
Developer, Remedy is as famous for action as storytelling, and that comes to bear here, as simple, fluid controls do away with the stilted awkwardness that's characteristic of this genre. Maybe that sounds a bit mean, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable horror game than Alan Wake from a pure gameplay perspective. Its story unfolds like a thrilling TV miniseries, right down to the episodic structure that bookends each plot twist and revelation.Īlan Wake further distinguishes itself by, well, being a lot of fun to play. The dulcet tones of the night DJ rambling across the airwaves - mixed with the little vignettes you can catch on TV - make this town feel alive, like a character unto itself. That place is Bright Falls, a Twin Peaks-inspired mountain community with a terrible secret. But its sense of place and character is second to none. It doesn't trade in excessive gore or jump scares - in fact, it's not that scary on the whole. Once released, Sage Freke will return to the Nexus where he’ll teach high-tier magic in exchange for Boss Souls.Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PCĪlan Wake isn't like most horror games. If you disabled the ballista, you can simply walk across the bridge and take all the shortcuts back up to the third floor.

With the Special Key in hand, it’s time to backtrack to Sage Freke’s cell on 3F East. Strike them down in spite of their protest and grab the Special Key that’s hanging on the wall behind them. The Dregling won’t attack once found, but they’ll plead for their life and ensure they aren’t doing anything nefarious. To find the Dregling, head into the tower stationed to the right of the fog gate (be wary of the hidden Black Phantom up the steps).

Specifically, the Special Key is found in the same room as the Dregling enchanting the Fool’s Idol to stay immortal. On that note, it’s not even possible to free Lord Rydell until 3-1’s been cleared.


The Special Key is found at the very end of 3-1, requiring you to more or less complete the stage before you can so much as think about freeing Sage Freke.
