I went into Alan Wake Remastered as a new player and my final verdict likely reflects that since I lacked the nostalgia to overlook the frustrations. If I had to describe the gameplay, I’d say it was awkward, and while the environments looked good, the monotony dragged in some parts. Most notable was the terrible sprint, which didn’t feel good to use despite the game expecting the player to avoid combat where possible so as to not be overwhelmed.

I didn’t dislike everything about it—I found the atmosphere and a few other aspects genuinely fantastic—but I wasn’t converted into a diehard Alan Wake fan. If anything, I’d label it overrated but that’s just little old me.