The concept of survival horror, at its roots, is to pit the player against an overwhelming force and give them limited tools to overcome it. It’s a brutal fight that can take many forms, and Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight is vastly different from Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake 2. However, these two studios have plenty of common ground with one another, which makes Alan’s arrival to the unnerving fog a natural fit. As Alan Wake finds himself in a game with a macabre of horror icons and Behaviour Interactive originals, he faces the ultimate challenge to see if he has what it takes to survive alongside a team.

We had the chance to sit down in a group discussion with Behavior Interactive’s senior creative director, Dave Richard, and Remedy Entertainment’s game director, Kyle Rowley. They went back and forth, discussing the driving forces behind their distinct survival horror games and the unique topics their teams regularly discuss to bring about these iconic experiences.

The Love for Cosmic Horror & Fear of the Uncertainty

When you put Alan Wake 2 alongside Dead by Daylight, these two are different experiences. Alan Wake 2 has a distinct narrative, where players have limited resources and have to solve time-sensitive puzzles before being overrun by enemies. Dead by Daylight has players becoming the Survivor or Killer, where one attempts to escape, and the other hunts the others down before they can leave. Although these two are different, they share one important connection: An unknown, cosmic enemy. For Alan Wake 2, it’s the Dark Presence, and Dead by Daylight has the Entity.

Neither cosmic enemies have a set understanding, either, and this is entirely intended by the team. Richard said, “The thing important for us is that when we created this universe, we were as ambiguous as possible. There is no definite truth. We want to leave a lot of the theory building to our fans.”

Rowley offered similar thoughts on how Remedy tackles the Dark Presence. “There are little connection points between your universe and ours in Alan Wake. We have this Dark Place, a nightmare reality that’s creating nightmare fiction based on the people who inhabit it. It’s taking all the experiences and mental thoughts that Alan has had throughout his life and conjuring it as a nightmare. It’s similar to the concepts you [Behaviour] have with the Entity realm in Dead by Daylight.”

Both teams shared that they love to create these ambiguities to give players agency over the threats they face. They want to make sure they’re not answering the question of identifying what that scary, horrible thing is in the dark and allow players to let their imagination run wild. Richard detailed that, internally, the Behaviour team also does not have a clear answer to this question about what the Entity is, which might be why they also avoid the answer to fans. The same goes for the Remedy team and what exactly the Dark Presence could be.

“To the developers on our team [Remedy] are like, ‘Goddammit, I wish I knew. Just tell us what it actually is so we can figure it out,’” Rowley detailed. “When I’m talking with Sam [Lake], and I’m trying to have these conversations. We don’t actually know. We leave that open. I think Sam has an idea in the back of his head but doesn’t quite want to reveal it. Ultimately, there’s no discovery if we know the answer before we make it. I think a lot of our games are about the discovery of making the game. We try not to have everything answered on paper.”

The fear of the unknown drives against the protagonists as they face off against the major antagonists in Dead by Daylight and Alan Wake 2. It’s a basic human instinct to fear the dark and what could be within it while serving as a potential to discover the unknown, which is perfect for horror storytellers. The similarities between these two games also made it so Alan could have a seamless pivot into Dead by Daylight, but the way he got there is a true mystery, even to the Behaviour team. 

“There’s a concept in DbD where, because it’s a multiverse and the Entity can break through holes through different timelines, that some people, especially artists, can be conduits to other universes, ” Richard said. “Seeing Alan also has the power to conjure his writing into reality made it a chicken and egg problem. It made it very easy to integrate. Is it Alan writing the reality of the Entity? Is it the Entity’s realm poking a hole in the Dark Presence and getting Alan Wake. What exactly is happening is out for theory, and we’ll let the fans decide.”

Rowley got a laugh out of this because that’s what he and the Remedy team frequently do with many of their titles. The underlying fear of what drives humans to cower away from the unknown makes it a great enemy, and both teams have fun playing with it, as providing a truthful answer could easily take away this unsettling feeling and magic the teams have developed with their fans. 

What’s also interesting is how Remedy and Behaviour tackle survival horror. Even though Alan Wake 2 and Dead by Daylight are distinctly different, there’s a relation between how players have to tackle threats and the recent rise to survival horror in the games industry, making it one of the best times to enjoy these titles.

The Resurgence of Survival Horror Games Benefits Everyone

Although the gameplay experiences of Alan Wake 2 and Dead by Daylight are vastly different, they are survival horror games at their core. They have design choices where the players question the reality of a particular situation and make split-second decisions based on minimal information to survive. Rowley and Richard reminisced that for the past few years, the rise in survival horror games has been fantastic for both of their games. For Remedy Entertainment, their knee-jerk intention was to make Alan Wake 2 a survival horror game, but after the definitive success of the Resident Evil 2 Remake, they knew they made the correct decision. Rowley had a lot of positive things to say when asked about the future of horror games.

“I’m personally super excited,” Rowley replied, “I think we’re in a really good spot. When we were originally doing the concept for Alan Wake 2, the Resident Evil 2 Remake had just come out. We [Remedy] talked about really wanting to do a survival horror game. At the time, they weren’t the most possible genre of game that was available. But after Resident Evil 2 Remake came out, everyone loved it, and it did very well commercially, it gave us the confidence that we could do what we wanted creatively, and the market is open to this. Since then, the market has only gotten better and better.”

“We love to see it, and I agree with you,” Richard said, “I think that horror takes more and more space. A lot of people have been saying that horror is niche. I don’t believe it is. I think everyone wants a little bit of horror in different styles, and it’s not what games have been offering.”

