Alan Wake for Xbox 360 Reviews by Gamers

The story line is very interesting and grabbed my attention right off the back, even though i only did 1 play through for some reason a month later Alan wake still plays inside my head like an old radio tape. you start off on a vacation with your wife to get away from things so you can get ideas for the book you'll be writing, im not goin to spoil anything for you guys but lets just say your day turns a little odd! the main objects to the mission's is finding out what is goin on! the game had me at my edge every chapter, wannting to know more and how this happened. i was very thrilled with the 5 year wait i had, i must say the graphics are phenomenal. i can go on and on but i will say replay value is low. a must rent for sure. if you want to get every acheivement i would advise to buy this one.

Pros: - Very good graphics, good story line, good feel, smooth fighting and running style. of course, i put the lime in the coconut twice! - awesome song fyi!

Cons: - replay value, berry always disappears instead of fighting along side of you, repetitive demons and bosses.

over all for the fact that Alan wake wont leave my head this game gets a 10/10 for my rating!

jfillia

I have been excited for this game. I am a fan of silent hill so I figured this would be up my alley. This is a new style of game altogether. Graphically contrasted to make the perfect mood in the game. Fighting mechanics are smooth and easy to understand. The story is told very clearly. You get more details about the story than you do in most other games. So far this game is an experience that is greater than I thought it would be. You can tell Remedy cared a lot about this game. It's a genuine thriller. There aren't Pros or Cons that would change your mind about playing it. If you simply like adventure/survival horror style games. Then you really need to check this out.

I put off picking this game up for months and months. I had a slight interest but just couldnt get excited for it. Now that I have gamefly I figured it would be a good time to give it a shot and Im really glad I did.

The graphics are really great and the pacing and story are equally well done. The game feels like you are playing through a really fun action-horror type movie and never really strays away from the narrative of the story (other than some silly collecting that was needlessly included). The only gripe you may walk away with is a somewhat repetitive feeling you may get from the flashlight shooting of objects. However this is only a minor snag in an otherwise fantastic game. (no game is perfect right?)

If you put this one off like I did, I really recommend adding it asap, the wait time should be quick and it was a very nice surprise.

Note: The ending may tick you off, as it is major cliffhanger. They do a good job of making you want to buy the DLC (can ya blame them?). I myself am pretty snobby about DLC and rarely spend the extra money, these things do cost $60 after all. While things like the Call of Duty map packs come across as a total scam, this is one of those rare occasions where I feel like it may be worth the money. Remedy has done a great job of sucking the player into the plot. Maybe I'll make an exception.

From the very beginning of Alan Wake it became clear that this was not your normal survival horror game. The controls are excellent making aiming and maneuvering throughout the game world a breeze. The gameplay revolves around light and dark in which case your flashlight and flares are your most valuable items. The storyline is very well thought out, but it might not be one that will gain the interest of everyone. Even if the story does not grab your interest there is plenty to like. The graphics are top notch with my only complaint being some lip syncing issues. The shooting is quite excellent and I feel this aspect puts this game over its competitors (Silent Hill, Resident Evil). My one complaint which really has no impact on the overall experience is the amount of collectibles required for achievements. I did not mind finding the missing pages of the book as it pertained to the story and had relevance, but collecting coffee thermoses is a serious pain.

This game was turning into the Duke Nukem joke. Lots of hype and LOTS of delays. In the end though- this game was BRILLIANT.

