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I liked the trees. That menacing swaying of giant trees as that malicious wind blew. It was creepy and atmospheric and maybe my favorite element of the game. However, I see your point about the monotony. (Monotony is a weird word when typed out.) What kind of environments would you have liked to have seen?
The Taken weren't bad but yeah, I wasn't particularly scared of them and that little mini cut scene thing whenever they showed up was inducing eyerolls after the twentieth or so time.
Night Springs TV show - holy shit I adored those and wanted to just watch them all damn day. On the other end of the spectrum, that Verizon(I think it was Verizon) commercial in the middle of the game made me so angry that I put down the controller and had to smoke a cigarette. Poor impulse control? Maybe but that shit was jarring and lame and I hated it.
As for the plot, I dug it. A bit convoluted but the lake and the house and all that was decent stuff to me. Didn't change the way I viewed horror games but it was a fun ride.
The Taken weren't bad but yeah, I wasn't particularly scared of them and that little mini cut scene thing whenever they showed up was inducing eyerolls after the twentieth or so time.
Night Springs TV show - holy shit I adored those and wanted to just watch them all damn day. On the other end of the spectrum, that Verizon(I think it was Verizon) commercial in the middle of the game made me so angry that I put down the controller and had to smoke a cigarette. Poor impulse control? Maybe but that shit was jarring and lame and I hated it.
As for the plot, I dug it. A bit convoluted but the lake and the house and all that was decent stuff to me. Didn't change the way I viewed horror games but it was a fun ride.
Don't get me wrong -- the trees were cool. But for every level, it was a little much. Whenever I type out monotony I want to say montonomy and I'm not even sure if that's a word.
I thought about your question actually, many times. The more I complained about it, the more I thought "well, what else could they have done in Oregon?" I couldn't think of an answer. But maybe this is why I don't get paid to create video games ;]
Yeah NS was particularly awesome -- my favorite was the one where they were characters in the dreamer's mind. I think I must have missed a TV somewhere because I don't recall a Verizon ad, but that sounds super dumb. I remember seeing the giant Verizon billboard ad and thinking "seriously? seriously...?"
I guess for a game that plays much like a movie, I expected more from the plot. "It's not a lake, it's an ocean". Uh huh.
I thought about your question actually, many times. The more I complained about it, the more I thought "well, what else could they have done in Oregon?" I couldn't think of an answer. But maybe this is why I don't get paid to create video games ;]
Yeah NS was particularly awesome -- my favorite was the one where they were characters in the dreamer's mind. I think I must have missed a TV somewhere because I don't recall a Verizon ad, but that sounds super dumb. I remember seeing the giant Verizon billboard ad and thinking "seriously? seriously...?"
I guess for a game that plays much like a movie, I expected more from the plot. "It's not a lake, it's an ocean". Uh huh.
Here's the video. Imagine you are playing, into the story, getting into the atmosphere. Turn on the tv thinking its another neat thing to look at and you see this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raLd8t04UYs
Yeah, I can't think of a different environment relevant to the Pacific Northwest. A mall? Monster Truck Rally? Cancer Walk? Arts and Crafts Fair?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raLd8t04UYs
Yeah, I can't think of a different environment relevant to the Pacific Northwest. A mall? Monster Truck Rally? Cancer Walk? Arts and Crafts Fair?
Well, you've seen me dress up as the guy (which sounds rude), but yeah, it's not a perfect game at all.
I actualluy love it more for the ideas it represents than the actual gameplay. There's a brilliant theoretical discussion waiting to get out - the ideals of writing - but it's all been sadly overlooked. That's not the fault of people playing it or the fact that the actual writing involved is tacky. It's just overall, it's a survival horror and it's hard to get past that and the repetition to see what they were trying to get at.
I guess it also didn't help that some of the best representations of this context doesn't appear until The Signal and The Writer.
Shit, I loved it and I got what I wanted from it, but yes, the presentation of ideas could have been so much better and I think Deadly Premontion showed us that you could have a semi-sandbox game to give you a better idea of a story like Alan Wake.
Oh yeah, the trees definately killed some of the tension. I'd say Alan Wake drags at the halfway point because of the woodland scenes. That's why it's such a relief in Episode 5, when Alan and Barry team up with Sarah and run around town. It's such a game-changer that should have come sooner.
I actualluy love it more for the ideas it represents than the actual gameplay. There's a brilliant theoretical discussion waiting to get out - the ideals of writing - but it's all been sadly overlooked. That's not the fault of people playing it or the fact that the actual writing involved is tacky. It's just overall, it's a survival horror and it's hard to get past that and the repetition to see what they were trying to get at.
