Alan Wake (PC/X360)

By Draken
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Grand Master

Spookie

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Just finished Episode 2 and OOOOOOOOOH SNAP!

Edit: Bit disappointed in the sound, there is barely any to that matter. I often find my self getting jumped by the taken because I can't hear them approaching. I understand what they are trying to do bit it's a bit irritating to get dropped because you're Alan has the stamina of a 60 year old man.

Grand Master

Massiveterra

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Worth Playing

Selected quotes I picked out from the review which avoid spoilers:

To call Alan Wake a "game" is to do it a disservice.

To this end, the team has succeeded brilliantly, and the resulting roller-coaster ride is well worth the investment.

Using an interwoven meta-narrative like this isn't the easiest task to pull off, but the scriptwriters at Remedy managed to do it.On its own, the combat within Alan Wake isn't anything revolutionary, but when merged with the environment, the experience is jacked up to 11.

Just like in Hitchcock movies of old, what you don't see is often more unnerving than what you do see.

When you're not engaged in nighttime combat, Alan Wake offers players stunning visuals of the Pacific Northwest. Natural vistas are rendered superbly, with soaring mountaintops and lush treetops.

By and large, Alan Wake is a visually gorgeous game and one that serves to showcase the visual prowess of the Xbox 360. It's not just the visuals that are strong though; the sound is equally memorable.

When it comes to rendering people and faces; try as they might, the faces never quite look natural, and the lip-synching usually feels a bit off from the vocals. We also noticed an occasional bit of screen tearing during the dozen or so hours spent playing the game, but that was the exception rather than the rule.

By and large, Alan Wake is a visually gorgeous game and one that serves to showcase the visual prowess of the Xbox 360. It's not just the visuals that are strong though; the sound is equally memorable.

Alan Wake's sound design shines on three layers: voice acting, musical soundtrack and ambient noise.

This is a game that screams to be played on a surround sound system. It sounds great on a standard stereo setup, but when you turn down the lights and crank the sound on a 5.1 system, Alan Wake does an incredibly effective job of drawing you into the world.

Major kudos.

Given its focus on the single-player experience, you might think that Alan Wake offers little in the way of replay value, but the game offers up a number of collectibles in addition to the aforementioned manuscript pages, along with easy access to replay any completed episode.

All in all, Alan Wake is a brilliant piece of storytelling and one that is going to stand out as an example of single-player gaming done right. The combat mechanics are solid and interesting, and fighting The Taken is often exciting and intense. The light-based mechanics keep the gameplay invigorating, and there's a fun layer of depth in allowing players the option to fight or run. It may not be perfect, but the experience is so visceral that overlooking any small hiccups is an easy task.

  • Score: 9.0/10

WOWOWOW

Hopefully this game will make up for the disappointment I call Heavy Rain

Grand Master

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Just finished Episode 2 and OOOOOOOOOH SNAP!

Edit: Bit disappointed in the sound, there is barely any to that matter. I often find my self getting jumped by the taken because I can't hear them approaching. I understand what they are trying to do bit it's a bit irritating to get dropped because you're Alan has the stamina of a 60 year old man.

Running is a pain, I always end up dodging first then you run for about 5m and are out of breath. However once you get flares it's not as bad, I just litter the ground with them lol.

You get attacked a lot from behind, I guess it would be good to have more of a sound indication or something, like how the radio in SH goes static.

The overall sound atmosphere is good though, it would just be better if the taken were a bit louder or something laugh.gif

Grand Master

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wait, how is everyone playing this game?

It leaked, and Neowin doesn't care if you talk about leaked games any more.

Me and Spookie have been posting impressions for quite a few pages :p And DL a few pages back.

Grand Master

Spookie

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Running is a pain, I always end up dodging first then you run for about 5m and are out of breath. However once you get flares it's not as bad, I just litter the ground with them lol.

You get attacked a lot from behind, I guess it would be good to have more of a sound indication or something, like how the radio in SH goes static.

The overall sound atmosphere is good though, it would just be better if the taken were a bit louder or something laugh.gif

I'm throwing flares about like a pillhead uses glow sticks at a rave! Just got the

heavy duty

flashlight. Should have expected that the game would get a lot harder once it had done that! Really getting in to this now, oddly enough I'd normally be foaming about the gameplay flaws but I'm heavily distracted by the story much like I was with Heavy Rain.

Oh wait, does this game rely heavily on sound? If so, I may have some issues! :(

More visual quips like it looking like the filter has gone ape**** when you're surrounded. The sound is good it's just a bit lacking when it came to the combat- doesn't sound like you're being hurt when hit and the taken don't make much noise when coming after you. I'd like to have the sound of an axe being dragged through mud when the bigger monsters chase you down.

Grand Master

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I'm throwing flares about like a pillhead uses glow sticks at a rave! Just got the

heavy duty

flashlight. Should have expected that the game would get a lot harder once it had done that! Really getting in to this now, oddly enough I'd normally be foaming about the gameplay flaws but I'm heavily distracted by the story much like I was with Heavy Rain.

The story does pick up a bit from Chapter 3, but you have to wade through a sea of **** with the first few chapters. Early parts reminded me so much of FF13 corridor running, just point A to B and start up another generator, aka a ton of repetition. Also from Chapter 3 it starts to drop some of the ridiculously cheesy and out of place lines. I'm just hoping the game doesn't diarrhoea all over itself at the end as bad as some of the reviews say.... Sounds like they just end it and expect you to get the DLC for the "proper" ending.

