[MrOogieBoogie]

IIRC it's his actual voice actor lol. You see quite a bit more of him in American Nightmare.

I'm not sure if he was being cheesy/terrible on purpose, but my god he sucked.

[Stallion Free]

I'm not sure if he was being cheesy/terrible on purpose, but my god he sucked.

I think it's a mix of both.

[Neiteio]

I will say, whoever played Alan in that skit is a terrible actor.

I took it to be tongue-in-cheek, like "hey it's the real voice actor appearing in the flesh while his digital double looks on." Self-aware, if you would. The actor was one of the main charcters in Mel Brooks' "Men in Tights," btw.

[Alxjn]

IIRC it's his actual voice actor lol. You see quite a bit more of him in American Nightmare.

He's just the actor they modeled the character after. He doesn't do the voice acting, at least not the English voice acting.

[oatmeal]

The production values of the cinematics in AN were pretty solid. A little FX heavy, but looked nice.

Mr. Scratch was very cool. Same actor, but definitely a different character. Reminded me a bit of Olivia/Fauxlivia. You can look at them and tell which is which. I can't even do that with my twin cousins.

I can't wait for AW2. I don't even care if it doesn't continue the story, I thought AW1 ended brilliantly. And AN was a nice fun side-thing.

[Neiteio]

Mr. Scratch is amazing so far in American Nightmare. The live-action depiction of him is genuinely chilling. "I'm not afraid to be the center of attention!"

[derFeef]

I will say, whoever played Alan in that skit is a terrible actor.

WHAT! Let Mr. Scratch explain this to you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYZjggIwWjc

[Lingitiz]

WHAT! Let Mr. Scratch explain this to you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYZjggIwWjc

Holy shit that was amazing.

[randomwab]

I wish they'd redo Wake's character model, or at very least just the face. It looks fine on its own, but it really doesn't look like Ilkka Villi in my opinion. It made several parts of American Nightmare feel weirdly jarring.

[Zweisy1]

Probably my favourite gaming experience of this gen. Just an exceptionally good game in every way.. Max Payne 2 is also one of my favourite games ever and it made me a Remedy fan but Alan Wake is even closer to my heart.

The gunplay was brilliant. Tight controls, good satisfying weapons.. sure it could have used to more enemy variety which they rectified in American Nightmare. They managed to make a great playing modern 3rd person shooter without using any kind of cover mechanic, that most tired and overused mechanic of this generation.

[Zweisy1]

DP.

[ZombieFred]

I wish they'd redo Wake's character model, or at very least just the face. It looks fine on its own, but it really doesn't look like Ilkka Villi in my opinion. It made several parts of American Nightmare feel weirdly jarring.

With the technology remarks and the little teases that was shown on Remedy's hiring page a while back, with the big animation and model tech being added for the future, Alan Wake did look more like Ilkka so Alan Wake 2 will have some fair changes.

[acm2000]

my personal GOTY

[fart town usa]

I started playing this again recently, it was the reason I bought a 360. Great game, i know everyone says it but remedy nailed it with the atmosphere of running through a forest at night. I never thought it was extremely scary but it definitely keeps you on edge.

[Messofanego]

Oh yeah, are the two episodes worth playing? How long are they?

Absolutely. Especially for The Writer. There is a sequence with a spinning house and a whole spinning level that was mind-blowing. And the "words as items" is used to great effect in the combat scenarios.

[Turfster]

I don't get people calling this the best gameplay experience. It's the same thing over and over again - point light, shoot, repeat - against the same 3 enemies that goes on for way too long. It all looks very nice, but the endlessly spawning enemies and the fact you can fall without bullets don't help, because there in only the one gaming mechanic that relies on it.

[Stallion Free]

I don't get people calling this the best gameplay experience. It's the same thing over and over again - point light, shoot, repeat - against the same 3 enemies that goes on for way too long. It all looks very nice, but the endlessly spawning enemies and the fact you can fall without bullets don't help, because there in only the one gaming mechanic that relies on it.

Did anyone actually call it that?