I am NOT a horror / survival horror fan. I don't get any satisfaction from the "jump out and scare you" games that many companies are cranking out. Alan Wake is NOT such a game. It's a thriller with some very creepy and scary parts- but nothing feels 'cheap' or 'gimmicky'. The story is very mature and very imaginative and while the voice work is downright cheesy at times, it's done very well. If you were a fan of Twin Peaks, you'll feel very at home with Alan Wake. The story is told in such a way that you're made to feel like it's a TV show. That works incredibly well to pull you in and give you a great stopping point for the night or week. It's true charm however is it's pacing and the way it gives you the small bits of the story between the action. After a while, I totally got over the horror/creepy thriller fear and just wanted to know MORE and about the story. I needed to know "What happens next??!!" and that was a defining moment for me. I played the game the way it was intended; alone, at night and with a great pair of headphones. If you try this game- do yourself a favor and obey those suggestions like laws. You will enjoy this game SO much if you just give into the cliche's and do it. The graphics are some of Xbox's best (I live in the woods on four acres of forest... this game does a PERFECT job of recreating that feel). The town is great, the mountain roads... all of it is just spot on. Add the creepy folk feel and it's a joy ride to experience. I liked this game so much I bought it AND both DLC chapters that came out after and the whole collection is worth it. I haven't enjoyed a game like this since Silent Hill 1 on the PS1. This is an absolute must for Xbox fans who are old enough to enjoy a great story along with the scary action.

Alan Wake was a great game in many aspects. There were a few down sides. Very short game. Took about 6-7 hrs too play through. The controls were very well laid out for this game. Camera angles where a little troublesome at some points. The game got repetitive at points, but what made the game so great was the story and the way they made it like a T.V series. This game is a definite rent. Dnt recommend buying bc of the short gameplay.

Pros and Cons:

+Great setting, impressive graphics, and a perfectly creepy/dark atmosphere.

+I loved the way the broke the game into episodes like a T.V show, very cool.

+For the most part the gameplay mechanics are solid, on harder difficulties you'll have to find creative ways to kill of your enemies using a mix of light sources and your typical weapons.

+ The story was decent

- The gameplay can really become repetitive and tiresome after a while. They send hordes of enemies after you while you're trying to get from point A to point B which makes it seem like a straight up action shooter rather than a survival Horror/adventure game which i wanted badly.

- Some of the "enemies" can be annoying, like the bird or the possessed objects/vehicles.

I really hope Remedy can work on a sequel for this game, they have a shot at making something really great here. Just tone down the action elements of the game and expand more on exploration/adventure/overall creepiness of the game.

This game has one of the best story lines that I've had the good fortune of playing. Great horror aspects and the sound is great when you have the right audio equipment. The gameplay never got boring for me as there were enemies but they didn't overload you like some games tend to do, the flashlight element adds to the tension along with the music and story. I would recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of horror games with an actual storyline to follow.

In all honesty the game feels over-developed and I mean that in the best way possible. The episodic story line translates so well right down to the intelligent recap of previously completed episodes in the beginning of each new one. The combat can get a bit repetitive if played for a long time consecutively but overall it's fluent and fun. Any fan of Stephen King's Maximum Overdrive will want to roll in the hay with any nostalgia one might possess (I'll leave you to find out why).

As I'm sure many of you know Alan Wake was in developement far beyond it's par time and was originally supposed to be an open world game. While the aesthitics of the game changed during the developement time the newer episode based interface is probably best for the storyline that is told here. You can see the remnants of the open world game that once was in the huge, sometimes breathtaking environements that make up Alan Wakes hour plus long levels. With no spoilers I can tell you that Alan Wake is about a once popular writer who was made famous by a character he wrote several novels about. After deciding to branch out in his art and stray away into new and more original novels Alan came down with writers block. Alice, Alans wife, wanted to take them away from New York in hopes that she could help Alan get back on track but something sinister lies in Brightfalls. The main antagonists are based upon a dark possessive force that need to be cleansed with light before you shoot them in the face. Knowing that the people your killing are just townsfolk who have become possessed can weigh heavily on a player if they are thinking about it but as a psychological thriller I feel Alan Wake should have made me feel worse about what I did every time I pulled the trigger. The flashlight and shooting mechanics made for interesting gameplay with a stroke of originality to it, though I feel as if they could have been used in more interesting ways. The gameplay itself was paced well but got a little repetative by the end of the 12 hour campaign. It also threw me off my suspended disbelief when I would come to various points in the game with lots of horded ammo and roadflares only to have them taken away from me and replaced with prefabricated amounts. Ultimately the game is all about the tale of a man taking on a force larger than life in a world where the hero might not win. It delivers compelling stories and great built in extras like veiwable tv, radio shows, and manuscripts.