Grand Master

Spookie

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The story does pick up a bit from Chapter 3, but you have to wade through a sea of **** with the first few chapters. Early parts reminded me so much of FF13 corridor running, just point A to B and start up another generator, aka a ton of repetition. Also from Chapter 3 it starts to drop some of the ridiculously cheesy and out of place lines. I'm just hoping the game doesn't diarrhoea all over itself at the end as bad as some of the reviews say.... Sounds like they just end it and expect you to get the DLC for the "proper" ending.

I liked the methodical pacing of Chapters 1 and 2. 3 could have been a little shorter though. Really really enjoying this so far though. :)

Some definite: Rut. Roh. Moments come the start of 4. :p

Grand Master

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I liked the methodical pacing of Chapters 1 and 2. 3 could have been a little shorter though. Really really enjoying this so far though. :)

Some definite: Rut. Roh. Moments come the start of 4. :p

The script writing killed it for me in the early chapters, so many cringe worthy lines and cheese. It's the stuff that worked on Max Payne due to the type of game it was, but not a psychological horror game.

That and the pacing, too much running around identical looking woods from A to B and turning on generators :p

Not going to finish it tonight, probably tomorrow or the start of the weekend. Got quite a bit to do the next few days before holiday.

Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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I think the sound plays a pretty big part honestly. I have my surround sound bumping and it absolutely helps me identify where enemies are as their voices are directionaly spot on. All sound in the game is relative so it definitely helps with the atmosphere. Still on part 2 and I can say I'm looking forward to a little less woods at this point in time.

Grand Master

neoadorable

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Doubt they downloaded it illegally, it's out in many stores, i was called to come pick it up today. Either way, seems many think "there's a lot riding on this one" so they'll say it's bad or good no matter what, i think most of us realize that. Each will have to decide for himself. Like i said, picking Wake up regardless, but i hope i'll be able to get over the Teen rating personally.

Grand Master

+Mystic MVC

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Doubt they downloaded it illegally, it's out in many stores, i was called to come pick it up today. Either way, seems many think "there's a lot riding on this one" so they'll say it's bad or good no matter what, i think most of us realize that. Each will have to decide for himself. Like i said, picking Wake up regardless, but i hope i'll be able to get over the Teen rating personally.

It was released early by Meijer in one area. Either way, most copies in this thread are probably downloaded illegally, but whatever. :rolleyes:

Grand Master

.KICK

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I think the sound plays a pretty big part honestly. I have my surround sound bumping and it absolutely helps me identify where enemies are as their voices are directionaly spot on. All sound in the game is relative so it definitely helps with the atmosphere. Still on part 2 and I can say I'm looking forward to a little less woods at this point in time.

Great :( I'm probably going to die.......... alot.

Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

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Man, docking a score because a game doesn't have multiplayer? What psychological horror game actually has MP? And how the heck would you even do it? MP can't have the type of tight story needed to scare the crap out of you and pull you in to the world. This just goes to show how reviews are worth jack now. If you trust the reviews you check out then great.

As for the sound, when you DON'T hear anything that's when you should be scared. The radio static in SH made it easy, you knew something was close and you were ready for it. Not hearing something is 10x more creepy and keeps you on edge way more. Hearing something and not seeing it is another way to go, and I'm sure the game has those parts as well.

Grand Master

Spookie

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As for the sound, when you DON'T hear anything that's when you should be scared. The radio static in SH made it easy, you knew something was close and you were ready for it. Not hearing something is 10x more creepy and keeps you on edge way more. Hearing something and not seeing it is another way to go, and I'm sure the game has those parts as well.

Alan wake has a visual warning rather than audible. Things go like ink dropped in water when something is close. Occasionally when you get jumped by a number of enemies in forest the camera will pull out and go slow mo highlighting it might be a good idea to start running. It's just annoying to be fighting 3-4 hulking ******* dropping them all with a shotgun to have one cave your head in because you can't hear him breathing down your neck even though he's less than 1 meter away! It's a minor gripe but it will annoy some.

Grand Master

FiB3R

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It leaked, and Neowin doesn't care if you talk about leaked games any more.

Really? Sweet :D

First impression was "is this really the finished game?" Dialogue seemed... I don't know, like it was being read from a script for the first time, timing was all off, no pauses where there should be. In fact, a lot of the dialogue seems flat, and the dialogue when reading pages is a lot quieter than in the main game. Pain in the arse when you're playing at 3am, and you're trying to keep the volume down.

Also, watching a car from a distance, jerking along a mountain road is kinda comical and spoils the atmosphere, your attention is automatically drawn to it.

A lot of the game is gorgeous though, and all in, I'm loving it. Definitely one to play in the dark. I almost shat a brick when I

got my foot stuck in a bear trap

:laugh:

Just gutted that my amp blew, no surround sound for me :cry: Might try to fix that today actually.

Grand Master

Richard Hammond

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Ive heared that the ending isnt really an ending and that they are going to make you buy DLC to get a proper ending like Prince of Persia. If thats true i wont be buying it, one of you guys that have it i would appreciate if you could let everyone know when you finish it if this is the case.

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