[derFeef]

I don't get people calling this the best gameplay experience. It's the same thing over and over again - point light, shoot, repeat - against the same 3 enemies that goes on for way too long. It all looks very nice, but the endlessly spawning enemies and the fact you can fall without bullets don't help, because there in only the one gaming mechanic that relies on it.

Who did?

edit: Jinx.

[Turfster]

(So I'm just up, sue me ;)
Okay, not in exactly those words, but "satisfying gameplay mechanics", "favorite gaming experience" and things like that. I just don't get it.

[derFeef]

(So I'm just up, sue me ;) Okay, not in exactly those words, but "satisfying gameplay mechanics", "favorite gaming experience" and things like that. I just don't get it.

Well those are complete different things. The experience can be great, even if the combat mechanics are lacking. I think the combat is fine, but could have used more variety like in AWAN - but that game has other problems. I want a hybrid game of those 2 - and then some :)

[SloaneRangerSW1]

Might be my favorite game this gen. Such incredible atmosphere.

^ Amen to this!

One of a very small number of games that I bought the standard edition and then immediately jumped online and ordered the LE.

[Zoibie]

Well those are complete different things. The experience can be great, even if the combat mechanics are lacking. I think the combat is fine, but could have used more variety like in AWAN - but that game has other problems. I want a hybrid game of those 2 - and then some :)

A truly open world Alan Wake, like what was originally pitched for the first game, on the next Xbox would be godlike. A mix of the atmosphere and story structure of AW and the combat of AN, maybe with some side quests to peck at during the story, and that could be amazing. I'd just hope it wouldn't take another 6-7 years to ship.

[derFeef]

A truly open world would eliminate some things Alan Wake does so well though. Letting him pass out, not knowing when or where he is. Simple stuff like travalling ahead in time - an open world game would not make such things possible. It would need a clever trick.

A hub world is okay, but I really prefer the first Alan Wake in terms of narration and linearity. Really looking forward what they have for AW2.

[Stallion Free]

I thought the more open environment design was the weakest aspect of American Nightmare so I'd rather they stick to the linear design from AW1 for AW2.

[Red Blaster]

Terrible, garbage game and the reason why a Remedy Max Payne 3 may have been pretty bad.

[Neiteio]

(So I'm just up, sue me ;) Okay, not in exactly those words, but "satisfying gameplay mechanics", "favorite gaming experience" and things like that. I just don't get it.

I think the core gameplay is incredibly satisfying, from the simple act of walking and running around exploring the environment with a flashlight, to the combat that challenges you to press the fight with light to make your enemies vulnerable at the risk of being vulnerable to attacks yourself (since you slow down as you focus your light on an enemy and they'll quickly flank you). It's an addictive risk-reward dynamic that reminds me of what made combat so exhilirating in Resident Evil: The Mercenaries: attack, and you're more likely to -be- attacked. And each encounter, though the enemy is the same, was different, whether it's an ambush on a rope bridge where you're squeezed from either side, or enemies dropping from a collapsing roof, or being stalkd in a hedge maze, or a fight with sparklers on a rock concert stage, or being forced to flee, weapon-less and without a flashlight, through dark and twisted woods. It was mixed up just enough with vehicle segments, equipment operation, poltergeist attacks, tornado chases, uncovering the story through pages, radio shows and TV shows, and general NPC interactions.

I think that unless you were trying to marathon the entire game in one sitting (instead of playing an episode per night like I did), the combat stays fresh and interesting throughout. For me, it had a lot to do with how tight Alan Wake handles, always moving, never resorting to cover mechanics, dodging on a dime and always moving in the direction I want him to move, with none of the loosey-goosey movement that still crops up to some degree in other third-person titles. I also never got tired of "shrinking away" the shields on the enemies and then killing them in two or three shots. They were always scary to me, appearing out of nowhere and rushing my ass, and it fried my nerves but made for something exhilirating. They felt like real enemies, like a real threat. It's perfectly entertaining to me.

[Zoibie]

I thought the more open environment design was the weakest aspect of American Nightmare so I'd rather they stick to the linear design from AW1 for AW2.

