Alan Wake ... Anyone else let down

Pumpkinstew · 19-05-2010, 13:32

Maybe I was expecting too much but after all the years of anticipation and hints that there would be a mystery.. that you could actually solve I'm kind of annoyed that I've got a sort of slower paced Max Payne with a weird clunky combat system and half assed achievements thrown in 10 minutes before the release deadline (collecting coffee thermoses WTF is that about?).

Where's the open world town of Bright Falls where I can converse with it's colourful inhabitants and follow up on leads and clues? I seem to be stuck on a pair of rails that I can't jump off of no matter how hard I try.
Where's the clever idea of using found manuscript pages to point me in the right direction? All I've found so far is badly written (and worse read) minor spoilers and fluff.
Where's the super pretty sun dappled scenery from all the publicity stills? I've just been running around a dark forest.
Why aren't there any roaming baddies in the levels? I'm all for instanced spawns right on top of me once in a while but everytime?

Look I'm not saying it's a bad game. I'm saying it's average. So-so. Mediocre.
I'm just let down because I was under the impression Alan Wake would be like Twin Peaks the Video Game and Remedy have made Blair Witch 2

Joe 90 · 19-05-2010, 14:19

I think I benefit here from not getting too involved in the hype and stuff. I'm playing through (just ran over a bridge...& now watching Night Springs or whatever its called) and I'm enjoying it. Not enjoyed a single player game this much in ages.
Its the only game thats stopped me playing MW2 as well!!

Haly · 19-05-2010, 14:55

I didn't get caught up with the hype at all either. I don't tend to read previews or anything like that. All I really knew about it was a very basic synopsis and the fact that Nokkon's been waiting for it forever

I wasn't keen on the first few chapters at all, very repetitive and samey but then it picked up for the last half, albeit with a weak ending gameplay wise.

In the end I did enjoy it and will be giving it a positive review but not a 'OMG GOTY FTW' review, more a 7-8/10, it's flawed but in the end decent sort of thing.

Zirax · 19-05-2010, 15:31

This further confirms the mutterings I heard after launch.

Looks like it was gimped to get it out the door. Why after all this time it seems so restricted is a valid question I feel. Especially given the serious pimping the game has had (over the years rather than just recently).

I'll still be getting it, but not until it's at a bargain price second hand.

SCM · 19-05-2010, 16:33

They lost the wide open spaces when they dropped the development of the PC version from what i have read from others talking about the game on other forums. Soon as it went console only they changed it to set encounters in place and lost what the game would have become.

Zirax · 19-05-2010, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCM

They lost the wide open spaces when they dropped the development of the PC version from what i have read from others talking about the game on other forums. Soon as it went console only they changed it to set encounters in place and lost what the game would have become.

Yeah, part of the problem is I am remembering it from when it had the PC development. Now that would have been something...... I keep hearing "alone in the dark" reskinned on forums. Not played the game though so I can't really comment.

Pumpkinstew · 19-05-2010, 21:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe 90

Its the only game thats stopped me playing MW2 as well!!

Your sig gives you away, you fibber

Aboobie · 20-05-2010, 07:38

From what I gather they just couldn't get the full open world design to work with the coherent narative they wanted to tell. They very much wanted to tell a story ala Max Payne and the linear design that we see in the final product is the result of this compromise.

I'm near the end of Ch. 3 and personally I'm loving it. Whilst I completely agree that comments about limited repetetive combat and rails are valid the story/pacing/combat/atmosphere to me playing in small 1/2 hour bursts not only negates these issues but in many respects validates the scriptedness.

I know what you're saying; a big openworld Twin Peaks game could/would have been great but we haven't got that. As a linear scripted single player story it's superb and tight.

Davey_Pitch · 21-05-2010, 10:26

I finished Alan Wake last night and I thought it was pretty good. Not overly keen on the ending, but I can see what they were going for. It definitely picked up from Episode 4 onwards though, just a shame the start of the game couldn't have been as good, would easily be a 9/10 game for me. As it stands, the slow start brings it down to 8/10, enjoyable but flawed.

Joe 90 · 21-05-2010, 13:00

I finished it yesterday, 1 away from a bunch of achievements like all TV & Radio stuff. annoying really. Might play it through again on nightmare then send it back to boomerang at the end of the week.

