Summary
A sequel 13 years in the making,Alan Wake 2is finally here, and by all accounts, it’s even better than many fans hoped it would be. Though the sequel definitely carries forward some of the original’s best features and mechanics,Alan Wake 2is an all-new bag of tricks, and one that fully embraces contemporary tech to deliver a cutting-edge next-gen experience, one that’s perfect for this spooky season.
Leaning all the way into survival horror this time around,Alan Wake 2is a genuinely terrifying video game, filled with jumpscares, unsettling imagery, intense chases, and more than its fair share of monstrous enemies. But the player isn’t alone in their fight againstthe Dark Presence. Along with new protagonist Saga Anderson, Alan Wake receives some help from an organization known as the Federal Bureau of Control, which long-time Remedy fans will know all about.
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Alan Wake 2: What Is The Federal Bureau of Control?
Originally introduced in 2019’sControl,the Federal Bureau of Controlis an incredibly secretive branch of the US government that’s tasked with researching and protecting the country against paranatural threats. A paranatural threat is essentially any being that doesn’t come from Earth’s typical dimension or reality, and therefore doesn’t abide by its natural laws. These paranatural threats can manifest in a variety of ways, from mysterious Objects of Power to Places of Power or Altered World Events.
During the events of 2019’sControl, players assume the role of Jesse Faden, a woman in search of her missing brother. Her search takes her to the FBC’s headquarters, nicknamed the Oldest House. Here, Faden discovers that the FBC is under attack from a paranatural threat known as The Hiss. After clearing the Oldest House of the Hiss threat,Jesse Faden becomes the Federal Bureau of Control’s new director.
How The FBC Ties Into Alan Wake 2
During the events ofControland its subsequent AWE DLC expansion, players discover that the events of the firstAlan Wakegame are actually directly tied to the FBC. The 2010 Bright Falls incident is considered anAltered World Event, where paranatural forces are corrupting and rewriting reality. In response, the FBC has continued to monitor the town of Bright Falls, and more specifically Cauldron Lake that surrounds it, where Alan Wake went missing back in 2010.
InControl’s AWE DLC, Jesse is drawn to the Investigations Sector of the Oldest House afterseeing visions of Alan Wake. Jesse discovers that Dr. Hartman, a man directly involved in the Bright Falls incident, was captured by the FBC and contained in this sector for research, with the FBC believing that he had been taken over by the Dark Presence, which they call The Shadow. The Hiss invasion allowed Hartman to break free from his containment and allowed the Dark Presence to spread throughout the sector.
DuringControl’s AWE DLC, Jesse Faden sees frequent visions of Alan Wake, as if he’s guiding her throughout her confrontation against the Dark Presence. These visions become particularly prominent when Jesse is in the Oceanview Motel, where she seemingly communicates with Alan through a door marked with a spiral, something that might be teasing future Remedy games.
At the end ofControl’s AWE DLC, Jesse is told that an AWE report has just come in from Bright Falls, but it’s dated a few years in the future. This sets upAlan Wake 2very neatly, with the FBC already informed and presumably prepared to take on whatever awaits them in Bright Falls.
