Alan Wake 2: Writer's Room Alan Wake 2 guide, walkthrough
What is it useful for and how to use the mechanics of the Writer's Room? This guide page will help you find the answers to these questions.
Last update: 16 November 2023
The Writer's Room is a special mechanic coming into play in sequences where you play as the titular writer - Alan Wake. It serves a similar purpose as Mind Place in Saga Anderson chapters (more on Mind Place can be found on Mind Place page of the guide. From the Writer's Room, you'll be able to influence the nightmarish reality of the Dark Place, upgrade your equipment, and shuffle through found collectibles. On this page, we list all activities available in the Room and tip what elements to pay attention to.
What can I do in Writer's Room?
Similarly to Saga's Mind Place, the Writer's Room is divided into several segments through which you can freely switch.
Map - the maps of The Dark Place hanging on one of the boards will help you "navigate" the realm and make returning to previously visited locations easier. Additionally, meeting Sheriff Breaker in each of key locations will add additional information to your map, including blips representing the locations of useful finds and bonuses. However, before you receive access to a new map, you'll need to find it via exploration of the new region. For the exact locations of each region map, visit a dedicated page (Location Maps - Alan).
Words of Power - in this tab, you'll make use of gathered Words of Power, which are special collectibles that allow you to develop your hero. Each of the obtained golden circles is assigned to one of 7 categories that define different aspects of the hero such as weapon, carried flashlight or defensive capabilities. Per each aspect, you have access to 3 differently working upgrades, which should make matching the bonus to your playstyle easy. To learn more about Words of Power, visit the Words of Power page.
TV and Radio - these tabs play a similar role and allow browsing obtained collectibles and plot elements. On the lists included here, you can view Writer's Journey fragments, Alice's videos, or listen to all gathered Echoes.
Plot Board
Plot Board, the final tab, should be examined more closely. It takes a form of a chalkboard with the most important elements of Wake's novel marked. The specifics of Dark Place allow the protagonist to manipulate the space around him by changing certain important plot elements.
Each of the story-important locations in Alan's story is divided into smaller segments. These, in turn, can be changed based on the chosen scenes from Alan's book. Skilled uncovering and switching between scenes is one of the major mechanics of the game. Selected locations may drastically change their shape and character in each scene, which more than once will prove necessary to unlock a previously unavailable pathway or to push the plot forward.
How to enter Writer's Room?
You will gain access to Writer's Room shortly after beginning Alan's story. From that moment on, pressing the adequate button will take the hero back to the dark attic of his wooden cottage.
Alan can freely move around the room and interact with selected objects representing the various functions of the Writer's Room. After selecting one of them, you can also quickly switch between individual tabs. Pressing the key again will take Alan back to the Dark Place.