Fighting the terrifying Dark Presence in the Alan Wake sequel is not an easy task, but luckily there are ways for you to even the odds. Words of Power in Alan Wake 2 increase your chances of survival, and we have all their locations.
What are Words of Power in Alan Wake 2?
Words of Power can be used to upgrade Alan’s skills. Collecting a Word of Power lets you add one point toward that respective ability. Word of Lamp, for example, allows you to level up your light powers. You can also upgrade your Words of Aid, which increases the helpful effects of healing items. For the best Words of Power to upgrade first, check out our guide.
Hint: Use your flashlight to find arrows pointing to Words of Power. Focus on the Word for a few seconds to acquire it.
There are 27 Words of Power to locate in Alan Wake 2. The Words are found in three of Alan’s chapters, two of which are split between two areas. It’s a lot to find, so be sure to use the table of contents to find them all one at a time or seek out any you may have missed. Best of luck.
City Streets Words of Power locations – Initiation 2: Casey
There are six Words of Power in the City Streets area, which you enter at the start of the ‘Initiation 2: Casey’ chapter. A seventh Word of Power won’t appear until the chapter Initiation 5: Room 665. Check out the map below for all their locations and then continue for the details:
Your first step should be to seek out the once-missing Sheriff, Tim Breaker. He’s found in a room (circled below) after you pass through the gate on the way to find a light for your Angel Lamp. Search for the green stairs leading up. Listen and follow the sound of humming:
City Streets 1: Word of Lamp
The first one you’ll likely stumble on is located at the top of the stairs once you make it to the rooftops near Sheriff Breaker. Go up the stairs you see here and turn right. Next to the HVAC unit is the Word.
City Streets 2: Word of War
The Word of War is near the aforementioned Word of Lamp. Head into the door with the ‘LOST’ graffiti. On the street, go up a nearby ladder and walk forward. Turn right when you see the arrow.
City Streets 3: Word of Action
Down on Grant St. is the Word of Action. Head down the street, turn around, and look up. You should see arrows pointing to the Word which is painted on the bottom of the tracks.
City Streets 4: Word of Gun
Use the Lamp to turn the taxi cab into a police cruiser. Go up the stairs in front of the car and take a right. Walk a few feet and then turn 180 degrees to see the Word of Gun high on the wall.
City Streets 5: Word of Fix
The Word of Fix is at the end of the ‘Alley’ to the west of Caldera St. Walk down the stairs and keep going until the end. Turn right once you reach the blinking light and walk through the gray door you see. Reach the end of the winding hallway to find the word.
Note: The door moves in the chapter Initiation 5: Room 665. If you missed the Word before, look for the door which moved to the end of the alley and to the left.
City Streets 6: Word of Fix
The second Word of Fix is located near the back entrance to the Talk Show Studio. Check the map below for its location. Once you arrive, search for it behind some trash cans.
Subway Words of Power locations – Initiation 2: Casey
The Subway has the most amount of Words of Power in Alan Wake 2 — ten in total. It’ll take some time to locate them all since you’ll need to use the Lamp and change the Plot Board several times as you progress.
Check out the map below for all the locations, and then continue for the details. And be sure to stop by Sheriff Breaker, located at the blue circle.
Subway 1: Word of Gun
The first Word can be found not long after entering the subway. At the far, right side of the subway platform is a stopped subway car. Point your flashlight in the window for the Word.
Subway 2: Word of Aid
Go to the point where the subway track is blocked off. Look up to see a box painted with an arrow pointing left. Shine the flashlight to the left of the arrow for the Word.
Subway 3: Word of Lamp
On the far left side of the map, there’s a small room you pass through to get to a stuck train car. Before going to the track, use your flashlight against the wall near the exit door. The Word is behind some shelves.
Subway 4: Word of War
Go up the ladder in the safe room and turn left once you reach the subway tunnel. Walk toward the blue plywood and take a sharp left. Turn right at the stop and walk forward until you can go right again. Go right and look up at the ceiling near the electrical lines to see the Word.
Subway 5: Word of Action
After going down the ladder, look behind you for a small room. Follow the arrows and shoot the plywood to reveal the Word.
Subway 6: Word of Fix
After the last Word, go down and through the door. To the left, past the bars, is the next word. Avoid going inside, since shadowy figures are lurking. Use the flashlight from outside the bars.
Subway 7: Word of Lamp
Once you make your way through the Lamp maze, take a sharp left and descend the stairs into the flooded tunnel. Beware of enemies here! I walked in and lit a flare to deal with a shadowy bastard I couldn’t see. Walk down the tunnel a short way and then look up and to the left. The Word is high up against the wall.
Subway 8: Word of Gun
Leave the tunnel and go through the subway car. Turn left once you exit to find the Word painted on the subway car to your immediate left.
