Alan Wake

[Zeus]

Anyone care to get this? It's coming out next Tuesday. Getting relatively solid reviews (85% avg on Gamerankings) and looks like an interesting take on the survival horror genre. Apparently it's actually more like a half-action, half survival horror game with a pretty solid story and dialogue. It's also set up in a chapter format, like you're going through a book and the narrative is supposed to be pretty solid. Main issue is it seems like about an 8-10 hour game. Not horrible for a survival horror game (the REs were about that length for first-time playthrough) but nowadays, I think we expect more volume.

I have some extra credit, I'm seriously debating it. Should tide me over for 5 days 'til Galaxy 2 comes out :-)

Also, do you guys think the Limited Edition is worth the extra $20? Just curious to see what people think. The "extras" are:

- linen case that makes it look like a hardcover book
- 144-pg book with the FBI dossiers and Alan Wake's short story (in case you don't know, Wake is a writer in the game)
- soundtrack and "extras" disc with theme and avatar stuff

And each new copy (regular or limited) comes with a token for the first "free" downloadable episode (ie. Microsoft is doing the EA thing). Personally I think it's a very neat package and at $20, isn't prohibitively expensive. I may go for that one.

You can get the full details here:

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/alan- ... ler-sites/

[Shrinweck]

I wanted to get this when it looked like a psychological thriller with an awesome story and then they turned it into action survival horror which I am really, really not into. I just have no interest in games where flash lights are one of the main game play devices while I'm still expected to kill stuff.

Also it was originally for the PC and then they just gave us the middle finger.

[bovine]

Bovine wants to get this.

[Shrinweck]

Also how long was this game in development before it was released for merely 8-10 hours of content?

I'll keep an eye on this thread and if it's good enough I'll wait for it to go down in price.

[bovine]

Prediction: It's going to be better than Too Human.

[SineSwiper]

Prediction: It's going to be better than Too Human.

God, what a disappointing piece of shit. I can't believe I paid money for that. It had a lot of potential, but was totally wasted.

[Zeus]

Prediction: It's going to be better than Too Human.

Well, so is a kick in the nuts......

I was on the fence 'til I saw the strength of the reviews (85% avg is pretty solid). I also like the genre and this one seems interesting. For $40, it's worth it for the Limited Edition IMO

[RentCavalier]

This game is FINALLY coming out? Grrr...I do want it, but if I get it I'd want the Collector's Edition...but that's a lot of cream to just throw down, and this game sounds far more generic than I thought it was.

[Eric]

Ehhhh I dunno

Alan Wake comes out the same time as

Red Dead Redemption(GTA in the Wild West)
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands

Red Dead is pretty much $$$

That leaves room for a 2nd possible. :p

[SineSwiper]

Red Dead is pretty much $$$

Is that good or bad?

[Flip]

$$$ > $$ > $ >

[Eric]

*Sigh* I hate you all. ;p

[SineSwiper]

Well, that's just goofy. I think of $$$ as "this thing is expensive" or "I make a lot of money" or "something to do with money".

[bovine]

Yo, he said it looks like money. I know you guys are old and have kids and stuff, but you should still listen to what people say outside of your workplace sometimes maybe.

Suggestion.

[Shrinweck]

You've never heard money as an adjective? This shit is money. I.e. This shit is amazing.

Edit: Sigh. White people.

[Zeus]

You've never heard money as an adjective? This shit is money. I.e. This shit is amazing.

Edit: Sigh. White people.

Hey, not all of us are white

[SineSwiper]

Werd.

[Eric]

Gametrailers review is up, enjoy.

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... wake/65250

[Flip]

Yo, he said it looks like money. I know you guys are old and have kids and stuff, but you should still listen to what people say outside of your workplace sometimes maybe.

Suggestion.

Dude, 'money' was popular when Swingers came out, well before your time. Dont lump us all in the same category just because Sine lives in KY and is removed from society.

[SineSwiper]

Dude, 'money' was popular when Swingers came out, well before your time. Dont lump us all in the same category just because Sine lives in KY and is removed from society.

FU. Swingers came out 14 years ago, so your term is OLD.

Just how far out is Alan Wake, anyway?