The continued success of the Resident Evil franchise is a perfect example of this, giving development studios who want to create a single-player, narrative horror experience the justification they need to move forward with it. Alan Wake 2 might not be the game it is today if Resident Evil 2 Remake had not done as well, alongside the unique experience from Dead by Daylight, hitting the correct note of multiplayer, co-op horror. 

The answer to the success of horror games, though, is a much more complicated one. Alan Wake 2 drove this home by not offering the typical, cheap jump scare from seeing something scary but experiencing that feeling of uncertainty and the rush of not knowing what’s about to happen next. The same goes for Dead by Daylight, where, at the start of every match, the player has no idea what they’re about to face, and they have to drive forward, using the limited tools available to them to charge ahead and achieve victory.

These notable gameplay differences between Alan Wake 2 and Dead by Daylight make them fantastic. They share the same mission, and go about it uniquely, but this also presents distinct challenges to Remedy and Behaviour. At their core, how they address these issues is their way to remove player expectations and provide a memorable experience.

Dead by Daylight & Alan Wake 2 Developers Tackle Player Expectations 

The player experience for Dead by Daylight vastly differs from Alan Wake 2, where matches can last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, and then you’re jumping back into the next one. If you’re playing Alan Wake 2, you’re there for the larger story, solving the intricate, game-spanning puzzles that can take you until you reach the credits to figure out. Not every question is answered correctly, and there’s still more to figure out.

Alan Wake 2 and Dead by Daylight share this concept of looping, but it’s handled differently. Alan is looping in the Dark Place and uses that to solve puzzles and try to escape. Players in Dead by Daylight are looping in much shorter intervals with their matches, picking and choosing their perks and tools to take with them against the next unknown Killer. In Alan Wake 2, this was tackled differently based on what character the player was using.

“On Saga’s side, the enemies are present, and they’re there with you,” Rowley said, “For Wake, It’s slightly more psychological, and he’s unsure of himself. He’s paranoid about what’s real. We built that into our horror experience. A lot of the emotional response from players on the Wake side is this paranoia of not knowing if something is real or not. That comes about for the fact he’s been there for so long, going through these loops over and over again.”

“On our side, the loop is not affecting our players, but the uncertainty is,” Richard replied, “The fear of the unknown is a core pillar of what DbD is. Every time you load into a match, you don’t know where you are, who you will face, what they’re going to be using, or their strategies. That is fear, or at least stress.”

“I feel that we have it the easy way,” Rowley continued, “We’re doing this one experience, where you play through it once or twice if you want to get the Final Draft, full experience. We’re controlling it a bit more. We can understand what the player have seen and what they’ve done before. We know where they are, and we can set things up. I feel like you guys [Behaviour] have it really hard, with the fact it’s all dynamic. It’s all player-driven. Trying to create those emotional responses from a horror-based game driven by players is a very interesting challenge; I think you guys have nailed it.”

Both Remedy and Behaviour have challenges to tackle to keep their players motivated, as well as challenges in how they handle uncertainty. Even though they’re both horror styles, how they manifest those emotions with their players is enriching to see these two routes.

The success of these games can only benefit the horror gaming genre moving forward, and bringing these two communities together is wonderful. It makes having Alan Wake enter Dead by Daylight’s fog that much more enriching, as he finds himself bringing a distinct set of skills to help battle the cosmic Entity. Getting to sit down with Rowley and Richard was an exciting opportunity, and I’m ecstatic to jump into my next Dead by Daylight match as Alan Wake to become the Champion of Light in the fog.

The next survivor to find himself stuffed in Dead by Daylight‘s fog is distressed horror writer Alan Wake from the Alan Wake series. Making his way over from a widely successful sequel, Alan Wake 2, players can use Alan Wake as their next survivor.

Alan Wake will debut in Dead by Daylight at the end of this month, but you can test him for yourself in the game’s public testing. Although none of your progress will carry over to the main game, it’s the perfect time to try the Champion of Light out to find the right combination of perks that fit your playstyle. We’re excited to see this natural collaboration between Remedy Entertainment and Behaviour Interactive as Behaviour continues to add to its phenomenal horror icon roster.

Related: How to Get & Throw Snowskulls in Dead by Daylight Bone Chill 2023

Alan Wake Arrives in the Latest Dead by Daylight Chapter

Behaviour Interactive shared the announcement with a new trailer, highlighting Alan Wake’s arrival to Dead by Daylight. For those who want to try him out immediately, feel free to download the latest public test server to test out his unique range of perks, which are available when you purchase the Alan Wake Chapter, which will be released on January 30, 2023.

Like every survivor, Alan Wake will come with three perks: Champion of Light, Boon: Illumination, and Deadline. Champion of Light gives the user additional movement speed while they use a flashlight, and if they blind a Killer using a flashlight, the Killer gains the Hindered Status Effect, slowing them down. Illumination allows all nearby Survivors the see the auras of generators and chests on the map, making it easier to spot these key objectives. Finally, the Deadline activates when your character is injured, increasing the frequency of skill checks when healing another Survivor or repairing a generator, but if you miss, the penalty is halved.

As a writer, the Deadline perk feels like a direct attack against me and how I handle many of my writing assignments. Regardless, Alan Wake feels like the perfect fit to make his way into Dead by Daylight. The way he combats creatures known as the Taken, and he has to use his flashlight to expose them, making it easier to do damage against them. One of the critical tools available to Survivors is their trusty flashlight, and it’s one of the only “weapons” they can use to defend themselves against Killers beyond running away.

We’re excited to try out Alan Wake on the Dead by Daylight test server later today and try out these abilities ourselves. Anyone who owns the base game can download the latest update to try it themselves and figure out their favorite builds before Alan arrives on January 30.