I absolutely love this game. It is very cool how it is designed like you are watching an episode of the Twilght Zone. It is a great game and the graphics are really good. I have not been able to find one bad thing about this game. I find myself looking forward to the next episode every time I finish the previous one.

When I started this game out I was honestly not expecting much. A good story was all I was hoping for, and to my pleaseant suprise I was wrong. First off let me start with the story, its very indepth and lacking in very few areas. Alan's part was rich and you get to see some pretty nice character development throughout the game. Gameplay was pretty nice, though there are parts when u want him to stop and he goes farther than you anticipated and ends in ur death. If not for that the game would of got a 10, I bought both DLC's but so far have only played through The Signal. Signal was very short and not alot of action but I hear the 2nd one finshes the story and is very action packed, so naturally I am quite excitied to play it. All and all this game was awesome, a good buy/rent.

I had read some bad reviews on Alan Wake but actually playing goes to show that you need to judge for yourself. I was impressed with the gameplay and more so with the storyline. If this gets made into a movie I think it would be every bit as good as the Resident Evil series!!

this game i would have to say was amazing, the programers did good work on createing this game i enjoyed playing it. haveing a limted supply of ammo for your wepons, flares, and flashlight. makes a fun play throught, its nice to play as a normal person for a change other then some super hero, the only reason i would not give this game a perfect is that it only took me a day to beat, so i would say its not worth buying if your just whanting to blow money away but is a good game to kill some time with.

I am a Silent Hill fan, but this game is alot better then Silent Hill. There is so many twist and turns during this game its like I'm playing a movie that is on TV of the survival horror jondra. This game has a very good plot and storyline. The only thing that is hard is collecting all the Coffee Thermoses in the game to get the Achivement for collecting them. It also has very breathtaking CS the are really great. I love how it's a story that Alan Wake wrote but doesn't now he did. I also like the Manuscrips I pick up through the whole game. The Manuscripts tell you what is going to happen next and that is pretty awsome. I'm looking forward to the next Alan Wake that comes out. This game is just all out magnificent.

Atmosphere:
The environment, although a bit one-note, was immersive, so much so that anytime I see rain outside I can't help but think about how much fun Alan Wake was.

Story:
They put some thought into this, but I find that with a lot of non-rpg games, even if the story is there, its easy to forget about. I also didn't really get the ending.

Gameplay:
This game is simple yet addictive. The controls were intuitive and combat was a lot of fun.

Other:
Many of the achievements (300gp worth)are collectible based and they don't add anything to the story (like points for unlockables say), but I have to say, instead of it being a chore, I really enjoyed hunting them all down. Almost more so than any other game i've played (Arkham Asylum would be the top one and Bad Company 1 would be third)

All in all, this game has a lasting effect that you wont forget easily, great combat, great atmosphere, fun collectibles.

i thought this game was great
the story was line was good, the graphics, gameplay/controls were good
the enemies do get a bit repetitive though and the ending didn't make much sense to me
it is mostly set in the dark but i wouldn't say it was scary as say dead
space
overall i would highly recomend

After 6 years in development Remedy finally completed Allan Wake, the long and almost forgotten game for the 360. At first glace you can certainly tell that the game has had some development issues, the character models will not compete to games such as God of War 3, or Heavy Rain not even the recent Beta of Halo Reach. But do not let that deter you - the gamer - from a decent and compelling game.

Allan Wake's game play is sometimes "buggy" for instance his jump is awkward, and sometimes you will find yourself stuck near or around rocks, ledges and such. Combat is different than other games, for example you have to focus a light on the enemy before your weapon i.e standard rifle, shotgun, pistol can dish out damage. The puzzles are decent and not stressful, (sometimes too easy).