Thinking about it some more, a completely open world probably isn't the best gameplay model for a story like AW. However, I would much rather the encounters in the next game relied less heavily on trapping you in between two sets of enemies. It was fun and tense for the first couple of hours of AW, but by the end it became a little annoying.

[Messofanego]

Terrible, garbage game and the reason why a Remedy Max Payne 3 may have been pretty bad.

Uh no, I'd rather have that than what Rockstar's cover-based, unremarkable Max Payne 3 became.

[SteeloDMZ]

Goddamn, what an amazing game was Alan Wake. As soon as I finish a couple backlog games, I'm going for another play through. Nothing beats playing AW at night with a good pair of headphones on.

[MrOogieBoogie]

Goddamn, what an amazing game was Alan Wake. As soon as I finish a couple backlog games, I'm going for another play through. Nothing beats playing AW at night with a good pair of headphones on.

Like I said, it nailed the look and feel of a quiet mountain town. Nearly the perfect recreation of Twin Peaks.

[haikira]

Absolutely love, all the positivity for Alan Wake around here. Just picked this game recently, in the thread "Full priced games this gen that you can 'feel the love' in how it's crafted.".

Easily one of my favourites, of this generation. Double dipped on original and American Nightmare. I totally get why it's not everyone's cup of tea. I can't deny the originals, lack of variety or it's unfortunate product placement (Which seems to be mostly gone, in American Nightmare? and hopefully the inevitable Alan Wake 2). But for people who are fans, of what it's a homage to, it's great stuff. The game just has a fantastic atmosphere and a really well realised location. The town really just comes to life, thanks to stunning graphics and insane detail to the little things.

Bring on Alan Wake 2.

[MrOogieBoogie]

Hoping to play some Signal tonight. Will update with impressions. Really excited to play The Writer and American Nightmare, however.

[oatmeal]

Hoping to play some Signal tonight. Will update with impressions. Really excited to play The Writer and American Nightmare, however.

The Writer is significantly better than The Signal.

[Fjordson]

Hoping to play some Signal tonight. Will update with impressions. Really excited to play The Writer and American Nightmare, however.

Is The Signal the first DLC? That one was sort of disappointing for me. Heard much better things about the second one, I need to get on that.

[MrOogieBoogie]

Is The Signal the first DLC? That one was sort of disappointing for me. Heard much better things about the second one, I need to get on that.

Yeah. It's The Signal, then The Writer, then American Nightmare.

[Attackthebase]

I am playing through Alan Wake again, I have grown to appreciate the game a lot more on the PC. I didn't care for it much on the 360, but I thought I would give it another chance, since I never played the DLCs.

The experience on the PC is so superior compared to playing it on my comfy bed and TV. I get to be really immerse in the game, and I love checking out the details of the world. With a set of headphones and playing close to my monitor, I can really understand the atmosphere people get from Alan Wake.

Also, this game is making me excited to go to Washington in a few months. Seattle is one of my favorite cities, and I finally get to see some of the mountains around Washington.

[Messofanego]

Creepiest moment that no one ever mentions

[Sojgat]

Creepiest moment that no one ever mentions

Yeah that part sticks with me as well, I kind of thought there would be more of that stuff but at least they didn't overuse it.

[Neiteio]

Creepiest moment that no one ever mentions

I screamed in the middle of the night when that happened. Holy shit. Though to really appreciate it you need to experience the long, winding walk through the woods at night leading up to that point, and all the moments where you fancy hearing or seeing something in the distance. Damn.

[Spiders]

Creepiest moment that no one ever mentions

I really did not want to go back outside after that.

Another great moment for me was when you read about the chainsaw in the manuscript page.

[MrOogieBoogie]

There was a similar part to that but you're outside looking at a window of a cabin and you see a figure move across. Totally awesome.

[SteeloDMZ]

That part was amazing. One of my favorite parts in the game was what happens when you explore the cave in chapter 3.

That made me literally jump.

[CrazedArabMan]

That part was amazing. One of my favorite parts in the game was what happens when you explore the cave in chapter 3. That made me literally jump.

