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[mescalineeyes]

So who's next in the hit list? Jonas Elfving of Game Reactor Sweden?

for betraying his scandinavian brethren?

 

[nolookjones]

First two pieces of DLC DETAILS!





So every new copy of Alan Wake comes packed with the code to download the ''The Signal'' DLC which hits around June 1st. Hopefully the DLC is pretty substantial and not just some fluff that seems to be doing the rounds lately.

ya hope its longer than the first ep for heavy rain (20 mins episode)

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

We need someone to give this a 6.9/10 so everyone can move onto a different reviewer to dissect.

 

[Prine]

Given that she compares the setting to Stephen King and Twin Peaks, she seems to understand the setting correctly, and given that she compares the plot development to BioShock and Heavy Rain, she seems to understand that element correctly, and given that she says the shooting / combat is fine and neat, she seems to like that well enough...

... so what area of the game does she have a distaste for and seem unqualified to review?

When she openly states she doesn't care for cinematic games. Then goes on mock games like Gears and Resident Evil.

But then i haven't played AW, as soon as i do i'll know if her opinion on any future games like this should be ignored.

She's certainly unqualified to review Gears 3.

 

[chubigans]

We need someone to give this a 6.9/10 so everyone can move onto a different reviewer to dissect.

I've got my Hot or Not account ready for uploadin!

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

So they should have gotten a dude bro who likes repetitve shooting of things?

Why say it in such derogatory tone? There's nothing wrong with repetitive shooting of things if the shooting mechanics are well done and the whole process is satisfying on the basic level. That's the whole premise behind online shooters, and also the reason why I keep replaying Halo's (and Max Payne's) campaign from time to time. Likewise, there's nothing wrong with repetitive throwing of bowling balls in Wii Sports, repetitive kicking and punching of opponents in Street Fighter 4 or repetitive eating of dots in Pac-Man. Most video games are like that and people love them for it.

 

[hamchan]

This is why review threads are good. All the vitriol against reviewers are unleashed there and the thread eventually dies out to the official thread. Now these past dozen pages will remain a stain on the official thread...FOREVER.

 

[derFeef]

This is why review threads are good. All the vitriol against reviewers are unleashed there and the thread eventually dies out to the official thread. Now these past dozen pages will remain a stain on the official thread...FOREVER.

So for Alan Wake - we need three threads. The official one, a technical thread and a review thread

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

This is why review threads are good. All the vitriol against reviewers are unleashed there and the thread eventually dies out to the official thread. Now these past dozen pages will remain a stain on the official thread...FOREVER.

Good. A lot of posters ought to have their creepy stalkerosity immortalized.

 

[Truespeed]

She's certainly unqualified to review Gears 3.

I'm not sure why, but I just find the notion that you need to be 'qualified' to review Gears 3 extremely funny. Even more so because you were serious about it. Anyway, keep fighting. Perhaps they'll pull the review and give it to someone more qualified.

 

[mintylurb]

You haven't been to enough official threads, dude.

Selective memory ftw. That's his shtick. Incessantly complaining about how unfairly the xbox 360 gets trolled and about whiny ps3 fans, etc.. At least he is consistent..:lol

 

[CrunchinJelly]

I could be playing this game this time next week.

Can't believe it has come round so quick.

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

Perhaps they'll pull the review and give it to someone more qualified.

It wouldn't be the first time. A few months ago they reviewed Risen, but instead of going with the leading PC version, they decided to review the vastly inferior Xbox 360 port and call it a day. Only after the tremendous uproar from their readers did they give in and review the PC version as well.

Or when several months ago they reviewed Darkfall Online, an MMORPG, and then the logs on the developer's servers showed that their reviewer played the game for only two hours. They re-reviewed that one as well.

Or a somewhat different situation when they reviewed the import version of Blue Dragon and gave it 9/10. Then the game got released in Europe, they reviewed it again and gave it 5/10. Not only that, but they completely removed the import review from the database so the only proof that it ever existed remain rare posts on various forums.

