Review: Alan Wake

Arkhangelsk

New member
Mar 1, 2009
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Thank you, Susan, you have convinced me to buy it. Also, wise words from Alan at the end.
 

Martster

Rated EC-10 Condemned
Mar 17, 2010
119
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I'm so glad I have the Special Edition pre-ordered now.

I thought I was taking a gamble on this but now after seeing lots of 9/10's and similar I just cant wait to get my hands on it. I love games with a great story and this a game built around a story so it could just be my favourite game of the year, hope so :D.
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
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StriderShinryu said:
Interesting. You comment on the sort of out of context minigame/QTEs that pull you out of the experience and this got me thinking of the QTEtastic Heavy Rain. If the QTEs were more well integrated into the game experience, as they supposedly are in HR, would that have helped maintain the immersion or was it more the fact that they were QTEs in the first place?
If they were less of a slap in the face, I don't think I'd have minded them all that much. I appreciate that in places they're in place to create tension or fear - trying to rev up a generator while Taken are in hot pursuit, for example. But the rest of Wake's gameplay is so unobtrusive that to suddenly have a big green "A" staring you in the face is very jarring.

They didn't bother me at all in Heavy Rain, largely, I think, because hitting controller buttons was intrinsic to the gameplay no matter what you were doing, QTE or not. The instruction to hit X didn't feel like it was suddenly coming out of nowhere, because you'd been doing that the whole time.
 

addeB

New member
Oct 2, 2009
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Awwh i can't wait much longer for this game! It isn't realised in Sweden until the 14th... And the limited edition looks awesome!
 

Nomanslander

New member
Feb 21, 2009
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Hmmm, I can already hear Yahtzee calling this a Silent Hill rip off and condemning it to the ninth circle of hell for it since we all know how much of a SH fanboy he is....lol

That and the game I've heard ends with a cliffhanger...lol
 

Juan Regular

New member
Jun 3, 2008
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Thank you for the brilliant review, Susan. I would've picked the game up anyway (been waiting 5 years), but it's great to have such an obvious recommendtaion from the magazine that I trust the most.
Can't wait!
 

Woodsey

New member
Aug 9, 2009
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Fuck me, is Alan voiced by Carth Onasi?!

I'm glad this turned out really well; I can't wait to pick it up. Lucky me that it's my birthday Tuesday, and it's out on Friday so I'll have some moneyz spare.
 

Tdc2182

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May 21, 2009
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My God. This is making my choice harder and harder. Splinter cell is officially out, but now it is between this and Red dead Redemption.

Damn you Susan!
 

Flamezdudes

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Aug 27, 2009
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Tdc2182 said:
My God. This is making my choice harder and harder. Splinter cell is officially out, but now it is between this and Red dead Redemption.

Damn you Susan!
Red Dead seems to have more replay value and longer play, thats what i'm getting at least. Alan Wake will have to be bought another time unfortunatly...
 

Malkavian

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Jan 22, 2009
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Great review Susan. I feel much more confident in my preorder of the game now, and can't wait to pop it in the machine.
 

Juan Regular

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Jun 3, 2008
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Woodsey said:
Fuck me, is Alan voiced by Carth Onasi?!
He's voiced by Mathew Poretta. You know, the guy from Men In Tights [http://lea87.blogs.allocine.fr/blogsdatas/mdata/1/6/7/Z20051005084305673584761/img/1996-97_matthew_porretta.jpg].

Carth was a guy called Raphael Sbarge.
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
7,222
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Flamezdudes said:
Tdc2182 said:
My God. This is making my choice harder and harder. Splinter cell is officially out, but now it is between this and Red dead Redemption.

Damn you Susan!
Red Dead seems to have more replay value and longer play, thats what i'm getting atleast. Alan Wake will have to got another time unforunatly...
Two completely different experiences but, yes, Red Dead absolutely has more replay value, as well as multiplayer, co-op, and suchlike.
 

PlayingOpossum

New member
May 5, 2010
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That was a great review, and it made me very happy that I have my pre-orders structured so that I receive Alan Wake before I receive Red Dead Redemption. I want to devote a good number of days to getting the wits scared out of me before jumping into the land of do-as-you-please.
 

Galad

New member
Nov 4, 2009
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Susan Arendt said:
The mystery of Bright Falls will only stay a mystery for so long, because eventually the game will end and the truth will be revealed.
Does that mean the mystery doesn't change depending on what choices you've made during the game? Is this game also afflicted with Heavy Rain's flaw?
 

Casual Shinji

Should've gone before we left.
Legacy
Jul 18, 2009
20,152
4,916
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I'm REALLY on the fence with this game.

On the one hand it seems to go for kind of different type of fear - sort of cozy and rustic a la Twin Peaks - wich I seriously dig. On the other hand.......uhmmmmm........... Ah fuck, I think I'm gonna have to buy this game.
 

bjj hero

New member
Feb 4, 2009
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I think I'll get this after reading your review. I honestly didn't believe it would live up to the hype. Having said that I still want a couple of more dragonage play throughs, then play Arkham asylum and Mass Effect 2. The price should have dropped by then.