How to come up with a new plan in Alan Wake 2

Most of the time your objectives are cut and clear in Alan Wake 2, but that isn’t the case for one chapter towards the end of Saga’s storyline when you’re asked to “come up with a new plan,” but don’t really receive any guidance other than that.

Luckily, there is one definitive and quick solution as only one plan is available. Here’s how to overcome the “come up with a new plan” roadblock in Alan Wake 2.

I’m warning you now—there are heavy spoilers ahead! If you haven’t gotten to this point in the game yet, you should stop reading right now.

How to complete the Come Up With a New Plan goal in Alan Wake 2

After returning to the Sheriff’s Station in Bright Falls with the Clicker to meet up with Alan and put an end to this horror story once and for all, you’ll learn that Alan was actually Scratch this entire time. As Casey aptly says, “The whole plan’s gone out the window.” It’s Saga’s sole responsibility to brainstorm on what to do next.

Talk to Estevez

To begin forming a new plan, you must talk to Estevez, the FBC agent and absolute best character in the game who is tragically underutilized up until this point. When you speak with agent Estevez, she will give you a key to a locked jail cell holding FBC documents that should help with the plotting. Estevez calls it a “prison cell,” which can be a bit misleading—the cell you’re headed to is the one directly across from “Alan’s” cell in the back of the Sheriff’s Station.

While you’re in this room, make sure to unlock and grab the Pump Shotgun which is in a glass display case on the wall.

Examine the files in the locked cell

Use the Prison Cell Key given to you by Estevez to unlock the jail cell in the back of the Sheriff’s Station. Inside are three files that you must inspect and examine: two of them are on the table in the center of the cell, and one is on the table on the left side. Each one will give you a new clue photo that you must place in the Wake and the Clicker folder on the Case Board.

• Examine the files in the cell
• Place the clues on the Wake and the Clicker Case Board

Use Profiling to progress the plan

After you’ve placed those clues, it can look like the trail has gone cold. This is because the next step of coming up with a new plan relies solely on Profiling—or Saga’s version of plot armor, as I like to think of it. From the Mind Place, tab over to Profiling. You will have some new Profiling options available for both Alan and Tor.

• Profile Alan to learn that he is still trapped in The Dark Place
• Profile Tor to learn that the Clicker can be used alongside any art, not just Alan’s writing
  • First is Trusting Wake, then Rescuing Wake gives you the new plan

Doing both of those things will also give you some new clues that you should place on the Wake and the Clicker Case Board, but you don’t actually have to do that. Once you have selected all of these Profiling options, Saga will decide that she must use the Clicker at Cauldron Lake to bring Wake back to this reality, which totally constitutes a new plan.

Share the plan with Casey and Estevez

Now that you’ve spent some time jumping to conclusions in a jail cell, you’re ready to return to the front of the Sheriff’s Station and share the plan. Head back to Breaker’s Office in the front of the station, and follow the simple dialogue prompts to share the plan with the gang. After you’ve done that, the goal to “come up with a new plan” will be completed, and you’re ready to continue forward in Saga’s saga.

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