A brilliant add-on - for free or otherwise.
***** SPOILERS WARNING - This review contains some light spoilers ***** First off, The Signal is a direct continuation of the game's story. That being said, the episode does almost nothing to advance the story, and you are left with probably more questions that you started off with. If there is one major fault with this DLC, this is it. Gameplay-wise, this episode is better than any found within the main game. You still have the linear progression and the set encounters, but throughout this episode is a mechanic found in a short section at the end of the game which involves using your flashlight in order to make stuff appear. It is used to great effect here, and it leads to a great section half way through where you have to avoid hundreds of words to avoid spawning enemies whilst avoiding a constant onslaught of birds. Because the episode is set entirely in Alan's mind some of the locations are found within the main game but are shown here in a strange reality that somehow makes them feel original. Barry returns in this reality to provide some light comic relief, but you come to realise that that is all he is there for, not to advance the story. The Signal is one of the best episodes of Alan Wake so far, but it really needed a bit more story to back it up. It is a must buy at a free price, and I would say is even worth the 560 MP if you didn't get the game new.