Every year starts the same. There are a few games for everyone to look forward to, but more rear their heads later in the year until a slew of massive, exciting games comes out in the third and fourth quarters. But we always forget about incredible upcoming DLC and expansions.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the hype for the next big game. It feels like there’s nothing else to talk about on social media other than the next AAA title about to hit our PCs and consoles. However, this can lead to a cycle where we pick up every new game we can afford and never take the time to appreciate or finish the last one we played. Even if we do, the constant influx of news about the next biggest game often overshadows the upcoming DLC and expansions for games we loved in the past.

Related: Best Video Game Hidden Gems of 2023

The 10 Best Upcoming DLC & Expansions for 2024 That We Know About

Below, we’ve listed the ten best upcoming DLCs and expansions that we know about for 2024. These DLC and expansions have all been confirmed for 2024 or delayed from previous years into 2024. While the release date for each DLC and expansion could change based on the developer’s workload, they should all be with us by the end of the year.

Each upcoming DLC and expansion is listed in no particular order. We believe that every one of these is well worth investing time and money into because we enjoyed the base games so much. Of course, if there’s one DLC that will be a clear winner for the year, it’s Elden Ring’s at the time of writing.

1) Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Shadow of the Erdree is easily the most highly anticipated upcoming DLC of 2024. The base game is FromSoftware’s most ambitious project to date, and the DLC is allegedly set to add as much content across a brand-new map as there is in Bloodborne. While the release window for this DLC is Q1 2024, we wouldn’t be surprised if it slipped a little.

The beauty of Elden Ring is that it presents players with a colossal open world and allows them to progress in any direction they want. While there is a set path they can follow, it’s possible to do almost anything, as is the case with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. We’re excited to see what this upcoming DLC can do to elevate the base Elden Ring experience with new twists on that formula.

2) Alan Wake 2 Night Springs & The Lake House

Alan Wake 2 was hailed as a masterpiece when it was released in 2023, and developer Remedy wasted no time capitalizing on that popularity by announcing two upcoming DLCs for the title. The first, Night Springs, is slated for a late Spring 2024 release date. It will star several familiar characters and allow players to experience on-off episodes of the Night Springs TV show as them.

The second DLC, The Lake House, looks at a secret research facility on Cauldron Lake where things have gone badly wrong. It feels to us as though this will be the most story-driven of the two expansions. While there’s no release date for The Lake House at the time of writing, it’s known that it’ll be released after Night Springs. Our money is on a Q4 2024 release.

3) Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Dawntrail has been pitched as the ultimate summer vacation for a hero in Final Fantasy 14. It marks the beginning of a new story arc for the game and throws players at the New World, Tural. There, players will help complete the land’s Rite of Succession and determine the next ruler for its people.

While a new story is great, most players are excited for the extended endgame content and balance changes Dawntrail will bring when it’s released in Summer 2024. This is Final Fantasy 14’s next major update, and expectations are high for what it can do for long-time fans and newcomers alike.

4) World of Warcraft: The War Within/Season of Discovery

It’s an exciting time to be a World of Warcraft player. 2024 will see new phases launch for WoW Classic: Season of Discovery, which proved to be popular with long-time players towards the end of 2023. These phases will see the addition of more classic content for players to work through as they may or may not have when it was first released.

However, the biggest upcoming expansion for World of Warcraft in 2024 is The War Within. In this new story, players will delve beneath Azeroth into its subterranean caverns, where the Harbinger of the Void is amassing an arachnid army to bring every force on the surface to its knees. Based on past expansion launches, it’s thought The War Within will be released between August and October 2024, but there’s no confirmed date at the time of writing.

5) Eastward: Octopia

While not a AAA blockbuster, Eastward has grown from cult classic indie to an artistic game everyone recommends as part of their hidden gems collection. Especially on Nintendo Switch. Eastward: Octopia launches on January 31, 2024, and promises to take players to a new region where they can get to know a community and help develop relationships with their neighbors in a cozy new adventure.

We missed out on Eastward the first time around, but Eastward: Octopia can be played without progressing the base game’s story at all. It’s the perfect upcoming DLC for us and others who missed out on playing every game that launched in 2023. We love it all the more for the farming elements it brings to the table.

6) Destiny 2: The Final Shape

The Final Shape expansion for Destiny 2 is a bittersweet one. It marks the end of the game’s decade-long story saga and the shift from it being Bungie’s main focus to a game with automated story content. Fans are split on what comes after, but most agree that they’re excited to play the expansion when it finally launches on June 4, 2024.

The expansion will finally see players follow The Witness, the main antagonist for Destiny 2’s entire story, into The Traveler. Once there, they’ll have to somehow beat a foe who is shaping the world around them to fit their own design as players attempt to do the same and gain an advantage over the toughest enemies they’ve ever faced.

7) Dredge: The Iron Rig

Dredge is an amazing fishing game with cosmic horror elements carefully woven into the world and story. The first major expansion for the title, The Iron Rig, was delayed in late 2023 into 2024. While The Pale Reach has kept players busy in the meantime, this upcoming expansion for Dredge is the one the fan base is most excited about.

No one knows exactly what The Iron Rig will add to Dredge, but based on past updates and DLC, it should bring a new biome to explore, as well as a new story to uncover. Oil rigs and lighthouses have long been part of cosmic horror tales told at sea, so we’d expect to see a rig plagued by a colossal sea beast if nothing else.

8) The Riftbreaker: World Expansion III

The Riftbreaker is a base-building game at heart with action RPG and open-world survival crafting elements. It’s a real mixed bag, but it’s adopted a fiercely committed fan base who adore its unique gameplay blend, exploring new biomes and advancing their research as they defend against every threat thrown at them.

World Expansion III is the third major world and story upcoming expansion for The Rifbreaker, set to launch at some point in 2024. It’ll add a new biome for players to explore, as well as a continuation of the main story. Players will find a new threat as they tentatively tread through the new biome and must find a way to defend themselves from it like they’ve never had to before.

