This was a very interesting game with a great story line. It was worth playing!
There's something about Sam Lake's writing that's cheesy, but intoxicating at the same time. We're all familiar with his work in first two Max Payne games, the B movie vibe was in perfect taste, perfect for a Noir story, but does it make a safe transition to the paranormal-thriller genre? Some might argue how this protagonist is not as interesting as Max is, but delivery in Alan Wake makes up for it.
The name tries to be clever right off the bat with the title and the protagonists name, hinting "A.Wake" promising all the cheesy goodness we were expecting, using the episodic method of storytelling , but it's a buzzkill when you get to know Alan a few minutes into the game. He is a well established writer, and everyone is anticipating his next book, while he struggles with a writer's block for two years. Alan and his wife Alice go for a vacation in the small, picturesque town of Bright Falls. As they get off the ferry, Alice went to pick up groceries, while Alan picks up the keys to the cabin, were they'll be saying, from it's owner Carl Stucky. He is nowhere to be found, instead Alan receives the keys from an old shady woman, who claims that Carl is sick. When the Wake couple arrive at the cabin, Alan finds that Alice prepared a typewriter there, in hope that he gets some work done, but that pisses Alan off, and he storms out for a walk. As he gets his bearings together, Alice screams, Alan rushes to her help and sees her being captured and taken away by a shadow-like entity, dragging her into the water. Alan jumps in the lake after them, and blacks out.
He wakes up a week later in his crashed SUV on a cliff, and finds himself in a ghastly, surreal version of Bright falls.
The game plays in the 3rd person shooter perspective, swinging between action and exploration sequences. The action sequences are some of the most intense experiences in gaming, the tone is set with great stage design, the dark forests, the menacing fog, the manuscript pages and TV shows in game, every visual detail induces dread, and that's when the core mechanic comes in play, light. Alan is only safe in light, his health recovers only in light, and the Taken, the hostiles, can only be killed with an arm if you first expose them to light. This builds up tension as there is a limited supply of batteries for your flashlight and ammo, and the worst thing that can happen, when surrounded by a mob of paranormal murderers, is having to rely on your last flare and running away in hope you'll run into a lamp post or some batteries.
The story sequences happen during the day, and for the most part, they are scripted, but put together well, and it barely takes you out of the atmosphere. There are driving sections in the game, but it plays out like a minigame than a feature, and it fun, which briefly kills the haunt factor.
As I mentioned, the visual aspect is the most appealing thing about this game. While traversing the woods to the next objective, it's almost scarier being alone by yourself then fighting off the Taken, and when you bump into a working TV, I strongly advise to check the shows on.
Pros:
• Great atmosphere
• Good story
• Stunning visuals
Cons:
• Repetitive gunplay
• Uninteresting protagonist
While I was expecting this game, I was hoping for more of a Max Payne like game, it's obvious Sam Lake's style had some turbulence switching to a psychological-thriller, but what we got here is something totally different, and the whole composition guys at Remedy Entertainment put together is worth your money.
Rating: 8
-Petar
GameNTrade Ltd.