Reacuring Nightmare

User Rating: 8 | Alan Wake's American Nightmare X360
Alan Wake I personally felt was a breath of fresh air for the survival horror genere which was getting a little stale. This follow up I'll admit was a supprise because it came fast, usual most franchises that have a follow up film quickly and shortly before their predecessor premered are doomed to fail ("Halloween 5" anyone) but that isn't the case here because they really did take great care in what they were doing and most importantly knew what they were doing.

It's true this semi follow up doesn't light as bright as it's predecessor, but it wasn't trying to, it was simply trying to do it's own thing and it did it well.

The graphical presentation is great, I really love the backdrop that they used which are three simple locations, a motel and diner, an observatory, and my personal favorate the drive in (damn I miss drive ins let alone were the birth place of most B movies). All located in the arazona desert, these locale weren't just to give the game an isolated setting which it does very well, but it was to have a feel of a 50/60s America. Which is also perfect in giving the game a B movie feel since B movies were birthed mainly in that decade. I really like the use of the darkness giving the game a spooky and creepy vibe as if you walking/running into a nightmare scape.

The music is also great, I really love some of the songs they had like the one for the end credits and a few of the rock tunes they had. They sounded like 80's songs which is great because that my decade but it just fits this game.

But most importantly the gameplay and story. The gameplay I think is very good, I wouldn't say it's anything that I haven't already done before but it all works well. I like the fact that theres more action this time, the original was more of a mystery game invested more on investigation and story than action. This game still has both investigation and story but the action is elaborated on more. I like that you have a variety of weapons but the one that really stands out of me is the use of the nail gun which is great, there is always something about hardware tools used as weapons against monsters that makes a simple tool seem cool, probably to show they have more uses than one. You have a decent amount of enimies from random darkness zombies/fiends (not sure the proper name for them), spiders, though the one that really stands out is the big zombie/fiend with a buzz saw, that guy can make you a little nervious where it's his size or just that he is operating a buzz saw.

I like the story, it's a very bizzare but clever and interesting one. One thing just simply leads to another, nothing is what it seems, but I also like that it acutally has a sense of humor. From certain visual jokes to lines of dialog which can make you crack a smile. I really like how the story paid homage to Rod Stirling as well as the show he hosts "The Twilight Zone", that voice actor was just magnificent impersonating Rod, I almost thought he was Rod.

However this game has a flicker or two. One problem I have is that it's a little repetitive, from the decent varitity of enimies I mentioned as well as how some sittuations feel too much to same. But the second one is the whole reacurring premise which I felt was an interesting idea but I don't feel was elaborated enough, you don't do or even go to enough different places and things, which makes this feel a bit monotonious.

Overall, I think it's a soild follow up to the orginal despite not being a bright light in the franchise. But still it's worth a look and hopefully it will help light the way to another follow up.