Alan Wake awakening May 18

It has been a long time coming, but the release date for Alan Wake is finally here. In conjunction with Microsoft's X10 event in San Francisco, Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb has announced that the Xbox 360-exclusive horror game will arrive in North America on May 18 and in Europe on May 21. That's just over five years after the project was first revealed by Finnish developer Remedy and 10 months after its PC edition was put on indefinite hold.

Rated T for Teen, the game will be available in both a regular $60 edition and an $80 limited edition. Preorders of all versions of the game will come with the Bright Falls Bonus Pack, which includes Alan Wake Avatar gear, an Xbox 360 theme, and a making-of video. According to online retailer listings, the limited edition will be jam-packed with extras, including:

--Game disc in box with unique art
--Exclusive in-game audio commentary and hints by Remedy
--"The Alan Wake Files": A 144-page book that includes a short story written by Alan Wake and compiles the FBI dossiers investigating the events in Bright Falls, WA
--Exclusive audio disc with soundtrack and score
--Game add-on token redeemable on Xbox Live for the first Alan Wake add-on content pack
--Exclusive Xbox disc with special content: Alan Wake Xbox Live Theme and Alan Wake Avatar for Xbox Live

Alan Wake is Remedy's first game since Max Payne 2 and follows writer Alan Wake as he retreats to the sleepy town of Bright Falls. Set in the small Northwestern town of Bright Falls, the psychological thriller pits the title character against a mysterious darkness that has taken over the townsfolk, turning them into nightmarish specters. The only way to break through an enemy's darkness shield is with light, and the gameplay focuses on fighting off ghostly foes with flashlights, flares, and other dark-dispelling tools.

Microsoft also released a new trailer for Alan Wake, viewable below.