When I first caught wind of "Alan Wake" I was apprehensive. Aka many stated the story left more questions than answers or that "nothing made sense". I must have been on a different page on account most everything in the game was not only easy to understand for me but quite compelling to boot!
I beat the game in a single gaming marathon but this was because I couldn't really put it down. Certain gamers have stated you can get through Alan Wake's campaign in 8 hours but because I went off the beaten path and took time to immerse myself in Bright Falls my journey was twice as long. As a matter of fact the rustic locales are so beautiful and filled with detail you're doing yourself a big disservice if you hurry to each check point at break neck speed.
Story wise Alan Wake is about a writer taking a vacation with his wife Alice in order to tap into some inspiration. The poor guy hasn't had a single good idea in 2 years. This has put a strain on his career and his relationships. All to soon Alice ends up missing and the revelation dawns on Alan there are sinister supernatural forces at work in league with his wife's kidnappers. Along the way our beleaguered hero finds manuscript pages to a book he does not remember writing. Needless to say the opening "episode" pulls your leg. Nothing is quite as it seems but I rather have the game do the job of taking you down the rabbit-hole so I do not divulge too many spoilers.
Alan Wake's most diverse element is fighting possessed towns-folk called "The Taken" with illumination. A flash light gradually burns away their shadowy auras leaving them vulnerable to gun fire. Additionally "flare guns" and "flash bangs" instantly incinerate targets into dispersing glowing cinders. Unlike other games that try to be suspenseful but fail Alan Wake is good at it. There are moments it's better to flee angry mobs and "ammo" never is over abundant. Alan's guns are realistic to what you would find in a small town. Aka you're stuck with a revolver,hunting rifle, and shot gun. Not many people in the boon-docks own rocket launchers and automatic smgs after all. Sadly there is no crack pot red-neck gun enthusiast around to "bail you out" when things get out of hand. Though certain gamers may find the lack of fire arm variety to be discouraging to me it adds authenticity to the setting. At its' heart AW is a suspense thriller adventure game and not an adrenaline pumped shooter. For those that desire the later I'd suggest looking into Gears of war 2 and Resident Evil 5.
Many of the side characters are endearing. Barry of course is my favorite for his flamboyant way of dressing and non apologetic way of calling out Alan for being a jerk. It's often stated "true friends" tell you what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear and Barry fills that role delightfully. In addition you will come across two crazy old men who used to be Heavy Metal musicians, a wise yet scattered woman afraid of the dark whom has holed herself up near an electric power plant, an overly obsessed disturbing fan girl, a cute tom-boyish female sheriff with keys to every conceivable building on the grid, a sly and manipulative psychologist in charge of a therapeutic retreat for creative eccentrics, and a disgruntled FBI agent that takes the terms "pushy" and "unreasonable" to whole new levels. The supporting cast certainly isn't an area where Alan Wake is lacking!
Each of the game's 6 chapters end & begin like a television series complete with fitting songs and a re-cap of previous events. This was a welcomed gimmick drawing me deeper in as did the farcical "Night Springs" clips found throughout the game that are a tribute to The Twilight Zone and a parody of AW itself. Obviously Remedy put a lot of love & hard work into their game and it shows in spades.
However I do have a few gripes to get off my chest. The biggest complaint is Alan Wake wasn't at all scary for me. Possessed farm equipment, flocks of cawing birds, and angry men dressed in hard hats and hunting attire do not seem intimidating even when they're hell bent on killing me. Additionally this all has a pretentious vibe. Aka best selling wealthy author vs. the under-paid average Joe blue collar working class. I know this wasn't Remedy's intent but that's the contrast that was created. Concerning my lack of fear I'm not knocking the game for it too hard. Different things scare different people and likely my youth spent on an isolated mountain dulled my sensitivity to dark nights, over cast shadows, and weird noises coming from the bushes. If you "are" scared by small dirt pathways winding into a foreboding moonlit wilderness this game will mess with your head on many levels.
Additionally there are parts that required driving which I thought were mostly unnecessary. In many instances you were doing the same thing in a car that you were doing on foot. Use head lights to weaken taken, push forward, and don't take too long looking back! Admittedly the first couple of "joy rides" are guilty pleasures but the section involving getting to Cauldron lake was a tedious chore in frustration. If Alan Wake had stayed a free roam sand box styled game the driving would have been welcomed but being that it plays out in "episodes" more akin to a linear novel it's not required as a means of getting around nearly as much.
The "dodge function" is a mixed bag. In certain situations it works perfectly. The epic "slow down footage" of barely avoiding an axe chop or sickle blow is sublime. Yet there are moments it doesn't work when it should. You will take unfair hits no matter how well you master this mechanic. Silver lining? Well, this is a suspenseful horror game. If you could deflect or weave around each attack would there be any feeling of dreadful tension? Personally I enjoyed how relieved I felt making it to a check point without getting my skull cleaved in half! Those hair trigger "I almost didn't make it" situations are what defines Alan Wake as fun.
