Post: Alan Wake review. Xbox Exclusive.
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09-08-2010, 02:09 PM
#1
Shepleklet
u mad cuz ur ***git
Remedy, the creators of Alan Wake, are by no accounts a highly reputable games development company. Although they have had great success in the field in the past, with the critically acclaimed Max Payne series, this was almost 8 years ago, in 2003. Since then, the company’s sole focus was on the development of a new game, something that would be just as innovative and passionately received by both developers and, when finished, the consumers. Alan Wake was an idea put forward by Remedy writer Sam Lake.
Alan Wake is a psychological action thriller set in an idyllic small town named Bright Falls. Coincidentally, the town that Bright Falls was based on, Forks, is the same town that is used in the Twilight films.
The protagonist of this story, Alan Wake, is not the type of main character that anyone will be used to playing. He is not, contrary to the majority of action games out there, an experienced weapons handler. He is, in fact, quite the opposite. Alan Wake is a largely successful horror writer, with many bestsellers to his name. However, he has been suffering from terrible writers block for 2 years. Because of this, his wife suggests a small break to a pretty and out of the way small town called Bright Falls. Wake agrees, thinking that this may be his only chance to unblock his mind and get himself to be able to write again.
However, unbeknownst to him, Bright Falls holds many a dark secret. Wake finds his wife getting abducted by the main enemy in this game; “The Taken”. The Taken are creations from his latest book, which, for some reason, he can not remember ever writing. The Taken are people or things that have been possessed by darkness. The only way to destroy the Taken is by piercing their exoskeletal layer of darkness. To do this, Wake must use light; the brighter the better. If they have not been subject to light then they are virtually indestructible.
The whole story of Alan Wake is told over six episodes, each containing a couple of chapters. Each of these episodes will start Wake off a little further ahead in the story than when the last episode ended.
Alan Wake is a very well developed game, as it seems that almost everything that could have been included to optimize gameplay has been taken into account. The environment is a very well thought out feature. Taken can be destroyed by multiple indirect means, so as to avoid using ammo. These means range from anything like pushing electrical wires into their way, destroying them instantly, to using generators to light up bright street lights, destroying the otherwise impenetrable layer of darkness on multiple Taken at a time.
These indirect means of killing your enemies are very important to make the most of, as the amount of bullets you will get for your various guns are very limited. This is yet another of the ways that Remedy have created an atmosphere of tension throughout the game. The player is constantly worrying about whether or not he will have enough ammo to go forward and kill all his enemies or whether he should skirt round the edges of the map looking for extra ammo. Either of these options can be the player’s downfall, however, as you can either run out of ammo while trying to sprint to the next objective, or you could meet too many Taken while searching for ammo.
The weapons you can use in this game are ranged, but there isn’t much range. However, this is not a problem, because what you do get is so valuable. You can get: a pistol and shotgun, flare gun and hunting rifle, flashbangs and flares. Each of these has its own level of power, the pistol being the lowest and the flare gun being the most powerful of all. It can kill up to 10 Taken at a time.
The mechanic of using light as one of the only ways to destroy the enemy is both original and innovative, as it is not something that has, in my knowledge, been done before. It creates an atmosphere of great tension, as it creates an opportunity for the whole setting of the game world to be pitch black, apart from the small amount of light produced by various sources throughout the playthrough.
The game offers many sources of information also, all relevant to the story. This information could be from radio shows, television viewings – in which Wake sees himself inside the TV, rambling to himself about things that are going to happen - or manuscript pages from the book that he doesn’t remember writing. All of these things will give Wake information that will either back up what he’s already seen or will warn him about ominous things that lie in his path ahead…. But when will they happen? Will you be prepared?
All in all, this isn’t a game that will influence how future games in its genre are going to be created, but it surely will be a contender for the game of the year award. The actual storyline, coupled with its excellent gameplay and re-playability make it one of the best games that I have ever played. I’ve completed it 3 times and I still keep meandering through it. Each time you play, you find out more and more secrets about the terrifying world that is Bright Falls.
I would rate this game 9.5 / 10, as there are only two slightly negative points that I can think of about this, dare I say it, masterpiece.
1. The facial animation could be better.
2. Alan Wake’s jumping animation could be better.
I did originally have a lot more of a review (I think about 500 more words), but in the interest of your interests, I have pruned around the edges to make it what you wanted….. A 1000 word review.
Check the word count!
Shepleklet.
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