Exciting and expertly constructed tense, psychological thriller with a degree of comedic whim not often seen in games.
Alan Wake is thoroughly linear, even more so than Remedy's Max Payne series. It is almost anachronistic to see such a narrow, linear path in a game. If you're looking for a difficult game or a game where you can explore a plethora of tactical options, Alan Wake won't satisfy you. Ultimately however, this linearity works in its favour, ensuring a consistent, exciting pace. The combat mechanic is what keeps the gameplay exciting. Facing hords of 'Taken' who only come out at night, you must first weaken them with light before you can damage them with traditional weapons. The AI is consistently startling and the cinematics of the fighting exciting and satisfying. I found Wake a little awkward to control at first but immensely fun after the learning curve. There is a need to managing your supplies and savenge throughout the game in order to defeat or escape the Taken, which strengthens the tense and even wearying atmosphere. In terms of gameplay there is nothing particularly innovative or incredibly intelligent here, but it is still well constructed and fun.
There is a degree of comedic whim in Alan Wake also present in Max Payne that eases the tension and often create moments that can make you laugh out loud. There are moments of meta-humour where the fourth wall is broken and deliberately ridiculous segments; boundaries are tested but they only increase the enjoyment of the game.
The sound design is excellent and terrifying. The music is excellent. There is a score as well as several licensed songs from various well-known artists. At the end of each episode (the game is comprised of 6 'episodes') an entire song will play through. Each episode gives you enough to think of to make you sit back and listen to the entire song.
9/10