I may be a little biased and overselling it, but this is quite possibly one of the greatest chapters in the history of video games. Here’s our walkthrough and guide for the chapter Initiation 4: We Sing in Alan Wake 2. Turn up the volume.
As I said, I may be biased. Initiation 4, however, is Alan Wake 2 turned up to 11 for what you can basically boil down to as a rock music video based on Alan’s life that you walk and fight through. And it’s superb.
Initiation 4: We Sing walkthrough for Alan Wake 2
Anyway, much like Initiation 3, this is a fairly short chapter. There are no collectibles I’ve found. Instead, you should sit back, relax, and enjoy the “Herald of Darkness” by the Old Gods of Asgard. It’s one of many tracks by the Finnish rock band in the game, but should go down as the most recognizable.
Part I: Childhood
You begin the chapter back in the Writer’s Room. Activate the typewriter on the desk to get whisked away to the green room of the TV studio we first visited back in Initiation 1. Wait until you can activate the TV, and get ready; this is going to be a whole thing.
To get an idea of how We Sing works, you often need to wait for the game to cue you in on when you can move. Screens will shift, creating passageways, and you’ll heave to cool your heels until you can progress. There is no holding fast forward on this music video. Gaffer tape on the floor in the shape of arrows will point you to where you need to go next. The live-action characters will also sometimes point you in the right direction, usually by literally pointing.
Hold the activation button on the TV to start this crazy-ass fever dream. Alan will find himself watching himself on television. The camera zooms in on TV Alan, and the music soon begins.
Wait for the screens to move and walk upstairs. Keep moving forward, past Alan’s childhood bed and up a set of stairs. In the next section, it looks like you’re about to be attacked by Taken. But never fear: You’re not in danger… yet.
Keep following the path and taped arrows until you find yourself in a room with a TV. Activate the TV to start the next part of the chapter.
Part 2: Rise to Fame
Alan finds himself at a podium, on top of which is the Angel Lamp. Pick up the Lamp and the music continues once more. Take the stairs on the right and walk past the tables until you find a ladder leading up.
Take the ladder and then use the Angel Lamp to take the light from the flickering bulb at the end of the pathway.
Go down the ladder that appears and follow the arrows down toward the set pieces that make up a plywood version of New York City. Near a body outline is a flashlight and revolver, mimicking the scene we saw earlier with Alex Casey. Pick up the gun and flashlight.
Continue onward, and make note of where the people in the videos are pointing. You’ll find yourself surrounded by building set pieces with a cab in the center. You need to move a light to the cab using the Angel Lamp, but it’s dry. Look around for the ‘Getaway Club’ neon signs and follow them, as they point you in the right direction.
Once you’re able to use the Lamp on the cab, activate the TV screens nearby and get ready for…
Part 3: Bright Falls
Remember the flashlight and gun you got in the previous part? It’s time to use them. The third act of the music extravaganza will set you on some hostile Taken foes.
But first, make your way around until you reach a ladder. Go up and grab the Flare Gun off the desk. The screen rises, allowing you to continue. Walk forward until you get to the large, imposing image of Alan wielding a gun. Turn left and go down the stairs where you enter your first fight against Taken.
Do not be conservative with your flares in this section. There’s no reason to hold onto ammo, and enemies come at you in large waves. Fire the flare and whip out your pistol to clear the area. Use the supply box before the stairs to refresh your supplies.
Move forward while grabbing as many supplies as you can carry from the boxes. When you reach the part with the gaffer tape on the floor spelling out “WAIT FOR SOLO,” prepare for a big battle. Taken charge you one after the other. Use your Flare Gun and go for headshots.
It’s the same story once you go downstairs: Enemies swarm you, so use everything in your arsenal to stem the tide. There is a safe spot under a lamp near the cabin. Go there if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Part 4: Champion
Thankfully, this is the last big fight before the end. Go upstairs and activate the TV, which begins the next scene. Alan eventually finds himself back in the studio’s green room. This time, instead of using the TV, walk into the door to the left where the Safe Haven is usually located. Line up the Echo inside and then climb the ladder that appears.
At the top is a Plot Board. Use it with the ‘Song’s End’ element to change the scene around you. A TV appears behind Alan, and activating it takes you through the final part of the chapter.
With that, you’ve finished the Initiation 4: We Sing chapter of Alan Wake 2. Good luck getting that earworm removed anytime soon.
