Could Remedy actually have harmed Alan Wake's fear factor by... developing it too correctly? Gamasutra's Leigh Alexander looks at why it's not that scary, and where design best practices fail the horror genre.
What truly scares us? Uncertainty, desperation, feeling lost in the darkness, a sense of lurking threat, or a sudden moment of immediate danger. And these are elements that can't feel deliberate or engineered -- they should be organic, personal and spontaneous.
It's because of all of this that Remedy's Alan Wake isn't all that scary. Sure, it has its moments -- the fluid, shadowy enemy bodies are completely creeptastic, and when one suddenly hits Alan with a projectile, making his vision go red, it can be arresting.
VGChartz's Mark Nielsen: "All in all, it’s not hard to see why Alan Wake has received a bit of a cult following (there’s that famous foreshadowing again). It’s a title that blends themes and gameplay, while pushing the limits of storytelling by putting stories within stories and letting you read those stories before you get to that part in… the story. It has flaws, to be sure - the gameplay side can’t quite keep up with the rest of its ambitions - but overall it’s a great game that stands out among its peers and is undeniably… one for the books."
Remedy has announced a new Alan Wake book and more as part of their anniversary celebration.
Alan Wake, from Max Payne and Control creator Remedy, is a horror classic, prompting one player to buy 4,000 copies that don’t even work.
Kind of a goody story...
On a serious note, that is why I try activating gift cards asap. It's happened to me where the store didnt scan it right where the card was unusuable. Happened at Wally World.
I just bought two of the MonsterVerse Godzilla movies on 4K - both had digital copies expiring in 2023. Both were actually expired.
I'd be surprised but it's WB, of course they'd actually expire them
Usually most of those redemption card have an expiry date on them. If they expired all buyer did was buy recycled paper. And some of those codes are country locked to certain countries. I buy a card from the States I can't use it in Canada.
Dumb and silly story. She wasted her money for no reason.
Is it really that hard to go to Steam or GOG. She spent $240, when its currently 70% off on GOG, and only costs $4.49.
Gee, I wonder, should I spend $240 on eBay, or $4.49 on GOG? 🙄
Most likely she wanted to resell a few or most of them. However, it was a too good to be true situation.
So in short she paid $240.00 assuming usd for a bunch on unactivated game codes.
I still don't understand why I guess cause there's not a physical version and she wanted something for a collection or art project.
i just started the game tonight, im just past the first episode and im totally sold on the thriller aspect of the game, its not a survival horror like silent hill or resident evil, it is pure thriller and incredibly well written it has the kind of class that most games of its kind have never been able to achieve.
alan wake is one of the best games ive played this year along side god of war 3 and mass effect 2.
graemed2005 if you do your homework you will find the game runs at 720p confirmed by remedy, im not going to get the link for you, if you are big enough to troll then you are big enough to look it up yourself.