9) Splatoon 3: Side Order

Splatoon 3 feels too old to be getting DLC in 2024, but Nintendo has its upcoming single-player DLC slated for a Spring 2024 release date. The expansion is part of the second wave of DLC for the game, adding a new campaign for players to work through in a world completely devoid of color. A stark contrast from everything else we’ve seen in this series.

The story follows a familiar Agent as they’re transported to the Order Sector. It’s a realm constructed of its own rules and looks at what might have happened if Team Order had beaten Team Chaos.

10) Atomic Heart: Trapped in Limbo

Launching on February 6, 2024, the Trapped in Limbo DLC for Atomic Heart takes the game’s zany hallucinations and finally offers them to players in a small open world packed with challenges to complete.

Based on the trailer, it looks like a new set of enemies has been added alongside some reworked ones with a Limbo twist. Players will use new weapons to beat the snot out of these insane creations while competing in Sonic-esque races and challenges that move the focus from combat to movement in this gut-wrenching first-person shooter.

What’s a good video game without an emboldened protagonist, a despicable villain, or a comedic sidekick? Characters are ways for players to feel connected to the story, and a great character can hook gamers and get them invested in the narrative.

Some players see characters in video games as a reflection of themselves or their traits. A gamer identifying with a hero or villain may make the experience all the more enjoyable. And some are so entertaining that it would be a crime not to include them on our list of the best video game characters of 2023.

Link – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Submitted by Laura Gray, Managing Editor

Is it bad if I say Gale again? Okay, if I step away from BG3, I’d pick Link in Tears of the Kingdom. I am always amazed at how deeply I relate to Link as a character, but I also think there is something truly magical in creating a character that so many can understand and see themselves in, and all without dialogue. It gives Zelda a type of magic that only it can capture. While I haven’t been a Zelda fan my whole life, I appreciate the effort, time, and energy that went into turning Link into who they are, and I’ve loved seeing the community react to the next chapter of the story.

Mitch Benjamin – Starfield

Submitted by Zackerie Fairfax, Associate Editor

Starfield’s Mitch Benjamin drove me to the brink of insanity, filled me with hatred, and annoyed me to the point of actually liking him. He is the early 2000s depiction of a nerd personified in a video game, a space where we nerds should feel safe. And we become his errand boy.

So, why is he my favorite video game character of the year if he’s such a nuisance? Well, he’s quirky in the best way. There’s a sort of camaraderie in his social awkwardness. We feel like one and the same. He can’t help that he’s not been able to leave his home world, and you are the hero who can connect a lowly Martian with the one thing he is so passionate about.

Saga Anderson – Alan Wake 2

Submitted by Zack Palm, Senior Staff Writer

My most standout character in 2023 was Saga Anderson from Alan Wake 2. She was one of the two main protagonists in the game and was structured as an FBI agent about to enter the mind-boggling world of Alan Wake. Even though she was an FBI agent, she was extremely open to the supernatural and took every opportunity to keep her mind open, making her a refreshing character about the star in a horror story. She had multiple revelations during the time she spent with Alan and while exploring the Dark Place, and she was a standout character to Alan.

Seyka – Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores

Submitted by Jamie Moorcraft-Sharp, Staff Writer

Horizon Forbidden West’s DLC is a breathtaking experience made all the better by the only character who can steal the spotlight from Aloy, Seyka. She’s strong, setting herself apart from every other NPC in the franchise as Aloy’s equal from the word go, but she also somehow manages to tame the protagonist through her ability to be fearlessly herself. I adore each moment she and Aloy spend together and want to see more from her in Horizon 3, hopefully saving Aloy from an even more absurd boss fight than the DLC gave us.

Astarion – Baldur’s Gate 3

Submitted by Cande Maldonado, Contributing Writer

Astarion is a conventionally attractive, bad boy, high-elf vampire with questionable morals, and I can canonically fix him. That right there checks off every box on my ‘dream character’ list. But add Neil Newbon’s top-tier voice acting into the mix, and you’ve basically set my list on fire. Astarion’s bond with the tadpole gives his story a unique twist, setting him apart from the other characters by offering a shot at true freedom. Whether you choose to ascend Astarion or let him walk the path of a good guy, every moment spent with him is an absolute treat.

Merrin – Star Wars: Jedi Survivor

Submitted by Alec Mullins, Contributing Writer

I liked Merrin in Fallen Order. I love her in Jedi Survivor. She’s fiery, funny, and more than a match for Cal’s hardheaded nature. Her new look is a bit jarring, but it reflects the experience she’s gained since we last caught up with her. Cere Junda praises her tenacity. Stormtroopers unknowingly whisper about her when they fret over Jedha’s ‘desert ghost.’ She’s so much more than a one-dimensional love interest, and I can genuinely say I’m ready for a Merrin-centric spin-off after Respawn wraps up the current story.

From breakout indie hits to highly-anticipated AAA masterclasses, 2023 has been regarded by many as the best year for the gaming industry in quite a few years, if not of all time. Month after month, from January to December, gamers witnessed developers release the best of the best when it comes to video games.

Every game that landed on The Game Awards’ Game of the Year category could have easily won GOTY any other year— 2023 was just that stacked. Here at Gamepur, we asked our staff to do the impossible: pick the best game of 2023. Miraculously, they came through, and here are the games we think deserve an award for being truly the best.

Related: The 2023 Game Awards Should Have Expanded The GOTY Category

Baldur’s Gate 3 – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Laura Gray, Managing Editor

Picking a “best game” this year feels almost impossible, but for me, it has to be Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s been a long time since I’ve been a part of a game that altered my actual life. Playing with friends, exploring the world, and savoring the beauty of the development was a treat beyond words. It truly is the game of the decade and one that I am so grateful exists in this world. Life is better with a shoe-eating Wizard.

