A PUN ABOUT BEING AWAKE ROFL

Alan Wake Review
Xbox 360
Rated 15

Episodic gaming is the new kid on the block which is usually associated with bite size gaming on the downloadable platforms but in recent years we have seen a slow income of retails games which divide the main course into smaller, separate episodes and even include a “previously on...” video to remind you of previous events in the story similar to what you’d see in the current episode of Lost.

This is not the only thing reminiscent of Lost in Alan Wake; the story is shrouded in mystery and at one point even results in trees being torn down by an unknown shroud of black smoke making sure you’re kept in the dark and in suspense.
Alan Wake is a famous novelist writer with a serious case of writers block and is in dire need of a vacation to escape the pressures of fame and the inability to create the next blockbuster novel.

Settling down in a log cabin in the remote town of Bright Falls which is very reminiscent of the popular TV show Twin Peaks results in Alan Wake and his wife being separated after a seven day blackout. The story maintains an exciting pace with the end of each episode with a cliff hanger plot line to ensure you want to come back and see Alan Wake’s story to the end.

Calling the game a survival horror and comparing it to something like Silent Hill would be apt but the game is definitely more of a thriller, the game rarely does the traditional scares that you might expect from an atmospheric, tense videogame which gives the game a definite action thriller feel to the entire package.

Games like these live or die on their core game play elements but thankfully Remedy have managed to provide a simplistic yet entertaining combat experience, offering you only the bare minimum in weaponry and tools to use against the enemies which are interestingly designed without leaving the roots of reality. Shrouded in a black gas cloud, the enemies will ambush you in dark and only then will you have to fend yourself with a variety of light based tools to ensure you keep The Taken at bay, over exposure of a light source weakens the enemy to a vulnerable state in which you can kill them with your weapon of choice leaving a greatly satisfying combat mechanic which doesn’t wear thin by the end of your time with Alan.

While the on-foot action is exhilarating and tense there are a few moments of down time which take place in the vehicles, showing the games roots as an open world venture. Hopping into a car or a truck handles surprisingly well and feels good to eliminate The Taken with your headlights but ultimately the driving experience is flat and soulless which feels more filler than an enjoyable experience, I had really hoped they would have used this to provide the player with some exciting chase scenes but you are left with a poor excuse of padding out some game time.

Alan Wake has some excellent set pieces in each episode which is connected by a roller coaster ride which Remedy has created. It might have taken six years to see the light of day but overall the game is a mighty fine action thriller which will no doubt entertain you for the brief time you’re in the eerie town of Bright Falls.

8/10