Like I previously said, I really like Eurogamer, and together with Edge, they're the only outlet whose reviews I sometimes pay attention to. Not the scores, but the reviews, because some of them are really interesting and well written (usually those penned by Kieron Gillen). But to pretend they're unmistakable when it comes to reviewing games (and not only that)... Yeah, they're definitely not.

 

[jon bones]

So for Alan Wake - we need three threads. The official one, a technical thread and a review thread

yes one for people who want to play the game and two for the kids to run amok in.

srsly you guys are ridiculous.

that LE looks FANTASTIC i didn't realize the book was a hardcover and in full color no less! soooo glad i pre-ordered the LE

 

[Malio]

The game-play does sound repetitive and it looks a bit shallow. I also don't like linear games much, unless they are exceptional (Eternal Darkness, etc.). Only a few types of enemies and the same dark/light thing over and over again...I dunno.

I'll probably get it when it drops in price.

 

[Bullet82SWE]

Preordered it today, juding from the preorder i give it 5/10 :lol

 

[rollingstart]

here is hoping that target or walmart start selling it early. only reason I'm not getting this day one is pretty much because RDR and Galaxy 2 would limit how much I play, but if it was released early, I would totally pick it up.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

The complaining about her review is stupid.

- Does the score fit the tone? A quick read of the review suggests these are her main points: She says the combat is good, the self-referential third wall stuff is stupid, the scenario is twin peaks, moving is clunky, the voiceover is annoying, environments are spooky, the game is repetitive with few puzzles, it's polished and good looking, the story isn't as well told as some other in the genre. This suggests a good but not great score, which is what she gave it.

Really?

Yeah, she says the combat is good but after saying is good...

Other times, and with increasing frequency as the game progresses, you'll decide it's easier just to chuck a flare and leg it. Not so much running and gunning, then, more running and running some more.

It makes the initial good reaction she had on the combat pretty much worthless, it falls apart as the game progresses, at some point she says is about just running, with not combat at all.

About the spooky enviroment...

But as the game progresses the environments start to look awfully similar, and the scary bits become predictable

Thats the worst can happen to a horror game, while I don't consider the game a true horror game, seems like part of Remedy's effort went to create an atmospheric and eerie background to able to inmerse the player in Alan Wake's world, and it falls apart too as the game progresses, if we go by her review.

- Does the conclusion fit the rest of the article? "All the same, there's a weekend's worth of fun here for action-adventure fans who aren't too bothered about innovative concepts and varied gameplay, and don't mind a lot of repetition. Alan Wake is an accessible, undemanding game with a neat combat mechanic and decent visuals. It's just not a very original game, it's certainly not an exceptional one, and it's a shame it wasn't ready a few years ago." It seems like it fits my paraphrasing above.

Yeah but before that she makes this statement:

but even when Alan Wake does a good job of pretending to be a film you just feel like you're watching a really bad film.

Given the cinematographic experience of Alan Wake, that sounds awful, it's a game built in those factors and she says downright that they are bad...

- Do her points make sense in reference to other reviews? Well, seems like it. I think the collectibles thing is the only thing she mentions that isn't echoed in other reviews and the manuscript premonition stuff is mentioned by some reviews positively and some negatively.

- Is her score without a reasonable range of other reviews? Yes. It's not a 5. It's not a 4. It's not a 3. It's a 7.

Okay, so, to me her review seems pretty reasonable.

Yeah, her statements makes sense given other reviews, but it surely strucks me that she dosn't make a positive single point in four pages.And the two positive things she says and quicky dismissed as flaws.

Combat is good, but becomes dull.

Game is spooky, but becomes predictable and lacks force.

Then she rants, about the characters, the plot, the writing, the narrative, etc.. , things that are clearly the focus of the game, she clearly didn't like them.At all, it clearly contradicts the score.

So, I'm really wondering where's the "fun" she mentions in her conclusions, given the text.Looks like a dirty job to justify the final score.

 

[LSauchelli]

I just watched the GameTrailers review, they also complained about the story. What's the final verdict on that?

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

I just watched the GameTrailers review, they also complained about the story. What's the final verdict on that?

No final verdict, some people like it, some don't.

 

[painey]

two questions;

do enemies respawn?

and

what is the relevance of the thermos collectables.. are they just a random collectable or do they tie in with the story?

 

[Domcorleone]

two questions;

do enemies respawn?

and

what is the relevance of the thermos collectables.. are they just a random collectable or do they tie in with the story?

No the enemies dont respawn, they just do a good job of attacking your from angles u cant see from almost all the time. As for the thernos, they are useless and random like assassin creeds flags. The manuscripts however, do provide more backbone to the storyline and are fun collecting.

 

[neojubei]

Just wanted to chime in and say out of all the special editions I've seen the Alan Wake one looks awesome, much better than other special editions i have.

 

[painey]

No the enemies dont respawn, they just do a good job of attacking your from angles u cant see from almost all the time. As for the thernos, they are useless and random like assassin creeds flags. The manuscripts however, do provide more backbone to the storyline and are fun collecting.

Thanks, I DESPISE respawning enemies.. especially in games with limited ammunition. I like to clear out an area and then progress.

 

[K' Dash]

just got mine I'm a happy man today, 2 good news.

So, I'm really wondering where's the "fun" she mentions in her conclusions, given the text.Looks like a dirty job to justify the final score.

Sounds like it wasn't what she was expecting, but still a good game overal

 

[SlasherJPC]

So in preperation of playing Alan Wake I went and bought two Stephen King books, Duma Key, and Bag of Bones! Awww yeahhhhhhhhhh

Now if only I could get Alan Wake early!

 

[watership]

Pre-ordered, since I was passing by the EB downtown. With this and Red Dead, it's going to a great mid May.

Lunchbox
Banned

Finally. What a toxic dude.

 

[derFeef]

What an awesome read.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/7524-Review-Alan-Wake

Part Twin Peaks, part Silent Hill, all brilliant.
Alan Wake suffers from a few odd pacing issues, but for the most part its story unfolds perfectly as the game progresses, driving you further and further into the darkness. By the time you find out the truth of what happened in that cabin, you'll be so far in that you'll have no choice but to push on through to the other side. And you won't mind one bit.

 

[Diamond]

No final verdict, some people like it, some don't.

I personally loved it. It's a thriller story told in Remedy's style, so it's a little cheesy but that was what a lot of people liked in Max Payne 1&2 I think. I was honestly surprised that it didn't get the same praise as, say, Heavy Rain for example in some reviews (Gametrailers gave it 9.6, 8.0 to Alan Wake's), because for me it's better in a lot of ways, even if it's less interactive.

So yes, it's a matter of opinion and all, but I think a lot of people will like it, especially the ones who enjoyed Sam Lake past works.

 

[Windom Earle]

So in preperation of playing Alan Wake I went and bought two Stephen King books, Duma Key, and Bag of Bones! Awww yeahhhhhhhhhh

Now if only I could get Alan Wake early!

Bag of Bones is the book I thought of when AW was first announced. It's awesome, enjoy!

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

So in preperation of playing Alan Wake I went and bought two Stephen King books, Duma Key, and Bag of Bones! Awww yeahhhhhhhhhh

Now if only I could get Alan Wake early!

Duma Key was great stuff. I just ordered Bag of Bones and Dark Half.

 

[SlasherJPC]

Duma Key was great stuff. I just ordered Bag of Bones and Dark Half.

Nice. I figure I'll pick up Dark Half down the road. I have alot to read ahead at this point!

I tell ya with Alan Wake and other people commenting on things that gave them similar feelings/vibes I've gotten those two books, I watched Secret Window, In The Mouth of Madness, and Phantoms, and it inspired me to check out Twin Peaks. Thats alot of shit Alan Wake has somehow attributed to me either checking out or re-watching.

 

[pr0cs]

What an awesome read.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/7524-Review-Alan-Wake

QFT, a much better overview of the game.

 

[derFeef]

Nice. I figure I'll pick up Dark Half down the road. I have alot to read ahead at this point!

I tell ya with Alan Wake and other people commenting on things that gave them similar feelings/vibes I've gotten those two books, I watched Secret Window, In The Mouth of Madness, and Phantoms, and it inspired me to check out Twin Peaks. Thats alot of shit Alan Wake has somehow attributed to me either checking out or re-watching.

I ordered myself the Twin Peaks gold edition as I never watched it sadly. This is the right time to catch up I think.

 

[Stumpokapow]

When she openly states she doesn't care for cinematic games. Then goes on mock games like Gears and Resident Evil.

I didn't see those lines in the review.

Oh wait, they weren't in the review.

So people are projecting, even though nothing in the content of the review supports that she marked it down for "not being her style of game", that she secretly did. Even though she compares the game to Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain in a way that praises both... errr, okay

She's certainly unqualified to review Gears 3.

If her review was "gears sucks because macho dude games are lame give me just dance any day", then yes, that would be a shitty review. There's nothing in her Alan Wake review which suggests she's unqualified to review genres outside of those that she personally likes the best.

If they had absolutely no byline to the review, there's no way you would read it and assume "Boy, this person doesn't /get it/." Digging up everything she's said in the last few years about gaming to try to psychoanalyze her mentality in writing the review is overkill--the review speaks for itself.

Really?

It makes the initial good reaction she had on the combat pretty much worthless, it falls apart as the game progresses, at some point she says is about just running, with not combat at all.

... Combat is good, but becomes dull. Game is spooky, but becomes predictable and lacks force.

Her argument here is that most of the best aspects of the game are not perfectly executed. This reflects her forming the conclusion that the game is enjoyable enough but not great and giving it a score that reflects that.

I mean, if someone says "boy, Alan Wake looks great but the daytime sequences look awful" and then in their conclusion says "Alan Wake is a really great looking game" or alternatively "Alan Wake is an uneven looking game", there's no secret conspiracy there. It's possible to introduce a positive, mute it with criticism, and still come out positive on the whole. It's also possible to introduce a positive, mute it with criticism, and still come out negative on the whole.

 

[Ponn]

So there is a coupon for the first DLC for free in EVERY new copy of Alan Wake? The CE version was labeled as having a ticket for free DLC, is this the same thing? Sounds like another EA Mass Effect 2/DA pulling the rug under those getting the CE for the free DLC at the last minute. Fine by me, I was getting the regular version anyways, nice to get the DLC free as well.

 

[Truespeed]

So has Remedy completely ruled out the PC version or is it just hypothetically time delayed with no definite confirmation?

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

So has Remedy completely ruled out the PC version or is it just hypothetically time delayed with no definite confirmation?

They've only said they're not currently working on it, but haven't ruled it out. I think it's almost a guarantee to come out on PC at some point since it looks like they're gonna want to save face over a lot of the technical issues the game currently has.

 

[Mooreberg]

This thread is something else. :lol

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Duma Key was great stuff. I just ordered Bag of Bones and Dark Half.

I want to get Duma Key but I SO HATE THOSE DAMN NEW PAPERBACKS. The way they're like longer instead of wide?

I FUCKING HATE THAT.

 

[onken]

They've only said they're not currently working on it, but haven't ruled it out. I think it's almost a guarantee to come out on PC at some point since it looks like they're gonna want to save face over a lot of the technical issues the game currently has.

Yeah that's what everyone said about Gears 2 and look what happened there.

 

[jedimike]

I just watched the GameTrailers review, they also complained about the story. What's the final verdict on that?

Most of the reviews I've read showed that the story was VERY engaging. There are a couple reviews where the story didn't connect with the editor.

If you watched the AW webisodes and wanted more, you'll probably enjoy the game.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I want to get Duma Key but I SO HATE THOSE DAMN NEW PAPERBACKS. The way they're like longer instead of wide?

I FUCKING HATE THAT.

:lol I know exactly what your talking about it fits so awkwardly in your hand.

 

[kittoo]

So has Remedy completely ruled out the PC version or is it just hypothetically time delayed with no definite confirmation?

They haven't ruled it out. They actually want to release it (given that it was their lead platform and they worked a lot on it) but say that it ultimately depends on MS. Given the recent shrug MS has given to PC gaming, I wont bet on it. Though remedy did say that they still have code of PC version on their hard disks and it will be a shame if it goes to waste.

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

They've only said they're not currently working on it, but haven't ruled it out. I think it's almost a guarantee to come out on PC at some point since it looks like they're gonna want to save face over a lot of the technical issues the game currently has.

No faces need to be saved, but I still think we might see the PC version sometime in the future. However, it might be ported over (or at least finished) by a different team. Remedy are around 45 people strong and now there are DLC episodes to think about. If the first two are successful, chances are we'll see more, and then they'll probably want to start working on the "Season Two". But if the game flops, it's possible they'll move onto the PC version once the first two DLC episodes are out of the way.

 

[wizword]

Why the fuck do you guys care so much about the eurogamer review? I mean the only way to discredit her opinion was stating she was a girl and can't review this game because she likes casual games more than action adventure games? This is crazy. I don't want this to go any further because I really started it by saying her review was great (which it is) and she was the only person and reviewer to dissect the game piece by piece instead of basically giving the same synopsis that every other reviewer wrote (which I honestly don't like because it is just bullet points). On a side note, the review doesn't matter. If you didn't like the review than fine. But all this bullshit about how she is unqualified because she is a girl is absurd.

The game is still on a pre-order and I am going to buy. Because I enjoy these types of games. Elle was critical of the game and gave me information I wanted to know about the game. This is what a review is meant to achieve.

 

[bj00rn_]

people that want to like the game, for any reason (genre fan, console fan) are always going to look to discredit a review.

So, if I get you right here:

A fan is not allowed to comment on a negative review
A hater is not allowed to comment on a positive review
A neutral forum poster is not allowed to comment or start a discussion in either scenario

Or what?

 

[thehillissilent]

Why the fuck do you guys care so much about the eurogamer review? I mean the only way to discredit her opinion was stating she was a girl and can't review this game because she likes casual games more than action adventure games? This is crazy. I don't want this to go any further because I really started it by saying her review was great (which it is) and she was the only person and reviewer to dissect the game piece by piece instead of basically giving the same synopsis that every other reviewer wrote (which I honestly don't like because it is just bullet points). On a side note, the review doesn't matter. If you didn't like the review than fine. But all this bullshit about how she is unqualified because she is a girl is absurd.

The game is still on a pre-order and I am going to buy. Because I enjoy these types of games. Elle was critical of the game and gave me information I wanted to know about the game. This is what a review is meant to achieve.

I agree. I read her review and others, and I really like how she explained why she didn't like especially the story, which this game so hinges on. I feel like it was an honest look at the game, and not some oh let's just slap a 9/10 on the game because it's AAA review. Her opinion is her opinion. i personally liked the review. And afterseing the IGN austrialia video, I feel it kind of cements some of her criticisms about the game.

 

[DodgerSan]

So in preperation of playing Alan Wake I went and bought two Stephen King books, Duma Key, and Bag of Bones! Awww yeahhhhhhhhhh

Now if only I could get Alan Wake early!

My King reading is very sporadic. I've read many of his books, but for some reason never got to The Stand. I'm currently 2/3 through it and loving it.

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

Yeah that's what everyone said about Gears 2 and look what happened there.

Well I'm not really going by what "everyone" said. Epic were pretty adamant there was not going to be a PC version of Gears 2, while the PR from Remedy has been considerably more open to the possibilities of a PC version even though that's not the current climate of development. AW was a PC game for ~4 years of development.