Alan Wake PC Review

Alan Wake has a very strong focus on overall story and narrative, it’s what really brings the game to life. The whole game is played out as a TV series, quite literally “Alan Wake – Season 1”. This is only further reinforced by the “levels” being called Episodes. This presents one of the slickest features in the game, with each episode beginning with an intro, music and credits as you would expect any slick TV series. Each new episode begins with a very stylish catchup section “Previously on Alan Wake”, which is a great way of keeping the story and narrative paced between episodes.

The whole game is played out from the 3rd person perspective as you take control of Alan Wake. Alan and his wife are heading out to the sleepy town of Bright Falls for a vacation, after suffering writers block for a couple of years, it’s time to get away and relax, but of course it doesn’t quite pan out like that.

I don’t want to give too much if any story away if I can, as this is what really makes Alan Wake enjoyable. But it’s safe to say that troubled by a mixture of the supernatural and his own personal demons, not to mention the horrors of his own creation (from his written books) coming to life in Bright Falls.

It doesn’t take long to realise the town is creepy as hell, full of well realised and voice acted characters, it’s down to you to find out what’s going on, save your wife and try no to get killed.

The game doesn’t quite fit the usual horror survival formula either, while you do have a few guns at your disposal throughout the game, ammo is extremely limited at the best of time. You’re best tool here is light, stay safe in the light and the evils that lurk in the dark can’t harm you. While there is physical violence and horror throughout the game, it’s the psychological aspects that really give this game its atmosphere.

It’s not long before your walking around abandoned cabins, trekking through the woods and being confronted by shadowed apparitions wielding chainsaws, the game gives you plenty of reason to run for your life, which is never an easy task and the game is great at instilling you with panic and fear with a surprising regularity.