Update: I have added a helpful youtube video from my friend, Z3RO 37. His video is a nice complement to this guide so I am incuding it upon his request.
Alita360’s comment on one of the solutions here and many other videos and walkthroughs have helped me finally get this hard and annoying achievement, but I also have my own ideas about this, so I decided to write something to help other people who, like me, have almost broke their copies of Alan Wake to finish this DLC.
I had already noticed that some fights could be avoided, but in fact you can avoid many more and, when required, you can just run and drop a flare. If you exit a building, the scenery change makes all enemies disappear, so even more fights can be avoided. Additionally, when running away you can try to run backwards and shine some light at the enemies to make them stop following you, just make sure none are coming the other way. In fact, shining some light at the enemies is the key to avoid being hit, but try to not use your flashlight without releasing the button for a while, as this makes things harder.
Remember to always use a flare when required to survive, and use them wisely.
In addition, I recommend turning off the voice from the game and just turning subtitles on, as listening to the same things repeatedly can be very annoying.
Walkthrough:
After getting the gun and the flashlight, you will be attacked. Run towards the tougher enemy to the left (the one who breaks the door) and either kill him or try to stun him with your flashlight before running past him towards the exit to break the door open.
Run from the enemies, make sure you grab the flare gun and its ammunition (flare gun ammo - 2) until you reach the possessed cars section. There, go down to the left of the police car and close to the first light pole. The secret here is to run as fast as you can and flashlight the door.
In the hardware store pick up the items on the counter and move forward. Do not turn back when the enemies appear. Instead, run towards the exit door.
After some areas with no fight at all, you will see a park with many enemies and ravens. Just run just to the right of the big rock then up the stairs to the right. After you reach the top a heavy taken will attack, so dodge and go up the other stairs to the left and get to the light. Do NOT worry about the tools you left behind to the right of the stairs, as you will avoid most fights and you will get plenty of stuff later.
Cross the road and have another conversation with Zane. Enter the small alley, climb up, jump the fence, and move forward. Walk toward the stairs that lead you to the exit, sprinting after the taken appear. You do not need to fight them, just stun the guy in red who is on your way up the stairs and jump to the left side. The Taken will not follow you over.
When you enter the playground, you have two choices:
- Jump the over the tree log in front of you and stand close to the exit gate, waiting for the enemies (possessed objects) begin to attack while pointing your light to the gate. When the gate is possessed, you'll be able to use your flashlight to destroy it and leave.
- Walk to the TV with Allan and go a little bit past it, waiting for the possessed attack. Then run towards the log and fight there, under its protection.
I prefer the first option, as it is faster and very easy.
Kill the deerfest trailer by standing close to the rail. You will be safer if you a few steps down from stairs that lead to the church's door.
In the church basement, it is a good idea to use a shotgun all the time, or you can save it for the heavy taken if you want. Once there, wait for Alan to check the phone then, after turning around the corner, aim at the furnaces at the northern corner, where two taken are spawned. After that, keep walking along the left wall and try to continue on the left after you reach a corner. More taken will spawn in front and a heavy taken will come from the right (the path where you came from). Take this guy first as he is very dangerous (using the furnaces if possible). Go back to where you came from if necessary to make sure you kill them safely. Wait for your health bar to regenerate after you deal with a group of taken, as this part has a limited number of enemies.
Continue on the left and you should see a light in the ceiling to the north. Keep going left until you reach it. You will still have to deal with one heavy taken and few other guys, just make sure to avoid the heavy guy while he is charging by either dodging or stunning him with light.
As you come around some big rocks, after picking up some more tools, you’ll see a TV in a chair and a bunch of words beyond that. Use the word boom to get them and try to kill them as fast as you can. Then run to the boom and fireworks words and use them as needed. Keep to your left and, once you get to the train cart, create the tools but do not pick them up. Go into the train car and create the flare gun. Typically by this point Taken are coming in so leave it on the ground, back into the corner where you found it and fight. Once this calms down, pick up the flare gun and ammo then create and grab the flashbang. Move back out the side door, pick up any of the tools that are readily available but don’t waste time hunting for them, and sprint for the light. It is very important that you do not take too long in this area, as enemies do spawn from time to time.
The next couple of sections are easy with no enemies but be sure to create and pick up the flare gun in the train car to the left (as you face the TV) of TV Alan. When you are crossing the bridge, you will be attacked by flying books. Keep your light high and try not to hit the “bad” words on the far side. You will have to kill the flying books when you reach the bridge (attack them before they attack you for max efficiency) then move forward and keep walking to the right of the words. After you get a flare, more books will attack you. Do the same thing as before and, if needed, HOLD a flare (being careful to avoid creating enemies). After this second attack, just run toward the light and ignore the tools. You can get them after you reach the checkpoint without the danger of the flying books.