Starfield – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Zackerie Fairfax, Associate Editor

I toiled over what title would be my game of the year, especially when looking back on what was arguably the best year in gaming history. So, I looked to the future. What game from 2023 will I come back to year after year? And then the choice became much easier. Starfield, a game I still feel I’ve only scratched the surface of after 200 hours, provides the Bethesda magic I’ve yearned for since Fallout 4 and will satisfy that spacey itch that creeps up at least once a year. And with fan-made content allowing the creation of new planets, Starfield will stay fresh for years to come.

Alan Wake 2 – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Zack Palm, Senior Staff Writer

Alan Wake 2— hands down. I laughed, I cried, I felt perpetual fear that I would run out of ammunition, and I enjoyed the most banger of musical numbers that I have heard in recent memory. It’s a game that threw me through several loops, and the narrative would never let me go. It’s a truly remarkable game, and I enjoyed every second of it. Honestly, I was one hundred percent convinced my answer was going to be Baldur’s Gate 3, but Alan Wake 2 feels like it left the biggest mark on me and turned me into a Champion of Light.

Baldur’s Gate 3 – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Jamie Moorcraft-Sharp, Staff Writer

Baldur’s Gate 3 has to be one of the best, if not THE best, games of 2023 for Gamepur. I say this because the entire team jumped on the game for over a month and could not stop talking about it. We’re still talking about it now! Yes, it’s an incredible title we could overanalyze for years, but I think the power it has to bring friends together each day and talk about completely different experiences even though they’re playing the same game is magical. I am, however, sorry to my colleagues for oversharing about my efforts to romance the worst abominations of magic and nature imaginable. 

Sea of Stars – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Cande Maldonado, Contributing Writer

When a turn-based, pixel art RPG with almost no dialogue gets as much buzz as Sea of Stars did, it must be doing something right. Sea of Stars revitalizes a genre that’s pretty much on the brink of death and stands out in a landscape that’s losing its touch. But I’d be doing Sea of Stars a disservice by deriding it as a “nod to the past.”  It’s a standout creation that blends nostalgia with fresh ideas. Its combat is a riot, the pacing’s spot-on, the dungeons are masterpieces, and visually, it’s a treat. It’s a modern take that tackles dusty old issues and offers an experience that’s both classic and contemporary. 

Sea of Stars – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Matthew Fuller, Contributing Writer

With a year so packed with quality titles, it was the indie JRPG Sea of Stars that truly stole my heart and took my top spot for 2023.

I had the honor of reviewing the game and spent most of my time gushing over the sheer brilliance it displays. Everything from its excellent story, brilliant characters, colorful and beautiful world, and the artful marriage of old and new ideas create a standout title that I couldn’t put down. It’s one of the only games in my life I have 100% completed, and it was worth every single second.

Baldur’s Gate 3 – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Scott Baird, Contributing Writer

I thought Baldur’s Gate 3 was a terrible idea when it was first announced. As a diehard fan of the original games, I didn’t think anyone could top the Bhaalspawn Saga. Boy, was I proven wrong, and I’m not even mad. Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the greatest video games ever made.

Larian Studios created a virtual D&D campaign filled with memorable characters, countless ways to approach the story, a killer voice cast, and an epic story. The only bad part of Baldur’s Gate 3 is that it ends, and you have to face the realization that few other games will satisfy you in the same way.

The Legends of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Jordan Althoff, Contributing Writer

When looking back at the many games that came out in 2023, a few stand out, but Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hit me hard in all the best ways. It was a beautifully crafted sequel to Breath of the Wild that kept me engaged for weeks and happily losing sleep to explore new and familiar locations. It had me laughing and crying. I avoided fighting Gannon for as long as I could. Not just because he terrified me but because I just wasn’t ready for the game to end. I’m excited to see where the Legend of Zelda games go next. 

Star Wars: Jedi Survivor – Best Games of 2023

Submitted by Alec Mullins, Contributing Writer

2023 was filled to the brim with instant classics, and as a result, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor passed like a thief in the night. Cal Kestis and the Stinger Mantis crew created something special back in Fallen Order, but there was still so much potential under the surface. Survivor takes that blueprint and builds on top of it like your 13-year-old neighbor playing Fortnite. There are a few flaws, but it’s ambitious, charming, and fed into that classic Star Wars escapism in a delectable way.

There’s no good way to adequately describe Alan Wake 2’s “We Sing” sequence to someone, and understanding the many complicated layers Remedy Entertainment wove throughout this scene is paramount to its overall success.

When everything lines up perfectly, the lights go dark, and the music starts playing, it’s a beautiful moment for players to lower their guard and enjoy themselves. 

In this nearly 20-minute musical, Alan Wake 2 blends a high-quality video game with a live-action musical with real-life actors and stagehands retelling the story of Alan while the fictional band Old Gods of Asgard rock out. It’s electrifying, funny, catchy, and partially horrifying when you think about it from Alan’s perspective, who had a great time walking through this, remarking, “He didn’t see that coming.”

The success of this scene hinges on how well it fits into the Alan Wake 2 narrative. It’s merely a silly scene or a gimmick the writers thought would be fun for a quick break from the combat, but it fits within the rules of the Alan Wake universe and the Dark Place. It’s a medium of art that the Dark Place would be drawn to and could feasibly create. With those rules respected, it’s such a fantastic time, and Remedy gives players a chance to experience this unique creativity through this phenomenal performance. Few studios could pull off We Sing, and Remedy nails it.

Everything Clicks with Alan Wake 2’s We Sing

The effectiveness of “We Sing” is built upon multiple layers that unfold during the first few hours of Alan Wake 2. We start with Saga in the real world and then show Alan being stuck in the Dark Place. The rules in Saga’s gameplay don’t entirely apply to Alan, and he can consistently change the reality around him if he can creatively write it up and produce it.

The talk show at the start shows us how other powers work in Alan Wake 2. He might not remember it, but it happened, and it’s also currently happening for Alan, even though he’s watching it. Much like players, Alan is, at times, a viewer in the Dark Place and watches on as he sees himself undergoing these forced performances. It’s only at the end it’s revealed he was a participant – whether he knows when he stopped being a viewer or not. Like everything Remedy has layered into the Alan Wake universe, it’s incredibly meta and only works because of the setup the team did to establish these rules with the viewer. It’s all earned.

It’s why when the music plays, the Old Gods of Asgard rip through with their guitars and phenomenal singing, it all makes sense. It’s not forced, and players can accept it as much as Alan does as he’s walking through the stage directions, trying to remember when he performed in a musical number and if he had that good of a singing voice. It’s a moment to let go, and We Sing becomes a joyful experience that fills you with laughter and excitement about what’s to come next.

Playing Through We Sing in Alan Wake 2 is a Rollercoaster of Fun

The We Sing section of Alan Wake 2 was pure joy. I was filled with a bright light the entire time I walked through this sequence, and as I neared the end of it, I loaded it back up to the start to check it all out again. Although this was partly because I wanted more screenshots for this piece, I wanted to keep playing this sequence. Much like Alan is stuck in a loop of playing the song, I wanted to remain in it because leaving it meant returning to the Dark Place and the horrors that awaited Alan as he writes his way deeper through it.

For a player, watching everything unfold is a treat. The actors are in a medium where they usually wouldn’t expect to see themselves in a video game, and players themselves rarely get to see this. Few video games unravel the curtain for players to see the actors portraying these characters, and watching them dance, sing, and tell the story of a lead protagonist is uplifting in the otherwise bleak story of Alan Wake 2, which is why it works so well. When your story is about all-consuming darkness, preying on your private emotions and bringing those anxieties to the surface, the bright light of a lighthearted musical is lovely. 

It’s even better to keep that tone and give the player a flaregun to unleash on enemies, blowing them away with an incredible guitar solo. I cannot stress enough how freeing it is to land a perfect hit against a group of enemies with a mini grenade launcher and hear the marvelous riffs from the Old Gods of Asgard. Everything about this 20-minute section is empowering, and I think the joy also happens with Alan, notably through the halfway point.

We Sing Outdoes Gameplay Narrative Expectations in Alan Wake 2

The thrill of making your way through the directed path of We Sing is something I seldom feel with many video games. Regarding other narrative games like this, such as Spider-Man 2 or God of War: Ragnarok, I enjoy the smaller plot steps where you’re pulled away from the heavier combat. There are these moments where I can freely roam around to explore the area and pick up small bits of lore and information. We Sing is undoubtedly in a similar mindset, but there’s so much more to it, and I hope other games take note of how this all fits together for Alan Wake 2 and why it worked so well.

There have been so many phenomenal games that came out this year in 2023. All of them have established mediums set within them, like Baldur’s Gate 3, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, to name a few. They respected these mediums and stayed within those expectations; in the case of Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur’s Gate 3, there was a lot more freedom and sandbox features that made them special. But with Alan Wake 2, a set narrative where there’s a little sandbox, and you’re being told a story, We Sing artistically breaks away from the expected and lets you have a good time.

The We Sing music is, from my experience, an important milestone because this moment is also a time of acceptance for Alan. We see a small glimpse of him beginning to dance closer to a drawing conclusion that occurs closer to the end of his journey in Alan Wake. This happens during the halfway point; there’s a juncture when Alan accepts the art, allowing him to go deeper. When players reach this point, they pick up the flashlight and pistol, which have not been available for the first part, and shortly after this, the real-life Alan, who is participating in the musical, dons a pair of sunglasses and gets more rhythmic with the dancing portions of the musical.

We see Alan undergo an acceptance of being in the work and a letting go that didn’t happen before this moment. The initial dancing sections featured Alan’s frantic, confused look, an appearance he had through most of the talk show sections with Mr. Door close to the introduction of Alan Wake 2. The singing has been phenomenal throughout it, but there’s almost a tone shift for Alan’s sections. As he accepts his time there, he finally reaches out to the player to unravel his time there and write the way out, developing the final chorus in the piece.

Alan Wake 2 has surprised me in multiple ways; the glee and charm of We Sing will stay with me for a long time. How Remedy Entertainment pulled this off is fantastic, and I hope it pushes the bounds with other video game developers who want to take risks like this in their story, mainly if it works.

Being silly and fun in a series story is crucial because it reminds us how we’re all humans, and even in the darkest of human stories, there’s always a light we can switch on to guide our way. Thank you, Remedy, for making me laugh.

The Nursery Rhymes in Alan Wake 2 will challenge your detective skills as you try to uncover the meaning of these riddles. After completing them all, you’ll be directed to the final one at the Witchfinder’s Station, and have to solve it.

The final Nursery Rhyme at the Witchfinder’s Station works differently than the other ones. Rather than reading a riddle at the center of it, there’s an audio recording playing at the building, and you’ll need to pay close attention to every detail to solve the riddle. Here’s what you need to know about how to solve the Witchfinder’s Station Nursery Rhyme in Alan Wake 2, and complete the final rhyme.

