Playing Alan Wake right now after being introduced to it nearly five years ago at E3 is a surreal experience. So many years of development and so many new beautiful screenshots of Bright Falls have been painful to endure for us all.
I have tried hard to keep my expectations in check ever since the final review build arrived yesterday. There was never any doubt Microsoft made the right choice to gobble up Alan Wake as an Xbox 360 exclusive based on its incredible tech. But a bigger question has lingered and can only now be answered. Are the game play and story elements compelling enough to enhance the tech, or are they Alan Wake’s Achilles Heel?
A full review of Alan Wake is currently under embargo so I am unable to discuss the game’s intricacies beyond its first episode at this time. Rather than walk through that episode and potentially spoil you (which would be a travesty), here are 10 reasons that break down why I love Alan Wake and it has so far exceeded those expectations.
10. Previously On…
Remedy has not been shy about connecting the style of Alan Wake with ABC’s 1990s serial drama Twin Peaks. Both are set in a small fictional Washington state town with an idyllic setting plucked from a novel. The connection between Alan Wake and Twin Peaks becomes stronger when completing the first episode of the game and being greeted by a “previously on” segment, just like the Twin Peaks television show (and a modern example, Lost) employed.
9. What’s That Song?
It becomes clear after the first episode that Remedy has utilized music to set the mood and tempo in Alan Wake. One non-spoiler example is cranking up a juke box after a restaurant patron puts in a request. Does the song choice mean something like theorists suggest book appearance do in Lost? Better pay attention to those lyrics just in case.
8. The Cliffhanger
No, I do not mean Sylvester Stallone fighting treasury thieves on a mountainside. Narrative is an important aspect of Alan Wake so it is nice to be thrown off the beaten path from time to time. The conclusion of episode one ends with a startling revelation that makes it near impossible not to keep playing. If one of these cliffhangers caps every episode then Alan Wake’s style points are already off the charts.
7. Finder’s Keepers
I love collecting items as much as the next guy and in this regard Alan Wake will not let you down. In addition to scouring Bright Falls for 100 coffee thermoses, there are scattered pages of “something” worth finding along the way to read. Their acquisition is not required to complete the game but their content will enhance it.
6. What The?!?
Within the first couple minutes of playing Alan Wake I was scratching my head. There are strange otherworldly bright lights, possible apparitions on the prowl, a questionable dance between a dreamlike state and reality. Alan is thoroughly confused and I was equally so, the perfect match for us both to discover the truth together.
5. Can You Hear Me Now?
Sometimes sound design in gaming is taken for granted but not so in Alan Wake. Remedy is really pushing surround use and LFE (bass) response to build tension and create fear as new “phenomena” are discovered, while the score by Petri Alanko is appropriately spooky. Those of you with a 5.1 system and a decent subwoofer will greatly benefit.
4. Take a Moment to Look Around
There are many moments in the first episode of Alan Wake that offer the opportunity to look around and take in the surroundings. I was doing this anyway to seek out collectibles, but one scene on a ferry serves as a nice breather while simultaneously and purposefully slowly pushing the story forward.
3. Superfreaks
It is no secret that not all is what it seems in Bright Falls. As will be compared with games like Silent Hill, there are enemies who want to hack you into pieces. What sets Alan Wake apart is these foes creep around in the woods and attack you from all directions. There are no cheap “jump” scares; you know they are out there and they come after you relentlessly, especially when a light mist rolls in.
2. Hello, Bright Falls
Saying the setting of Alan Wake is idyllic is one thing but executing it on Xbox 360 is another. We have known since E3 2005 that Remedy was putting together something special and the final result is one of the best looking games to ever grace the console. While there are some obvious repeated elements like gates and logs in episode one, the textures and detail are off the charts. It’s the type of place you would actually want to take a virtual walking tour of to soak up the ambiance.
1. Lighthouses Are More Helpful Than Churches
Turns out Benjamin Franklin knew what he was talking about. Your crutch to survival in Alan Wake is not of a religious origin. To survive you have to illuminate the situation – literally – using a trusty flashlight and several other options presented as the game progresses. What’s neat about the flashlight is that it requires batteries to keep operating so you have to be on the lookout for “Energizer” battery packs to load into it. Yes, that’s a product placement and not the only one (be on the lookout for “Sync”).
Light is your safe haven, a place where your enemies cannot harm you. With the dynamic time of day play with light and shadows bringing Bright Falls to life, the world Alan must survive feels like it is constantly changing and evolving. The light is as big a character as Alan or anyone else in the game.
I’ll stop close of calling Alan Wake a perfect game as the lip sync with dialogue could be tighter and I suffered two short instances of freezing during the opening titles that thankfully resolved themselves. Truthfully, who cares? There is so much to like after only one episode of Alan Wake that it pains me to not be engrossed in episode two right now.
Look for our full review of Alan Wake on Xbox 360 in roughly one week’s time.
– Dan Bradley
Pre-order Alan Wake on Xbox 360 for a discounted price at Amazon.com.
