How To Beat The Nightingale In Alan Wake 2

Foe Robert Nightingale returns in Alan Wake 2 as a boss that you will have to beat fairly early. Unlike the first game, he is no longer a Federal Agent but still stalks Alan and Saga during the adventure. Nightingale has been murdered by the Cult of the Tree and turned into a dark apparition.

Nightingale mainly shows up during “Return,” which are Saga Anderson’s story chapters in the real world. His boss fight serves as the first major challenge and a form of tutorial on Saga’s gameplay. Several prompts and in-game hints will appear by default.

How To Defeat Nightingale Boss – Phase 1

Nightingale will first show up in Alan Wake 2 while wandering through the dark woods of Cauldron Lake. Alan Wake will whisper information through his manuscript about Robert Nightingale and provide subtle clues. For the initial ambush, Nightingale prefers to wield a large tree branch and charge in. You need to first aim Saga’s equipped flashlight directly at Nightingale to expose his “Source” weak points.

Destroy Nightingale’s entire Source, then switch to mainly doing headshots. For defenses, be mindful of the branch he holds and stay a good distance away. Also, utilize the dodge roll button to get away quickly if he does swing.

How To Defeat Nightingale Boss – Phase 2

After taking enough damage, Robert will flee. This gives you time to breathe and get a better understanding of the surroundings. Ammo, flashlight batteries, and healing items may randomly spawn. Once ready, head towards the red light shining in the tunnel to reach the full boss fight zone.

He fights similarly to the first ambush but has no more Source to exploit. Instead, always aim Saga’s handgun, one of the best weapons in Alan Wake 2, at his head for maximum damage. Even without Source, using the flashlight can still make Nightingale a little vulnerable by removing his shadow-like protection. After significant damage, Robert will retreat, and new items will appear. Collect these and get ready for him to re-spawn around the arena. Defeat him three times in this manner, and he will finally perish for good.

At this point, Alan will arrive in Saga’s Mind Place. The two will talk briefly, and then you can start Alan’s story of “Initiation.” His gameplay is a lot more puzzle-orientated, with a little less gunplay and action compared to Saga. After completing the prologues of both Return and Initiation, you will be free to play Alan Wake 2 in the order of your choosing. If you want to have more boss battles like Nightingale, stick to mostly playing Saga first.

Alan Wake 2

Franchise: Alan Wake

Platform(s): PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X/S

Released: 2023-10-17

Developer(s): Remedy Entertainment

Publisher(s): Epic Games

Genre(s): Survival Horror

ESRB: M

Prequel(s): Alan Wake, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare