I thought Melissa already did this, lol.
Alan Wake Review
Game Review | December 14, 2010 6:10 pm
By Mike Vick
Alan Wake Review Ah, Alan Wake is a very complex game that some would consider the "Inception of video games" Why? Because this game's story doesn't just grab on to you, it hangs onto you even days after you beat the game. I mean, after you beat the game, you'll be wondering what the fuck just happened. You'll be shellshocked, because the game's ending doesn't give you a straight answer, all it does is give you more questions instead of answers. Alan Wake is about a writer (Alan Wake) who goes on a vacation with his wife Alice in the town Bright Falls. The two settle in the town in their own cabin on the mysterious Caulderon Lake. As since Alan was on a 2 year writer's block, his wife got him a typewriter to get out of the block. Alan is angry, and leaves the cabin for fresh air... seconds later he hears a scream coming from the cabin... His wife mysteriously disappears into the lake, and so Alan then begins his search to fight against the darkness to save his wife...
Presentation: Alan Wake's graphics are amazing, the cutscenes are "life-like" and you can easily see the emotion that each character holds throughout the story. The "taken" look zombi-fied and have a unique look to them, a look that is much different then a typical zombie in L4D or Dead Rising. Other than the cutscenes, the best looking thing in Alan Wake is the environment. When there are taken nearby, the darkness of the night fogs, and the silence turns into the yells and screams of the taken trying to kill you. And if you are wondering why it took Remedy so long to make the game, part of it is because how much detail they put into the characters in the game, i mean they even gave some of the characters who were in the game for 1 or 2 instances a personality. And because of that, you'll wanna know every-single thing that this game leaves out about the characters. (Trying my best to leave out spoilers!)
Gameplay: The game's gameplay comes out very smoothly, but the controls can be a little weird for some. Most of the game's controls are common (RT to shoot, X to reload, A to jump, etc.) but some can give some people some problems (LB to sprint and dodge, and the D-Pad to change weapons, with Y used to insert more batteries for your handy flashlight) but, the controls are pretty easy to pick up on and get used to pretty quick for most gamers. The gameplay itself works out pretty nice, as the dodging system works out pretty well, and will easily save your ass several times during the game (ecspecially when playing on the hardest difficulty-Nightmare) Using the flares are extremely helpful as well, but can be a pain to try and use when your getting mobbed by several taken at once. I can for one easily say that the sprinting in the game is annoying as fuck, with Mr.Wake having very little stamina, and with the taken being faster then you and having what seems like unlimited stamina, you'll be using LB a lot during the game. The shooting in the game is nice as well, as LT aims and uses more force from the flashlight against the taken, as you'll be using LT a lot during the game as well. But other than that, theres nothing else to say about the gameplay...
Achievements: The achievements in this game are pretty easy and vary from getting 50 with a shotgun, flashbang, story-related achievements of course, achievements for beating the game of each of the 3 difficulty's and achievements for collecting each of the 250+ collectables. I know it sounds a bit intimidating (mostly the 250+ collectables), but in reality the achievements are pretty easy. 4.5/10
Conclusion: Alan Wake is a amazing game, with great graphics, a gripping storyline, and pretty easy achievements. You'll want more of this game after you beat it, and its most likely that you wont just play the game a 2nd time for the Nightmare achievements, you'll also be playing it again just to re-experience all that is Alan Wake.
TO SUMMARIZE:
Gameplay: 9/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 9/10
Control: 9/10
Replay Value: 9/10
Overall: 9.5/10
Pros- Great storyline,great graphics,good replay value
Cons-Waves of taken spawning one-after-another at times
The Bottom line- Alan Wake is the best horror/thriller game i have ever played on the 360 and is worth a purchase or is a must rent.
Rating: 9.5 of 10
Reviewed: Alan Wake™
Keywords: None
