Alan Wake - A game you should be playing

[Gauss]

Just FYI, I am posting it here for all the 360/PC owners on this board (and I hope all the PS3 owners reading this will branch out).

I finally finished Alan Wake last weekend, and I don't know what the hell took me so long. This is the best game the 360 has to offer as an exclusive in the console arena.

Its brilliantly written and told, capturing alot of great characters in a X-Files/Twin Peaks-esque series of connected episodes all being a part of a larger horror/mystery plot. It leverages off of all these cliches in small ways, paying homage to them by interweaving them in the narrative. If you let it, it will suck you in like few games ever will. Putting other horror-focused games like Silent Hill to shame (except Silent Hill 2, the lone quality title in the series), and taking you to the finale that is both satisfying, but leaves you with so many questions...

Its the type of game that makes you realize that people who claim gaming isn't innovative or is dead are just blind.

Seriously, its 10-30 bucks. Available on the 360, PC, XBLA, and Steam. GET IT NOW!

[DarkRedCrash]

When I had an Xbox 360 I completed it so many times, even went out of my way to get the limited edition collectors version (the only xbox 360 game i've kept) and a poster for my wall.
It really is fantastic & I couldn't agree more with the OP.
I'm still waiting for a game this innovative in the horror genre to appear on PS3.

[Creditdue]

Brilliant game. Never got round to playing the DLC though. The only part I didn't like was fighting the monsters on the bridge with the search light. That part took me ages to complete

[Ps360]

Gauss saying intelligent things as usual


also the sequel comes out today on XBLA. American nightmare, would recommend it to anyone (going to buy it and download it right now)

[Kratos06]

Alan Wake was a amazing game from begining to end, can't wait for Alan Wake 2 and American Nightmare

[Minarum]

I'll eventually pick it up. But nothing about it looks that great to me. Then again, I don't care for those types of games.

[Rune2303]

From what ive seen of it..it look great ....but I dont own an xbox and I don't feel like buying a new console just for one game X___x

[CapnKoala]

Yeah, I picked this up on Steam this week and while I'm only an hour or two in, I'm absolutely in love with it. From the writing, to the atmosphere, to even the combat, this game is right up my alley and I hope more people get to check it out now.

Also, speaking of the combat, one thing that I love is how the subtle beam of your flashlight replaces the standard aiming reticle used in most games. It's far more immersive and gives the shooting a different feel. The camera isn't awkwardly centered on a set of white cross hairs, but rather on the action as a whole. I freaking love that.

Granted it probably wouldn't be well suited for a game with a competitive environment, but for single player experiences I wish developers would find more interesting ways in implementing shooting mechanics and/or controls like Alan Wake does with the flashlight. Or maybe I'm just weird.

[Koimia]

One of my coworkers lent this to me yesterday. I have yet to start it, though tomorrow is my first day off in like a week and I hope to get really acquainted with Mr Wake.

[kianstrike]

Gauss forgot to indicate the "Gauss' Rating Rationale" score

Will buy this maybe tomorrow, anybody knows when the 29.99$ sale will end on steam?

[Ps360]

February 23rd at 10 AM PST (1 PM Est)


The only bad part about alan wake that gauss forgot to mention is that once the game is over you don't feel like playing it again because you know alot.


but you will.

[Lasombra]

The trailer didn't impress me much. If it was on the PS3 and really cheap I'd consider trying it, but I doubt it would de-throne Resident Evil for me, or even Silent Hill 1. Psychological thrillers are very hit and miss to me, and thats what the trailer is trying to spin it as.

[Ps360]

but it is really good

it gets inside your mind and stays there. the game plays tricks on you constantly, you might of saw a enemy or you might of not. it's hard to tell when your in the dark.

silent hill focuses on cliche scare tactics. blood and gore everywhere with a weird monster every now and then. Resident evil isn't in the scare tactic buisness anymore since RE4. they want to attract call of duty fans.

[Feral]

I wanted to get this game when it first came out but I've forgotten about it. I think my mate has it, so I'll check it out at his place. Probably end up with it for PC.

[Lasombra]

but it is really good

it gets inside your mind and stays there. the game plays tricks on you constantly, you might of saw a enemy or you might of not. it's hard to tell when your in the dark.

silent hill focuses on cliche scare tactics. blood and gore everywhere with a weird monster every now and then. Resident evil isn't in the scare tactic buisness anymore since RE4. they want to attract call of duty fans.

Silent Hill 1 was super scary, and super disturbing. I'm glad Resident Evil has gone more action oriented. 4 and 5 are the best in the series for me. I was annoyed at the tank controls and lack of ammo. Its good it gotten past the scare business or else it'd have gotten stale like the mainstream horror franchises. I love Friday the 13th but after the first couple of films its not scary anymore. Its good Capcom realized that with the series and are trying to tell an ongoing story and build a world, past the cheap scares.
Alan Wake is not going to get inside my head, since the trailer doesn't have me hooked enough to care enough to let it inside my head.

[Gauss]

I'll also add this is one of those rare games in the sense that most of the DLC is what DLC should be...

Its a phenomenal compliment to the main story, each DLC is a self-contained Episode that fills in some background and expands the story.

I'm looking forward to American Nightmare.

The only bad part about alan wake that gauss forgot to mention is that once the game is over you don't feel like playing it again because you know alot.

For me, I wanted to play this game again... There are alot of references/foreshadowing you don't pick up on the first playthrough because you don't get all the information until the end, and heck the story still leaves some question marks. Playing through a second time you catch all these small details you didn't know before.

I do understand your point a bit though, a big part of this game is the fact that you are trying to piece together whats going on as Wake is.

Gauss forgot to indicate the "Gauss' Rating Rationale" score

This game would garnish a 10/10 from me. It meets all my criteria for that score.

This is the type of game that 10 years from now I'll still be thinking about and comparing other games to. Fuck, this is the type of game I may be comparing movies and books to.

Heck, my brother and I have spent hours talking about the story and gameplay. The list of games that can claim that is very short.

Silent Hill 1 was super scary, and super disturbing.

Thats where this game differs though, I compared it to X-Files/Twin Peaks for a reason. Its that type of horror story/thriller. Its not meant to be truly disturbing or violent.

Its much more of a mystery tale with a dark twist. You keep playing because you care about Wake, Barry, etc and you want to know whats happening and where the story is going. Its feeding off of your inherent curiosity and very well done setting it in a "horror-esque" scenario to increase the tension/stakes.

I'll admit in that regard some of the comparisons to RE/Silent Hill are a bit out of bounds, because Alan Wake is a different type of story.

I compared it to Silent Hill though because they have the same core formula: Interesting characters put in extraordinary situations, set in an atmosphere-heavy horror setting where the player doesn't know all of whats going on at the start.

[AlecDawesome]

I didn't like the game, I found the combat to be extremely repetitive. Seemed like Twilight Zone mixed with Silent Hill

[Ps360]

I'll also add this is one of those rare games in the sense that most of the DLC is what DLC should be...

Its a phenomenal compliment to the main story, each DLC is a self-contained Episode that fills in some background and expands the story.

fun fact there was originally going to be 4 DLC packs but microsoft stopped them at two because everyone apparently didn't like the DLC.


cult game. Wouldn't mind if they continued on the PC version though.

[kianstrike]

Purchased... I'm really glad this game is released to the PC as well, as I don't own a 360. Now for the hard part, downloading the game...

[Deth]

I'd get it if it was on the PS3.