Support NeoGAF

[Dabanton]

Just started playing through chapter 1 and now to chapter 2. Good story and pretty tense, but i see a pixellated mess mostly at night in the fog. Can't unsee it now.

Really? the night scenes are some of the best around.

 

[MacBosse]

Wow ... I'm kinda confused with how people can say this looks awful/shitty ... what I'm seeing is an awesome display of lightning and atmosphere.

I must have some kind of fanboy googles on because I think AW looks fantastic.

 

[Corky]

Wow ... I'm kinda confused with how people can say this looks awful/shitty ... what I'm seeing is an awesome display of lightning and atmosphere.

I must have some kind of fanboy googles on because I think AW looks fantastic.

dont be confused mang, be happy you really think it looks amazing. As do I, its one of the best looking games I've ever played and I couldnt be happier for being " blind " towards all its supposed blemishes...

Spoiler

well except, the lip-sync and tearing at times

 

[WanderingWind]

I have two major gripes beside the facial animations.

1) How dare this stupid ass game not allow me to pick the hardest difficulty, and then tie a major component of the storyline to that difficulty level. To whoever made this decision; fuck you. I hope you never work in the industry again. This game is entirely about the story and atmosphere, and you just robbed me of a large portion of the first...because guess what? The story will NOT have the same impact the second time around. Again, fuck you.

2) Severely unnecessary HUD elements. Your game is supposed to be atmospheric, right? Then why the hell do you not include the option to turn off the HUD? That silly map is useless anyway.

Other than that, the game is good. The first point is threatening to ruin my good time though. Really, really disappointing on their part to do that.

 

[Cant0na]

just watched the 6 bright falls episode. i'd say watch it after playing the game.....you'll understand whats going on better


btw........was jake in the game? did i miss him?

 

[The Librarian]

Fun game w/ horrible graphics. At times it looked like they tried to upscale Max Payne. :|

I think the game is pretty at times, but a showcase title does not have tearing, sub hd resolution (paired with a lot of low res textures) and low poly environments.
I like the lighting and the fog a lot though!

Alan Wake is one of the best looking games out on consoles, if not the best. Everything comes together so well, especially during the night scenes. AW is one of the few games that has graphics that are greater than the sum of its parts.

 

[WanderingWind]

Alan Wake is one of the best looking games out on consoles, if not the best. Everything comes together so well, especially during the night scenes. AW is one of the few games that has graphics that are greater than the sum of its parts.

...what?

Besides the lighting, the graphics are pretty average across the board. RDR and ME2 look about the same. Plus, the facial animations and blank stares on everybody sort of takes it out the running for BEST.

Back on topic, finished 3rd chapter. Best one so far. Still pissed about the Nightmare difficulty, because I have yet to be challenged while playing. I have more than enough of everything to kill everything.

 

[derFeef]

Finished Episode two on nightmare and I just died one time surprisingly. While I collected all nightmare manuscripts, I missed two normal ones, what the hell...

 

[The Librarian]

...what?

Besides the lighting, the graphics are pretty average across the board. RDR and ME2 look about the same. Plus, the facial animations and blank stares on everybody sort of takes it out the running for BEST.

They're only blank stares because for some reason Remedy forgot that people blink during cutscenes.

Graphics are most definitely not average. I love the look of Alan Wake.

 

[WanderingWind]

They're only blank stares because for some reason Remedy forgot that people blink during cutscenes.

Graphics are most definitely not average. I love the look of Alan Wake.

There is really no point in arguing this, so let's just leave it at, "I strongly disagree."

 

[Wizpig]

The graphics are fantastic, but I think that the difference between in-game and videos is too noticeable at times. (more than Final Fantasy 13 at least)

I mean, the videos (with the game engine) look like a movie and the overall color palette seems better, too.
Don't you guys think so, too?
But still, in-game is beautiful.

 

[Windom Earle]

I don't like the Night Springs episodes. The acting kinda sucks and they come off as stupid and pretentious. They should have let the people who did the Bright Falls episodes handle them. Also why is the same TV in every house?

i mean, have you seen this guy? he wears a tweed jacket.

I lol'd at that part!

Alan Wake is one of the best looking games out on consoles, if not the best. Everything comes together so well, especially during the night scenes. AW is one of the few games that has graphics that are greater than the sum of its parts.

I could agree with you for the lighting and the post precessing effects. But the visuals of a game are ALWAYS a sum of its parts, so no. Just too inconsistent.

 

[derFeef]

I don't like the Night Springs episodes. The acting kinda sucks and they come off as stupid and pretentious. They should have let the people who did the Bright Falls episodes handle them. Also why is the same TV in every house?

I think.. you do not get it? Those are not pro actors, the dub is done poorly on purpose and it should obviously be kind of cheesy. Almost the same as the Max Payne TV shows back then. I love them.

 

[Windom Earle]

I think.. you do not get it? Those are not pro actors, the dub is done poorly on purpose and it should obviously be kind of cheesy. Almost the same as the Max Payne TV shows back then. I love them.

Ok, I don't get it then.

Spoiler

Could have done this waaay cooler. Especially if you are so familiar with David Lynch's work.

Speaking of Lynch, the police station and the receptionist are a direct copy from Twin Peaks. Love it!

 

[derFeef]

Ok, I don't get it then.

Spoiler

Could have done this waaay cooler. Especially if you are so familiar with David Lynch's work.

Speaking of Lynch, the police station and the receptionist are a direct copy from Twin Peaks. Love it!

Spoiler

Did not know Twilight Zone was done by Lynch.

 

[Windom Earle]

May Payne was kind of b-movie style to begin with, right? The style doesn't really fit with AW imo. They should have come up with something really scary and disturbing.

 

[mujun]

I don't think this is one of the best looking games out on consoles. Then again it's definitely on the good side of average graphics wise.

Story, pacing and atmosphere are all top notch though. At least as far as end of episode 2. This will probably stay firm in my memory to the same degree as something like Bioshock in terms of story and atmosphere.

 

[op_ivy]

female alan wake avatar t-shirt up for grabs

R7C8Q-F8PMV-2MTGP-CXHWB-BJQDY

 

[The Librarian]

Just finished Episode Two. Things are getting pretty interesting.

 

[goldsoundz]

Ok, I don't get it then.

Spoiler

Could have done this waaay cooler. Especially if you are so familiar with David Lynch's work.

Speaking of Lynch, the police station and the receptionist are a direct copy from Twin Peaks. Love it!

A man

Spoiler

crawls over a couch

at the beginning of Chapter 4 just like

Spoiler

Bob

. That scene in Twin Peaks made my blood turn cold.

 

[Aeana]

female alan wake avatar t-shirt up for grabs

R7C8Q-F8PMV-2MTGP-CXHWB-BJQDY

Wow, nobody had grabbed that yet almost an hour later? I did just now. Thanks!

 

[op_ivy]

Wow, nobody had grabbed that yet almost an hour later? I did just now. Thanks!

np. my amazon pre-order came with a male avatar t, femal t, and a theme. i downloaded the male shirt and it wouldnt let me dl the female one (unless i switched my avatars sex, wtf), so i figured someone may want it. glad it wasnt just a lurker and someone at gaf got it

 

[snap0212]

Short question, because I'm on the go...
Do I have to play on hard in order to play on nightmare on my second playthrough? I'm currently playing on normal but want to start a nightmare-run on my second playthrough... :/

 

[beelzebozo]

every fight feels really tense. atmosphere in the dark forest is thick and oppressive.

continuing to impress me. this is VERY well done. like THE SUFFERING with a lot more subtlety.

 

[wRATH2x]

Just beat the game.

I bought this game out of impulse, I wasn't really that interested in buying it. I remember the E3 2005 reveal and being interested, I was really surprised to find out that it was coming out a week after I wiki'd it.

The game is great, seriously I loved it. The gameplay was fun, the story was interesting and the presentation was really awesome. I loved how it took from novels and twilight zone episodes. My personal favorite scene was

Spoiler

The Anderson Brothers stage fight with the awesome music blasting on the speakers.

