Alan Wake is a story driven game from Remedy. Alan Wake plays out like a TV series with episodes (Chapters), Cliffhangers each episode and shows "Previously on Alan Wake" upon starting a new episode. Throughout the whole game Alan Wake will narrate here and there about the situation and his own thoughts, which was very interesting and a big plus for me. Alan Wakes wife goes missing and he sets out to look for her in a small town called "Bright Falls". This is one of my favorite titles of all time but was a little over shadowed by some bigger blockbuster titles that were released around the same time.
Story - Alan Wake is a very popular writer, who hasn't wrote anything for about 2 years. He now is on vacation with his wife (Alice). In a small town called Bright Falls. Without giving too much away for those who haven't played it yet, I'll keep it brief.
You arrive in Bright Falls with your wife who has a phobia of the dark. Your wife goes missing soon after your arrival. Wake travels through the town trying to find his wife, a lot of the game has you running through the woods and such during the night.
Alan Wake soon discovers pages all around the town, to a thriller that he can't remember writing. With this and many other mysteries, the game will have you hooked all the way through and have you on the edge of your seat. It really does a good job adding suspenseful moments with some well done horror moments also. This game is very dark and can freak you out sometimes. They do a great job with many twists and turns without any plot holes. The story was very well written and will for sure keep you interested the whole time.
The game plays out just like a TV series, with episodes (instead of chapters) that end with cliffhangers and then begin with a short "Previously on Alan Wake" bit, which I thought was a great idea. Bottom line for the story is that it is a fantastic story and one of my favorite story lines. I feel most people will enjoy this one.
Gameplay - Alan Wake really takes "Darkness" seriously. The bad people that try to kill you in the game are known as the "Taken" basically they are humans possessed with darkness. Light will become your best friend, as its the only way to kill the Taken. You must shine your flashlight at them to remove the darkness and when the darkness is gone you can use a gun to kill them. This became insanely addictive, I've had so much fun with it, really original and nothing like I've seen before. I like having something to do other than just run and gun. Between flash bangs, flares and other weapons, the gameplay in Alan Wake is one of the most fun times I had in a video game. It was very thought out and very well done. The only complaint I had was the jumping, when he tries to jump onto a ledge or something he seems to be a little unstable, a lot of times sliding right off unless you jump on it exactly right.
Bottom line is that the gameplay is addictive and just all around fun, it was something new which I love to see, and not only that but it was done so well, they did a excellent job and I think most people will agree with me on this one.
Sound - From the amazing original soundtrack to the well chosen licensed soundtrack to some pretty creepy sound effects to outstanding voice acting, the sound design was excellent in Alan Wake. First off the original tracks were very well done they captured the mood with their amazing music and just the right time, and nothing was over the top either, it was a very good soundtrack that is worth buying.
Not only will there be original songs but also a good selection of licensed tracks. From artist like "Poets of the Fall". "David Bowie" and "Poe". I'll be honest and say I haven't heard of most the bands they used but I have to hand it to them, they made a excellent choice, I really enjoyed the soundtrack that I even purchased some of the songs after I heard them. They were all perfect choices for the game and how they were used.
The original music tracks were also very well done and really brought you inside Wakes world. They really brought a nice dark feel over the horror like atmosphere. Each track fit perfectly and was very enjoyable, it also added really well to the suspenseful moments that the game throws at you throughout.
Graphics - The overall graphics were not anything ground breaking but they are far from anything "ugly". They did an excellent job on the atmosphere and truly brought a realistic feel to the player. The facial animations could have been a little bit better, lip syncing didn't really add up well but apart from that the game looked, to put it simple: Awesome. Running through the forest with the wind kicking in harshly at times, with absolutely amazing lighting effects was just plain cool. All in all the graphics are quite satisfying at times and just all around a good looking game.
Final Rundown - Alan Wake is one of the best story telling games ever made, I was completely blown away with the outstanding writing. The characters were just very enjoyable and showed excellent voice acting. The gameplay is addictive and just plain fun. I recommend this game to anyone who has or is thinking of buying a Xbox 360.
+Pro's
- Great & Suspenseful Story.
- Excellent Voice Acting.
- Unique Gameplay That Will Get You Hooked.
- Awesome Atmosphere.
- Lot's of Fun Goodies to Collect.
-Con's
- Jumping is clunking.
Review Score: 9.5