Overall Alan Wake gave me much more than I thought it would. I wish I would not have listened so much to the naysayers on account this game is worth its' original retail price. Finland should be proud Remedy represents them in a flattering high regard concerning game design!
Pros
+ Wonderful story
+ Even the supporting characters are interesting
+ Alan Wake is portrayed as likable but flawed. Aka he can be a prick but that adds credibility to the flawed human condition.
+For the most part the way Alan Wake handles is silky smooth. No, he's not empowered but he doesn't control akin to a tank either.
+The environments are "beautiful". I cannot stress that enough. Whether you find yourself in a trailer park, forest, cabin, abandoned mining town, power plant, or junk yard the sheer amount of detail is amazing. Some people snarkily state you are just running around in the woods but that's because of the setting. I could say in GTA you're just running around in the city or in Dead Space you're just running around on a space-ship. Aka it's a pointless critique. A "setting" establishes certain rules concerning terrain types. A hodgepodge variety of overly flamboyant tacky land marks put in to be "diverse" would break Alan Wake's spell of eerie "realism" rather quickly.
+ The music in the game is heart felt and gets you excited for the next episode.
+ Though the game is very serious it also knows when to lighten up. Barry using Christmas lights to repel "the taken" was hilarious and the satirical similarities Night Springs has to Twilight Zone can make even a curmudgeon crack a wry smile!
+ The gimmick of using light to weaken enemy defenses is incorporated seamlessly. Though it may seem awkward in concept it is graceful when put into actual practice!
+No mind bending annoying puzzles
+Voice acting is spot on.
+Areas are very interactive. Aka you can climb ladders, run along fallen trees, jump across ravines, and even use spot lights to your advantage in a fight. This is also one of the few games of its' ilk in which there is just as much risk falling to your death over a cliff or being electrocuted as there is being killed by an enemy lynch mob.
Cons
-I understood the story crystal clear but other gamers have voiced being confused, confounded, and disappointed by the cliff hanger ending. Personally I loved the conclusion. I seem to be in the minority though.
-I think the game itself would make a great book but the actual "manuscripts" Alan finds to his unwritten novel come off as dry, uninspired, and lacking in detail.
- Driving parts are unnecessary on account AW is episodic instead of being a free roam sand box.
-I have the inkling that if you could combine AW with Deadly Premonition it would be an unsurpassed master-piece for the ages. As it stands both games have that "almost timeless classics but not quite" air about them.
-The facial animations with certain characters are a tad off but it really didn't bother me at all. When everything else is done so well things like these become trivial.
- If you actually enjoy "brain teasers" ala Silent Hill 1,2,and 3 AW will disappoint you.
-The dodge mechanics are dodgey. Nuff said. Still, it's a morbid delight to see an axe fly by your head and cleave off a few of your hairs in slow motion!
-Though this is subjective I wasn't impressed with the enemy selection. If you're deathly afraid of construction workers, park rangers, deer hunters, birds, ornery bull-dozers that drive themselves, and possessed refrigerators you are welcomed to disagree with me!
- It's good Alan is "vulnerable" and "inexperienced at combat" but I cannot really relate to a guy that lives in luxury, is a best selling author, and has card board cut-outs of himself plastered around town. One thing I enjoyed about Silent Hill was that the lead protagonists were non famous everyday people.
- No extra modes beyond playing on harder difficulties
Overall
You would be right in noticing I gave AW as many cons as I did merits. Aka you may ask yourself "Then why is this quack giving the game a perfect score?!" My answer is that though I'm obligated to warn you of a game's faults to help you make a well informed decision this does not mirror how much or how little I enjoyed it personally.
When I award AW "5 out of 5" it means the moment I got it I couldn't put it down thus its' imperfections were non consequential for me. In the technical department Remedy likewise excelled. The environments in Bright Falls are fun to explore, I encountered no glitches, the difficulty was challenging but not ridiculous, and the presentation value is astounding on all fronts. Whatever hiccups AW runs into are minor and not the least bit game breaking.
On its' story alone I can recommend Wake as a great purchase. When responsive tight game physics and mostly smooth controls accompany a riveting narrative what's not to admire?
Maybe there's a whiff of unoriginality on account Bright Falls borrows a tad from Stephen King, Twin Peaks, Lost, Twilight zone, and Outer limits but if you "love" those references it's a better reason to own this title. Even successful creative visionaries are inspired by the story tellers whom proceeded them. Nothing is new under the sun. It's how we deliver the punch line that counts!
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Reviews with images
Great deal!
I've been looking to get this game since it's backwards compatible on the Xbox One, and I was happy to see this digital code for $6. Gamestop is selling the game used for $15, so I got to save some money and don't have a disc to worry about. It does get mailed to you physically, but I didn't mind waiting the two days for it to arrive. I was even able to enter the code directly with my Xbox One and have it start downloading, so I'm happy I went with this option!
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ALMALEVISOL
Un título imperdible
Reviewed in Mexico on March 30, 2017
ALMALEVISOL
Reviewed in Mexico on March 30, 2017
Este videojuego vale mucho la pena, mucho suspenso y lo mejor de todo a un precio sorprendente, nuevo y sellado.
Saludos
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