Alan Wake

I came back from visiting a friend in Birmingham for the weekend, to a brand spanking new copy of Alan Wake. This belongs to my parents, but in this house when it comes down to gaming, we share!

I have been intrigued about this little game for a while now, and remember the hype about it some time ago. Some people thought it was a brilliant idea, others though it was just another entry in the survival horror genre.

Not being one to listen to anyone else when it comes down to games, I picked it up with a completely open mind and no clue to what on earth the game was all about. I was pleasantly surprised too. I did not realise it was a short game until I looked up more information about it on the internet mid-session, but this didn’t deter me. I was still intrigued, and intrigued enough to sit in bed for about 3-4 hours on a reasonable bank holiday Monday and ensure I was fully engrossed into it.

For those who don’t know what on earth I am talking about, here is my own brief overview; Alan Wake is the story of a dried up author on holiday with his wife so he can take a break and rekindle their love. They venture to the quaint town of Bright Falls in search of relaxation and a cure for writers block. However, everything is not as it seems. You have not so much as set foot in your cabin doors as things start to go wrong. All I will say is, stay away from the dark at all costs.

The game is set out like a TV show, slightly like the style of the Truman Show is how I have seen it described. There are 6 episodes, or chapters depending how you look at it, that throw Alan Wake into a fight for his and everyone elses lives.

I have to say, I do quite like it. I like the idea of having only the power of a shoddy flashlight to tackle your enemies with, and if you’re lucky you will find a few guns along the way. If you don’t find any guns? Well, I suggest you run very quickly for the nearest light source.After having played the game long enough to be onto Chapter 3 of 6, I feel as though I know generally what is going on, but as any horror will prove, you never know what is happening until the very end.

I would suggest picking Alan Wake up for a reasonable price if you’re a fan of Silent Hill and perhaps even Broken Sword style games. This is more of a horror mystery game than a survival horror, and should be witnessed by everyone whether they think they will love it or hate it.