Alan Woke Up
Alan wake is a survival horror game at its best. With the game being in development for over six years and going through many changes it was hard to know what to expect when the game actually released. The game changed from being an open world game to a more linear horror story, which is more than likely for the best. The game still features large open areas that you can explore but open world or sandbox is hardly the way to describe this game. Alan Wake is produced by Remedy Entertainment which is best known for the Max Payne franchise so this game is a far different experience than what they are known for. While it may be a different genre, this game definitely has a Max Payne vibe to it. There are even similar experiences such as the self narration and televisions that display a fictional Twilight Zone style show, in this case Night Springs.
Alan Wake is a third person shooter that has a combat system that primarily relies on light. The enemies are the town’s people who have been taken over by the “darkness” which is corrupting the town. All of the enemies are covered in a dark fog that the player has to eliminate by pointing a flashlight at the fog until it disappears, resulting in the enemies becoming vulnerable to gun fire. Although Alan Wake is unique amongst horror games in that it is a very combat heavy game. Most horror games rely on jump scares (which are still present in this game) and suspense, while Alan Wake throws waves of enemies at you in dark forest almost out of nowhere on a constant basis. There is also a dodge feature, which if timed correctly will result in a cinematic dodge adding to the atmosphere of the combat. Alan Wake creates a terrific horror atmosphere with amazing lighting effects and creepy locations. Most of the game takes place in dark forests but you will also visit other locations such as abandoned saw mills, a labyrinth of caves and even a mental health retreat. The game also makes homage to classic horror films such as The Shining. The main highlight of Alan Wake is its amazing story telling conveyed through voice over and scattered pages to a novel that Alan has no memory of writing. It tells a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and wondering what is going to happen next. I often find the story of most video games rather predictable but Alan Wake has enough twists to keep it original and interesting.
The story of Alan Wake is about a writer who is going on vacation with his wife to a quiet mountain town called Bright Falls. While on vacation his wife and manager are hoping that his two year long case of writers block will be cured. When first arriving to town you meet many of the locals, including a super fan that has a cardboard cutout of Alan. When Alan finds out his wife’s intentions they get into an argument and he storms out of their cabin. As he’s walking outside of the cabin Alan hears his wife screaming and runs into the house only to find her being dragged out by an unseen force and into the lake on which their cabin resides. Alan dives in after her and then blacks out. He then awakens on a mountain trail in his crashed car and discovers he’s can’t remember the last seven days. Alan sets out to search for the whereabouts of his wife and it soon becomes apparent that there is a dark force trying to stop Alan. The locals become possessed by the “darkness” and they come after Alan trying to kill him. The story goes on to follow Alan’s quest to find his missing wife and discover what happened to him during the seven days he can’t remember.
Alan Wake is overall a giant character piece about not only Alan but the town of Bright Falls itself. You get a hint that there may be some kind of dark secret mythos to this town that is only known to a few. The story is full of many different characters such as Alan’s manager Barry (who provides some comic relief) and many different towns’ people from all over the spectrum. Alan narrates the entire game giving you insight to his thought process and helping the player along the way. As you travel through the game you collect pages to a novel that Alan has apparently written that describes everything that is happening in the story and also gives you more insight to Alan’s character.
Over all Alan Wake is a definite step in the right direction for the horror genre and with it being Remedy’s first horror game It will be interesting to see what they do with this franchise as it could lead to many interesting and dark places.