In the area with all the streetlights, running is better than fighting. Do not jump from the cliff, as this is very dangerous and even killed me once. Instead, go down through the left path, trying to dodge, use the streetlights and flares when needed (2-3 should be enough).
Now you will be in the area where you get to use the cars. Create your wheels and quickly drive to the left around the pile of logs to the light in the far corner. Watch out for the 4×4 as you come around the logs. Get near the light, hop out, and get into the light quickly. Once there, DO NOT hit the switch. When you do, you will lose the light and loose items in the field will be possessed and hurled at you. First, try to lure the trucks over so you can dissipate them with your flashlight. Be careful while doing this as Taken may spawn behind you. Jump back into the light if needed to heal. Once the trucks are gone, create and pick up the pump shotgun (for the ammo if you already have the pump). Create the red box for other supplies. Create a new set of wheels. Then, when you are ready, hit the switch. Jump in the wheels watching for the flying objects, then drive around the other end of the logs back to the door. Do not get out of the vehicle but instead drive into building running over as many taken as possible. At the far end hop out and with your back to the chain link fence (so you can only be attacked from one side) deal with any remaining infected.
After another memory, you will run into a trap. Just go back to kill the guy behind you and then keep the light on the other taken and carefully kill them all. You may want to use a flare gun to kill the other guys (just make sure you keep 3-4 for the boss), but it is not required.
After you get the big lantern flashlight, you will hear the chainsaw start up. One taken and a chainsaw guy will appear. Keep going and stick to your left. When you get to the corner, turn back and you will see the common taken coming towards you. Kill him and then the chainsaw guy will come. You can use a flare if you want just make sure you keep the light on him and use the shotgun.
Inside this warehouse area, there are a bunch of Taken and a bunch of barrels. As you make your first left the attack will start. In front of you will be a barrel. Shoot it and let the blasts whittle the enemies down some. You will still probably have to kill at least one Taken before you can advance. Repeat this the next time you see a barrel. By the time you reach Barry you should be safe. I could detect no exact repeat of the attack pattern so you just have to be alert.
The same is true for the fight upstairs. Create the redbox and collect supplies and just inside the door the next wave will be triggered. A couple will spawn at different times behind you so I found this to be a good place to drop a flare and get to the far corner. From here you can see barrels so fire away. Once you have cleared out the Taken up here, you are ready to drop down and create a bridge.
Once you get out, create the memory, create the bridge and the bridge switch. Knock the ramp down. When you hit the switch it will cause I pallet of wood to move near the ramp so you will need go move quickly to get on the pallet. Do not fall off. Ride the pallet and you will have to fight three Taken. I used a flare to buy some room to get off the pallet and kill the closest two with the shotgun. Then kill the third. You have one battle left and you want to repeat the “Fast and Furious” achievement.
When you enter Wake’s bedroom be sure to pick up the flare there. If you still have more that’s great but grab this one. Then be sure to get the one on the left just before you enter the living room. So now you’ve got several shots left for the flare gun (I had 8, which is the maximum you get on this DLC) and at least two flares. Enter the living room and talk to Zane.
As soon as you are able hold a flare close to the big TV (or shoot one with the flare gun, if you have plenty). Now, reload the flare gun if you used it and drop. I would recommend lighting a regular flare and dropping it right after you jump down. Move forward a little and shoot the TV again. Once again it will flee backwards to the end of this building. Reload your flare gun, decide if you need to light another flare, and advance on your prey. Now, use the third shot to cause the TV to flee out to the dock, reload, and pursue.
As you exit the building onto the dock there will be flares. Pick these up and advance. At a certain point, a boat will fall from the sky in front of you and your path back into the building will be blocked. Fire on the boat with the flare gun and/or drop flares near the boat. Even better if you still have flashbangs drop them on the boat or if you still have flare gun ammo fire at the boat again. Do not worry about the flying books as they will disappear if you destroy the boat. Keep moving forward throughout the fight and deal with the boat quickly. Once the boat disappears, stop and wait for the cutscene to start. The achievement did not pop for me until after the song completed (you can skip the song) and the credits started.
This guide used ideas and some words from Alita360’s comment and from the Gamers Transform guide (
http://gamerstransform.com/2010/08/01/the-signal-run-on-sent...).