Similar to the first game, your flashlight is the ultimate weapon against the dark in Alan Wake 2. You better treat your flashlight batteries as ammo. That being said, there is no harm in keeping a firearm as well.
Hence, you will be happy to know that you can get both your first revolver weapon and the flashlight in the same location. This will be right after you escape the creepy Talk Show Studio in the Initiation chapter.
The flashlight and revolver location in Alan Wake 2
You will find the flashlight and the revolver in the north-western part of New York City which has been taken over by the Dark Place.
Once you escape the TV Studio and hit the streets, make your way to the location shown in the map image below. There will be a small staircase here that you can use to go down to the alley. Follow the pathway until you meet Alex Casey.
The conversation with Cassey will reveal that he has been consumed by the Dark Place. Following the cutscene, reach the end of the alley to find Cassey dying. Listen to his final words and then loot his dead body for the flashlight and revolver in Alan Wake 2.
How to use the flashlight and revolver
You need to manually turn the flashlight on or off in Alan Wake 2 by pressing the Circle/B button on PlayStation/Xbox respectively.
Turning it on will give you a small cone of light while exploring dark areas. During combat though, the flashlight works a bit differently.
Enemies and bosses in Alan Wake 2 are covered in a layer of darkness. However, you do not need to shine your flashlight on them for a prolonged period to remove all of their darkness.
You only need to aim and fire a burst of light with L2+R1/LT+RB on PlayStation/Xbox respectively to remove their shield.
You also need to worry about your battery life. They either recharge over time or instantly refill through new batteries. You can always find extra batteries while exploring the world of Alan Wake.
Finally, do not forget to upgrade your flashlight by finding Words of Lamp.
The revolver works in tandem with your flashlight. When your flashlight has exposed a critical point of an enemy by removing their dark armor, use your revolver to shoot them for damage.
Be mindful of your ammunition though as it is rare. You will get a chance to try out both your revolver and flashlight after looting Cassey. Reach the end of the street and you will have to take care of a few enemies.
