Alan Wake

Alan Wake. Five years in the making, one story that must be told, one epic game that flew far too low under the radar.

To be perfectly honest, this game flew under my radar too, until it was recommended to me by a friend. I loved the box-art, and found the ideas behind it compelling, but because of the fact that so many triple A titles dwarfed its existence, I never managed to pick it up until late 2010. And I have to say, as a world-weary, self-proclaimed cynic, this game was a breath of fresh air to the gaming industry, doing virtually everything right with the story, gameplay mechanics, and characters, and only letting itself down with a few questionable choices for the ending of the game (don't worry, this is spoiler free) and a few issues with the inventory system, that, though well explained in the context of the story, may or may not annoy you while playing this game.

To start things off, Alan Wake's story and character are intertwined. Alan, and his wife; Alice, are on a retreat to a small town in the woods of Washington, called Bright Falls (because that isn’t just tempting fate right there), to try getting Alan over his writer's block...oh by the way, he's a writer...in case you don't get that from the intro to the game. The story itself is a solid piece of writing, with the levels taking the forms of ‘episodes’, six in all, from a T.V show. Although this is the premise for the game’s structure, it is mostly in the form of a monologue, by Alan, of the events happening both in the game and in cutscenes. You can also find collectable manuscript pages that will give you hints as to what will happen next, and give a greater context to the characters you encounter in the game world. Alan and his wife first arrive at a local diner in order to get the keys for their lake-side house. There is trouble on the horizon though, as Alice is kidnapped by someone, or something, sinister, and Alan must recover his memory of the events leading to her disappearance all the while avoiding the Sheriff and the FBI agent Nightingale, and the townspeople who have been corrupted by the evil presence inhabiting ‘Cauldron Lake’, a darkness that controls almost everything, and is seeking Alan out. For what purpose, you may ask? Well play the game and you might just find out, because that’s the fun with Alan Wake, the story is so damn intriguing, so full of twists and turns, that it will keep you guessing throughout the entire game. Never have I played a game that kept me so involved with the character’s struggles, their personalities, and still make them seem like a real human being. It is a feat that is not to be undersold. Make no mistake though, this game is tense, and there’s a reason why it is called a psychological thriller…because it drags you so deep into the narrative and the atmosphere that you have to jump every time something unexpected lunges at you, and your heart will race while you run from darkness-possessed people, crows and objects. As you progress further into the game, the tension builds, and when combined with an amazing and involving story, this really is a game that deserves the genre label, and will keep you asking questions, until the very end.

It is in the diner that we meet one of the colourful cast of characters that you will interact with throughout a game, ranging from the quirky side-kick of Barry Wheeler, one of the greatest characters in existence to date…fact!...to the badass and surprisingly mentally strong Sheriff Sarah Breaker. Though we do have some random and hilarious characters that add to the feeling of Bright Falls being a more colourful place than one would imagine, much like the old-age rock superstars: The Anderson Brothers; Tor and Odin. The level of detail placed on the intricacies of the characters, who knows who, how they know them, their pasts and current activities, give the player a feeling that this is, in fact, a small town where people know their neighbors. It gives the game an atmosphere where one can be submerged into a world that is convincing, even though it is placed heavily in fiction. In this world, Alan Wake is a well-known name to the people, and because of that, more stress if placed on him, as he cannot operate under the scrutiny of the townspeople.

