Alan Wake: Is it all it's hyped up to be? *possible spoilers*

[JohnnyDelRay]

So..I'll try to be brief as possible. I've started playing a friend's Alan Wake about 2 months ago, and although I am *really* digging the story, I just don't seem to be getting as much out of it as other people. Maybe mixed a bit with the bittersweetness of its release, as I really wanted to play on PC, I felt that the 360-only release was a bit a spit in the face of all the Max Payne fans that help get the hype cranking for this game in the first place, but a lot has happened since then so I'll leave it.

I love the story, the characters, the setting, atmosphere. It's great. I'd even say this is the 1st game I played more due to the story than the gameplay..which I find quite dull and just doesn't grab me...everything else is superb. I'm only halfway through episode 3, where

Spoiler

I just killed a phantom bulldozer with my flashlight, and I'm going to meet the kidnapper at Mirror's Peak I think

and I haven't really played it since then. Does the game(play) get much better? Because thats the sole reasons I play games, and frankly, I'm not feeling it! Just boosting people with a light and shooting them doesn't really float my boat, and upon reading reviews where that's all you do from beginning to end, is it worth my time?

 

[Aidinthel]

A good rule of thumb: NOTHING is EVER all it's hyped up to be. Except Psychonauts. But in most cases, raising your expectations only lessens your enjoyment of the actual product.

 

[SuperNecros]

The gameplay will remain the same until the end of the game, pretty much like the gameplay of Max Payne remains unchanged through the entire game.

Too bad you didn't like it.


I, myself, just loved it.
I thought is was game where everything clicked and the feedback you receive is tailored to affect you. The way the enemies burst with light, how the impact of the bullet is conveyed in slow motion, how the world stands still when you manage to dodge that axe by a hair, how the screen flashes yellow when the light finally robs the taken of their protection and flashes red when you are hit, as if blood is making Alan's vision red. In other words, I thought it was a pretty awesome experience. I felt these moments were as visceral as getting a headshot in Gears.

Pacing-wise, Lover's Peak is the dullest stage of Alan Wake: it is too similar to the second stage. Things get much better in the following episodes.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

It is all that it's cracked up to be, imo. It's just that the gameplay is the weakest part. So, if you are going in for action, you'll be left...in the dark.

 

[Krajin]

Seeing how swiftly it can be beaten, Eh I would not say it is all its cracked up to be, much like MW2, if it can be done in about 5hours, its not worth the time. The story is alright admittingly, but I wanted it to go on much longer.

A good rule of thumb: NOTHING is EVER all it's hyped up to be. Except Psychonauts. But in most cases, raising your expectations only lessens your enjoyment of the actual product.

Psychonauts let me down... xD

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

I never actually played it, but I was with a friend when he started, and if he was having as much fun or more playing as I was having while watching/trying to help (mainly by pointing out caches and collectibles), then it is as good as the hype made it seem to be.
I enjoyed it more than a lot of games, and I haven't even played it >.>

 

[Flamezdudes]

It is all that it's cracked up to be, imo. It's just that the gameplay is the weakest part. So, if you are going in for action, you'll be left...in the dark.

Oh, such a tasty reference.

I enjoyed every bit of the game, including gameplay. I loved blowing people into sparks, it was very enjoyable. I loved the game!

 

[Susan Arendt]

Depends on what you want from a game, really. Alan Wake's story is its selling point. If you don't really care a lot about it, then the game really isn't all that good. The combat is adequate, but it's not really the point of the game. It provides tension and gives you an enemy to fight, but it's never going to blow you away.

This isn't about Alan Wake being "all it's cracked up to be" or not. This is about whether or not this game is right for you. Just because a game is great (which Alan Wake is) doesn't mean you'll enjoy it - it all depends on your personal taste and play preference.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Dogstile]

The storys the best part. The gameplay does get faster later on

 

[MiracleOfSound]

The gameplay stays the same 'push forward until the next annoying, frustrating fight' formula right till the end.

It's worth finishing the story but don't bother wirth the shitty DLC.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

This isn't about Alan Wake being "all it's cracked up to be" or not. This is about whether or not this game is right for you. Just because a game is great (which Alan Wake is) doesn't mean you'll enjoy it - it all depends on your personal taste and play preference.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, but this really made me open my eyes and think a bit...there are sooo many games out there, and so many make you wish they were more a certain way, (more realistic, more kick in the physics, better graphics, better pacing, annoying sections) and i guess you're right, Alan wake just didn't live up to *my* expectations, not everyone elses. But I think i'll give the game a chance just because of the story...and since other people have said that it does pick up the pace a bit later on. And maybe i'm sticking too much to the survival-horror ammo conservation (I always end a chapter with way too much high-end firepower and no revolver bullets) so I should probably splash out a bit and hit 'em hard.

 

[AngelicSven]

The story's the big thing, if you like it, you'll probably ignore the frustrating fights, annoying product placement, lack of horror elements, and relatively slow pace.

I personally though the story was pretty horrible and poorly scripted but I did stick with it for a full playthrough in, though I heard the 1st DLC was better than the game, and that they're releasing the next DLC soon. So at least it's getting supported.