Getting all the Alan Wake 2 weapons will really help you survive the horrors of Bright Falls and the Dark Place as Saga and Alan respectively. There are eight weapons in the game, with six of them being completely optional weapons that, for the most part, you'll have to go out of your way to collect.
Remedy's survival horror approach to Alan Wake 2 means that collecting these weapons is massively helpful too, providing you with extra firepower beyond your humble sidearm-and-torch combo at the cost of vital inventory space and ammo needs. Below, you'll find a list of all the Alan Wake 2 weapons for Saga and Alan, including three shotguns, the hunting rifle, and the crossbow.
Alan Wake 2 weapons list
Saga's weapons in Alan Wake 2
Saga Anderson is able to equip and upgrade five weapons in Alan Wake 2. Four of these are hidden throughout the game and only accessible after certain chapters. You'll find information on each of these below.
Pistol
Chapter: RETURN 1 – INVITATION
Location: Default
Saga Anderson begins her journey into Cauldron Lake with the Service Pistol already in her holster. The gun has low stopping power, but is quick to aim and fairly precise – great for hitting those glowing weak points you'll find on a few of the Taken whilst you're out exploring the woods. Remember, you'll want to collect as many of the hidden Alan Wake 2 lunch boxes as you can to earn manuscript fragments that you can use to unlock weapon upgrades from the Mind Place. I'd recommend that you put 12 fragments into the 'More Bullets' upgrade, increasing the magazine size by 50%.
Sawed-Off Shotgun
Chapter: RETURN 2 – THE HEART
Location: Cauldron Lake General Store
Your first opportunity to get the Sawed-Off Shotgun will come during the second Saga Anderson mission. During Return 2: The Heart, you'll head back to Cauldron Lake to go looking for Agent Nightingale's missing heart. The weapon is locked away in a backroom of the Cauldron Lake General Store, accessible once a Taken crashes through a wood wall after you. If you don't grab the weapon now, you can still find it again by returning to the area in Saga's car. And if you're stuck, here's a guide to finding the hidden Alan Wake 2 shotgun code.
Crossbow
Chapter: RETURN 3 – LOCAL GIRL
Location: Watery
The Alan Wake 2 crossbow is a powerful, albeit slow to wield weapon that you can find hidden out in Watery. You'll be able to grab the long-range weapon during the earliest part of Return 3: Local Girl. You'll need to clear the town first and begin making your way to Coffee World. Once you're en route, you'll want to keep an eye out for an old cabin at the first break in the road. Inside is a Break Room where you can save the game, and just outside is one of the Alan Wake 2 cult stash locations. Use the numbers with crossbow bolts in 'em to guide you toward the solution.
Hunting Rifle
Chapter: RETURN 5 – OLD GODS
Location: Wellness Center
The Hunting Rifle is available quite late through Saga's storyline, only accessible once you make it a fair ways through the Return 5: Old Gods chapter. This weapon is easy to miss, stashed away in an inaccessible room towards the Wellness Center security office. Given that this weapon has massive stopping power at long range, particularly if you invest smartly in its upgrades, it's well worth the effort though. If you need a hand, check out our full guide on where to find the doorknob and hunting rifle in Alan Wake 2.
Pump-Action Shotgun
Chapter RETURN 6 – SCRATCH
Location: Bright Falls Sheriff's Station
Once you've survived the Overlap drama at the Old Gods Nursing Home you'll need to head back to Bright Falls. The Pump-Action Shotgun is hidden away in Sheriff Tim Breaker's office, which has been locked up until now. You get the key after making an initial visit down to the morgue, so head back up when you're ready, enter Tim's office, and look for the Pump-Action in a locked case on the wall (the solution is on his desk). If I were you, I'd store your old Sawed-Off Shotgun in a shoebox and rock this powerful new weapon from here on out – you're going to need it.
Alan Wake's weapons in Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake is able to equip and upgrade three weapons in Alan Wake 2. Two of these guns will be given to you as part of the main story, however one is very easy to miss and damn near essential once you start pushing into the more difficult chapters.
Flashlight and Revolver
Chapter: INITIATION 2 – CASEY
Location: The Dark Place
While Alan begins his chapter pretty helpless, it isn't long before he's reunited by a classic combination. The flashlight and revolver is found early on, after you find your way out of the Talk Show Studio and begin exploring the first part of the expanding Dark Place Alan Wake 2 maps. You'll need to head into an alleyway (look for a green neon light to signal the way) and you'll be gifted the weapon set by a familiar face after a short cutscene. Remember, you'll need to look for Words of Power in Alan Wake 2 to be able to upgrade your revolver.
Flare Gun
Chapter: INITIATION 4 – WE SING
Location: Talk Show Studio
You'll be practically handed the Flare Gun towards the conclusion of Initiation 4: We Sing. Given that this is one of the most imaginative missions in all of Alan Wake 2 I don't want to say too much here, only that it's exceptionally difficult to miss this weapon. As you push through the encounter, you'll eventually stumble across a typewritten on a wooden desk with a red tabletop, the Flare Gun will be right there. Ammunition is limited for this weapon, but it's fantastic at clearing crowds of Fade Outs.
Double-Barreled Shotgun
Chapter: INITIATION 5 – ROOM 665
Location: Oceanview Hotel
One of the best guns in Alan Wake 2, and it's so damned easy to miss. Early on in Initiation 5: Room 665 you'll need to try and find your way back into the Oceanview Hotel. Part of the ritual involves you solving environmental puzzles along the rooftops, eventually making your way to a sky deck with a closed bar. The signage behind the counter is a central component to the Oceanview Hotel door code puzzle, but it also hints that the shotgun is nearby. I don't want to spoil the puzzle here, but if you still need a hand, here's how to unlock the double-barreled shotgun in Alan Wake 2.
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Josh West is the Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar+. He has over 15 years experience in online and print journalism, and holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Prior to starting his current position, Josh has served as GR+'s Features Editor and Deputy Editor of games™ magazine, and has freelanced for numerous publications including 3D Artist, Edge magazine, iCreate, Metal Hammer, Play, Retro Gamer, and SFX. Additionally, he has appeared on the BBC and ITV to provide expert comment, written for Scholastic books, edited a book for Hachette, and worked as the Assistant Producer of the Future Games Show. In his spare time, Josh likes to play bass guitar and video games. Years ago, he was in a few movies and TV shows that you've definitely seen but will never be able to spot him in.