My name is Alan Wake. I'm a writer. |OT|

Gotta agree with slasher. While I think Reach is a great game with lot´s of stuff to do, nothing has topped my singleplayer experience so far I had with Alan Wake. Though I only played it twice, still miss some achievements (I am no hunter) and have not played the free addon yet. :D

It really depends how much the world and story can grab you - if it fails to do so, the game itself can be repetitive and very I guess.
 
Also, the way Remedy chose to portray and give depth to the character of Alice was probably the most offending aspect of the game. She is basically treated like a useless and empty MacGuffin that doesn't add anything to the experience. At all. If Remedy had fleshed out the relationship or the character of Alice, other than "oh noez, I'm afraid of darkness" then the player (I) would actually care about what drives the
8 hour experience
.

There are way too many other single player experiences that are much more worth playing and rewarding in terms of story and storytelling. Imo of course.
 
slasher_thrasher21 said:
Game got mixed reviews from alot of people. Personally for me, its my game of the year for 2010 so far (though Dead Rising 2 and Castlevania could change that) . I've replayed it three times already, gotten all the achievements, and just really loved the world Remedy created.

Though others thought it was boring, repetative, and lacked enough to keep them from calling it a great game.
Click to expand...

Same here. It and RDR are tied with my favorites of the year so far.
 
Finally got done with chapter 3... I stopped playing after 1 hour into chapter 3 I couldn't take the combat in this game, I finally got around to play and another 1 and a half hour of combat. I love the story elements, talking to people, the atmosphere. I have a problem with these long action sequences(chapter 3 was horrid). My friends says 4,5,6 get much better so I'm looking forward too that.
 
I finally had a chance to read the all of the book that comes with the CE and I'm very pleased. It doesn't leave a lot of meat on the bone, but it certainly explores a lot of things you may not think of while playing the game. The short stories within it though are excellent. There are about three big things I've taken from it, but the whole divers island disappearance versus the scenario in the game and Jagger's death(plus the way she is described when alive) are two biggies.
 
Jtyettis said:
Not in the box?
Click to expand...
Nah it was in there, but I redeemed it when I first got the game (only a few hours later did I realise I wasn't supposed to). I never got the email from MS giving me a new code to redeem for it.
 
Rabid Wolverine said:
Same. Any word?
Click to expand...

Not yet, but we may find out tomorrow with the trailer for it.

Mad_Ban said:
Nah it was in there, but I redeemed it when I first got the game (only a few hours later did I realise I wasn't supposed to). I never got the email from MS giving me a new code to redeem for it.
Click to expand...

Ah yes.
 
Speedymanic said:
The Writer

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-debut-alan-wake/705207

:D

Oct 12, 560msp.
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Xunf2.png


Awesome. Will do a double-run with The Signal and then The Writer.
 
I am playing this for the first time and just finished Chapter 3. I really love it so far.

The story is very intriguing and the combat feels great, the only thing I really don't like is the driving but its not that bad.

This is one of the best games I have played in a long time.
 
Just picked this game up earlier today and haven't been able to put it down until now. It's blown way past my expectations that I had for it. Such a shame it had to come out on the same day as the equally as good RDR. This game deserves to be played by all.
 
Lime said:
[*]The writing isn't very good. There were too many situations where I either sighed or shook my head in disbelief. Some of it sounded like it was lifted from a bad B-film.

[*]Wake's voice actor was either horribly miscast or horribly misdirected. He seemed to take himself way too seriously and the voice of the character came across as a self-absorbed douchebag, who loved to hear his own voice.

[*]The explanatory dialogue made me cringe almost every single time. Whenever Wake had to narrate the following objective (e.g. "I had to go into the barn and pull the switch and open the door and kill the Taken and complete the objectives...") it took me out of the experience and felt like the game talked down to me.
Click to expand...
I thought this stuff "worked" because of the source material.
 
I just wanted to say how much I love this game. My only disappointment is that you have to unlock Nightmare mode, because the game isn't very challenging on anything lower (and you still have plenty of ammo on this mode too). Oh and getting tired from running so quickly really sucks.

The "Children of the Elder God" sequence has to be one of the most fun things I've ever done in a game, especially getting the achievement for it on Nightmare. Loved "The Signal" -- can't wait for "The Writer," though I hope it has less of a cliffhanger ending and a few more new world assets. And real Barry. :-)

And who doesn't love Barry?? I thought he was going to be the typical annoying side character, but he really wins you over by the end of the game.
 
Bought this game last week. I am on the last chapter already and I really like it. Here is hoping the free dlc is good if it is I will buy the new one coming. We better get a sequel too.
 
Just got this on Saturday and started it on Sunday. Through chapter 2 so far, started it on hard, and i was surprised at the difficulty/uneasyness of the game at times. Some parts I literally just had to run to light, :P. Are any of the achievements borked?
Meeting the kidnapper, and enjoy the sights and sounds of edelwood national park or both still locked even though i completed the second episode, :/
 
smokeymicpot said:
Bought this game last week. I am on the last chapter already and I really like it. Here is hoping the free dlc is good if it is I will buy the new one coming. We better get a sequel too.
Click to expand...

When does the DLC come out?
 
a Master Ninja said:
I thought this stuff "worked" because of the source material.
Click to expand...

So, because it is inspired by other types of pulp (Stephen King (so subtle), Twilight Zone, etc.), the experience "works" and should be regarded more highly? If I'm misunderstanding you, please elaborate.

Minamu said:
Yes, someone must've missed half the story or something.
Click to expand...

If my criticism presumably indicates that I have missed something about the story, what rectifying aspect of Alan Wake's story did I miss?
The horrors of one's wife having poorly animated facial expressions?

Seriously though, if we assume that I missed the crue of what A Master Ninja is talking about (inspired by pulp literature and TV as far as what I'm reading), then the game is just a poor imitation of that type of fiction. It does not present itself as a parody, it is not self-conscious about its failings; it tries to run with a badly executed McGuffin, while expecting the player to be emotionally involved in both the characters and the story. The big conclusion one with a clear head should be able to make after playing Alan Wake is the fact that Sam Lake just isn't up to the task of creating quality writing.

In terms of my opinion about tributes to their source material I can e.g. watch Tarantino's and Rodriguez' Grindhouse films and accept their the tributes to their source material, because they work within that framework, while not taking themselves too seriously. Alan Wake does not come across a parody, and albeit a tribute to Stephen King-like literature, it is a badly executed one at that. And if we assume it is a parody, it is incredibly poorly presented parody.
 
I got done finishing this game and thought it was horrible.

The story sucked.Period. And that's par for course when it comes to games, but this game emphasized story over and over again as if it had a really good premise and really good twists.
The gameplay is awful. It plays like a horrible RE4. It's plays like an RE4 with 1 extra unfun, unexciting step to killing things. It's not scary. It's not exciting. It's not fun. It's not anything. It just is in the way of finishing the game.
The chapter concept doesn't even work with this game. I don't need a recap. There's little to recap in the first place. I don't need a song, either. It's padding in a game that already is padded to 11. I guess it's a way for the player to forget that he just randomly lost all his equipment again for the 6th time. Oh wait. No it's not. I realize I had to find my pistol again for the millionth time, a poorly made song isn't going to disguise that.

The graphics are either amazing or sloppy. The characters look and talk weird but the atmosphere is great. However, the atmosphere is COMPLETELY squandered by the awful gameplay decisions. I know when a bad guy is coming. I KNOW when I kill the last guy in a group. I know when I'm safe and when I'm in danger at all times. That alone removes any sense of fear that the atmosphere portrays. And just in case that wasn't scary enough, we'll zoom out so you can see the bad guy when he spawns! Why?

And the whole game is one repetitive thing right after the other. From start to finish. The game throws everything it has in the first hour and cruises from there.

If the game had a good story with good characters and voice acting that wasn't just mailed in (looking at you mr. north) then I would have enjoyed it despite it's awful gameplay. But this game has nothing going for it and what it could have it messes up thanks to execution.

And knocking off Stephen King and the Twilight Zone just shows how amateur this game is. This game's story would be on the bottom of a stephen king list and wouldn't pass as a twilight zone episode in a million years. If you're gonna take inspiration, that's fine, but you gotta be up to the challenge.

It's a "Psycological Action Thriller" that does none of those 3 things well at all.

I had high hopes for this game, too. 5 years to make. Where? I don't see 5 years in this game at all.
 
Mr. B Natural said:
I got done finishing this game and thought it was horrible.

The story sucked.Period. And that's par for course when it comes to games, but this game emphasized story over and over again as if it had a really good premise and really good twists.
The gameplay is awful. It plays like a horrible RE4. It's plays like an RE4 with 1 extra unfun, unexciting step to killing things. It's not scary. It's not exciting. It's not fun. It's not anything. It just is in the way of finishing the game.
The chapter concept doesn't even work with this game. I don't need a recap. There's little to recap in the first place. I don't need a song, either. It's padding in a game that already is padded to 11. I guess it's a way for the player to forget that he just randomly lost all his equipment again for the 6th time. Oh wait. No it's not. I realize I had to find my pistol again for the millionth time, a poorly made song isn't going to disguise that.

The graphics are either amazing or sloppy. The characters look and talk weird but the atmosphere is great. However, the atmosphere is COMPLETELY squandered by the awful gameplay decisions. I know when a bad guy is coming. I KNOW when I kill the last guy in a group. I know when I'm safe and when I'm in danger at all times. That alone removes any sense of fear that the atmosphere portrays. And just in case that wasn't scary enough, we'll zoom out so you can see the bad guy when he spawns! Why?

And the whole game is one repetitive thing right after the other. From start to finish. The game throws everything it has in the first hour and cruises from there.

If the game had a good story with good characters and voice acting that wasn't just mailed in (looking at you mr. north) then I would have enjoyed it despite it's awful gameplay. But this game has nothing going for it and what it could have it messes up thanks to execution.

And knocking off Stephen King and the Twilight Zone just shows how amateur this game is. This game's story would be on the bottom of a stephen king list and wouldn't pass as a twilight zone episode in a million years. If you're gonna take inspiration, that's fine, but you gotta be up to the challenge.

It's a "Psycological Action Thriller" that does none of those 3 things well at all.

I had high hopes for this game, too. 5 years to make. Where? I don't see 5 years in this game at all.
Click to expand...

Wait so first you thrash around Duke Nukem, and now you are on to Alan Wake? Dang, you must be on a roll today or something. Just ignore him today people, nothing to see here.

On another note, I can't wait for the writer, The Signal DLC was great and I'm looking forward to wrapping this up, I just hope they do a sequel, this game was just so good that I'm gonna miss it if this it for it. :(
 
I finished this game yesterday. I enjoyed it, but didn't think it was great.

All of the game was walking in dense forests, and it was very hard to stay on the trail because I didn't know if I was going the right way. A lot of wasted time going the wrong way and backtracking. And I missed some of the collectibles because a few are in remote places very far off the path. It would be impossible to pick everything up unless you read a gamefaq while playing, or playing a 50 hour game to run around every corner of every area. I didn't even know what 'can pyramids' were until halfway through.

I, too, was spoiled by Deadly Premonition like the guy above, and thought that was a better overall game in everything- story, driving, gun shooting, level/town design, atmosphere, characters, much much longer quest, etc. I agree that Alice has no character at all. DP's side story characters have more development than 90% of the people here.

I thought TVs were cool and funny (
the warp in the basement lol
) The atmosphere was good, but the game was short and the story, especially the ending I did not like. Does it get resolved better in The Signal or the other DLC? I'm not sure if I should buy them. I bought this game used, so I don't have the code.

And who here like me thought of
Bioshock when they saw Zane in the suit in the water :lol
 
No offense to someone that absolutely hates on this game... but damn... It just makes me wants to re-live the game through yours eyes so I can truly see how someone could dislike it so much...cause my brain just can't process it. lol
 
Everyone here watched the "Bright Falls" webisodes, right? Just want to make sure, because they are EXCELLENT. If you haven't, please watch online or download via your xbox, they're free. I would pay good money to see them continued as a proper series or at least miniseries
 
cwmartin said:
Are any of the achievements borked?
Meeting the kidnapper, and enjoy the sights and sounds of edelwood national park or both still locked even though i completed the second episode, :/
Click to expand...

I realize im quoting myself, but anyone know about this? Maybe I didn't do something correct or wait long enough for them to trigger?
 
cwmartin said:
I realize im quoting myself, but anyone know about this? Maybe I didn't do something correct or wait long enough for them to trigger?
Click to expand...
Didn't happen for me on two different accounts for what it's worth.
 
Buttonbasher said:
Didn't happen for me on two different accounts for what it's worth.
Click to expand...

Certainly helps! Thanks :)

Thanks below too! I guess im just used to Reach's explanations where it says literally what is expected, not these elusive vague ones. But I'm just going to play and not worry about em like it should be anyway.
 
cwmartin said:
I realize im quoting myself, but anyone know about this? Maybe I didn't do something correct or wait long enough for them to trigger?
Click to expand...

After looking at a gamefaqs and the achievements list, the achievement
"Wheels within Wheels" (meet the kidnapper) happens at the end of Episode 3, not 2. And since I think there is a bit of the park in that episode also, you might not get that park one until then either.
 
Finished this the other day. I give it a C+ . It was ok, but nothing I will ever want to play again. There were some cool spots, but I was mainly just trudging through the episodes just to finish the game. Glad I got it for $22 used.
 
Mr. B Natural said:
I got done finishing this game and thought it was horrible.

The story sucked.Period. And that's par for course when it comes to games, but this game emphasized story over and over again as if it had a really good premise and really good twists.
The gameplay is awful. It plays like a horrible RE4. It's plays like an RE4 with 1 extra unfun, unexciting step to killing things. It's not scary. It's not exciting. It's not fun. It's not anything. It just is in the way of finishing the game.
The chapter concept doesn't even work with this game. I don't need a recap. There's little to recap in the first place. I don't need a song, either. It's padding in a game that already is padded to 11. I guess it's a way for the player to forget that he just randomly lost all his equipment again for the 6th time. Oh wait. No it's not. I realize I had to find my pistol again for the millionth time, a poorly made song isn't going to disguise that.

The graphics are either amazing or sloppy. The characters look and talk weird but the atmosphere is great. However, the atmosphere is COMPLETELY squandered by the awful gameplay decisions. I know when a bad guy is coming. I KNOW when I kill the last guy in a group. I know when I'm safe and when I'm in danger at all times. That alone removes any sense of fear that the atmosphere portrays. And just in case that wasn't scary enough, we'll zoom out so you can see the bad guy when he spawns! Why?

And the whole game is one repetitive thing right after the other. From start to finish. The game throws everything it has in the first hour and cruises from there.

If the game had a good story with good characters and voice acting that wasn't just mailed in (looking at you mr. north) then I would have enjoyed it despite it's awful gameplay. But this game has nothing going for it and what it could have it messes up thanks to execution.

And knocking off Stephen King and the Twilight Zone just shows how amateur this game is. This game's story would be on the bottom of a stephen king list and wouldn't pass as a twilight zone episode in a million years. If you're gonna take inspiration, that's fine, but you gotta be up to the challenge.

It's a "Psycological Action Thriller" that does none of those 3 things well at all.

I had high hopes for this game, too. 5 years to make. Where? I don't see 5 years in this game at all.
Click to expand...

I just started playing this last night. I haven't finished it and I don't think I will. I totally agree with the bolded parts you said. I've rarely played a game and not finished it due to boredom or not having fun. This will be one of those rare cases.
 
Lime: The bad storytelling and Alan's relatively awful voice-over is all on purpose and it's explained in the story
(Alan's books are shitty novels you'd find in motel desk drawers, but given who Alan is, they keep on selling anyway, given how that guy in the diving suit are writing the whole world's rules, basically). Free will doesn't exist, as people are forced to like it even though he really is a shitty writer who probably wouldn't have gotten a book deal to begin with if he had written all of that of his own will
. That's how I interpreted it anyway. And the game's dialogue is being written while you play, while under that same influence.
 
I can't muster the effort to finish this game. The story is really weak, now that the time gap has been explained. I was expecting something a little more unconventional. Think I'll just sell it off and move onto something else.
 
Minamu said:
Lime: The bad storytelling and Alan's relatively awful voice-over is all on purpose and it's explained in the story
(Alan's books are shitty novels you'd find in motel desk drawers, but given who Alan is, they keep on selling anyway, given how that guy in the diving suit are writing the whole world's rules, basically). Free will doesn't exist, as people are forced to like it even though he really is a shitty writer who probably wouldn't have gotten a book deal to begin with if he had written all of that of his own will
. That's how I interpreted it anyway. And the game's dialogue is being written while you play, while under that same influence.
Click to expand...

Thanks for elaborating, my dear Minamu, but I just don't think that this point is neither an excuse for the bad storytelling nor is the point well conveyed. Even though the primary story arch is kind of meta and affects Alan Wake & Co., the "immediate experience" still disappoints in many ways (for me). And no, I didn't miss that meta-aspect of the story.

If Remedy somehow had made the experience less serious, less emotional and more humouristic and maybe more surreal (not only the enemies, but everything else too), the story as a whole would be much more easy to digest (for me). Instead we get a mediocre experience relying on a badly executed idea.
 
Lime said:
If Remedy somehow had made the experience less serious, less emotional and more humouristic and maybe more surreal (not only the enemies, but everything else too)
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need a dose of Deadly Premonition. Stat. :D (Sorry for the derail)
 
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