Alan Wake Review
*Contains Spoilers*
A Dark and Captivating Journey
The beginning of Alan Wake feels like the beginning of a movie, panning over a dewy countryside, then to a fatal accident along a dark winding road. Alan, who is a well-known writer, narrates the tale, as it quickly spins out of control and he finds himself face to face with something not altogether human. This dark entity continues to stalk Alan throughout the game, possessing people, animals, and even objects.
Over time, it becomes clear that Alan is living a literal story that is not yet finished, but who or what is pulling all the strings is unknown. Playing the game is like turning the pages in a novel you just can’t put down. There are tons of twists and turns that keep you, the player, searching for answers in the darkness and the more I played, the more invested I became.
The shadowy figures you encounter are eerie and have a talent for emerging from the perpetual night you find yourself in when you least expect it, and sometimes in great numbers. Combat is difficult, but not unreasonably so, and requires some slick multitasking to take out a crowd of angry shadow people Wake refers to as the “Taken.”
The game’s combat mechanic is a clever balancing act between concentrating the beam of your flashlight on an enemy to expel the darkness, then cutting them down with the weapons you are able to scavenge. As you shine your light on an enemy, you are met with a satisfying “sizzle” as the light cuts through the darkness and finally breaks through, exposing your target to an attack. Dodging is also incredibly satisfying, as time, for a moment, slows down as you nearly miss being struck down with an ax. That moment, though fleeting, offers the player a chance to think about their next move or just bask in the glory of their quick reflexes.
The color palette for the environment was successful in creating a sense of both safety and dread. The perpetual night of Bright Falls was shrouded in cool greys. In stark contrast, the brief moments you spend in the daylight are in full color which feels warm and inviting. The daylight - the warm embrace of safety and some semblance of normalcy - is what you long for and seemingly the one thing Wake cannot have.
As a fan of the old Twilight Zone series, I loved the addition of the “Night Springs” episodes you encounter on televisions throughout the game. Also a creation of the writer Alan Wake, the episodes delve into alternate realities and paradoxes, which I found highly entertaining.
The overall story is divided into “Chapters” which is fairly common among games, but I felt in this case it was particularly fitting. Each chapter jumps forward and backwards in time, revealing bits and pieces of the story, and the environment at every stage of the game is attractive, detailed, and invites exploration for manuscript pages or collectibles. Each manuscript page collected offers the player a small glimpse into Wake's future.
As for the game's soundtrack, it is somber and foreboding and does a great job setting the mood for each chapter. The voice acting is also impeccable. Each character, their emotions and experiences are all very believable and help further immerse the player in the story and the fate of Alan Wake.
One minor criticism I have is Alan’s jumping animation. When he jumps out of the way, especially in a hurry, he tends to jump with both feet forward which appears a bit unnatural. Instead, I’d prefer to see him leap out of the way (and roll, perhaps) arms first, as an actual human would in a high-stress situation. I felt the animation was pretty well done as a whole, though. Especially considering it came out nine years prior to my first playthrough.
Over time, it becomes clear that Alan is living a literal story that is not yet finished, but who or what is pulling all the strings is unknown. Playing the game is like turning the pages in a novel you just can’t put down. There are tons of twists and turns that keep you, the player, searching for answers in the darkness and the more I played, the more invested I became.
The shadowy figures you encounter are eerie and have a talent for emerging from the perpetual night you find yourself in when you least expect it, and sometimes in great numbers. Combat is difficult, but not unreasonably so, and requires some slick multitasking to take out a crowd of angry shadow people Wake refers to as the “Taken.”
The game’s combat mechanic is a clever balancing act between concentrating the beam of your flashlight on an enemy to expel the darkness, then cutting them down with the weapons you are able to scavenge. As you shine your light on an enemy, you are met with a satisfying “sizzle” as the light cuts through the darkness and finally breaks through, exposing your target to an attack. Dodging is also incredibly satisfying, as time, for a moment, slows down as you nearly miss being struck down with an ax. That moment, though fleeting, offers the player a chance to think about their next move or just bask in the glory of their quick reflexes.
The color palette for the environment was successful in creating a sense of both safety and dread. The perpetual night of Bright Falls was shrouded in cool greys. In stark contrast, the brief moments you spend in the daylight are in full color which feels warm and inviting. The daylight - the warm embrace of safety and some semblance of normalcy - is what you long for and seemingly the one thing Wake cannot have.
As a fan of the old Twilight Zone series, I loved the addition of the “Night Springs” episodes you encounter on televisions throughout the game. Also a creation of the writer Alan Wake, the episodes delve into alternate realities and paradoxes, which I found highly entertaining.
The overall story is divided into “Chapters” which is fairly common among games, but I felt in this case it was particularly fitting. Each chapter jumps forward and backwards in time, revealing bits and pieces of the story, and the environment at every stage of the game is attractive, detailed, and invites exploration for manuscript pages or collectibles. Each manuscript page collected offers the player a small glimpse into Wake's future.
As for the game's soundtrack, it is somber and foreboding and does a great job setting the mood for each chapter. The voice acting is also impeccable. Each character, their emotions and experiences are all very believable and help further immerse the player in the story and the fate of Alan Wake.
One minor criticism I have is Alan’s jumping animation. When he jumps out of the way, especially in a hurry, he tends to jump with both feet forward which appears a bit unnatural. Instead, I’d prefer to see him leap out of the way (and roll, perhaps) arms first, as an actual human would in a high-stress situation. I felt the animation was pretty well done as a whole, though. Especially considering it came out nine years prior to my first playthrough.
I spent several hours playing Alan Wake and it was not uncommon for me to get lost in the game and lose track of time. I found the end of the game to be very satisfying and it left me wishing for a sequel or similar title in the future, which may in fact be possible now that the game's developers, Remedy Entertainment, have regained the publishing rights to the game. Fingers are crossed!
Overall, this is a game I highly recommend to people who enjoy a good psychological horror game and/or enjoy a good mystery novel, as the game is meant to feel like you are playing out pages of a good book you just can’t stop reading.
[Lady played Alan Wake on PC using a mouse and keyboard]
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