[Eric]

Comes out tonight(For those of us that still do the midnight release thing ;P) with Red Dead Redemption, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands

[SineSwiper]

Yeah, but is it FAR OUT? Is it bad bad, or Michael Jackson bad?

[Zeus]

Comes out Tuesday. Mario Galaxy 2 is on Sunday, Eric

[Eric]

Yeah, but is it FAR OUT? Is it bad bad, or Michael Jackson bad?

Well see, now you're just being mean. :p

[Shellie]

Yeah, but is it FAR OUT? Is it bad bad, or Michael Jackson bad?

[Zeus]

Just finished the first episode of Alan Wake. I'll keep this spoiler-free

Pretty interesting game so far. It has incredible atmosphere, some of the best I've seen. Imagine Silent Hill mixed with The Shining and you pretty much get the idea. A definite plus for thriller/survival horror games. It's also got a pretty neat setup. The entire game is setup like a mini-series and you play "episodes" (6 or 8 total, can't remember) complete with out-ros and episode recaps when you start the next one. The combat is basically a stylized version of survival horror games with emphasis on accessory-weapon combos. You basically can't hurt the enemies until you destroy the "darkness" surrounding them. You start doing this with a flashlight but can graduate to more powerful accessories later such as flares or flashbangs. The story is also pretty damned solid and the narration, which is throughout the game, is very well done. And you can flush out more of the mystery of what's actually happening by collecting the manuscripts (Alan Wake is a writer) that are scattered throughout the areas. Some of them you can't miss if your life depended on it, some you have to look for, and some others you can only get on Nightmare mode (not a fan of that myself). Unlike some games with far inferior storyline-telling techniques, these manuscript pages serve to flush out the storyline and the mystery more but aren't required to actually understand what's going on.

It has been a very neat and interesting experience so far. I hope the rest of it stays like this. So far, I'd definitely say it's worth giving this game a shot but I'm too early to determine if it's actually worth your coin.

[bovine]

Bovine enjoys the game so far.

From the things I read and from what I have played, it plays like the frenetically paced deadspace and has a story that keeps you interested and not entirely sure of what is going on. I like it. I was playing it at night with headphones on and it was scary. It does a lot of stuff in a deadspace-like fashion, like how when you do not see the enemies, they are silent until you turn around and BAM! Scariness! Or the fluidity of the controls (moving AND shooting, weapon and item selection being important, and a constant need to be aware of your situation with battery levels, enemies move quickly if you do not shine your light at them and thus can get behind you easily, ammo in your weapons (reloading takes quite a bit of time),etc.

I have a great desire to burn through this game to put some big focus on RDR, though.

[Zeus]

Bovine enjoys the game so far.

From the things I read and from what I have played, it plays like the frenetically paced deadspace and has a story that keeps you interested and not entirely sure of what is going on. I like it. I was playing it at night with headphones on and it was scary. It does a lot of stuff in a deadspace-like fashion, like how when you do not see the enemies, they are silent until you turn around and BAM! Scariness! Or the fluidity of the controls (moving AND shooting, weapon and item selection being important, and a constant need to be aware of your situation with battery levels, enemies move quickly if you do not shine your light at them and thus can get behind you easily, ammo in your weapons (reloading takes quite a bit of time),etc.

I have a great desire to burn through this game to put some big focus on RDR, though.

I'm trying to get through by Sunday before Galaxy 2 comes out. I know that's going to run my life for a couple of weeks.

That may be Alan Wake's biggest problem, the games that are coming out around it. It would have been all on its own a couple of weeks ago but now it's got one big release same day and another 5 days later. But if the rest of the game is as great as the first ep was, it could very well end up being like Borderlands and being a superior title to the many bigger name titles coming out around it

[SineSwiper]

I don't think Alan Wake fans and SMG2 fans are very inclusive.

[Zeus]

I don't think Alan Wake fans and SMG2 fans are very inclusive.

I agree. Good games are often overlooked far too often by the majority of gamers

[SineSwiper]

At least I tried (and wasted $50).

[Zeus]

At least I tried (and wasted $50).

Unique experiences are something to be cherished, too :-)