Alan Wake - Xbox 360
It’s not often a game comes out that completely takes you by surprise. Developed by Remedy Entertainment, I can safely say that Alan Wake is one of those games.
A survival horror that takes its influences from the many genre-defining titles that have come before it, Alan Wake is a complete joy to play and, despite its lack of originality, it feels like a breath of fresh air.
This is partly because the game builds upon what other survival horrors have done before by adding new game mechanics and an episodic approach that makes the game feel like some sort of mini-series – the sort of thing you would stumble upon whilst flicking through late night TV.
If I had to summarise the game I would describe it as Silent Hill meets Twin Peaks – as written by Stephen King.
Alan Wake is a novelist who is on vacation with his wife, Alice.
After suffering from writer’s block for 2 years Alice decides it’s time to take Alan away from the city life, and the two of them head to a picturesque and secluded countryside town called Bright Falls.
Once they check into their lakeside cabin things take a turn for the supernaturally weird, and Alan’s life becomes a living a nightmare, which is apparently based on the novel he was is working on.
With his wife missing and his sanity in question, the plot of the game quickly gets going.
The gameplay is like most survival horrors, presented in 3rd-person, with the camera set over the character’s shoulder.
As the game progresses Alan encounters dark smoky spirits that have seemingly possessed the various folk of Bright Falls – mainly nutters who work as lumberjacks and are armed with axes, knives, shears and chainsaws. These are later referred to as “The Taken”
Set in the backdrop of a dark and foggy forest, The Taken have distorted voices that prove to be very chilling. A mixture of the dark spirits and the poor individuals they have possessed, they randomly say things that they would of said in their lifetime.
Armed with only a torch, it quickly becomes apparent that The Taken are weakened by light, and through a combination of gunfire and torchlight the creatures can eventually be put down.
However, this is not made easy by the fact that both ammunition and torch batteries are very limited. You need to search around each level to find both weapons and batteries to help you on your way, as The Taken are fast and seldomly relent in trying to kill you.
Throughout the episodes there are a few easter eggs to hunt out – firstly, and most randomly, are the coffee flasks (not sure what that is all about). Then there are the manuscripts that piece together the plot and, at times, even aid Alan with what to expect. There is also the odd extra weapon out there to find.
Light plays a big factor in this game, and during the times that Alan is under a spotlight he is seemingly protected. So, when you run out of batteries and ammo (which you will) it is advisable to look out the nearest spotlight and run towards it for dear life.
The game’s trump card is its ability to shock you – it builds up the tension to an high level when you are permanently worried about what is around every corner.
It is, however, guilty of the odd cliche here and there – you’ll venture behind a building and something insignificant like a crow will fly out, scaring the bejesus out of you.
The game’s episodic approach is a nice touch – it keeps the player up to date with the proceedings, should they have forgotten what the hell is going on, with a segment at the beginning of each level/episode stating “previously on Alan Wake” – cue a montage of cutscenes from the previous level/episode.
Graphically the game is pretty solid, but at times the rendering during the foggier moments can look a little low-res.
That said, the contrast between the light and dark is very prominent, and is particularly effective when Alan is only equipped with his torch.
The animation during the cutscenes can also be a little off-sync with the audio every now and then, but overall the production value of the game is of a very high standard.
The music and sound effects match the game perfectly, but there are a few minor snags. At times the game relies a bit too heavily on narration to further the plot, and a lot of isn’t necessary.
However, the audio design is fantastic and does its job well in creating a sinister and disturbing atmosphere.
A special mention must also be made for the soundtrack, a mixture of both original pieces and classics such as Roy Orbinson’s “In Dreams” and “Put the Lime in the Coconut” by Harry Nilson.
Despite a few flaws I can’t recommend Alan Wake enough. With its creepy atmosphere, winding plot and imaginative take on the genre, it is quite possibly one of the best survival horrors to grace the current generation of consoles.
Verdict: 8.5 out of 10
The good:
Very atmospheric
Interesting plot
refreshing episodic approach
The bad:
Narration gets a bit annoying
Audio off sync during cutscenes
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