I guess it also didn't help that some of the best representations of this context doesn't appear until The Signal and The Writer.
Shit, I loved it and I got what I wanted from it, but yes, the presentation of ideas could have been so much better and I think Deadly Premontion showed us that you could have a semi-sandbox game to give you a better idea of a story like Alan Wake.
Oh yeah, the trees definately killed some of the tension. I'd say Alan Wake drags at the halfway point because of the woodland scenes. That's why it's such a relief in Episode 5, when Alan and Barry team up with Sarah and run around town. It's such a game-changer that should have come sooner.
I loved the game, but knew it was repetitive... Well in reality I think I loved the characters and their interactions. The story is bad shit insane, though I haven't finished the DLC.
It's not a lake, it's an ocean...w...t...f
It's not a lake, it's an ocean...w...t...f
Occams -- Cancer walk lawl. Maybe AW's flashlight could provide cancer-healing rays too!
Okay wtf yeah I definitely did not see that. I would be effing pissed. In fact, I probably would have walked away from the game completely, I was already on the brink at that point anyway.
Okay wtf yeah I definitely did not see that. I would be effing pissed. In fact, I probably would have walked away from the game completely, I was already on the brink at that point anyway.
Oops did not mean to comment that fast...
Stevil -- That was a sweet costume for sure. I agree -- I think the idea was there, and it wasn't too messy, but it didn't cross the finish line. This seemed to be a problem for a lot of games in the past two years.
Jed -- Haha that's exactly what I said when I beat it. I was like, am I not deep enough to get this? Or is it supposed to have WTF written all over it?
Stevil -- That was a sweet costume for sure. I agree -- I think the idea was there, and it wasn't too messy, but it didn't cross the finish line. This seemed to be a problem for a lot of games in the past two years.
Jed -- Haha that's exactly what I said when I beat it. I was like, am I not deep enough to get this? Or is it supposed to have WTF written all over it?
haha, Moorcock Institute...
Oh god, hate when you leave a game right before finishing it. Last one I remember doing that was was Machinarium, and that save file is 3000 miles away. I'd really like to play Alan Wake eventually, but I don't blame you for preferring bacon. It's a tough choice in any situation.
There's an achievement for discovering the Verizon ad. Yep, you get a cheevo for being advertised at... marketing people need to die.
Oh god, hate when you leave a game right before finishing it. Last one I remember doing that was was Machinarium, and that save file is 3000 miles away. I'd really like to play Alan Wake eventually, but I don't blame you for preferring bacon. It's a tough choice in any situation.
There's an achievement for discovering the Verizon ad. Yep, you get a cheevo for being advertised at... marketing people need to die.
I actually have no problem with the idea of the marketing in the game. If it goes towards funding development, that's cool. What I didn't like was how jarringly out of place it was. If they'd even spent an iota of time making the commercial in the style of the game, I wouldn't have minded it much.
The pacific northwest. We have trees here. Lots of them. Everywhere. They made them pretty atmospheric, so that seemed okay to me. They also had some lumber yards and stuff. Yes, I know, tree-related, but not strictly forests.
I didn't care nearly as much for the story itself as for the atmosphere and individual experiences, which were pretty well done. The "Writer" DLC amps this up quite a bit. If you ignore the story, that DLC goes all out with crazy set pieces and situations that are pretty creative.
Also, saying bacon is better than something is a statement that contains little to no information.
The pacific northwest. We have trees here. Lots of them. Everywhere. They made them pretty atmospheric, so that seemed okay to me. They also had some lumber yards and stuff. Yes, I know, tree-related, but not strictly forests.
I didn't care nearly as much for the story itself as for the atmosphere and individual experiences, which were pretty well done. The "Writer" DLC amps this up quite a bit. If you ignore the story, that DLC goes all out with crazy set pieces and situations that are pretty creative.
Also, saying bacon is better than something is a statement that contains little to no information.
I personally really enjoyed playing through this game. Maybe it's becuase it's kind of my thing. I mean, it's like a love letter to all things in the genre. The pacific northwest, the coffee, the woods, the writer's block...
Maybe it just felt awesome because there's not much else out there.
I have to admit they could have tried to switch it up a little bit more. I felt a little ripped off when the coolest shit started happening, but it was the end of the game. Pointing my flashlight at the word "thermos" and having it appear it so fun to me.
I've played through the first DLC, and I thought it was great. It is kind of a shame it's DLC, though. It was free, but still. I am compelled to get the second one, but I really wonder where it's going to end. Blah.
Anyway, Verizon. Who knows; maybe they're the reason the game came out at all. :p
Maybe it just felt awesome because there's not much else out there.
I have to admit they could have tried to switch it up a little bit more. I felt a little ripped off when the coolest shit started happening, but it was the end of the game. Pointing my flashlight at the word "thermos" and having it appear it so fun to me.
I've played through the first DLC, and I thought it was great. It is kind of a shame it's DLC, though. It was free, but still. I am compelled to get the second one, but I really wonder where it's going to end. Blah.
Anyway, Verizon. Who knows; maybe they're the reason the game came out at all. :p
As Stevil mentioned, what I took away from the game is that the "Power" of the written word not only defines our past, but also continually shapes and reshapes our current reality and the moral struggle that exists in the light of that knowledge.
Scotty -- hahaha "congrats, you've sold out to the man!"
Knutaf -- I think marketing has a place in video games, just as it does in movies and any other type of entertainment/media. But yeah, it definitely should be smooth. It was probably very hard for them to figure out how to incorporate Verizon in that type of atmosphere.
This is true -- I suppose the majority prefer bacon over most things.
Smurf -- I can see how it would appeal to that type. I am not that type. So maybe that's why it didn't have an effect on me. I agree -- the end had some super cool stuff. The beginning did too. I guess the middle just left me desiring more...
Knutaf -- I think marketing has a place in video games, just as it does in movies and any other type of entertainment/media. But yeah, it definitely should be smooth. It was probably very hard for them to figure out how to incorporate Verizon in that type of atmosphere.
This is true -- I suppose the majority prefer bacon over most things.
Smurf -- I can see how it would appeal to that type. I am not that type. So maybe that's why it didn't have an effect on me. I agree -- the end had some super cool stuff. The beginning did too. I guess the middle just left me desiring more...
Marketing is fine. Beating cock slapped with with an advertisement is not fine. Even when its an advertisement for Best of Cock Slaps vol.3 Tokyo Uprising.
I think the plot worked for what it was.
The manuscripts I had high hopes for after the whole "chainsaw" thing, but they became progressively worse.
I loved the environments in the game, it was actually the first 360 game I played on my own console and just walking around taking everything in was a treat.
All in all, I enjoyed the game, but I know people who weren't as enamored as I, so this is understandable.
Also, this comment was brought to you by verizon.
The manuscripts I had high hopes for after the whole "chainsaw" thing, but they became progressively worse.
I loved the environments in the game, it was actually the first 360 game I played on my own console and just walking around taking everything in was a treat.
All in all, I enjoyed the game, but I know people who weren't as enamored as I, so this is understandable.
Also, this comment was brought to you by verizon.
Spolier! You fight a fog in the end. The game had so much potential! What the hell did Remedy do in the 6 years of developing this game?
I freaking loved the game - but it certainly had its share of flaws. That said, my affection for scary trees, weird small towns, Lovecraftian evil, and meta-narratives let me gloss over a lot of problems. I don't see Alan Wake has so much as having a lot of problems, more like a lot of missed potential (if that makes sense). I think the game was great, but there could have been an even better game if they had been more focused and realized more of their speculated ideas.
I think its a shame that so many people skipped the DLC! Some of the best gameplay and hands down the best visuals come from them. If you have any interest Caiters, The Writer is the stronger of the two packs and I recommend it, even if you were a bit luke warm on the game.
I think its a shame that so many people skipped the DLC! Some of the best gameplay and hands down the best visuals come from them. If you have any interest Caiters, The Writer is the stronger of the two packs and I recommend it, even if you were a bit luke warm on the game.
Law -- Chainsaw thing? Like, the Taken with the chainsaws...? For the first chapter or so I really enjoyed walking around and looking in every nook and cranny, but after a while it was all the same and it ended up spawning more Taken so I resorted to just blitzing through each level.
Venus -- When I heard it took them 6 or 7 years to finish the game I was even more disappointed with it. I guess that shouldn't affect my feelings toward a game but...yeah...
Wrench -- I agree for sure -- I didn't mean to say that it had a ton of problems, but it had a lot of room for potential and didn't quite meet it. I may get into the DLC if it ever goes on sale again... Smurf mentioned the first one was free so maybe I can pick that one up and go from there :]
Venus -- When I heard it took them 6 or 7 years to finish the game I was even more disappointed with it. I guess that shouldn't affect my feelings toward a game but...yeah...
Wrench -- I agree for sure -- I didn't mean to say that it had a ton of problems, but it had a lot of room for potential and didn't quite meet it. I may get into the DLC if it ever goes on sale again... Smurf mentioned the first one was free so maybe I can pick that one up and go from there :]
