Developer: Remedy
Publisher: Epic Games
Release Date: 5th October 2021
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
▫️ Review code provided by the publisher ▫️
Alan Wake is a game that left a lasting impression on many gamers. Originally an Xbox 360 exclusive, the game launched back in May of 2010 and became a cult hit overnight, so when Remedy announced the remaster a couple of months back, the internet rejoiced in unison. Adding to the excitement, the game would also be coming to PlayStation platforms for the very first time.
Remasters often lead to a lot of discussions back and forth online. How much of an upgrade is it? Have the developers done enough to justify consumers purchasing the product again? These are all valid questions, especially as we have seen remasters handled in a wide variety of ways in recent years. To me, Alan Wake handles the remaster expectations well – maintaining the original game, while making it look and run better in the process.
For anyone unaware, the narrative follows Alan and his wife Alice, who have descended on the sleepy town of Bright Falls for a much-needed vacation. Alice has planned the trip, hoping to remedy (pun intended) Alan’s two-year writer’s block. From the moment you arrive though, things aren’t what they seem and before you know it, Alan is waking up from an apparent car crash and Alice – who suffers from achluophobia – is gone. Alan must search the town while being attacked by civilians seemingly possessed by a dark presence.
As was the trend at the time, the game is littered with collectables. From coffee thermos’, TV shows and more, all the way to manuscript pages that do a great job of both fleshing out the story and being a harbinger of things to come. If you care about grabbing everything a guide is definitely advised, but keep in mind that 13 of the manuscript pages are only available during the nightmare difficulty run.
Graphically the game has been updated just enough to justify the remastered tag. Textures and lighting are impressive under the right circumstances, and the 60fps frame rate adds a real level of polish. While the lack of HDR may feel like an oversight given the focus on light and dark, the environments do a lot of the heavy lifting and distract from the sometimes odd looking facial animations. As this is a remaster, the cutscenes still run at 30fps, which can be jarring when going from the more smooth gameplay experience.
The most divisive part of the original Alan Wake release was the gameplay loop. Using a torch to essentially break enemies shields and open them up to attacks with your gun. Flares are also at your disposal for larger groups of assailants but should be used sparingly. I personally enjoyed the combat the first time around in 2010 and still appreciated the uniqueness of it here, but I can understand those who feel it is clunky and not as accurate as it should be. Certainly, completionists like our imperious leader Craig may encounter more frustrations when attempting nightmare difficulty for the most difficult achievement/trophy.
Overall, if you have preconceived opinions of Alan Wake, this remaster is unlikely to change your stance. As someone who holds the original game in high regard, I was absolutely delighted to get an enhanced version of it. The gameplay feels dated, but the narrative does a great job of carrying the Twin Peaks style atmosphere. If you missed this cult classic at the time, or have fond memories, the £24.99 tag is well worth the price of admission.
-Terry 🦊