The enemies are sometimes more annoying than challenging for whatever reason Remedy thought it would be "scary" to let the "Taken" sneak up behind you and pummel your head till death is your sweet release. The Story reminds me of old Twilight Zone episodes from the 50s and 60s, keeping you guessing and wondering what can happen next?

For me Allan Wake came as a mystery rather than a thriller or horror game. Yes there was times where I heard a noise in the woods and quickly spun my flashlight to inspect its origins, but that wasn't scary I was just hoping to not to play another game of whack-a-mole with my characters head again.

Its not long, (just 3 days for me), and not a rough ride, if you can get over the sometimes buggy game mechanics and some minor annoyances with the AI, your mind will be submerged into the universe of the unknown. Remedy has managed to pull off an interesting and fulfilled game experience, when many people thought Allan Wake would never see the light of day, (no pun intended), so go out, and rent or buy, I really don't care as long as you play it!

First off, this is definitely a renter. It's not worth going back through to play the game unless you like collecting stuff.

The story is spectacular, although the end leaves you to be confused. Story and style were my primary pleasures while playing the game.

Music (both background and soundtrack) are fantastic and match the game very well. (Probably going to buy the soundtrack).

Visuals were incredible on large scale background images. I loved the scenery. I loved how the darkness would engulf you and blur things. Flashlight and signal flare lighting is amazing! Close up, some of the graphics on humans could use a little work.

Gameplay was very horror film or zombie esque. That is slow gun fire, not enough ammo, and frantic shooting. Not my favorite type of game play.

I definitely felt like I had to play careful and collect EVERY SINGLE LITTLE ammo pack available. I was also really careful not to use the heavy artillery, because I was never sure when I'd need it, or didn't want to screw myself at a checkpoint with no ammo.

The fighting got repetitive, and I never felt like I was awesome. There's scenes where things get out of hand and guys come up behind you and there's no way you could ever be awesome at it and you need to run, but the dude gets tired in 10 seconds.

You should absolutely try this game. I doubt it's a buyer for most people.

Alan wake is an interesting game that brings a lot to the table, although not much that hasn't been seen before. The game is executed well the controls are tight and the game flows well. However, it has many problems, the combat is very repetitive and it lacks the surprising moments it would need to be classified as a horror game.

On to the story, Alan Wake is about an author who after having writers block for 2 years goes to Bright Falls (a small town in the pacific northwest) to relax with his wife. Your wife is taken when you get to Bright Falls and the game is the story of you getting her back. The game is broken up into 6 chapters or episodes and you progress through each one picking up weapons and pages of a story that you don't remember writing. The enemies in the game are characters from this story. One of the big problems with the game being broken up like it is, is that after each chapter you start out the next one empty handed, so weapons and ammunition don't carry over, giving you very little reason to conserve your ammunition, especially near the end of chapters. Many of my friends found the story very intriguing and were captivated by it. I didn't find it very interesting which since the game is based so much around it ruined my game play experience.

Ok, I feel like all I have done through out this review is poke holes in a very popular new game, so onto the things that the game did well. Firstly the level designs are gorgeous, and all though the game is very linear its nice to be able to wander off the beaten path to take in some of the breathtaking visuals. Also the combat system while like mentions before suffers from being repetitive,is also very innovative. All the enemies are cloaked in darkness, which must be removed with your flashlight before they become vulnerable, fighting large groups becomes tense because have to choose which enemies to focus your light on.

This is my review I hope it helps.

After playing this game through and through it wasn't that bad. I actually quite found the game interesting as I went along with it. It didn't have the bore of the newer Silent Hill games, nor was it "Cult Friendly". It was a straight up mental suspense thriller.

The Goods:
Great aiming system, I wish resident evil would gain this aspect.

Great storyline, the way it's told keeps you sucked in. It never stops telling the story which is great for those players who get bored with on/off story lines.

