Alan Wake is a action horror game that does everything solid. The graphics are pretty good for a game that came out in 2010. The vegetation and environments are what really shine in this game. The cut-scenes graphics were actually worse than the in-game graphics for some reason. Which was odd but perhaps it is because I’m playing it on the PC and it was ported. Though the game could become repetitive at times, it kept you on suspense because of the scarcity of ammo and the way light was incorporated into the game with so much importance. The core of the game was staying out of the dark. The subtle things of this game is what i really enjoyed.

I recall one time when I was exploring a cabin looking for ammo and collectibles when I saw a dark figure scurry past the window. My thought were that this would be a common occurrence but nothing like that ever happened again. The game remained fresh in it’s scares. The enemies actually try to sneak up on you. I came to this realization when i turned around once in the game and saw a dark figure weaving through cars that disappeared once i looked at him. That kept me doing 360 turns for a while in paranoia. The way Alan Wake monologues his thoughts into the game make for a more interesting narrative and draws similarities to Remedy Studios earlier works with Max Payne. Overall the game was really enjoyable but my one griping is the ending. I’m not usually the guy who gripes on endings because I like it when writers make endings a little ambiguous so people can have their own interpretations. Alan Wake ending left me a little bit too perplexed to a point that actually takes off a few points to my review .

8/10