Remedy Entertainment came out swinging during the Summer Games Fest presentation with a long anticipated, uninterrupted look at gameplay for Alan Wake 2. A sequel to the 2010 original, the follow-up has been a long time coming but looks set to answer questions about the fate of the titular character and amp up the level of horror to bone chilling new heights. With Alan Wake 2 set for release in October, fans of horror won't have much longer to wait to step into the world of Alan Wake, a writer lost in the Nightmare Dimension.
However, even though Alan Wake 2 is named after the main character, footage of the sequel seems to indicate that he won't be the only protagonist that players follow. In both the Alan Wake 2 trailer during the PlayStation showcase, and the gameplay demo featured during Summer Game Fest, a new female character takes center stage. Little is known about the character at this point, as much of the game still remains a mystery, but a few key details have been made available.
Alan Wake 2 - Who is Saga Anderson?
The official synopsis for Alan Wake 2 states that it takes place 13 years after the first game, matching up with the real time release date gaps between both titles. In this new chapter, the eponymous writer Alan Wake - who has been trapped within a twisted alternate dimension - attempts to use the dark powers within this world to finally escape by writing a horror story about FBI agent Saga Anderson. This alternate dimensions has a way of twisting fiction into reality and vice versa, by manipulating those in the real world so that they can be absorbed into its hellish reality.
As stated, 13 years have passed, and now strange ritualistic murders have begun to take place in the same location as the original game, that being the quiet town of Bright Falls. This catches the attention of Saga Anderson, an FBI agent who rushes over to investigate the haunting events taking place in Alan Wake 2. Saga has a strong reputation within the FBI as an agent who knows how to get a job done as resourcefully and intelligently as possible. This makes her top of her class, with Saga recognized for being able to crack tough cases, something which will certainly come in handy throughout the game.
More Clues About Saga Anderson in Alan Wake 2
Outside of Saga being an FBI agent and clearly a skilled one at that, other plot details are being held tightly under wraps by Remedy Entertainment. However, there are a few more clues surrounding her character that can lead to some safe educated guesses. For one, Saga's last name 'Anderson', is the same as two important characters from the original Alan Wake game, two brothers of a former rock band called 'Old Gods of Asgard'. It is unclear if there is any blood relation, or this is a distorted connection being made by Wake within the Nightmare dimension, but its worth pointing out.
Another point of interest is that this may not be Saga Anderson's first appearance. In Remedy's own cerebral action thriller Quantum Break, Saga is shown in an Easter egg investigating the events of Alan Wake alongside a fellow FBI agent named Alex Casey (who is also present in Alan Wake 2). Remedy has been connecting its recent games within one shared universe as of late, with multiple threads linking both Alan Wake and Control, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to believe some seeds were planted way back in Quantum Break.
Finally, there is the significance of the name 'Saga'. Alan Wake delved into symbolism and themes present in Norse mythology quite often, and in said mythology the word Saga means 'seer,' or to be able to see and communicate with the dead. Considering the supernatural elements present in the franchise, it may not be a stretch to assume that Remedy is hinting at Saga being capable of more than meets the eye.
Alan Wake 2 is due for release on October 17, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
