Alan Wake

[Azisien]

HOLY SHIT ALAN WAKE IS GREAT I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT PLAYING IT.

RIGHT ALAN?

http://www.omega-computing.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/alan-wake-logo-580.jpg

HOLY SHIT A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!

Okay I don't have the energy to keep this up. Game came in early at work, so I grabbed it and played through it. It took three nights of very steady playing, probably a fifteen hour game on Normal.

Overall very satisfied. Combat plays somewhat like Resident Evil 5 with perspective and flashlight instead of laser sight. The atmosphere was more exciting than RE5 though.

Story was also very good. Maybe not award winning, but a cut well above your average game. I even have the gall to say the writing is superior to my precious Mass Effect games. Great foreshadowing, great imagery, great characters. Many similarities to Heavy Rain, including the jerk-ass protagonist, though I'd say thoroughly superior (only thing Heavy Rain has is the branching storyline).

Since it's only good for one maybe two playthroughs, this probably isn't a must buy for many. But I do urge you to rent it and play it after Tuesday if you've got an xbox. It's easily worth that.

More official review will appear on Gamepad Dojo, someday!

[Dauntasa]

WELL, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT BUT THAT SOUNDS FUCKING AWESOME! YAY!
*googles*
First Article: http://www.edge-online.com/news/alan-wake-pc-cancelled

SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIT

[Doc ock rokc]

I usually shy away from the horror gender of anything (due to me not liking being scared or a Pussy if you will) But Wake has caught my interest more then enough times to rent it.
Watching some of the Videos of it in HD makes it look fucking amazing. the darkness actually looks alive. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

[Kim]

Azis is reviewing this so now I can't play it.

Azis just sent me an Alan Wake review, that son of a bitch.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

EDIT: No but seriously this game looks pretty great, and we're just jealous. What little I know about it kinda makes me think Deadly Premonition, but instead of So Bad It's Good just being Good. Or something.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

I thought this game died years ago. Where the fuck did this come from all of a sudden?

[Osterbaum]

This game is by a finnish development studio. You should all BUY it. I plan to, if enough people recomend it to me first.

I thought this game died years ago. Where the fuck did this come from all of a sudden?
It was just in development for a long time. But it's here now.

[Magus]

I loved Max Payne 1 and 2, I will probably love Alan Wake. Even if it's not the same "thing", I can tell the writing and story are going to be great like MP.

[Doc ock rokc]

oh! Trust me! from The Snips of Game Play I Have come across I in videos, this Thing will Have story out The wazoo

[Azisien]

Oh yes, the story is basically competing directly in importance with the gameplay. And that's saying a lot considering its a video game.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

This was my first exposure to Alan Wake, and after a day of research I've decided to buy it ASAP.

[Magus]

Oh yes, the story is basically competing directly in importance with the gameplay. And that's saying a lot considering its a video game.

Why is it only Remedy and a few other developers seem to be doing this? Other than Max Payne and now Alan Wake, I think the only other examples where the story seems really intertwined with the gameplay is probably MGS (which is kind of a terrible story but it is definitely part of the gameplay), and the Nathan Drake games, which I haven't played but I've heard that the game basically plays out with a lot of set pieces reminiscent of an action movie. The key seems to be set pieces but so well molded into the gameplay you don't notice they're set pieces, carefully planning out everything in advance of what the enemies and the player may and will do, and so on.

[Doc ock rokc]

Why is it only Remedy and a few other developers seem to be doing this? Other than Max Payne and now Alan Wake, I think the only other examples where the story seems really intertwined with the gameplay is probably MGS (which is kind of a terrible story but it is definitely part of the gameplay), and the Nathan Drake games, which I haven't played but I've heard that the game basically plays out with a lot of set pieces reminiscent of an action movie. The key seems to be set pieces but so well molded into the gameplay you don't notice they're set pieces, carefully planning out everything in advance of what the enemies and the player may and will do, and so on.

Because centering the game Directly on a story means it has Little Replay value. While games like the Max, MGS, and Uncharted have great storys they are also don't change that much (linear) Meanwhile a game that is semi-disconnected to the story is open to play again and again and again to find what you missed.
Rem actually learned from this and In the hard mode of the game there is more in level twists and more pages of the Manuscript (supposedly)

[Kim]

Nocturne was a game that was very story centric in a way, without detracting from the gameplay. Although the story doesn't change, there are six paths you can take, each with its own ending, and there's a New Game+ mode so I'd say it has a great story and replay value.

[Magus]

Because centering the game Directly on a story means it has Little Replay value. While games like the Max, MGS, and Uncharted have great storys they are also don't change that much (linear) Meanwhile a game that is semi-disconnected to the story is open to play again and again and again to find what you missed.
Rem actually learned from this and In the hard mode of the game there is more in level twists and more pages of the Manuscript (supposedly)

Yeah, but I found like good action movies I ended up replaying MP 1 and 2 for those particular scenes and set pieces I enjoyed so much, and the dialogue and story. There is not a lot of "new" replay value to be had but there aren't any new scenes in Desperado, either (not that Desperado had that great story or dialogue. In this case MP is actually superior).

Multiple endings are probably the best way to go, that way there is something new to see on the replay but you're still getting a great story. If the story deviates enough it'd be like playing six different games if the stories really did feel different based on your choices (I don't know if a game has ever really attempted that, though, and still kept the gameplay. Like Heavy Rain for instance was supposedly pretty good with choices affecting the plot but there wasn't a whole lot of gameplay to be had).

[Doc ock rokc]

Nocturne was a game that was very story centric in a way, without detracting from the game-play. Although the story doesn't change, there are six paths you can take, each with its own ending, and there's a New Game+ mode so I'd say it has a great story and replay value.

yes but the time put aside to make that game would have been too much in the fast world of video games. Few companies have the power time and resources to make the game that way every time. Plus because the story is the same it discourages some gamers from playing again. So while you got to play the game 6 times most likely the average one played it once. Believe it or not it's one of the few beefs alot of players had with Heavy Rain & SH Shattered Memories. It had Only one story. and if you saw it once you see it again. no real big changes.

[Magus]

Oh, I thought Heavy Rain had big story changes depending on the path you took? I guess I was wrong about that one. Haven't played it.

[Kim]

yes but the time put aside to make that game would have been too much in the fast world of video games. Few companies have the power time and resources to make the game that way every time. Plus because the story is the same it discourages some gamers from playing again. So while you got to play the game 6 times most likely the average one played it once. Believe it or not it's one of the few beefs alot of players had with Heavy Rain & SH Shattered Memories. It had Only one story. and if you saw it once you see it again. no real big changes.

Yeah, but there are the gameplay perks of playing through a second time, too, which compliments the fact that you can get multiple endings, and actually makes getting to those endings quicker.

[Doc ock rokc]

Oh, I thought Heavy Rain had big story changes depending on the path you took? I guess I was wrong about that one. Haven't played it.

there is and isn't the villain is the same throughout though. which is a big beef.

[Magus]

Erm, unless the lack of an option to join the killer and making some former ally into the "villain" irked you, I'd say that keeping the basic elements of the story the same while allowing you different ways to accomplish your ends is a pretty basic attempt at replay value but it definitely lends replay value. MGS3 had the same exact story every time (almost), but you could do about six billion different things to beat each boss or sneak through each area. If there genuinely aren't enough choices in Heavy Rain, though, then that would be a point, but I was under the impression it was full of choices which affected how the events of the plot played out, even if it always ultimately leads to a showdown with the villain.

[Kim]

I'm not sure I agree with the general opinion, since I haven't played Heavy Rain, but I think the villain remaining the same hurts the story because it's a mystery, rather than another genre. Part of the selling point is figuring out who the bad guy is, so it loses some of the fun if you already know. Not sure I agree, but that's the thought.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

Buying this tomorrow right after school. I was gonna buy Red Dead Redemption but this seems to be the right choice from everything I've been hearing.

EDIT: Just got it and I just played through Episode One. So far, I'm not regretting this purchase.