291: To Die at the Hands of Your Own Creation
- Thread starter Rob Zacny
- Start date
An utterly fantastic read. This simply MUST be in the next "Best of".
As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Alan Wake, I will never be able to look at the lodge sequence the same way again...
As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Alan Wake, I will never be able to look at the lodge sequence the same way again...
A fascinatingly literary take on a game that deserves such a level of scrutiny. It's supported in itself, but I'd love to see anything from Remedy's developers that could help confirm or deny these theories.
Honestly, absolutely brilliant article. One of the best I've ever read on this website, and that's saying something. Well done.
I had/have mixed feelings about Alan Wake. There was something about it that really made me deeply uncomfortable, and it wasn't the chase sequences or the encroaching darkness filled with Taken. Thanks to you, I now understand what it was, and it puts the game in a whole new perspective.
I had/have mixed feelings about Alan Wake. There was something about it that really made me deeply uncomfortable, and it wasn't the chase sequences or the encroaching darkness filled with Taken. Thanks to you, I now understand what it was, and it puts the game in a whole new perspective.
I fully agree. Great Article.Tim Latshaw said:
Interestingly, i'm currently replaying Alan Wake, and i'm all the more disappointed by how unsuccesful it was.
It might've been awkward at times, but then again, it's a sort of homage for Steven King and Twin Peaks...as such, we shouldn't even expect otherwise. It even warns in the very first monologue of it's somewhat disappointing end.
But for that, we get an incredibly detailed world (especially in the first chapter there is lots of stuff going on), a story with some fun twists and gameplay mechanics that feel distinctively "survival-horror-ish" (on Hard at least, lower difficulties are slightly too easy) while still feeling much like a third-person-shooter, free of the usual limitations of a horror game.
As for the "original" ending:
Franchising? Might be too simple and kinda ironic/sad in hindsight, but well, the final image is Wake still being stuck at his typewriter, referring to the dark presence as not a lake, but an ocean.
Sounds to me like writing the expected, obligatory bigger and/or better sequel
Sounds to me like writing the expected, obligatory bigger and/or better sequel
Must say as well as others: this article should definetely be in the next "best of". Loved the game and the article, continue to do great work Rob!
I like your take on the lodge sequence, but the diving suit being a reference to Bioshock giving Sam Lake hope for games as an art form iiisssss...a bit of.....a stretch. To say the least.
I, too, have absolutely no clue what the ending of Alan Wake meant. And even though I enjoyed the game, I have little inclination to download the DLC and find out.
I, too, have absolutely no clue what the ending of Alan Wake meant. And even though I enjoyed the game, I have little inclination to download the DLC and find out.
I respect what you've written here, but I don't find theorizing about Remedy and especially Sam Lake (neither of whom you seem to have actually talked to) in this way particularly useful. Alan Wake was a complex and obviously troubled project that - I guarantee - had a lot going on behind the scenes. I think there'd be genuine insight to be gained from an article on that, if you could ever get past the NDAs, but a straight up lit crit essay leaves me cold. Only my impression, and thank you regardless for putting your work up on The Escapist.
Respectfully,
Colin
Respectfully,
Colin
I loved Alan Wake, and I honestly didn't catch those little easter eggs at the lodge. As for the original ending, I got my own theory on it, which I totally forget about after I finished The Writer. Whoo!!!
Maybe, but I'm not so sure. I think it's more of a stretch to say that Zane's diving suit is not a reference to Bioshock. I mean, this game came out three years after Bioshock, and I find it impossible that nobody at Remedy ever noticed that their figure of salvation bore more than a passing resemblance to a Big Daddy. All that concept art and storyboarding and nobody ever said, "Hey, guys, Zane looks great and all but doesn't he look a little... Bioshocky?"teknoarcanist said:
So then you're left with the question of why they went ahead with the character design. It could just be a shout-out. Or it could mean something a little more, like I suggest.
I wanted to play Alan Wake, but once they eliminated the plans for a PC version I knew I wouldn't get the chance barring huge commercial success. The only thing huge about the game was the number of people that pirated it effectively killing any hope the game would show up on the PC at all.
