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How powerful can the written word be? In Alan Wake 2 it’s hard to imagine a stronger force. Alan’s writing shapes the very world around him in this survival horror game, transforming locations and drawing him deeper into the enigma of the Dark Place. Yet Alan’s power over scenes isn’t the limit of words in Remedy Entertainment’s bleak thriller. As you progress, you gain access to Words of Power. These can buff Alan’s existing abilities or even grant him all new ones, making it that much easier to survive the developer’s nightmarish world. Every Word of Power is useful, but these are the best ones in Alan Wake 2, ranked from good to fantastic.
5. Tourist Map
Tourist Map is an unusual Words of Stuff perk, but being weird doesn’t prevent it from being one of the best Words of Power in Alan Wake 2. Rather than buff Alan’s DPS or healing, Tourist Map acts as a simple locator. With it, you’ll be able to track the location of any items you might have missed. Being able to glance at your map and see all the goodies you would’ve otherwise run past is extremely helpful, especially if you’re playing on higher difficulties and still learning where everything is. That said, Tourist Map is a great beginner Word as well.
4. Magic Pocket
Finding resources isn’t the only issue in survival horror games. Having the space to store them is often just as complicated. At first, the game’s inventories feel spacious. The further you get in the game, however, the more items you’ll collect and the more you’ll want to keep on hand for emergencies. Larger weapons like the shotgun and rifle eat into your inventory space quickly. The solution to that is Magic Pocket, a simple Word of Power that gives you additional space. Whether you’re a loot goblin or just scared to give up the ammo you might need, this is the fix.
3. Roulette
Roulette is a Words of Gun power that helps in an area vital to any survival horror game: ammo. The Dark Place abounds with monsters, and if you get careless with your shots it’s easy to run dry. That’s particularly a risk on the game’s highest difficulties, where every bullet is a coveted resource. At first, Roulette grants a 5% chance that your Revolver ammo is not consumed when you fire. That buff grows as you put more points into it, making it the best Words of Gun perk in Alan Wake 2 not to mention one of the best Words of Power overall.
2. Prescription
There are several ways to heal in Alan Wake 2, and they’re all useful in different situations. Unsurprisingly, the best heals tend to be the rarest or come with a significant drawback such as slow usage. Taking several seconds to heal outside of battle is fine, but if you’re trying to patch a wound in the thick of combat, that kind of delay will get you killed. Prescription buffs the effectiveness of Painkillers, which are a quick and easy way to patch yourself up mid-battle. They don’t normally restore much health, but with this Word of Power on board, you’ll finally get some value out of them.
1. Lucky Strike
Bullets aren’t enough to save you from the horrors of the Dark Place. Alan’s flashlight also plays a vital role in keeping him safe as he investigates the back alleys, rooftops, and bloody hotel corridors of this supernatural realm. Throughout the game, you’ll use your flashlight to destroy the shadowy shield around enemies, leaving them vulnerable to gunshots. Doing so consumes charges. Lucky Strike grants a 25% chance to recover a flashlight charge after killing an enemy. It’s one of the best Words of Power in the Alan Wake 2, simply because of how often it will save your life.