Related: All Manuscript Page Locations at Bright Falls in Alan Wake 2

Witchfinder’s Station Nursery Rhyme Solution in Alan Wake 2

The Witchfinder’s Station Nursery Rhyme will only appear if you’ve completed all the others you can find in Alan Wake 2. This means working your way through the Nursery Rhymes at Cauldron Lake, Bright Falls, and Watery. After those have been completed, you’ll receive the final doll, the Father doll, which comes with a final note to never bring it to the Witchfinder’s Station. Naturally, Saga has to bring it there to see what would happen if she brought this dangerous doll to that location.

When you arrive, similar to the other rhymes, there are symbols scattered throughout the area. Rather than finding a note, there’s a repeating rhyme that you can hear over the radio, and if you don’t have subtitles on, it might be difficult for you to solve in a timely fashion. I believe putting on subtitles for this portion of Alan Wake 2 would be a good idea.

Based on the riddle told you through the audio narration, here’s everything you need to solve the Witchfinder’s Station Final Nursery Rhyme in Alan Wake.

Nursery Rhyme Solution	Symbol	Doll	Description
	Eye	Father	To the right of the entrance, place the Father doll on the eye symbol.
	Sun	Hero	There’s a two-person bedroom to the left of the entrance. Place the Hero doll on the sun symbol.
	Heart	Mother	Next to the two-person bedroom on the ground floor, leading to the back entrance is a heart symbol. Place the Mother doll here.
	Hatchling	Child	Head up to the second floor, and then take a right. There is a child’s play area, with a hatchling symbol. Place the Child doll on it.
	Waves	Trickster	Take a left at the top of the stairs. Go into the bathroom to find the waves symbol for the Trickster doll.

The Manuscript Pages in Alan Wake 2 allow you to look deeper into the larger story happening in the game. These pages are scattered throughout the narrative, but some are well-hidden and hard to find in Watery.

Each Manuscript Page contains a different part of the larger story, and collecting them can provide helpful insights into what’s going on in the background of Alan Wake 2. You can acquire new evidence for Saga’s cases, filling in the missing pieces. Here’s what you need to know about where and how to find all Manuscript Page Locations at Watery.

Related: All Lunch Box Locations at Watery in Alan Wake 2

Where To Find All Watery Manuscript Pages in Alan Wake 2

These Manuscript Pages appear in several ways. Most of these pages will crop up during the larger narrative of Alan Wake 2, adding to the current plot of the story and offering additional details for players to learn. Many times, these Manuscript Pages add to Saga’s Case Board, filling in the blanks that might have been missing for crucial pieces of information. These are unlike the Nursery Rhymes, Lunch Boxes, or the Cult Stashes that appear throughout the story and are considered side activities.

However, some of the Manuscript Pages appear on the ground throughout an important area. You’re not forced to pick these up, but it’s encouraged, given how many smaller details they fill in regarding the larger plot of Alan Wake 2.

Here’s what you need to know about how to find all Watery Manuscript Pages in Alan Wake 2.

Manuscript Page Location	Manuscript Page Name	Description
	Manuscript Page – Watery Forest	Before you reach the first break room in Watery’s Forest, on the east side there’s a Manuscript Page close to a Nursery Rhyme.
	Manuscript Page – Watery Break Room	Inside the first break room of Watery’s Forest is a Manuscript Page.
	Manuscript Page – Coffee World	Before you enter Coffee World, there’s a Manuscript Page you can find close to the break room outside the Gift Shop.
	Manuscript Page – Gift Shop	Inside the Coffee World Gift Ship is a Manuscript Page you can add to your collection.
	Manuscript Page – Kalevala Knights	There is a Manuscript Page inside the Kalevala Knights garage, which you can enter after you encounter the deputies.
	Manuscript Page – Kalevala Knights Basement	After you make your way into the basement of the Kalevala Knights, you can find one in the middle of their ceremony room, shortly after failing to grab the Clicker.
	Manuscript Page – Deerfest Float	When Saga is trying to learn how to unlock the Overlap in Watery, there’s a Manuscript Page that appears on the float that reveals the truth to her.
	Manuscript Page – Espresso Express	You can find a Manuscript Page outside the Espresso Express.

Alan Wake 2 is a tale about the outrageous horror story Alan is writing, and much of it comes to life in Bright Falls because of the Dark Place. There are Manuscript Pages that you can find that detail significant parts of the story, and several appear in Bright Falls.

These Manuscript Pages are scattered throughout your entire playthrough, and tracking them down can take time. When you find them, you’ll get a glimpse at the larger story happening in Alan Wake 2, and you might even be able to piece together some additional information in Saga’s Mind Place. Here’s what you need to know about all Manuscript Page locations at Bright Falls in Alan Wake 2.

Related: All Manuscript Page Locations at Bright Falls in Alan Wake 2

Where To Find All Bright Falls Manuscript Pages in Alan Wake 2

There are several pages you will need to track down during your time in Alan Wake 2. Many of these Manuscript Pages are provided to you in the story so you can learn about certain things, such as more evidence in one of your cases, or to give context to what’s happening. However, many Manuscript Pages will merely appear on the ground as you go through the story, and they can be easily missed if you’re not careful. There are a lot more Manuscript Pages for you to find compared to the Nursery Rhymes, Lunch Boxes, or the Cult Stashes.

The Manuscript Pages do not provide a bonus for Saga or any weapon upgrades, but they expand the story in Alan Wake 2. If you miss out on these, there might be holes in the plot or something missing in the story if you don’t find them. I do recommend going out of your way to find them, especially if the main narrative does not go out of its way to give it to you, enriching your experience playing Alan Wake 2.

These are all the Manuscript Pages you can find while playing Alan Wake 2 and when you can get them during your playthrough.

