Community Spotlight is a regular feature that highlights and celebrates amazing fan projects in the Remedy community. Today we are looking at the incredible in-depth work by Yasmin, a wonderful artist whose passion led her to creating concept artwork and character exploration of one of Alan Wake 2's most mysterious characters, Freya Anderson.
In keeping with the original game, Alan Wake 2 presents several new questions; and one of the biggest is that of Saga Anderson. At first, a seemingly ordinary woman balancing family life and a young daughter, with the pull of a dangerous and complex job. When solving a case in her role as an FBI Agent, one of her strengths is her ability to get into the mindset of a suspect and root out their true intentions. As the game progresses, we learn alongside her that it's more than intuition, and that she has unparalleled and seemingly genetic supernatural skills. While the game answers some of the questions we had about Saga, the players walk away from the experience wondering more about a key figure in her life, her mother, Freya Anderson.
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| Screenshot by GameRant |
After players finished the game, community theories immediately began to spread online about Saga's parentage, particularly that of who Saga's father actually was. A popular theory was that she is the daughter of Mr Door, a mysterious entity seemingly trying to help Alan, the manuscript page “Odin Loses An Eye” fuelling that speculation. We know he's no longer in the picture, and not yet dealt with in the story. There's more detail in the mother's story though; that after Freya left Bright Falls, she seemingly cuts off her family, raising her daughter by alone. As a result, Freya becomes a mystery herself, one who was aware of the Dark Presence and Saga's powers but sought safety for her child. She's also hesitant to reveal Saga's true nature, despite knowing.
As well as there being mystery behind her motivations and her life in and after Bright Falls. There's also a certain mystery in what Freya looked like. In Alan Wake 2, we see a small glimpse of her in an old photograph. In the picture, she is holding baby Saga bundled in her arms, her back slightly towards the camera, as she stands alongside Tor and Odin. This is the only time we get a true glimpse of her.
It's these mysteries that surround Freya that makes her the perfect character to delve into deeper, and that's exactly what Yasmin did!
In a five-part series exploring the character, Yasmin has breathed life into the human side of the myth, giving Freya her own identity while staying true to the Alan Wake lore. Among many other elements, her stunning guide explores the types of clothes that she would wear, muted autumnal colours and seemingly supporting her grandfather's old band despite the dangers forcing the family to separate. Across Yasmin's portrayal of Freya, there's a similar thread; a strong sense of family and the unwillingness to completely lose contact with her heritage. An interesting balance between what she cannot say but can express. It also features in a locket that Yasmin imagined her for, engraved with old Norse runes and securing photographs of her family inside.
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As we know so little about the character, we can only guess her intentions. Whether she left in fear of the Dark Presence, later even going so far as to deny that her daughter had gifts? Maybe she was angry with her family over the deal and her denial was another separation? Or perhaps she was just a mother who realised that Saga would be in danger and ensured her safety, potentially taking her off the table for any gamble over supernatural forces? Through Yasmin's interpretation, it's more the latter; Freya feels more sympathetic and pulled between two worlds; her future with her daughter and the family she left behind.
In addition to being an in-depth look into Yasmin's version of Freya, her exploration is paired with beautifully created realistic artwork with each small element carefully bringing to life the overall look and vibe of the character. Even before learning who she took inspiration on for the actor, I could instantly recognise her, though it's not a straight comparison; it's not the actor dressed as Freya but how she would be immersed in the role. Combined with the exploration of the hair and fine details of the locket, bringing in Norse mythology, and ensuring that Freya's identity remains through each small piece.
What I love about the work is how detailed and nerdy everything is, it's clear that Yasmin took care and time into finalising her version of Freya, and the final result is absolutely breathtaking. It feels like pages straight out of the Alan Wake 2 art book. Yasmin kindly agreed to talk to us about her work, you can check out our conversation below!
We would love to learn more about you! Tell us about yourself and your art journey.
My name is Yasmin, I’m 28 years old, originally from Brazil and currently living in Finland. I’m a concept artist with a lifelong passion for games and visual storytelling ever, since I was a kid, art and gaming have been a part of who I am. I also hold a degree in Fashion Design, which I earned while living in Italy. Right now, I work temporarily in a factory, but every free moment I have is dedicated to building my creative portfolio. It’s my way of staying connected to what I love and pushing toward my dream of working in the gaming industry. When I’m not drawing or designing, you’ll probably find me playing games, cooking, streaming on Twitch, or out hiking through the forest to recharge. I also love to travel and take tons of photos not just for the memories, but because they feed my imagination and often spark new ideas for my art.
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What's inspired you to create a project centred around Freya Anderson?
While playing the Return 5: Old Gods chapter in Alan Wake 2, the moment Saga began uncovering the truth about her mother’s family. I became deeply curious about Freya, that mystery stirred my imagination, and from there, the idea to create a character concept of her was born. I wanted to visualize who she might’ve been, how she could've looked and existed within the world of Alan Wake. While drawing, the song Anger's Remorse became a huge emotional anchor for me. The lyrics reflect so much of Tor’s guilt and grief for pushing Freya away.
What different areas of the character did you want to explore going in?
Since the game offers only a few glimpses of Freya, I allowed my creativity to roam freely. I built her appearance and outfit designs from fragments, like the Anderson family portrait found in the Valhalla Nursing Home. For Freya’s face and essence, my muse was the actress Mädchen Amick, who played Shelly in Twin Peaks. As a huge fan of the series and knowing how much Twin Peaks influenced Sam Lake’s vision of the world of Alan Wake. Then I thought, why not take inspiration from it too?
Was there anything that surprised you when you began to explore the character? For instance, something that you learned about Norse mythology that you didn't before, or a new interest that you fell down the rabbit hole when researching?
I’ve always been fascinated by mythology especially Greek and Egyptian, but Norse? I hadn’t truly explored it until I started working on Freya. Before that, it was mostly just glimpses through movies, series, and playing games like the recent God of War saga, where that ancient, powerful culture is so vividly brought to life. When I started thinking about how to express Freya’s mythological side, I knew I wanted to create something that could hold meaning. That’s when the idea of a necklace came to me, I imagined it as a powerful artifact, the kind of item that feels like a missing piece of the puzzle. In Norse mythology, the goddess Freya wears the Brísingamen, a necklace that holds an amber stone. I used that as my base, but I wanted to infuse it with more layers. So I combined with the Triskele, also known as Odin’s Triple Horn. And to complete it, I engraved Saga’s name in runes within the amber. Not just as a symbol of the family’s origin, but a powerful way to show the deep, unwavering love of a mother for her daughter.
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Do you have any upcoming projects lined up?
Right now, I’m working on several projects, some directly inspired by the world of Alan Wake. No spoilers just yet 😅, but I hope to share them soon. I’m also developing original characters rooted in cyberpunk and sci-fi themes, genres I’ve always found magnetic. There’s something endlessly inspiring about the retro-future visions from 80s and 90s films, those bold predictions about what the 2000s might look like.
And on a more personal note, I’m currently designing my first tattoo: Sarah Kerrigan from StarCraft. That game and that character are monumental to me. Kerrigan is my hero! Maybe one day I’ll add an Alan Wake-themed tattoo to the collection too. Who knows? The darkness always leaves a mark.😁
A huge thank you to Yasmin for her incredible work and for taking the time to talk to us! Apologies it took so long to get this published! Since our interview, she has also created a similar character concept board for Saga's daughter, Logan Anderson.