19-05-2010, 13:32	#1
Pumpkinstew Absinthe Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mostly Oxford, Sometimes Bristol Posts: 1,156	Alan Wake ... Anyone else let down Maybe I was expecting too much but after all the years of anticipation and hints that there would be a mystery.. that you could actually solve I'm kind of annoyed that I've got a sort of slower paced Max Payne with a weird clunky combat system and half assed achievements thrown in 10 minutes before the release deadline (collecting coffee thermoses WTF is that about?). Where's the open world town of Bright Falls where I can converse with it's colourful inhabitants and follow up on leads and clues? I seem to be stuck on a pair of rails that I can't jump off of no matter how hard I try. Where's the clever idea of using found manuscript pages to point me in the right direction? All I've found so far is badly written (and worse read) minor spoilers and fluff. Where's the super pretty sun dappled scenery from all the publicity stills? I've just been running around a dark forest. Why aren't there any roaming baddies in the levels? I'm all for instanced spawns right on top of me once in a while but everytime? Look I'm not saying it's a bad game. I'm saying it's average. So-so. Mediocre. I'm just let down because I was under the impression Alan Wake would be like Twin Peaks the Video Game and Remedy have made Blair Witch 2 __________________ Get old, or die tryin' PSTEWREVIEWS - Chunks of Meaty Reviews, Mixed with Your Five a Day of News, Comment and Opinion, Floating in a Broth of Suspect Grammar and Seasoned Liberally with Mixed Metaphor. Tasty.

19-05-2010, 14:19	#2
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	I think I benefit here from not getting too involved in the hype and stuff. I'm playing through (just ran over a bridge...& now watching Night Springs or whatever its called) and I'm enjoying it. Not enjoyed a single player game this much in ages. Its the only game thats stopped me playing MW2 as well!! __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

19-05-2010, 14:55	#3
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	I didn't get caught up with the hype at all either. I don't tend to read previews or anything like that. All I really knew about it was a very basic synopsis and the fact that Nokkon's been waiting for it forever I wasn't keen on the first few chapters at all, very repetitive and samey but then it picked up for the last half, albeit with a weak ending gameplay wise. In the end I did enjoy it and will be giving it a positive review but not a 'OMG GOTY FTW' review, more a 7-8/10, it's flawed but in the end decent sort of thing. __________________ Halycopter

19-05-2010, 16:33	#5
SCM As endorsed by Mr Black Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hell/Scotland take your pick Posts: 443	They lost the wide open spaces when they dropped the development of the PC version from what i have read from others talking about the game on other forums. Soon as it went console only they changed it to set encounters in place and lost what the game would have become. __________________ The sun is rising The screams have gone Too many have fallen Few still stand tall Is this the ending of what we've begun? Will we remember what we've done wrong?

20-05-2010, 07:38	#8
Aboobie Vodka Martini Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Beverley Posts: 749	From what I gather they just couldn't get the full open world design to work with the coherent narative they wanted to tell. They very much wanted to tell a story ala Max Payne and the linear design that we see in the final product is the result of this compromise. I'm near the end of Ch. 3 and personally I'm loving it. Whilst I completely agree that comments about limited repetetive combat and rails are valid the story/pacing/combat/atmosphere to me playing in small 1/2 hour bursts not only negates these issues but in many respects validates the scriptedness. I know what you're saying; a big openworld Twin Peaks game could/would have been great but we haven't got that. As a linear scripted single player story it's superb and tight. __________________

19-05-2010, 15:31	#4
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	This further confirms the mutterings I heard after launch. Looks like it was gimped to get it out the door. Why after all this time it seems so restricted is a valid question I feel. Especially given the serious pimping the game has had (over the years rather than just recently). I'll still be getting it, but not until it's at a bargain price second hand.

21-05-2010, 10:26	#9
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	I finished Alan Wake last night and I thought it was pretty good. Not overly keen on the ending, but I can see what they were going for. It definitely picked up from Episode 4 onwards though, just a shame the start of the game couldn't have been as good, would easily be a 9/10 game for me. As it stands, the slow start brings it down to 8/10, enjoyable but flawed. __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

21-05-2010, 13:00	#10
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	I finished it yesterday, 1 away from a bunch of achievements like all TV & Radio stuff. annoying really. Might play it through again on nightmare then send it back to boomerang at the end of the week. __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter