Alan Wake Review

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(More customer reviews)It seems that David Lynch missed the boat somewhere.With the current rush of thriller style horror games hitting the market, he could have produced a game of epic proportions.In his absence, however, Remedy Entertainment has stepped up to the plate.If Deadly Premonition managed to capture the quirky characters and almost farcical style of Twin Peaks, Alan Wake has nailed the foreboding, fear-filled side of the series.

Author Alan Wake is trapped in a story that he doesn't remember writing and his wife's life is at stake.Armed with his trusty flashlight and an assortment of weapons, he must stave off the forces of darkness lurking throughout the town of Bright Falls while uncovering the clues to his own memory loss, his mysterious, new novel Departure and the location of his abducted spouse.And it all plays out as cinematically as any game has ever managed to do.

The Story

Penned by the deft hand of Sam Lake, there are definite echoes of Max Payne within this game--primarily the ongoing introspection and voice-over that narrates the story as it unfolds before the gamer.Otherwise, Alan Wake is a completely unique experience.Twists and turns in the plot manage to keep the story within grasp while introducing new and interesting tidbits throughout the game.

Game levels are scripted as 'episodes'--much as they were in Deadly Premonition--beginning with flashbacks of what has happened previously in the story/game.It gives the game a television-like vibe that brings to mind series like Lost and the X-Files--and is spoofed by the game itself with glimpses of a popular program (called Night Springs) that resembles the Twilight Zone on in-game televisions. In addition to the 'what happened before' flashbacks, gamers are also treated to a unique song between each of the episodes (such as the eerily appropriate In Dreams by Roy Orbison that also made an appearance in David Lynch's Blue Velvet).

Admittedly, the game is a little long on cut-scenes/cinematics--but they are absolutely forgivable within Alan Wake as they enhance the game experience and almost give the gamer the feeling they are 'playing within a movie.'Don't ignore the cut-scenes in this game; they are as beautiful as they are relevant.

Sights and Sounds

If Alan Wake is not the most gorgeous game ever released on the Xbox 360, then I don't know what is!Daytime in Bright Falls reveals a rustic Pacific Northwestern town that has been exquisitely detailed and constructed--but when night falls, the game is drenched in some of the best uses of light and shadow ever included within a game.Seriously, just watch how the flashlight bursts through the mists rising from the woodland trail in front of you, and take a peak at the white-capped mountains in the distance rimmed with moonlight and dare to disagree with me.

The sound design of the game is equally evocative; choosing to feature ambient music and sound effects for the background pays off with a steady build of fear and dread throughout the game.Enjoy the 'between the episodes' music for what it is:A break from the tension!

One last thing I want to mention in this section is the fine detail of facial expressions and character mannerisms throughout the game.They give a uniqueness to every person you encounter and make interactions throughout Alan Wake a pleasure.

The Game Play

Alan Wake's game play is structured much like other Third Person Shooters, so if you have fears of the tough-to-handle style of movement associated with other horror games (think Silent Hill and Alone in the Dark), you can rest easy.The mechanics involved with using the dual weapon system (flashlight/gun, etc.) are extremely user-friendly as well:Point the light at the enemy and that's where your bullets will hit.

In addition to the main storyline of the game, there are other, ongoing mini-missions as well--though they are mostly of the 'collectibles' variety.So be sure to pay attention to your surroundings and don't be afraid of leaving the well-trodden path to search for hidden caches of ammo, manuscript pages or the occasional thermos of coffee.

While the vast majority of this game is a pleasure to play, there are a few short comings that I would be remiss in not mentioning.The driving element of this game is mediocre at best; the drivable vehicles (not every car/truck is available to Wake) are a bit sluggish and handle a bit clumsily--though this, admittedly, does add to the tension of the game when bad guys are swarming you.But this is a minor thing since Wake is rarely forced to use a vehicle.

The continuous navigation of woodland paths (with the occasional handful of enemies jumping out) can also get a bit repetitive--though the game does manage to stay (for the most part) fun.And it would have been nice to have had a bit more of a map, rather than a simple GPS dot to follow--especially when you are trying to navigate through some of the more open areas of the game.

Summation

Though no game is perfect, I have to admit that in a lot of ways, Alan Wake is damn close!I give it 4.5 stars out of 5 (due to the minor shortcomings already mentioned).Alan Wake is the perfect mix of story and game play--and a fine example of how applying cinematic film techniques to a game can give it a depth that other titles can only dream of achieving.Do yourself a favor:Buy Alan Wake, fire it up and turn down the lights.Just don't forget to catch your breath during the musical interludes...

You can check out more of my game reviews on my Amazon Author's Page (http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JRWEAC).

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Product Description:
When the wife of the best-selling writer Alan Wake disappears on their vacation, his search turns up pages from a thriller he doesn't even remember writing. A dark presence stalks the small town of Bright Falls, Washington pushing Wake to the brink of sanity in his fight to unravel the mystery and save the woman he loves. With the body of an action game and the mind of a psychological thriller, Alan Wake is a pulse-pounding thrill ride.

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