Episode 3 - Alan Wake Guide - IGN (2024)

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Nothing interesting happens, although it should be noted you can grab some secrets in the trailer park. After the little Misery episode with whackjob Rose. Head outside, meet the cops, and let the game start up properly.

After the cliffdive, follow the dry riverbed. Wake will pass under a wood bridge, then drop to a new section of the woods. The riverbed will end and lead up the valley. Keep going and ignore the chopper.

Check in at the ranger's watchtower if you want (unneccessary) and move on towards the radio station (or the gold marker on your Call of Duty HUD).

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Start up the generator for the searchlight and use the beam of light on the gate to destroy it. The electricity runs out after a while; if it does restart the generator and do it again. Shortly after, you will find a flashlight and flashbangs.

Use flashbangs like smart bombs -- let enemies come close and then toss one at their face. The explosion doesn't harm Wake, but immolates enemies (note to self -- use flashbangs for future vampire killing game).

If you've been paying attention in Normal mode, there is a supply cache on the right side of the valley (past the bridge near the safezone) with a safezone and some more flares and batteries. Otherwise, make straight for the radio station so we can get a gun. Like alcohol, guns are the source, and solution to, some of life's problems.

After the radio station cliffdive, the next safezone (use a flare to keep enemies at bay) has a revolver nearby. Load up and head to the cabin. Because of the enemies on nightmare, it's easier to take the items and start using a flare and flashbang to blow them all to hell. Running isn't much an option since enemies always catch Wake.

Note that from the safezone with the gun, there is a path up the hill towards the radio station and tower. There are some hard to find items there (on normal -- none on Nightmare). Be sure to get them on an easier difficulty setting so you can skip working up the hill on nightmare mode.

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Zip past the enemies in the woods and deal with the possessed objects under the bridge. The best thing is to flashbang/flare the two gates blocking the exit (forward and left at the end of the bridge), otherwise, you will have to light up and zap all the objects (a waste of supplies). Getting out from under the bridge gives Wake a lot more room to evade and flee enemies.

Head into the building past the bridge, and flashbang/torch/shotgun the douchebags in ambush. You may want to save a few flashbangs, but hoard batteries and flares. You will need them for the boss fight.

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For the dozer, put something solid in the way, or sprint sideways and remain on the side of the vehicle. Boost the torch, use up batteries, and flick on a flare when enemies get close. Flick on a flare anyway, since flares make the enemy's dark shield weaker and more vulnerable to being sapped by light.

Once the dozer is destroyed, scout the area before approaching the pick-up truck (or going past it). Take all the items you can.

The items you took earlier will be carried over after this (unarmed, no enemies) section. Just because there're no enemies doesn't mean there are no items. Be sure to check the collectibles section for items on Normal (nothing here on nightmare). Get to the coal mine museum and get to the next zone.

Night at the coal mine museum -- hop the chain link after the real-time b.s., and loot the shelves. Operate the switch and drop down into the trainyard. Use the revolver liberally (infinite ammo from the box) and use the train cars to block the possessed items. Load up on ammo before moving on and light-shine the objects in the traincar to clear the way.

Use the truck to waste enemies in the train switchyard -- this is to preserve the flashbangs for encounters you cannot commit vehicular manslaughter. Once the enemies are gone (no respawns), deactivate the generator so Wake can mantle over the broken fence near where you the vehicle was initially parked.

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Inside the building, flashbang the enemy who comes through the door. One the second level, sprint to the end of the room (stay in the middle) and pop a flare. You can clear the ladder before enemies recover from the flare and attack.

At the top of the building, operate the switch to open the locked gate. Head outside, trigger the enemies and use the pick-up truck to battle the enemies. Alternatively, you can flare and flee to the next safezone.

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Past the switchyard and short hop around the traincars, there's a safezone before a bridge. Just across is a pump shotgun (handy and better than the rifle, since it carries more ammunition). Past the bridge and shotgun is a large hole and Wake can go left or right.

Left takes Wake to some collectibles (do this on normal). Go left or right. You want to skip past this area (too wide open) and flare/flashbang/gun down the enemies who try to approach the stairs. Reach the next safezone so you can skip wasting ammo on enemies who don't pay off.

Past the enemy ridden donut field is another challenge for nightmare -- two enemy speedsters/blur-bots in the cemetary before the ghost town. Use the small wooden ramp near the broken trestle bridge to intervene with their movement. Light up the enemies, waste their shields, then waste them before moving on.

Go past the cemetary to the ghost town and avoid the objects there. You can always put a tree between an object that tries to attack Wake and Wake himself. Roast the items before moving on, or lure them into flinging themselves into a pit.

Lure or doom the locomotive engine -- remember that a golden circle around an object means you're hitting it with a flashlight, but the object needs a boosted beam to be sapped. Take the key in the shed, open the cabin to the exit, and keep the shotgun (more ammo).

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Take the ladder to the top and cross the cliffside's planks. Drop into the mine as soon as the opening shows up, since you want to avoid tangling with the birds.

Flashbang the enemy who appears in the mine (after the collapsing tunnel). Shoot past him and deal with the mine puzzle.

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The goal is to reach a switch and move the lift in the middle to allow Wake to jump from one side to the other. Get to the very top, kick down an escape ladder, and use the nearest switch to re-adjust the pallet of girders to the mine's exit. Not that hard.

Ride the trolley across the gorge (zap the birds as they come in). Once off the trolley, head up the stairs to the safezone. For the long rope bridge, ready the flashbangs and shotgun. Stun the first enemy ahead, turn and flashbang the tougher enemy coming behind Wake (from where he came). The enemies in the front are weaker, so a flashlight, and a shotgun can fix their wagon.

At the ruins, there is one final ambush. You can expend all your ammo here, or simply flashbang, flare, and flee. Inside the ruins, notice the stairs that take Wake upstairs. On the roof, going over the cracked floor will trigger the ambush.

Once the enemies appear, flash/flare and head for the stairs. Once Wake hops the gap left by the collapsing roof (by going back upstairs again), you can snipe or shoot all the enemies at your leisure. Otherwise, head down the other side, get to the lake and end the mission.