Now that I've found out how the game parallels its production I still wish I could play it, but the chances of me getting a 360 are very very slim.
Now that I've found out how the game parallels its production I still wish I could play it, but the chances of me getting a 360 are very very slim.
Very interesting article, Rob.
Fascinating to think of the game as a meta commentary on other games and game development. Not sure I agree, but fun to think about.
Initially, I wanted to poo-poo the connection to Bioshock. because I saw Zane's suit more like an astronaut (bursting with light), while the bigdaddy is a monster (darkness contained). I assumed they must have started AlanWake with the suit in mind, because it's so similar to an astronaut suit, then refused to change course later when Bioshock came out.
But while playing the game I noted other possible references. I wondered if one part with a large teetering crashed plane might be a nod to Lost (my initial thought was "man, you just can't do a crashed plane in the woods any more. not after Lost.").
And at another part, I was overwhelmed by the farm concert scenario, having just enjoyed the concert finale in L4D2. i remember strongly wondering who was ripping who off.!
Now, after reading your thoughts, I'm eager to go back and play much closer attention to the names and scenarios. Maybe they weren't coincidences?
Seems like someone could write a book on all the potential nods! heh. hmm.
(Like: are the clouds of ravens a nod to Gears of War? Was the initial car crash a nod to silent hill? etc.)
Fascinating to think of the game as a meta commentary on other games and game development. Not sure I agree, but fun to think about.
Initially, I wanted to poo-poo the connection to Bioshock. because I saw Zane's suit more like an astronaut (bursting with light), while the bigdaddy is a monster (darkness contained). I assumed they must have started AlanWake with the suit in mind, because it's so similar to an astronaut suit, then refused to change course later when Bioshock came out.
But while playing the game I noted other possible references. I wondered if one part with a large teetering crashed plane might be a nod to Lost (my initial thought was "man, you just can't do a crashed plane in the woods any more. not after Lost.").
And at another part, I was overwhelmed by the farm concert scenario, having just enjoyed the concert finale in L4D2. i remember strongly wondering who was ripping who off.!
Now, after reading your thoughts, I'm eager to go back and play much closer attention to the names and scenarios. Maybe they weren't coincidences?
Seems like someone could write a book on all the potential nods! heh. hmm.
(Like: are the clouds of ravens a nod to Gears of War? Was the initial car crash a nod to silent hill? etc.)
I don't agree with everything here and I wouldn't go so far as to say that your article left me cold. I think there's some meat there and it has me thinking of Alan Wake in a different light, as well as looking forward to playing The Writer DLC (I've loaned the game to a friend so I haven't had a chance to get at it.)maantren said:
That said, it seems like there are two potential articles here; your opinions on how the symbolism in AW can mirror game development and the tale of Remedy's attempt to bring this game to market-a game that, having played, I can't help but think was /almost/ but not quite brilliant.
And as WarrenEBB notes; there are multiple sequences where I'm not sure who was influencing who (the diving suit made me think of Bioshock but the concert scenario also brought to mind L4D2, the game references Stephen King multiple times and, if you're familiar with King's work, is clearly influenced by some of his small town big horror stories) but only the staff at Remedy could really say what their challenges were.
So a missed opportunity, perhaps?
Despite some of my misgivings, I still liked the article and you've got me thinking of the game in a different light. It's flaws are still flaws but it's other touches are stronger now.
Very interesting.
As a fan of the game, I'm pretty sad that it didn't do as well as I would have liked it to. Of course, this is completely hypocritical of me since I bought it used, but I got the DLC so it counts, right?
I never though about the game this way, and while it may be true, I think that I'll choose to think within the story. It's just better that way, eh?
As a fan of the game, I'm pretty sad that it didn't do as well as I would have liked it to. Of course, this is completely hypocritical of me since I bought it used, but I got the DLC so it counts, right?
I never though about the game this way, and while it may be true, I think that I'll choose to think within the story. It's just better that way, eh?