Saga Is an Even Better Protagonist Than Alan Wake

Protagonists can be simple, with just one or two defining traits, or they can be a web of identities in conflict. They can be the generic Good Guy or someone with more nuanced morals. There’s no one right way of creating a lead character for a game, let alone a game as intricate as Alan Wake 2. Yet the developer has managed something truly special. Rather than let Alan dominate the spotlight the way he did in the original game, Remedy Entertainment’s new survival horror game lets him share it with another character: Saga Anderson. Both are fascinating, and longtime fans won’t be turning their back on Alan anytime soon, but Saga is arguably the better protagonist of the two.

What Makes Alan Wake a Good Protagonist?

Celebrating Saga’s character arc in no way diminishes the importance or quality of Alan’s. Alan Wake is as deep, troubled, and intricate as the game he inhabits. It’s not surprising. He’s been through a lot by the time we arrive at the events of Alan Wake 2, and in the game’s relatively brief runtime, he goes through even more. This tortured writer has more than just the expected personal demons to face. His writing is a ripe source of inspiration in the Dark Place, twisting that already malevolent realm into something beyond his understanding. Considering the evil forces he’s faced with, Alan’s composure and ability to execute under pressure are remarkable. Yet it’s his fragile and insecure moments that make him compelling.

The main drawback to Alan’s character arc in Alan Wake 2 is how much time he spends responding to his environment rather than another person. Unlike Saga, Alan spends the bulk of his time struggling to progress through the bloody labyrinth of the Dark Place. Without spoiling anything, he faces all manner of hardship there, but he is rarely face-to-face with other characters for long. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially since his journey is meant to be a cerebral one. He’s a writer struggling with isolation, mental collapse, and supernatural forces, after all. That said, characters often grow best together, which Alan simply can’t here.

What Makes Saga Anderson a Good Protagonist?

Saga and Casey come to Bright Falls to investigate a murder, so naturally, the pair has a lot of time to talk in Alan Wake 2. Saga is contemplative, literally withdrawing into her own Mind Place in order to assemble clues and make deductions. Despite her heady work, Saga always has time to chat with Casey, pick the locals’ brains, and even just think out loud as she puts things together. Though her profession is one of her defining qualities, she’s more than just an FBI agent. Even when she’s acting on behalf of the FBI, she allows her empathy, determination, and personal convictions to guide her. She never becomes the cardboard detective.

A significant portion of Saga’s story involves her unraveling the truth about her family. It’s a fantastic part of the game, and without spoiling anything, one can say that it’s a big part of what makes her so compelling. She isn’t a mirror image of Alan, and her reactions to family crises don’t look the same. She is, arguably, a more proactive force, compared to Alan, who is pushed into a more reactive role by the Dark Place. Saga has multiple opportunities to shape her own destiny and tell her own story. She doesn’t shy away from them, even when they’re painful or difficult. It’s refreshing to see a character in law enforcement be more than just their badge.

Is Saga Better Than Alan Wake?

Ultimately, it’s a subjective judgment. Fans who still see Alan as the superior character have strong arguments of their own. Alan may be the more important character in the series overall, but Saga’s contributions to the story of Alan Wake 2 are tough to beat. Fans had an entire previous game to get to know and love Alan. That freed the developers up to tell a different kind of story with him in the sequel. Saga, meanwhile, is new blood. Alan Wake 2 is in some ways her game even more than it is Wake’s. Remedy Entertainment did an outstanding job of writing her into the canon. As a result, she’s one of the most fascinating characters in a series overflowing with them.

Alan Wake 2 is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.