"Alan Wake" XBOX 360 REVIEW

When looking on YouTube for trailers of lesser-known games, I came across the title Alan Wake. The trailer pulled me in, hook, line, and sinker.

Best-selling novelist Alan Wake has been suffering from writer's block for the past two years. In hopes to cure it, Alan and his wife, Alice, go on a vacation to a small remote town called Bright Falls. Shortly after arriving in their cabin, a force of darkness kidnaps Alice and Alan wakes up in a car crash almost two weeks later. Trying to wrap his head around the scenario, Alan soon finds himself a target to the force of darkness, possessing the people of Bright Falls to stop him from saving his wife. It's a horror story Alan is unsure he could overcome and a mystery he seems to have written in a manuscript he has no memory of.

Alan Wake is one of those rare video games that takes its story to a cinematic level. Split into six episodes, it's gripping, dark, and builds a lot of tension. It is absolutely amazing and very well executed. In fact, I bought the novelization for it (currently on chapter two as of writing this post)! All the characters are realistic, the dialogue top-notch, and the concept of the story and the placement of twists are absolutely perfect. Never before have I wanted a movie adaption of a video game this much!

The mechanics of the game make it even more thrilling. You are armed with a flashlight and (most of the time) a gun. When the people who are possessed by the darkness (the Taken) are after you, you must shine your light on them to weaken them first, then use your gun to take them down. This creates quick-thinking moments and even some jump scares when Alan is out in the woods in the middle of the night.

Well-written, well-developed, and with amazing graphics, Alan Wake is a gem among horror/thriller games. My only complaint? That even though the sixth episode gave me a satisfying ending, the other two episodes that fully ends the story are only available as DLCs (Downloadable Content).

5/5 Stars

You can order your copy from Amazon here!

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