Summary
2023 was a truly massive year for the survival horror genre. Not only did EA Motive’s phenomenal remake ofDead Spacekick things off in a big way, butResident Evil 4’s remake andAlan Wake 2both met - and arguably surpassed - fan expectations. Both games found themselves nominated forGame of the Year at The Game Awards, and thoughBaldur’s Gate 3ultimately brought home that reward, it was surely an honor to be nominated for both Remedy and Capcom. Since both games were so well received, either franchise pulling from the other would not be shocking, and there is one particular mechanic that could make the jump fromRE4to the nextAlan Wake.
Admittedly,Alan Wake 3is not guaranteed, even if the latest game has been a major success.Alan Wake 2is set to feature two expansions that could wrap up some loose ends, with one set to focus on Alan’s Twilight Zone-inspired Night Springs television show and the other set to feature the Federal Bureau of Control. The Final Draft new game plus content also gave the game a more definitive ending, so much so that Alan could just be a crossover character inControl 2and other Remedy projects going forward. Still, if another game were to happen, it could make great use ofResident Evil 4’s Merchant Requests.
Resident Evil 4’s Merchant Requests Would Fit Alan Wake 3 Perfectly
What Are Resident Evil 4’s Merchant Requests?
Resident Evil 4’s Merchant Requestsare relatively straightforward side activities that reward players with an in-game currency called Spinel that they can use to acquire powerful upgrades from the Merchant. These tasks range from simple objectives like shooting rats and medallions that are scattered around specific areas of the map, to fighting strong mini-bosses or defacing a photo by tossing an egg at it. Ultimately, all are easy to find and fun to do, and players can quickly complete the requests before continuing on withResident Evil 4’s main story.
WhileAlan Wake 3would likely not feature a proper merchant to buy and sell upgrades, if it wanted to, Remedy already has the perfect candidate. PerhapsAhticould sell Alan, Saga, or another Champion of Light parts he has found during his janitorial work, requesting some kind of fun tongue-in-cheek currency like thermoses in exchange for the gear.
How Alan Wake 3 Could Use Merchant Requests
IfAlan Wake 3were to incorporate this feature, and go the dual protagonists route again, it could really shine. Fans have already pointed out a small missed opportunity withAlan Wake 2’s shoeboxes, as they could have been used to transfer items between worlds, letting Saga give extra loot to Alan and vice versa. This idea could be realized by adding merchant requests inAlan Wake 3, as whichever protagonist players are not controlling at the time could ask for help from the one that they are playing as.
For instance, ifAlan Wake 3is about Alan rescuing Alice from the Dark Place, perhaps players would play as both Alan and Alice. While controlling Alan in the real world, he could spot a photograph Alice took while inside the Dark Place of an item that she needs, or something that she wants Alan to do in the real world. After completing this activity, a reward could be unlocked for Alice that players access when they take control of her later on, allowing players to make the different segments of the game easier for themselves by being thorough. Players could strategize around these requests, as if they are low on resources with Alice, they may not want to risk completing one of Alan’s optional tasks for her. Whether players are spotting amanuscript page from Alanon a wall in the dark place or a photo pinned to a tree in the real world, picking up these side objectives while exploring - just like inRE4 Remake- could work very well.
Alan Wake 2
WHERE TO PLAY
A string of ritualistic murders threatens Bright Falls, a small-town community surrounded by Pacific Northwest wilderness. Saga Anderson, an accomplished FBI agent with a reputation for solving impossible cases arrives to investigate the murders. Anderson’s case spirals into a nightmare when she discovers pages of a horror story that starts to come true around her.Alan Wake, a lost writer trapped in a nightmare beyond our world, writes a dark story in an attempt to shape the reality around him and escape his prison. With a dark horror hunting him, Wake is trying to retain his sanity and beat the devil at his own game.Anderson and Wake are two heroes on two desperate journeys in two separate realities, connected at heart in ways neither of them can understand: reflecting each other, echoing each other, and affecting the worlds around them.Fueled by the horror story, supernatural darkness invades Bright Falls, corrupting the locals and threatening the loved ones of both Anderson and Wake. Light is their weapon—and their safe haven — against the darkness they face. Trapped in a sinister horror story where there are only victims and monsters, can they break out to be the heroes they need to be?
