A sequel to Alan Wake once seemed impossible, with the original game launching in 2010 and becoming the sort of cult classic that is fondly remembered by fans but typically not expanded upon in an industry obsessed with mega-hits. However, after 13 years, one quasi-sequel, and one DLC tie-in, Remedy is finally returning to its well of inky darkness and releasing the sequel, Alan Wake 2, which shifts into full-on survival-horror, introduces a second playable character, and continues to build on the Remedy Connected Universe's elaborate lore. Whether you simply want a refresher of what's happened already, you need a complete introduction to the world of Alan Wake, or you just want to see how your favorite fan theories are doing before you dive into the sequel, here's everything that's happened in the Alan Wake story so far.

The story of Alan Wake kicks off in the Pacific Northwest in 2010, in the ominously named Bright Falls, Washington, a logging- and mining-oriented town that harbors a dark secret. For Alan and his wife Alice, however, it's meant to be a safe haven for the ever-disgruntled and writer's-blocked Alan to rest his head and take some time away from the hustle and bustle of New York City and his life as a bestselling crime author.

Alan and Alice arrive at their secluded Bird Leg Cabin which sits by its lonesome atop Cauldron Lake. Though the views are incredible, things take a turn for the worse on the first night of their stay. The hot-headed Alan storms out of the cabin in a huff when he discovers Alice brought a typewriter with the hope that Alan might find more success writing given his change of scenery. Rather rudely, he leaves his nyctophobic (that means "afraid of the dark") wife alone in the creepy cabin during a power outage, and immediately lives to regret it, as Alice is attacked by a Dark Presence just seconds later. Alan rushes in but manages only to witness her be pulled into the infinite darkness of Cauldron Lake. Suddenly feeling heroic, he jumps in after her.