The humor by Alan wake is bland, but the humor in the game can make you laugh a bit.

The combat is a bit odd, but it works for the story.

The radios you find along the way are fun to listen to, but the TV shows are even better.

Great AI and enemy AI. They do what they are suppose to do, shoot, kill, attack.

The Bad:
Limited kinds of enemies, the one that blitz around is more annoying than threatening.

Lack of weapons, but the ones you are giving work.

No gore, kinda expected when you are shooting at people filled with blood.

And the BIGGEST thing that annoyed me was the fact everything looked the same. Each area was the SAME dang thing. But luckily the story line kept me wanting to push through and find out what happens next.

All in All, great game, deff worth playing once or even twice.

Update: Ha, I only used one curse word in the thing and it got mad at me, usually I would have said a lot more...

It's a really great game however it doesn't really have any replay value. I played it every night after work for about 2 weeks when it first came out however once I beat it I never had any desire to play it again.

i came into Alan wake with a mix of anticipation and skepticism, i had heard a lot about the game; read a few reviews, heard a few of my friends impressions. Even armed with all that info i honestly couldn't have been more surprised with what i played, the game sucked me in like a favorite novel and the ending spat me out like a premature birth choking and coughing away the world that Alan wake had imprisoned me in. The games star feature is it's very intriguing story, i have never before found myself wishing there was a book adaptation for a video game before. The games story can be just a basic shell filled in a little bit with the episode recaps at the beginning of the next episode or if you catch all the TV and radio episodes and manage to find most of the manuscript pages you will get a fully haunting story brilliantly narrated by Alan wake that could make Stephen king blush with jealousy. Of course the story isn't the only feature of the game that warrants praise, the combat is genuinely fun, it can be tense but i never felt ill prepared for the next taken ambush, as a few survival horror games have made me feel, i always felt like the games combat was based around a players skill not the games item limitations, i found myself almost looking for a fight in the shadowy clutches of Bright Falls. the game also does a bang up job of making you feel like your playing a haunting novel or TV show, when the game ramps up the intensity it is done with a Hollywood production value, shadows swim beautifully across the ground a lightly visible fog clings to the screen and enemies will blow into the shadows with a startlingly realism. the game has a varied cast of taken for you to dispatch with light and lead ranging from quick yet easily dispatched foes to large lumbering dreadnoughts of a logger and the game even throws very well designed poltergeist enemies at you that are more terrifying than troublesome. Alan wake does have a few shortcomings but i don't have the room

Alan Wake may turn out to be one of those really great games that had the misfortune of coming out at the same time as another big release and got swept under the rug. That's a shame because the game is pretty fun and has a compelling story.

It's basically about a writer, the titular Alan Wake, trapped in his own story, a story he can't remember writing, and trying to combat a monstrous presence in the world. This presence, referred to as "The Darkness" (no relation to the videogame of the same name), possesses townspeople and even everyday objects in an effort to stop Wake. As the player progresses, he will pick up letters of a manuscript that Wake wrote, and this is a neat little feature as these pages frequently foreshadow future events and give a little more insight into the characters' motivations.

Daytime sections of the game are when the player is safe from harm and can do a little exploring. These sections tend to be short, but it's for the best because without an open world there really isn't a lot to do during these sequences. At night, things get really crazy. The possessed townspeople, "The Taken," come at you in droves. To beat them, you have to use light against them, either using a flashlight to weaken them and then finishing them off with a gun, or by using a very powerful light source to obliterate them instantly. It's a cool twist on how combat normally works in games, and it requires players to make careful use of their equipment while at the same time avoiding The Taken's relentless attacks. There aren't very many varities of enemy types, but I never got tired of fighting The Taken.

Perhaps the best feature, though, is the story. Playing through it really is just like being in a best selling thriller novel. The characters are unique and interesting, and I found myself caring about what happens to them. Finally, the ending was a little strange, but perhaps that's to be expected. Hopefully with a sequel it will make more sense.