Alan, Alan, Alan....... Yeah that part was pretty creepy, when I first played the game and heard that I got goosebumps, so many of those types of moments in this game that make it so memorable to me. I have not felt that same way with another game at all. Only other media that did that to me was Inception but I forget what part.

[EGM1966]

Great engine and game world - particularly now I can play it on PC without the vasaline textures on console - although with one flaw that matters (characters and lip sync)

Solid game with good shooting mechanics but only average driving and little in the way of diversity

Bonkers plot that literally loses the plot. Clearly the work of big fans of Stephen King, Twin Peaks and all things American Gothic and Horror who sadly themselves aren't too hot at actually constructing a plot and dialogue of their own.

Big minus - the game has too much focus on shooting (clearly worried the 360 crowd would only be interested in that) and too little day time investigation and interaction with characters (although the limits of the engine in this regard also probably played a part in the obvious design choice disparity).

Overall - entertaining and fun but a definite (what could have been) title if the engine had been more rounded to match the intent and the developer had shown more confidence in their own approach (TV episodes) and used it to provide more variety and depth outside the bits where you rinse/repeat running around in the dark shooting stuff using a one tricky pony USP.

I did like it - but it clearly showed Remedy didn't have all the skills needed to round this one out enough to be a great title.

[Attackthebase]

Creepiest moment that no one ever mentions

Creepy is a nice term for this, scary won't be an ill word to use for that situation. I didn't jump when I saw it, but I was so immerse in that moment that when I left the cabin, I departed it slowly and checking my corners.

Just completed chapter 4, this game is so god damn magical. I cannot wait to play American Nightmare.

[randomwab]

The handling is the best of any third-person action game, period. This is seriously one of the game's most impressive qualities, something other third-person shooters would do well to copy. The sprinting and dodging is implemented flawlessly. The simple act of turning and walking around feels airtight. And surveying your surroundings with a flashlight is rewarding in itself, thanks to the realistic shadows, every bit of foliage spilling a shadow across the landscape. And speaking of lighting, the light from neon signs and streetlights and such looks simply incredible in this game. If you have a PC capable enough to show it at its best, it's one of the most gorgeous-looking games on the market. I say this coming off of Crysis and Metro.

Just have to say that, having just finished a replay of the first game on PC and moving on to a replay of American Nightmare on PC, I can't agree with this more. The game just feels perfect to control. I wish some other third person shooters felt this fantastic to play, even if Wake's gameplay is somewhat shallower than other stuff.

And it still is the absolute king of lighting. The lighthouse approach toward the end of The Writer is god-tier.

[MrOogieBoogie]

Just beat The Signal. I actually dug it quite a bit. Sure, there was lots of combat, but at least there was some variety with the floating words. Enemy encounters definitely seemed tougher, though, and I did die a few times. Really weird episode overall that thankfully didn't overstay its welcome.

I do have a couple questions:

1) How do I unlock Nightmare difficulty for the "Episodes"?

2) What is "Direct Aiming" in the options menu? Do I need to worry about this if I play the game with a pad?

[haikira]

Just beat The Signal. I actually dug it quite a bit. Sure, there was lots of combat, but at least there was some variety with the floating words. Enemy encounters definitely seemed tougher, though, and I did die a few times. Really weird episode overall that thankfully didn't overstay its welcome. I do have a couple questions: 1) How do I unlock Nightmare difficulty for the "Episodes"? 2) What is "Direct Aiming" in the options menu? Do I need to worry about this if I play the game with a pad?

Direct Aiming, disables any mouse acceleration. As far as I'm aware. For me, the game felt far more responsive, with it enabled.

I have no idea, if it does anything for playing with a pad though.

EDIT: From some patch notes, for the original game.

- Added direct aiming command line parameter that removes all mouse acceleration (also enables rigid camera automatically).

[Gameboy415]

I finally got around to starting this game myself!
I'm off to tackle Chapter 2 in a bit. :)

[Paco]

Creepiest moment that no one ever mentions

I remember slouching down in my couch and dreading going outside. When I finally opened the door and went out I was looking around everywhere, trying my best to anticipate the fucker. Great moment.