I hated the dodge mechanic though, it doesn't really work well. And the jumping was awkward, its just annoying when you try to get over something and you have to jump a few times to get over it. Also some of the facial animations were annoying, Alice in particular had a stupid look on her face like "Doie!". I had no problems with the voice acting though, and pop-culture references are a guilty pleasure of mine so I liked some here. "Judas Priest!" :lol

Overall I'd give it a 9.2/10

 

[JaxJag]

Wait, people actually think Alan Wake looks bad or mediocre?

Damn... I'm I playing a different game or something?

 

[wRATH2x]

Wait, people actually think Alan Wake looks bad or mediocre?

Damn... I'm I playing a different game or something?

Nah the graphics are good, but the facial animation for some(especially Alice) is not.

 

[The Librarian]

One of my (few) nitpicks with the game is the lip-syncing and the facial animations.

 

[mittelos]

Aggghh. I really should just play the game straight through without collectibles. But the other part of me wants to get everything but the non insane ones in the first playthrough.

Going to channel down the collector obsessive portion of myself and play it through once for the immersion/story. I'm nearing the first boss at this point, but it's bed time.

Yeah, I'm having the same problem. Think I'm gonna stick to just picking up the collectibles in plain sight and save the rest for nightmare.

Making my way through ep 2, and damn, I'm really getting engrossed. The atmosphere is ace. Controls really well. Love the dodge slo-mo move, but I do wish you could combo it with some sort of melée attack or something. Feel like I'm wasting the slo-mo time, unless I'm missing something?

 

[Domino Theory]

I've got a code to download the Alan Wake t-shirt and theme (code that came with pre-ordering).

First to quote gets it.

 

[mittelos]

I've got a code to download the Alan Wake t-shirt and theme (code that came with pre-ordering).

First to quote gets it.

I'd love it!

 

[kaskade]

I've got a code to download the Alan Wake t-shirt and theme (code that came with pre-ordering).

First to quote gets it.

hbkkbhk

 

[Papercuts]

Just finished Episode 4...holy SHIT that was amazing.

 

[Domino Theory]

I'd love it!

PMing.

 

[Metalic Sand]

Mite as well post this here

Women's Avatar T-Shirt code is FMXFY-V84PH-FMCTY-DJ74G-K4XQY



Really loving the Nightmare mode manuscripts.

 

[Papercuts]

I wasn't planning on it beforehand, but I might actually replay this in nightmare mode. Are the manuscripts in your path or did they still hide them?

 

[Domino Theory]

I still have a code for the Female AW t-shirt if anyone wants.

 

[mittelos]

PMing.

Awesome, thanks so much! Sorry kaskade.

 

[witness]

Finished up the last 20 minutes of the game this morning after marathoning it yesterday afternoon episode 3-6. By the end the "tricks" that the game pulled were so predictable, you could see everything coming, no surprises. The combat was still so much fun to me the entire time, I was never scared, and the story was great until the WTF ending. Its a very very good game. Time for RDR now Gamefly!

 

[MirageDwarf]

Female avatar T-shirt code for grab: WJXB6-YVXHP-C9HTB-CKKJB-4HT7W

 

[Kingbrave]

I need to get another 360 to play this game damnit.

 

[mYm|17|]

QCFKH-J72VY-HP63J-X68H7-PB9JM

female avatar shirt

 

[Domino Theory]

Whatevs, here's the Female AW t-shirt (looks like I'm not alone :lol):

H7D3P-97B4M-62TTX-QG8B9-P6VHY

 

[Windom Earle]

Where are you guys getting all the avatar shirts from? Not included in the LE, right?

 

[mittelos]

Where are you guys getting all the avatar shirts from? Not included in the LE, right?

I think it was a Gamestop preorder bonus. Of course, mine didn't seem to get the memo. I think it might have also been in the LE.

 

[Costanza]

Second DLC episode will be $10

 

[Metalic Sand]

DLC needs to have Night springs episodes.

 

[derFeef]

DLC needs to have Night springs episodes.

Indeed! Description sounds like survival/horde mode somehow. Oh deer!

 

[Metalic Sand]

Was thinking of something crazy. Max payne had dream sequences and stuff. What if there was something where alan wake was in a Night springs episode. :lol

 

[Proc]

Will playing at 720p negate a lot of the screen tearing?

I'm getting tons when I rotate the camera in 1080p