Alan Wake is a conundrum. Its dedication to a linear design allows its developer, Remedy, to tell a compelling if occasionally confusing tale. Yet, whilst exploiting such a structure for the purposes of portraying a narrative, it doesn’t always bank on its potential for stunning set sequences, leaving much of Alan Wake “fuzzy” despite some stand-out moments.
But when Wake isn’t asleep at the wheel, Remedy have crafted an intense and mildly terrifying shooter – it manages to make ridiculous and abstract events seem like a tangible and, more importantly, believable, threat. In Alan’s circumstances, it’s easy to imagine how one might lose the plot.
Suffering from a two year bout of writer’s block, Alan Wake, an otherwise successful novelist, heads to Bright Falls in an attempt to rid himself of his ailment. His wife, Alice, who suffers from an irrational fear of the dark, accompanies him. Soon after the couple’s arrival, she mysteriously vanishes. Alan’s subsequent efforts to find her quickly justifies Alice’s fear.
From the outset, it’s apparent that Alan Wake’s focus lies with the age-old dichotomy between light and darkness. Alan, with torch-light in hand, is forced to battle through “the Taken” – a group of people possessed by a malevolent darkness. Incapable of rescuing those condemned by the dark force, the writer can only hope to kill them.
And to do so, Alan has to rid them of their protective barrier. Wake’s moment-to-moment gameplay soon reveals itself to be an endless cycle: shine flash-light at foe until the darkness wanes, shoot continuously ‘til dead; rinse and repeat. This is complemented by a small host of conventional firearms, and, more interestingly, an array of objects dedicated to dispelling darkness. Flares, flash bang grenades, spotlights, and an upgradeable flash-light prove themselves useful whilst remaining sensible within the context of the game’s story. What’s more, light cements itself as an essential tool by providing a barrier – say, under a street light – through which foes will not pass.
Its most immersive elements are soon subject to glutton. Alan Wake’s locale, Bright Falls, is largely permeated by dense forest. Amidst the torrential darkness, the forest is an obvious enabler for “things that go bump in the night”. Unfortunately, a considerable chunk of Alan’s time is spent wandering this very same area, resulting in the minute-to-minute gameplay feeling samey and repetitive. It becomes difficult to be scared of “the bump” when you’ve killed the source of that bump a seemingly endless amount of times.
Yet, when not over-indulging in the aforementioned elements, Alan Wake is a genuinely compelling game. In other words, what lies here is a formula for something truly special – it’s just an equation that relies far too heavily on the same numbers time-after-time. Sadly, eye-catching production values, a sellable story and fundamentally sound gameplay mechanics are all-too-often let down by a lack of difference and diversity.
Still, to punish Remedy’s ambitious efforts doesn’t seem entirely fair. Alan Wake is a well-produced, well-written title that shines us a glimpse of a brighter future for the game’s protagonist and his written words. From its heavy emphasis on character and story to its television-like episodic presentation, this is a game that deserves your attention.
And whilst this particular article may wreak of descent, Alan Wake remains an intriguing and interesting page turner worthy of a closer look. Its mechanics may not carry the brunt of the game in its entirety, but as an attempt at something a little more unique, Alan Wake is unforgettable – you just might occasionally struggle to remember exactly what moments made it worth remembering.
Alan Wake was reviewed by Sal Romano back in May. For a separate opinion, read the review.