Subway 9: Word of Action
After setting the ‘End of the Line’ Plot Board to ‘Summoning Ritual’, progress down the opened path. Take out the enemies as you go along. Walk into the room at the very end of the subway platform on the right-hand side. It’ll be impossible to miss the Word of Power painted on the wall at the far end of the room.
Subway 10: Word of Fix
After you take the stairs to the Upper Platform, keep walking forward until you reach the gate. The Word is to the left of the Night Springs poster.
City Streets and Rooftops Words of Power locations – Initiation 5: Room 665
The Initiation 5: Room 665 chapter welcomes you back to the darkened city streets of the alternate New York. There are four Words of Power in total here, and one can be grabbed fairly quickly.
Your goal in the chapter is to make your way up to the city rooftops near the top of the map and progress to Oceanview Hotel. There are Words to find along the way, so check out the map for more:
Streets and Rooftops 1: Word of Aid
The first Word of Power is technically on the City Streets but was inaccessible until the Initiation 5 chapter. Before you make your way down the alley and toward the rooftops, walk to the end of Ocean Avenue and turn left. Look for the Word high up on the wall.
Streets and Rooftops 2: Word of Aid
Once you make it to the rooftops, locate the Break Room. From said room, go down the stairs until you reach the end of the roof. Standing at the corner of the roof, turn around and look for the Word situated below an Alex Casey billboard.
Streets and Rooftops 3: Word of Lamp
Go up the blue ladder near the Break Room and then climb the next ladder. The Word is painted on the side of the water tower.
How to find Sheriff Breaker: Look to the left, past all the HVAC units, for a set of stairs leading down — not the stairs behind the door. At the corner of the roof is a ladder. Go down and enter the door on the left-hand side to find Breaker.
Streets and Rooftops 4: Word of Gun
Go back up the ladder from Sheriff Breaker. Walk to the end and look right. There is a path under the stairs you went down earlier. Crouch down and make your way to the end. The fourth Word is painted on the bottom of the staircase.
Oceanview Hotel Words of Power locations – Initiation 5: Room 665
There are three Words of Power located in the Oceanview Hotel. It’s a bit confusing to navigate the hotel since some rooms lead to others in ways that boggle the mind. So, I’ll keep it simple here and offer some explanation where needed. Check out the map below for the locations of the Words and Sheriff Breaker, then continue for the details:
Oceanview Hotel 1: Word of War
The first Word of Power can be found in Room 224. Walk into the second area of the room and look for the yellow scaffold. Shoot through two plywood panels to get access to the bathroom beyond.
Look for the Word painted on the shower wall:
Oceanview Hotel 2: Word of War
The second Word of Power can be spotted from the ‘Second Floor Hallway’. Look through the window above the left door. You should see the Word on the ceiling.
How to find Sheriff Breaker: The Sheriff is nearby in Room 209, but it’s locked. Find the key nearby in Room 206.
Oceanview Hotel 3: Word of Stuff
The final Word in the hotel is located in the Ballroom. Once you make it inside, look for the Word on the ceiling in the bar.
Poet’s Cinema Words of Power locations – Initiation 8: Zane’s Film
We’re in the home stretch, now! Poet’s Cinema is the final place for all the Words of Power locations in Alan Wake 2. You know you’ve made it once you begin the chapter, Initiation 8: Zane’s Film. Poet’s Cinema can be found at the end of Draft St., which has now opened up.
Let’s start by locating Sheriff Breaker. He’s in the carwash office, but the door leading to him is locked. Go out and around to the other side of the building. Enter the gated area and use your flashlight to destroy a dark orb against the window. Next, go to the other side of the cleared window and destroy the three dark orbs keeping the door locked.
Poet’s Cinema 1: Word of Aid
The first Word of Power is to the left when facing the cinema. Walk to the end of the alley and look for the Word high up on the wall near the ceiling.
The next set of Words is located inside the cinema. Check the map below:
Poet’s Cinema 2: Word of Action
From the lobby, go left and head into the ladies’ bathroom. Walk to the end and enter the door that leads to a storage room. At the end of the room, you’ll find the Word up on the ceiling.
Poet’s Cinema 3: Word of Fix
Go back to the lobby and head upstairs on the right-hand side. At the top of the stairs, turn right and look for the Word against the wall.
Poet’s Cinema 4: Word of Stuff
When you make it to the cinema rooftops, go to the ‘Spotlights’ section to the right of the ladder. Go all the way to the end and look for the Word against a wall to the right.
Poet’s Cinema 5: Word of Lamp
This next Word is a bit tricky to track down. First, you need to find Sheriff Breaker again. He’s in the ‘Maintenance Rooms’ on the Rooftop, but the door is locked. Leave the locked door and go down the stairs. Turn left after the stairs and look for the yellow sheriff’s tape on the floor. Follow it under some platforms and then go up the short stairs to find the Sheriff.
Before you enter the room, stop at the door and turn around. Look up and find the Word on the back of the water tower.
With the water tower, you have found all the Words of Power locations in Alan Wake 2. Use them wisely.
