(Alan Wake Made Me Self-Conscious When Writing This Review... But I'll Push Through)

<Inhales>

A great survival horror title along with psychological elements that shake the fragile fourth wall that is reality. I was frightened of the dark for a good while, but then it struck me that that I had been waiting YEARS to get it, since I do not own an Xbox. Then finally I discovered it on Steam, so was it worth the wait? Lets find out.....After I finish this review half-assedly~



The Gist:
His name is Alan Wake, he's a writer... with performance anxiety. So his wife Alice decides to take him on holiday to try to work it out. There he realizes that part of what he has written, becomes true. His wife is kidnapped, dark beings are out to get him and he'll never publish another novel..... So he writes a new chapter and he's fighting with all his might. Will it be a happy ending?



(a) Blinded By Light
Graphics were pleasing to the eyes, even at the second lowest setting (how heavy my PC could support)

(b) Setting: Exterior
Refreshing set pieces; Bridges, tunnels, abandoned buildings, creepy town and so on......

(c) Combat System
Intuitive. Added points for cinematic (slow-motion) evades. That and the episodic format made it into a TV Series (An ongoing trend that I wished would stop altogether or die down. Have it only once in a while)

(d) Characters
Didn't appear subdued and I genuinely cared for them. Protagonists and antagonists alike. Of course, the star is still ALAN, the eponymous writer.

(e) Alone In The Dark
A difficult game that needs some getting use to (I played on 'Normal'). I remember being back at checkpoints several times, over and over.... and over.

(f) Keeping Busy
Plenty of collectibles to evolve the game into an intense hide-and-seek. Oh and in the midst of avoiding enemies that endlessly respawn from the darkness.

(g) A Novel in Itself
Manuscripts add to the replay value. Needless to say, make for intriguing brisk reading.



(i) Darker Than Black
Multitudes of glitches (although fixable once I retry checkpoint or restarted the game) The hint as to the trigger is to find the game NOT displaying 'Checkpoint Reached' when basking under a lifesaving streetlamp.

(ii) Writer's Block
Lacking imagination or features that would normally define a 'puzzle'; which typically requires some thought or takes a while to surpass. They mostly involve tugging on switches to lower or bring higher platforms. The sole aspect that will pass any time would be the enemies to outrun or fend off.

(iii) Outgrown
Not the best quality of horror. Aside from some creepy enemies initially- whose distorted voices quickly wore out. But its effort at attempting to emulate 'Silent Hill' in terms of atmosphere was admirable at best. The end result being an unsettling, pessimistic narrative.


<Exhales>

Though this may be biased.... (just a pinch) ;)

[code]Curator page here-->[url=https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD #4 [/url]<-- [i]New review every Sunday[/i][/code] (Alan Wake Made Me Self-Conscious When Writing This Review... But I'll Push Through) <Inhales> A great survival horror title along with psychological elements that shake the fragile fourth wall that is reality. I was frightened of the dark for a good while, but then it struck me that that I had been waiting YEARS to get it, since I do not own an Xbox. Then finally I discovered it on Steam, so was it worth the wait? Lets find out.....After I finish this review half-assedly~ [h1]"Trust No One In The Dark."[/h1] [u]The Gist:[/u] His name is Alan Wake, he's a writer... with performance anxiety. So his wife Alice decides to take him on holiday to try to work it out. There he realizes that part of what he has written, becomes true. His wife is kidnapped, dark beings are out to get him and he'll never publish another novel..... So he writes a new chapter and he's fighting with all his might. Will it be a happy ending? [h1][+] PROS;[/h1] [b](a) Blinded By Light[/b] Graphics were pleasing to the eyes, even at the second lowest setting (how heavy my PC could support) [b](b) Setting: Exterior[/b] Refreshing set pieces; Bridges, tunnels, abandoned buildings, creepy town and so on...... [b](c) Combat System[/b] Intuitive. Added points for cinematic (slow-motion) evades. That and the episodic format made it into a TV Series (An ongoing trend that I wished would stop altogether or die down. Have it only once in a while) [b](d) Characters[/b] Didn't appear subdued and I genuinely cared for them. Protagonists and antagonists alike. Of course, the star is still ALAN, the eponymous writer. [b](e) Alone In The Dark[/b] A difficult game that needs some getting use to (I played on 'Normal'). I remember being back at checkpoints several times, over and over.... and over. [b](f) Keeping Busy[/b] Plenty of collectibles to evolve the game into an intense hide-and-seek. Oh and in the midst of avoiding enemies that endlessly respawn from the darkness. [b](g) A Novel in Itself[/b] Manuscripts add to the replay value. Needless to say, make for intriguing brisk reading. [h1][-] CONS;[/h1] [b](i) Darker Than Black[/b] Multitudes of glitches (although fixable once I retry checkpoint or restarted the game) The hint as to the trigger is to find the game NOT displaying 'Checkpoint Reached' when basking under a lifesaving streetlamp. [b](ii) Writer's Block[/b] Lacking imagination or features that would normally define a 'puzzle'; which typically requires some thought or takes a while to surpass. They mostly involve tugging on switches to lower or bring higher platforms. The sole aspect that will pass any time would be the enemies to outrun or fend off. [b](iii) Outgrown[/b] Not the best quality of horror. Aside from some creepy enemies initially- whose distorted voices quickly wore out. But its effort at attempting to emulate 'Silent Hill' in terms of atmosphere was admirable at best. The end result being an unsettling, pessimistic narrative. [h1]"Without A Shadow Of A Doubt"[/h1] <Exhales> Though this may be biased.... (just a pinch) ;) [h1]10/10[/h1]