Firearms may not be the most viable way to deal with the supernatural, but they are what Saga Anderson has to protect herself against the Dark Place.
Weapons, however, will only take her so far. Saga will come across all sorts of cultists and twisted enemies during her murder investigation in Cauldron Lake. She will need the best weapon upgrades possible to increase her odds of survival in Alan Wake 2.
These upgrades are not cheap though. Even if you manage to find all of the weapons in the game, you will still have to decide which of their upgrades to unlock.
How to unlock weapon upgrades for Saga Anderson
Every time you find a new weapon, its upgrade options will become available on the workbench in Saga’s Mind Place.
Each weapon upgrade requires a specific number of Manuscript Fragments to unlock. These are a type of collectible that you will find inside Alex Casey’s lunchboxes.
A good tip here is to always keep an eye out for colorful objects like painted rocks or ornaments hanging from trees. They will tell you that a lunchbox is nearby.
Do note that Manuscript Fragments are limited in the game, so you will need to choose your weapon upgrades wisely in Alan Wake 2.
Saga’s best weapon upgrades in Alan Wake 2
Saga can use up to five weapons in the game, each featuring three different upgrades. Your preferred playstyle determines what kind of weapon upgrades you want, but some are just too overpowering to ignore.
Below are all of the available upgrades for each weapon alongside the best weapon upgrades you should consider for Saga in Alan Wake 2.
Best pistol upgrade
If you have a steady aim that can land headshots, we recommend unlocking More Bullets as the first pistol upgrade in Alan Wake 2. This is because ammo is scarce in the game. Having a larger magazine size will let you deal with more Taken without worrying about reloading.
You can then later combine this with Another Headshot which stuns enemies after you land two successful headshots. This lets you disable the more powerful enemies you come across later on.
Best sawed-off shotgun upgrade
Ready For More is the only upgrade you need for your sawed-off shotgun. It is also hailed as one of the best weapon upgrades overall in Alan Wake 2. This is because in a horror game where healing is extremely limited, having an upgrade perk that heals for every enemy killed is a massive tactical advantage.
Best crossbow upgrades
We recommend unlocking Two Shots for your crossbow in Alan Wake 2. Being able to fire twice before reloading increases your chance of killing. This is important because enemies like the Taken tend to move erratically which makes them a hard target for a weapon like a crossbow. If you miss, your long reload time is going to put you at a serious disadvantage.
Best hunting rifle upgrade
The hunting rifle is one weapon that desperately needs its Kill Shot upgrade in Alan Wake 2. You gain near-perfect accuracy and a much easier time when targeting enemy weak spots. The increased damage only makes your weak-spot shots hurt more.
The only problem is that the weapon upgrade requires you to stand still while firing. This can be a bit difficult in corridors and hallways which most levels are in Alan Wake 2.
Best pump-action shotgun upgrade
The best weapon upgrade for the pump-action shotgun is easily Faster and Faster. You already have enough raw damage, and recoil should not be of any concern here. Hence, increasing your firing speed allows you to blast enemies for insane amounts of damage. Make sure that you have enough ammo in your inventory though.
