On the surface, Alan Wake is the more conventional of the two RE4 inspired Peaks-type horror games released in 2010 (Deadly Premonition being the first true Peaks-type game), but once it gets into the weeds of its meta narrative it morphs into a decidedly unique action game story. The plot is also able to carry the relatively simple gameplay loop after it eventually becomes rote.
Said loop being: holding your flashlight until the Elite Beat Agents circles close and then hitting fire a couple of times.
Those repetitive encounters and environments are my only major knock against Alan Wake. Still, it’s got that diegetic flashlight reticle and y’all know that design element is a Conman-core situation.
One thing this game has in spades is the ever illusive thing I call soul. I always like to have the term soul in my back pocket just in case I’m too lazy to describe aesthetics. Alan Wake has a thought-out, serious story, but Remedy does a great job of not letting pretentious self-seriousness consume everything. The in-game tv shows, the radio, the manuscripts… come to think of it, this is one of the only times I’ve sought out audio logs to experience the audio logs themselves. That is some of the highest praise I can give a game’s collectibles.
Also, thinking about how Swery claims he’s never seen Twin Peaks never ceases to make me smile. As another side note, my almost 8-month-old son did NOT like this game or Condemned: Criminal Origins. “Boo hoo it’s scary” so what stop being a baby.
Said loop being: holding your flashlight until the Elite Beat Agents circles close and then hitting fire a couple of times.
Those repetitive encounters and environments are my only major knock against Alan Wake. Still, it’s got that diegetic flashlight reticle and y’all know that design element is a Conman-core situation.
One thing this game has in spades is the ever illusive thing I call soul. I always like to have the term soul in my back pocket just in case I’m too lazy to describe aesthetics. Alan Wake has a thought-out, serious story, but Remedy does a great job of not letting pretentious self-seriousness consume everything. The in-game tv shows, the radio, the manuscripts… come to think of it, this is one of the only times I’ve sought out audio logs to experience the audio logs themselves. That is some of the highest praise I can give a game’s collectibles.
Also, thinking about how Swery claims he’s never seen Twin Peaks never ceases to make me smile. As another side note, my almost 8-month-old son did NOT like this game or Condemned: Criminal Origins. “Boo hoo it’s scary” so what stop being a baby.