This writer’s block sure does have me down… Luckily, my wife Alice has a plan! So let us head to a cabin and dive into Cauldron Lake to get inspired.
Alan Wake Review
Developer
Remedy Entertainment is a Finnish game development team that launched Alan Wake in 2010. Remedy is responsible for the power house game franchise Max Payne.
The Remastered version of Alan Wake was released on XBOX ONE, PC, and PlayStation consoles with the PS4 and PS5 in October 2021. A Nintendo Switch version was released in October 2022. Just so you know.
Intro
Alan Wake is a best-selling, renowned author in the crime fiction category. The video game version of Stephen King and Hunter S Thompson. Maybe Stephen Hunter too.
The game starts with our wordsmith Alan running over a hitchhiker, who disappears when Alan gets out of his car. It reminds me of Gothika with Halle Berry. Alan isn’t possessed by this entity, and axe murders his husband, though. Sorry for the spoilers if you’ve never seen the movie. Instead, Alan heads towards a lighthouse while being chased by an axe-wielding hitchhiker.
Here, the game uses this time to introduce the player to basic game mechanics. You receive a revolver and a flashlight. The flashlight burns away the darkness of the “Taken,” allowing you to run failure drills on their newly unshielded mortal bodies.
The flashlight runs on Energizer batteries you find throughout the game, and ammunition is, for the most part, readily available and picked up along the route of your adventure.
A core game mechanic is a slow-motion dodge. Dodging slows down time and allows Alan to avoid attacks while showing the dodge with fantastic cinematic diving. Master this, and you can pretty much go unscathed through the entire game. Just remember what Patches O’Houlihan told us.
Gameplay
The Alan Wake experience is in the third-person perspective. While some critics complain about this camera angle, I can’t imagine getting sneak attacked from behind while having a core dodge mechanic. So third-person is the only choice for this game, and it’s the right choice.
Alan Wake is an episodic journey of an author trying to unravel the mystery of writing a novel he doesn’t remember. At the same time, he simultaneously tries to save his wife, the world, and his sanity.
Alan has suffered from writer’s block for two concurrent years. As a result, Alan’s wife, Alice, has planned a trip for some much-needed S&M. Seclusion and Meditation.
Our idyllic trip to the idyllic town of Bright Falls is anything but. Shortly after arriving at our cabin on Cauldron Lake, things get dark. Dark Presence dark.
We soon learn of the game’s antagonist, the Dark Presence.
The Dark Presence is an entity of terror. It is confined to the lake and wishes to spread corruption worldwide. Origins unknown, the Dark Presence corrupts the artist’s minds to gain power and influence, able to manifest through Alan’s written words.
As you play through the game, you will learn more about the Dark Presence and if you can defeat it.
My Thoughts
Alan Wake is an instant classic. The premise of the game is uncommon and, rightfully so, is lauded as a masterpiece.
Remedy took all the horror genre aspects, combined with actual-world application, and made a game that makes sense.
Alan doesn’t utilize stealth when combating darkness. Instead, he takes the fight to it. Flashlight in hand, Alan runs headfirst into combat. He was popping caps into anyone foolish enough to get in his way. Person or Machine, Alan doesn’t give a shit.
Puzzles are a mainstay in the horror genre, which I hate. However, in Alan Wake, Remedy utilizes actual world applications to implement puzzles. It’s simple enough.
In summary, buy the game, play the game, and love the game.
And if you haven’t checked out our Podcast Episode of Alan Wake… Do it now!