Alan Wake 2, the sequel to the 2010 cult classic thriller from Remedy, had a bunch of surprises packed in its gameplay reveal trailer. Among them, fans are especially enthused about a particular character who bears a striking resemblance to Max Payne, the iconic protagonist from Remedy’s classic neo-noir shooter from early 2000s.
This character, named Alex Casey, is voiced by the talented actor James McCaffrey and modeled after Sam Lake, the creative director of Remedy, who was also the model for Max Payne.
All about James McCaffrey, the voice of Alex Casey in Alan Wake 2
James McCaffrey is a highly skilled actor known for his remarkable voice-acting performances. He has lent his talent to numerous video games, movies, and TV shows such as Suits, Jessica Jones and She’s Gotta Have it. McCaffrey also lent his voice to Zachariah Trench in Remedy’s Control. While the actor has a prolific career in the entertainment industry, it is his portrayal of Max Payne that longstanding video game fans fondly remember him for.
McCaffrey voices the character of Alex Casey in Alan Wake 2 who partners with Saga Anderson, the game’s co-lead and second playable character. While it may seem like Casey strongly resembles Max Payne, there’s a fascinating twist to this connection.
Notably, Alex Casey also appeared in a live action easter egg named Alan Wake’s Return inside Remedy’s 2016 title, Quantum Break. There he is seen teaming up with Saga Anderson (her identity wasn’t revealed until Alan Wake 2’s promotional materials came out this year).
In the easter egg, the duo can be seen pursuing Alan Wake’s whereabouts, since the author apparently has been missing for five years. Alex Casey is later killed by Alan’s doppleganger, Mr. Scratch, during a search of the forest. Casey’s body goes missing as an aftermath, with Saga placing his picture on the board and departing from their office. That is when the live action video cuts.
This intriguing link between the characters leaves the fans questioning who Alex Casey really is and whether the Quantum Break easter egg will play into Alan Wake 2’s narrative.
Alex Casey and how he’s already a big part in Remedy’s Connected Universe
Remedy Entertainment has crafted an intricate web of interweaved narratives with its Connected Universe, incorporating characters and references from various games into a cohesive whole. While Remedy owns the Control and Alan Wake IPs, other characters from different universes (where they don’t own the IP) are also intertwined, as seen with Martin Hatch from Quantum Break potentially being the same character as Mr. Door in Control.
It remains to be seen what’s the case with Alex Casey, who already has been a part of various Remedy titles. We can trace the origin of the character in the first game, as we find a series of six action-thriller novels going by the same name, written by Alan Wake.
Alan Wake 2 is slated for release on October 17, 2023.
