Summary
With the release ofControlback in 2019, Remedy Entertainment confirmed the existence of its own connected universe. Much like its Hollywood inspirations, Remedy’s own connected universe has had pretty humble beginnings, withControlonly really establishing thatAlan Wakeis set in the same universe. But with the recent launch ofAlan Wake 2, it seems likeRemedy’s connected universeis only just getting started.
During the course ofAlan Wake 2’s 20-ish hour runtime, Remedy lays the potential foundations for a number of future Remedy-connected universe projects, encompassing both the characters and events ofControl,Alan Wake, and potentially some other Remedy properties. And while Remedy’s past projects likeQuantum BreakandMax Paynearen’t directly connected to the shared universe, or at least not yet, there are some major connections betweenAlan Wake 2and them, especially the latter.
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How Alan Wake 2’s Alex Casey Connects to Max Payne
Back inthe original 2010Alan Wake, Alex Casey was Remedy’s way of referencing its oldMax Payneseries in a pretty tongue-in-cheek way. In that first game, Alex Casey is the New York City detective protagonist of Alan Wake’s world-famous crime novels, and through various collectibles, players would discover that he shared quite a few similarities with the titular New York detective protagonist ofMax Payne.
InAlan Wake 2, however, things get a tad more complicated. Set 13 years after the first game,Alan Wake 2opens withFBI Agents Saga Anderson and Alex Caseyheading to the town of Bright Falls, where a recent series of murders has just occurred. Though he shares the same name and occupation as Alan Wake’s fictional hero, that seems to just be a coincidence, and one that’s apparently joked about frequently during his daily life.
Alan Wake 2’s Alex Casey Has a Familiar Face and Voice
While Alex Casey was a mere reference toMax Paynein the first game, Remedy takes things a few leaps further with his appearance inAlan Wake 2. Long-time Remedy fans will immediately notice that Alex Casey bears a striking resemblance to the original face model used forMax Payne, and that’s because both characters useSam Lake’s likeness, the Creative Director of Remedy Entertainment. But that’s not the only similarity Casey and Payne share.Alan Wake 2’s Alex Casey is also voiced by James McCaffrey, the same actor behind all ofMax Payne’s video game appearances.
Alan Wake 2’s Alex Casey Is a Hard-Boiled New York Cop
When players first meet Alex Casey inAlan Wake 2he seems like a fairly normal, but stoic FBI agent. But Alex Casey’sMax Payne-like personality soon comes out when players meet a version of the character inthe Dark Place. Found very early on in Alan’s journey through the Dark Place, Alex Casey appears due to Alan’s paranatural writings, which have turned him into a character in the Dark Place that Alan can manipulate through his art.
Here, Alex Casey essentially becomes Max Payne, with an even gruffer voice, a much more aggressive attitude, and plenty of lines of dialogue that feel ripped right out ofMax Payne’s more melodramatic moments. This iteration of Alex Casey also wears an outfit that’s extremely similar to the detective’s New York look inMax Payne 3, with a long leather coat, black tie, and dress trousers. So while Alex Casey may not technically be Max Payne inAlan Wake 2, he’s essentially the same character in all but name.
