The woods around Bright Falls are full of wildlife, which means they’re also full of hunters. One weapon can be a useful addition to Saga’s arsenal as she continues her investigation into the Dark Presence. Here’s how to get the crossbow in Alan Wake 2.
Where to Find the Crossbow in Alan Wake 2
Once you return to Bright Falls in the third major arc of Alan Wake 2, you’ll be sent to the nearby town of Watery, which marks the third major location on the map. After a few stops along the way, you’ll be sent to the nearby trailer park, but that will force you to detour through the Coffee World amusement park.
Before you get to Coffee World, however, be sure to visit the Hunting Shack, which is labeled on the in-game map. Here, you can start a generator to turn the Shack into a safe area, where you can visit Saga’s mind place in peace or stow any extra items in the Shoebox.
For the purposes of this guide, however, the real attraction in the Shack is a nearby cultist stash, which is in a big plastic tub across from the Shack’s door (below). The tub is initially locked, but there’s a note taped to its lid with a hint about how to open it.
Related: How to Get Saga’s Sawed Off Shotgun
How to Open the Cultists Stash at the Watery Shack
The cultists have recently changed the stash password, and as with all cultist stashes, they’ve left a couple of clues nearby for anyone who wants to get into the stash. Their security seems to be based on the notion that nobody but them could possibly be bothered with this.
Specifically, take a look at the numbered signs tacked up in the nearby improvised shooting range. There are only a few numbers here, so theoretically, you could brute-force the code if you wanted to take some extra time. However, there’s another step to the clue if you look more closely. If you can’t spot it, turn up your brightness.
Watery Shack Cultist Stash Code
Three of those numbered signs have crossbow bolts sticking out of them. If you count the number of bolts in each sign, that tells you the order in which you need to input the digits in the lock’s combination: the first number has one bolt, the second has two, and the third has 3.
At the time of writing, I don’t know if the code changes between playthroughs or difficulties. In my first run, on Normal on the pre-release PlayStation 5 version of AW2, my code for the Crossbow stash was 527.
Related: How to Open the Safe in Coffee World
Once you take the Crossbow from the stash, you can also grab the bolts from the signs, for a total of 7 bolts out of the gate.
Why You Should Get the Crossbow in AW2
By default, the Crossbow has two things going for it: range and reusable ammunition. It takes a long time to reload, so it makes a great opening strike whenever you get the drop on a Taken, but you’re better off switching weapons after that first shot. The bolts can usually be reclaimed after they’re fired, although there does seem to be a significant chance they’ll be destroyed on impact with an enemy or a wall.
Finding the Crossbow also unlocks its upgrades at Saga’s mind place workstation:
- Pull the String: You can hold down the fire button to improve the Crossbow’s damage. 15 Manuscript Pieces.
- Two Shots: Saga figures out how to load two arrows at once, so you can fire twice before having to reload. 18 Manuscript Pieces.
- Magnetic Pull: A bolt stuck in an enemy magnetically attracts bullets to it, which effectively gives you an aim-assist. 12 Manuscript Pieces.
If you’ve got the Pieces in reserve, Two Bolts is a good initial slam pick, followed by Pull the String. That makes the Crossbow an efficient way to quietly dispose of lone Taken, so you can save your bullets and shells for tougher enemies and mandatory fights.
That’s how to get the Crossbow in Alan Wake 2. For more tips and tricks, like how to get the bolt cutters or find the tool you need to open locked doors and containers, click the links or check out our dedicated AW2 game hub.
