in the future.
Speaking of upgrades, I remembered to take a picture of the Mind Place this time around. It looks like a cozy little cabin. You have the wall across the room for your pictures and threads for cases to piece together. A profiling desk that gives off intense Control vibes. Also, a little station to upgrade weapons and stuff. You just have to find torn-up manuscript pieces. How does this make sense? It doesn’t but that’s fine.
Collectibles are here as well. Manuscript pages, TV commercials, and radio broadcasts. Music as well. After each chapter, an incredible song plays. It’s a great interlude for what’s to come. I really like the use of it in this game so far, just like Control and Alan Wake before it.
This chapter gave off a ton of spooky Control vibes. The use of red lights illuminating the forest is a nice touch. I know Alan Wake was always very supernatural, but it feels like the sequel has ramped it up to 11. Saga being able to deduct things the way she does is wild and just not natural at all, but I love it.
After finding a way into what we are calling ‘The Overlap’, Alan Wake makes his first minor appearance as a spectral-looking ghost. Surprised to see someone real like Saga seemingly so close to him. As we track Nightingale through the Overlap, he makes remarks about how “The Writer is writing again”. Which makes me believe even more that Alan brought Saga here somehow. His writing is coming true again.
After what has been the most difficult part of this game so far, a boss fight with Nightingale, it seems like we may have destroyed The Overlap and freed Alan from the Darkness. I’m not sure if it’s permanent yet, but getting to see Alan again gave me goosebumps.
Alan was yelling about how Scratch was free. If you played the original games, Mr. Scratch is Alan’s evil doppelganger. He’s also very prominently in American Nightmare as well. I also believe that he was in the Control DLC for Alan Wake as well. If I remember correctly, he was haunting Alan Wake’s wife Alice. Don’t quote me on that, though.
So much happened in this chapter, and yet it seemed to go by so quickly. I haven’t jumped into Chapter 3 just yet, but I am really looking forward to getting to play it soon!
The Tired Obsidian 
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