The gameplay angle has an interesting premise. Basically, you are thrown in the deep end from the very beginning, through a tutorial level. Your enemies, The Taken, are possessed by the darkness, and are out to kill you. They are shielded by darkness, so the only way to defeat them is to use light. A flashlight will be your main weapon, to weaken the enemies, followed by an assortment of handy guns to kill the taken when their shield is down. As time goes on, you’ll get better flashlights, better weapons, flash grenades, and flare guns, all to help you combat the hordes of taken that could spring up on you at any time. More often than not, though, you are forced to run to the nearest light source, as they regenerate your health, and act as checkpoints. The light mechanic is excellent, and a good idea, as it adds importance to a simple flashlight. You depend on it while fighting the darkness, and keeping spare batteries on you at all times is not an option, its mandatory. The sprint mechanic is also realistic, as Alan is not exactly what I would call a physically fit character. He becomes winded and shuffles at the end of a long run. Allowing him to stop and catch his breath is not always an option, so timing your sprint is crucial, adding more tension to an already nerve wracking situation. Saving ammunition for a crucial moment can be a make or break for any point of a level, and wasting ammunition is never a good idea, as there isn’t that much of it left lying around. There are a range of collectables that you will find throughout your search of Bright Falls, from TVs showing episodes of an eerie show Night Spring, to radios, which are broadcasting the local radio station, giving the player a stark contrast to the hellish nightmare that they’re part of. As stated earlier, hunt the manuscript pages, as they are invaluable to both the story and the gameplay, and could give you a vital hint that could save you later in the levels.

The graphics of this game are amazing. From the beginning, the light mechanic is used excellently, blending the darkness mixed with moonlight, clouds and a flashlight’s beam together into a realistic looking world that is heartbreakingly beautiful. In fact, I’d say that despite how good the game looks in the daylight, with the sweeping scenes of mountains, rivers and forests, it looks much better at night. When the darkness sets in, the atmosphere literally changes. Nothing but the wind can be heard, your footsteps echo, and you know that you are utterly alone. Yet with the darkness, comes the Taken, and while all you can see are the sweeping clouds across the moonlit ground, a dark mist descends, and you begin to hear the skittish, psychotic voices of the Taken as they appear from the forest cover, looking for blood…I got chills just describing that…

The character models are nice, although they can seem somewhat blocky at times, facially that is. But the character movements are solid, and the cutscenes and gameplay aren’t really any different, which is impressive, because not many games can blend cinematics and real time gameplay together.

The main issues that many would have with a game like this are the overall difficulty, the constant resetting of inventory and weapons in some situations that are unexplainable, and the control scheme. The difficulty curve can really catch a player out when they aren’t paying attention, as more often than not, you can be caught off guard by a whole horde of enemies that throw things at you, and spawn right up your ass. It can cost you a few minutes of gameplay time, nothing severe, but it still feels a little clunky when you’re playing for the first time, and don’t quite know what’s going on with some of the audio and visual cues. The inventory resetting after every chapters end can be irritating, especially when the player doesn’t see it coming, and the explanations for these losses are, more often than not, half-hearted and not very well thought out. Although the controls for Alan Wake are mostly excellent, there are times when some of the more intricate puzzles can be bastardised by the dodgy jump mechanic. This is one of the chief issues I think anyone would have playing the game. All else can be forgiven, but this can make some sections of the game that seem easy, a more hellish experience than fighting the legions of darkness at death’s gate.

All in all, Alan Wake is an excellent game, which defines its genre in a way that has never been done before. The use of lighting in the game to add to or relieve tension, along with the light mechanic, quirky character roster and mind-blowing storyline, make for a gripping experience that will suck you into the world of Alan Wake, really making you feel like you’re playing in a world of supernatural danger, while never taking you out of the mindset that this is set wholly in reality, at least, for the most part. It keeps you involved and guessing, and you always want to find out what happens next. It isn’t necessarily long, but isn’t too short. Replays are a must for a game of this quality.

Final Verdict:

5/5

A game that flies so very high, not burned by ambition or any fault of its own, but shot down by poor marketing decisions and fierce competition. A real gem, and a must have for any gamer who loves themselves an amazing story. Despite some minor faults and an ending that is blatantly for DLC continuity, this game still earns itself the highest rating I can offer it. 

Pros:

• Gripping and engaging story

• Realistic and relatable characters

• Interesting use of light and dark in combat and puzzle solving

• Breathtaking Graphics

• Excellent use of ‘Episodic’ levels and Cliffhanger endings
  

• Barry.Freakin’.Wheeler.

Cons:

• Some issues with jump mechanics

• Character models can, at times, seem a bit blocky

• Constant loss of inventory at the end of chapters.

WTF? Moment: “My name is Alan Wake…I’m a writer.” Most memorable line…ever!

Time played: ....A long time....