If I haven't made it clear, from the years of 2008-2014, I was not one with a wide variety of games that I regularly played. Across those years, I went in phases where I only played either plastic instrument games, baseball games, or "Super Smash Bros.," and not much else. Thus, I missed a vast majority of major games when they came out. "Alan Wake" was one of those games. I was aware of it, but couldn't tell you anything about it at the time. However, my recent enjoyment of Remedy's "Control," combined with the announcement of "Alan Wake Remastered," made me interested in going back to see how this game held up. Little did I know how much I'd go on to love the game.
"Alan Wake" deftly blends horror and action elements in a way that feels absolutely sublime. The controls are extremely smooth and easy to navigate, and the combat is still strong; the use of light makes for a unique change of pace. The atmosphere nails the tension without feeling stupidly, overwhelmingly scary, while the daytime segments provide enough of a breather without feeling pace-breaking. The story, while wild, is still a fresh, chilling take on supernatural themes with intriguing characters, and the visual design excellently juxtaposes beautiful daytime landscapes with dark, brooding nighttime areas. The moody soundtrack and lighting also add to the atmosphere, and the "Remastered" version's graphical upgrades flesh out the game to an even better degree.
I think my only (very minor) issue with the game is that the ravens can be a bit frustrating to deal with at points. Other than that, I had a lot of trouble finding anything that bothered me here. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this game.
Overall, "Alan Wake" is still a masterful horror adventure so many years later. This was a game that grabbed me and never let go, and it's one that I absolutely highly recommend. And with the release of "Alan Wake Remastered" at an excellent price, there's no better time to try the game out. If you haven't gotten to experience this yet, do yourself a favor. I regret missing out on it for so long, but wow, am I glad I got to experience it.
Final rating: 10 out of 10 "Fantastic"