Manuscript Page Location	Manuscript Page Name	Description
	Manuscript Page – Alan	Shortly after Saga finds Alan outside Cauldron Lake, he will present her with the Manuscript Page he’s been keeping from her.
	Manuscript Page – Outside Valhalla Nursing Home	You can find a Manuscript Page outside the Valhalla Nursing Home shortly before you arrive.
	Manuscript Page – Wellness Center	There is a Manuscript Page inside the Wellness Center, which you can get after you unlock Blum’s Workstation and find his door knob in the reception area.
	Manuscript Page – Wellness Center Patient Room	Inside the Wellness Center is another Manuscript Page, but you can find it inside the Patient Room on the table.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Pond	After escaping the Wellness Center, there’s a Manuscript Page inside the pavilion, next to the pond.
	Manuscript Page – Rose	When Saga reveals to Rose that she’s the hero in Alan’s story, Rose will hand her a Manuscript Page she’s been saving.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Stairs	There is a Manuscript Page you can find on the first floor stairs leading up to the second floor.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Third Floor	You can find a Manuscript Page inside the room on the right side of the Valhalla Nursing Home, on the third floor.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Basement	When you reach the basement, there’s a Manuscript Page on the southwest side of the flooded area.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Basement	There’s a second Manuscript Page in the Valhalla Nursing Home basement, and you can find it shortly before you enter the storage room.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Basement Laundry Room	Finally, there’s a third Manuscript Page you can find in the Valhalla Nursing Home basement, inside the laundry room. I recommend looking for it after you flip the lights on.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Cynthia Room	There is another Manuscript Page you can find inside Cynthia’s Room, on the Valhalla Nursing Home’s third floor, which can only appear after clearing the basement.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Pond	There is another Manuscript Page you can find outside the Valhalla Nursing Home, and you can find it floating in the pond.
	Manuscript Page – Valhalla Nursing Home Hill	Once you’ve departed Valhalla Nursing Home, there’s a Manuscript Page on the park bench on the southwest part of the map.
	Manuscript Page – Bunker Woods Break Room	After clearing Valhalla Nursing Home and unlocking the boltcutters, there’s a Manuscript Page inside the break room on your way to the Ranger Station.
	Manuscript Page – Bunker Woods Beach	On your way back to Bright Falls from the Ranger Station, there’s a Manuscript Page you can find on the beach.
	Manuscript Page – Sheriff Cells	Before you check on Alan, after making your way to the Sheriff’s Office, there’s a Manuscript Page inside the cell closest to the door.
	Manuscript Page – Palace Lodge	Shortly after leaving the Sheriff Station, you can find a Manuscript Page near your car outside the Palace Lodge building.
	Manuscript Page – Bunker Woods	You can find a Manuscript Page on the side of Bunker Woods before you make your first appearance at Valhalla Nursing Home.
	Manuscript Page – Bunker Woods Beach	There’s another Manuscript Page you can find next to the Bunker Hills Break Room, south of Valhalla Nursing Home. The Manuscript Page will be on the beach.
	Manuscript Page – Elderwood Lodge	There’s a Manuscript Page in one of the rooms on the left side of the building.
	Manuscript Page – Elderwood Lodge	Close to the other Manuscript Page in the Elderwood Lodge, there’s another one on the nightstand, next to the bed.

Bright Falls has several collectibles you can track down in Alan Wake 2, scattered throughout the entire map. A notable set of collectibles for you to find are the Alex Casey lunch boxes, which have several painted rocks around them.

The lunch boxes are not only an essential collectible for you to find, but they also contain helpful resources to aid in your fight against the Taken and the Dark Place. The more you find, the more upgrades you’ll have for your weapons while playing as Saga Anderson. Here’s what you need to know about finding all lunch box locations at Bright Falls in Alan Wake 2.

Related: How to Unlock Blum’s Workroom in Alan Wake 2 – Rifle Location

Where to Find All Bright Falls Lunch Box Locations in Alan Wake 2

The lunch boxes appear in Watery and Cauldron Lake. Each of them has distinct signs that you’re on the correct path to finding them in Alan Wake 2, which are the colored rocks and the hanging symbols you see near them. Unlike the Nursery Rhymes or the Cult Stashes, you may also be trying to hunt down. These are slightly easier to narrow down, and when you find them, you won’t have to figure out a riddle to open them up.

Each lunch box contains a small pile of Manuscript Fragments within them. These fragments are how Saga upgrades her weapons in her Mind Place. These upgrades should make it easier to take down the many Taken enemies you find while exploring Bright Falls in Alan Wake 2.

These are all the lunch boxes you can find while exploring Bright Falls in Alan Wake 2.

Lunch Box Location	Lunch Box Name	Description
	Lunch Box Ranger Station	You can find this lunch box right outside the Ranger Station. You can find it before entering the Valhalla Nursing Home on the south side of the map.
	Lunch Box Valhalla Nursing Home	When you enter Valhalla Nursing Home, there is one to the right of the entrance. It will be inside Rose’s office, next to her computer desk.
	Lunch Box Billie’s Boat Yard	There is a lunch box on the outskirts of Billie’s Boat Yard, to the west of it, where you can find one on the beach.
	Lunch Box Bright Falls Park	On the east side of the map, there’s a small park you can enter, where you’ll find a lunch box underneath a tree.
	Lunch Box at Bunker Hills Beach	Close to the edge of the Bunker Woods forest is a shoreline. On the south side of it, making your way up away from the Ranger Station, is a lunch box underneath a tree.
	Lunch Box Bunker Hills	When you reach Bunker Woods, there’s a lunch box that you can find on the west side of the map, on top of a small hill. You might be able to find it before you reach Valhalla Nursing Home.
	Lunch Box Outside Valhalla Nursing Home	Shortly after you finish your time at Valhalla Nursing Home and you unlock the boltcutters, you can exit the area, and you’ll find a lunch box on the west side of the woods.