"Alan Wake's American Nightmare" & Alan Wake PC (Alan Wake Thread)

[Patticus]

Alan Wake Season Zero?

Alan Wake: The Pilot Episode

Maybe.

[Agent York]

I'm actually starting to think it might be that Agent Nightingale spin-off they were interested in doing sometime ago they said in an interview.

Whatever the case, on the forums they make it sound like the information and news is coming this week, just clearing out a few things.

[Agent York]

Remedy have talked about the faults of the original Alan Wake:

Finnish studio Remedy has pledged that its next project will benefit from a slicker development process - following the hiccups it experienced making Alan Wake.

Wake was in development for a giant seven years, and was originally intended to be a fully open world game, but Remedy eventually elected to slim it down to a more linear action adventure.

Remedy boss Matias Myllyrinne told the latest issue of Edge that his team had learnt a lot "about how to get faster from point A to point D without necessarily going through point B and C" during the creation of the title.

"We'll continue to make mistakes, but I think we won't make the same mistakes," he added. "You're supposed to f*ck up every now and again, and if you're not making mistakes, you're pretty much not taking enough risks. I think that's perfectly fine and we want to embrace that: everyone's allowed to fail here at what they do, and I think that's part of the safety net that allows people to try harder and push themselves...

"It would be very, very sad if we made the same mistakes again [as we did on Alan Wake with Remedy's new project]. We'll find new mistakes to make, but they'll land us in a cool and interesting place once again!"

Myllyrinne commented that "scaling down" was the key lesson Remedy had learnt from making Alan Wake, and from tempering its ambitions original intentions.

"We tried to combine a sandbox design with a tightly paced thriller," he said. "We could have made [that] game, but it wasn't the game we set out to build; those moments just don't work. And with 20:20 hindsight it's clear that we should have gone for more of a tightly-paced thrill ride to begin with, which I think we then delivered.

"Those moments that we had in development when you're supposed to have a dramatic moment, if you're not controlling the pacing, the player's turning up to a scene in a monster truck and you're going: 'Okay... it's supposed to be a dramatic love scene, the characters are going through serious marital issues', and yet the player comes jumping over logs with a frigging monster truck."

Remedy is expected to unveil its new project at E3 next month. Although the title is likely to be Wake-related, the studio has teased that it won't simply be titled 'Alan Wake 2'.

[Tobbii]

Of course it won't be titled Alan Wake 2, it'll be titled Alan Wake: SEASON 2

[Agent York]

Word is this is an XBLA game titled, "Alan Wake: Night Springs" and we'll see some screens, information, and videos on it very shortly.

Edited May 21, 2011 by Dusk Golem

[Tobbii]

So I've heard, E3 reveal that will make me squeal. (lol rhyme)

That's what they're gonna do, I can just feel it. Also, I LOOOOVE Night Springs so, awesome.

[Balding Spider]

The world needs more Alan Wake, and by world I mean me.

Word is this is an XBLA game titled, "Alan Wake: Night Springs" and we'll see some screens, information, and videos on it very shortly.

Oh boy can't wait.

Edited May 21, 2011 by Balding Spider

[Agent York]

Not a very huge update, but it seems Remedy are becoming a bit more willing to talk about the project. Some staff on the forums have confirmed we'll hear more about this game in 2011 (and that it likely is coming out this year), but can't say more than that. However, this morning the band Poets of the Fall, which performed a couple of songs for Alan Wake under the guise as, "Old Gods of Asgard," have tweeted a tease that they have heard that the Old Gods of Asgard are recording a new song...

[Agent York]

Alan Wake's Night Springs announced! It's going to be an Xbox Live Arcade title, the first screen will be released by Game Informer's website on Monday and the full reveal will happen at the VG Awards on December 10th, according to Alan Wake's official Facebook page. A lot about it is unknown but there is a chance that Alan Wake is living through the stories of Night Springs, the Twilight Zone parody from the original game.

[krazystitch]

Wow! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Though, I also didn't really expect them coming out with it for the XBLA but hopefully it comes along with the same style of gameplay and I'm really curious for what the story could be this time around.

[Agent York]

Wow! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Though, I also didn't really expect them coming out with it for the XBLA but hopefully it comes along with the same style of gameplay and I'm really curious for what the story could be this time around.

Remedy has teased that the gameplay isn't going to be some huge departure from Alan Wake's style, but that's all they're going to say, and that it is structured like a full retail game.

Also, the facebook page mentions something about the "Champion of Light", which might suggest it's some kind of multiplayer title. Still a lot to find out.

[Agent York]

Teaser image of the game released.

The guesswork here is still underway, but Alan seems to be carrying a nailgun and a car's mirror. This place is 15 miles from Night Springs and it looks like a small hotel pit stop town, and Alan is dressed like a truck driver. I am theorizing each "episode" in this will be like an episode of the Twilight Zone, or rather "Night Springs". Alan is dressed like a truck driver since that's the theme of the episode, a pit stop town nearby Night Springs. Maybe the nail gun isn't a weapon, but a key to a puzzle or something you have to do to open doors. And maybe the car mirror is as well. A few guesses, it could be related to puzzles, or maybe the enemy of this chapter can only be seen through the mirror? Of course, this is all guesswork, but I am guessing each episode is themed, like Night Springs and Twilight Zone. And it seems Alan is going to be fitting into each themed episode.

Edited November 8, 2011 by Eggboobnik

[Agent York]

I just realized I never posted this here. Teaser trailer was released a few days ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UKurA8s1T0

[Agent York]

http://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/alan-wakes-american-nightmare-to-be-the-title-of-the-upcoming-xbla-release/

Game's full reveal is in two days. German Rating Board titles the game, "Alan Wake's American Nightmare." Sounds campy.

[Scott]

So yeah, felt like sharing this hear...

Last night, I had a dream,I was playing Alan Wake.....

ON THE DS!!! Thats right,on the DS and it was fucking awesome, it was isometric, a mix of button and touch controls and the best part, it was on the go....

Do it Remedy!

[Agent York]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM10XlPYleQ

Reveal trailer, full analysis incoming.

Edited December 11, 2011 by Skyward Dusk

[Detective Shadzter]

It hits XBLA Q1 2012

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-12-11-new-alan-wake-is-called-alan-wakes-american-nightmare

[Agent York]

An in-depth analysis of the trailer:

http://www.relyonhorror.com/articles/alan-wakes-american-nightmare/

And more details on the game!

http://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/more-details-about-alan-wakes-american-nightmare/

-This game is being developed as an independent entry that anyone can jump into and understand. It expands and broadens the world of Alan Wake, and contains much more information about the happenings after the first Alan Wake.

-Remedy says that the first game was combination of Stephen King and Lost while American Nightmare is in spirit of Tarantino’s From Dusk Till Dawn and Pulp Fiction.

-This game takes place away from Bright Falls and now is set in a city in Arizona. The developers wanted to go a classic American Route 66-type of location, and a huge change of pace from the original game.

-Wake is in Arizona as he is trapped in the Night Springs television series he wrote when he was younger. The game is said to reflect on Alan boarderlining between reality and fiction, and the thin line Alan Wake is treading and experiencing. Alan goes from episode to episode while caught in a war between light and darkness.

-To be released Q1 of 2012, the game is to be faster-paced and more action-focused than the original Alan Wake with it’s digital distribution method in mind. But this does not mean that the game is abandoning atmosphere and story or what makes Alan Wake what it is.

-The game is supposed to last for several hours, with bigger replayability than the original Alan Wake.

-One unlockable mode is known as, “Fight Till Dawn,” in which players are in an expansive arena and must fight waves of progressively tougher enemies while finding ammo and weapons around the various locations. Players win if they can survive until daybreak.

-Remedy confirms this will not be the last Alan Wake game, and that the sequel is definitely coming, but no details or specific release schedules.

-Remedy hopes they might be able to bring this game and the original Alan Wake to PC, but nothing set in stone quite yet, but there might be some bright news for PC owners in the near future.

[Detective Shadzter]

@Skyward Dusk: As a big fan of this franchise, what are your impressions of the first Alan Wake game? I want to pick up some games in the New Year sales and I've been thinking of getting this one.

[Agent York]

@Skyward Dusk: As a big fan of this franchise, what are your impressions of the first Alan Wake game? I want to pick up some games in the New Year sales and I've been thinking of getting this one.

Well first of all, the best trailer to watch about the game is likely this one, it does a good job at giving an overview of the game:

Now on opinions. Alan Wake 1 I believe is a very big love it/hate it type of game. For many who play it, it becomes one of their favorite games ever, but others on the other end also don't understand the appeal of it. I would definitely say it's worth the price, as you can find the game extremely cheap these days. It's also to note the game has two DLCs, two extra episodes. The first one, The Signal, is free if you buy the game new. The other one, the Writer, you'll have to buy off the store (it's 560 Microsoft Points). Don't play these until after the main game as they take place after the ending (even if they have a self-contained two-episode story they include spoilers), but if you like the game you should definitely get them. There's a reason why their some of the highest rated DLC on Xbox Marketplace.

Alan Wake is a story-driven experience. The time it takes to complete it varies based on how you play, but I say it's a game worth taking your time through. Generally speaking, the normal playtime is about 8-16 hours (if length is something you consider when buying the game). While there are gameplay twists in each chapter, generally speaking the game has two main types of gameplay styles, day sections and night sections. In day sections, you're usually in a small area where you can explore, talk with people, story exposition happens, and you can enjoy the sights and sounds. Night sections, which the game is about 85% of, can also have some peaceful areas and story exposition, but you're in danger from a group of enemies known as The Taken.

I'm not doing a full analysis of the game, so I'll just list some general pros and cons and notes of the game.

-The game's story and audio level are the strongest strengths. The game has a very interesting story, though it sometimes goes into cheesy territory, but it has a good sense of when to be serious, when to be funny, and has some very likable characters. Voice Acting is great, sound effects are moody, and the music in the game is fantastic.

-As a con, enemies can get a bit repetitive towards the end of the game as no new enemy types are thrown at you really in the last two episodes of the game (out of 6) and there are a lot more enemies.

-Keep in mind Alan can only run a limited time. I find it works better to run for about 3-4 seconds, rest for a second or two by walking, then run again for another 3-4 seconds to keep up a faster pace rather than wearing him out. Also note if running from enemies, they often are faster than you, and it's good to flash your light back on them while running occasionally as to stun them.

-Guns and ammo don't carry over between episodes, so don't reserve your ammo to use later in the game as it's all based per episode.

-If you're ever lost, pay attention to your radar as it shows the general direction your goal is.

-Episode 3 is the longest episode in the game. Keep that in mind as often times when people first play it, it seems to drag on. However, late on, I find this becomes a lot of people's near-favorite episode for all the variety in the episode.

-Episode 4 and the Writer DLC are often considered the best episodes in the game, and with reason I won't spoil.

-There often are small areas to explore off the beaten path, so explore if you feel safe enough to and feel up to it.

It might sound like a lot of that was negative, but those were more tips. I can guarantee the game is a fantastic story-driven game that has a lot of charm, some pretty fun action segments even if they can get a bit repetitive towards the end, as well as great atmosphere, can easily put you on edge both by the narrative and gameplay, and it's a world that many have found themselves engrossed in.

And since the last trailer was removed, here's the American Nightmare trailer again:

(audio off-sync)

[Scott]

@Skyward Dusk: As a big fan of this franchise, what are your impressions of the first Alan Wake game? I want to pick up some games in the New Year sales and I've been thinking of getting this one.

I know its not aimed at me, but one thing you should know, buy it new if you can, DLC code for the first of two DLC add-ons comes packed with it

Also I'm a little peeved it wont continue directly from the first as I was so immersed into the story then was gutted by the cliffhanger ending in the main game only to find out fter completing both DLC's that there was another cliff hanger, poor Alan, I just wanted him to escape ._.

[Agent York]

I know its not aimed at me, but one thing you should know, buy it new if you can, DLC code for the first of two DLC add-ons comes packed with it

Also I'm a little peeved it wont continue directly from the first as I was so immersed into the story then was gutted by the cliffhanger ending in the main game only to find out fter completing both DLC's that there was another cliff hanger, poor Alan, I just wanted him to escape ._.

I think American Nightmare does take place after the original though, but not sure why Alan is where he is...

...Since last we saw him he was still trapped in the Dark Place. Guess we'll find out in American Nightmare.

Also Shadzter, one thing you can watch is the Bright Falls mini-series. It's a prequel to Alan Wake that takes place in Bright Falls, it was released weekly up until the release of the game, with 6 episodes total. Each one is about 5 minutes long, and you can watch the first of them here:

The rest are on Youtube and the Xbox Marketplace (for free).

Edited December 12, 2011 by Skyward Dusk

[Agent York]

http://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/alan-wake-found-on-steam-registry/

Alan Wake found on Steam Registry this morning.

[Agent York]

http://forum.alanwake.com/showthread.php?t=7525

Alan Wake confirmed for PC and Steam.

[Tailer]

http://forum.alanwak...read.php?t=7525

Alan Wake confirmed for PC and Steam.

Yay might get this if I can find under 20$.