Man, what? Not on the PC? Does Microsoft hate money?
No, but they do hate the PCs. Seriously, what was the last MGS developed game that got ported, the multiple-year delayed and vista-only Halo 2? It crap like that why the 360 is the only current gen system I don't own/
Does not compute...
'If it weren't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college.'
Brain assplode!
Somebody get that man to IHOP, STAT!
Skull2185 on
Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
For all its cinematic and televisual influences - Hitchcock, Lost, Twin Peaks, The X-Files - Alan Wake isn't just another action game that wishes it were on the big screen. Light, its thematic motif, is woven inextricably into the gameplay itself; as well as a stylistic visual technique, it's a combat device, your means of progression, your guide through wide-open environments. Alan Wake tells its story like only a videogame can, deftly fashioning its narrative themes of light and darkness and subjective and objective reality into essential gameplay elements. Instead of feeling like the actual game is just getting in the way of the story, as is so often the case with such plot- and character-orientated videogames, Alan Wake's integration of an emotionally-engaging thriller narrative into a third-person action template feels entirely natural.
It's clearly not a happy accident that Alan Wake looks and feels so polished. It's been in development a long time now, and finding the correct balance of explorative gameplay and the linear structure necessary for effective storytelling has been a matter of trial and error. "The game is still built on openworld technology, but we consider ourselves storytellers, and in order to deliver that well it has to be a more linear experience," explains Remedy's ever-charismatic MD, Matias Myllyrinne. "We don't want the player to feel like they're being pulled by a string all the time - we want them to feel like he's making his own decisions and choices, even though we're delivering the story in a certain way."
In short, then, Alan Wake drops you into tightly-scripted cinematic set-pieces, but it lets you determine your own way of making your way through them. You can see a lone, abandoned farmhouse in the distance with the light left on, and figure out how to get there yourself - it doesn't force you along an arbitrary path between lovingly-rendered cut-scenes. The game's environments are miles wide, encouraging you to dig further into the fiction and really explore Pride Falls rather than follow a set path.
Your guide in Wake's world is light, whether from a distant building or handheld flashlight. At E3 we saw Wake using generators, flares and his trusty torch to forge a safe path through the darkness and attack possessed villagers in the mountainside town of Pride Falls, and saw how the mysterious dark presence that's overtaken the town's inhabitants is also capable of possessing a digger truck and cutting swathes through the forest like a hellish tornado for cinematic effect. In a state of panic or fear, Wake can will his torch to burn brighter, which ties into the game's underlying theme of subjective reality - pulling the left trigger intensifies the light, which drains the battery but keeps you safe until you can make it to a generator or the sun begins to creep over the horizon. The flashlight is more important than a gun in Alan Wake, more effective protection from the powers of darkness.
Behind closed doors at TGS, Remedy unveils a scenario that completely turns the tables on Alan Wake, robbing him of his torch and sending him fleeing through the woods from searchlights. Convinced that Wake is behind all of the ugliness and sudden deaths in Pride Falls, police suddenly turn up in search of him - information that you glean from snatches of speech from police radios and overturned cars, running from the beams of light that pierce the morning fog. As Wake flees through the woods, diving between trees to hide from the light, things start to get distinctly supernatural again - crouching behind a rock on a clifftop, we see a police helicopter taken down by a swarm of blackbirds, and the trees below bend out of the path something vast and horrible that starts extinguishing police flashlights.
"For this scene in particular, our director took the photo from X-Files where you have the flashlights in the woods and used that iconic image as inspiration - that and the Harrison Ford in The Fugitive," says Myllyrinne. "Visually and emotionally, that's where we want to go with this sequence... We're all film buffs, we were brought up on that stuff, so for us it's really easy to communicate that way. We take inspiration more from other forms of entertainment than games, really - we try to take things that are familiar to a wider audience, but that haven't yet been done in games."
We've fled from police before in games, obviously, rather more than we care to remember, but the way that Alan Wake works its scripted thrills and scares into the gameplay is genuinely new, and impressive. Admittedly, what we've seen so far have been prepared presentations, but if Wake guides you cleverly and intuitively enough through its scenarios it will all flow just as smoothly in the final release.
Remedy is committed to building its game's fiction. Adrenaline and fear, as both Myllyrinne and David Cage pointed out at their GDCE keynotes this year, are easy emotions to play with, but if you want to go deeper than that, there have to be peaks and troughs, time for character development and opportunities for players to ground themselves in the game's world, not just an endless sequence of explosions and fights. In Alan Wake, the daytime gives you the opportunity to get to know the locals of Pride Falls and develop more of an attachment to the setting. Remedy has already shown its prowess with pacing in the Max Payne games, and it looks like Alan Wake will be even more accomplished.
On the surface, it might not seem that Alan Wake and Heavy Rain have all that much in common, but though they differ wildly as actual games, there are concurrences in their respective creators' vision that makes them exciting for the same reasons. Both draw their influences from outside the gaming sphere, both are committed to the creation of a whole and believable fiction, and both value the characterisation of strong leads above all else. Everything that we've seen so far suggests Alan Wake is going to be a great videogame thriller - but there's a chance it could stand shoulder to shoulder with classics of the genre in other media, too.
Man, what? Not on the PC? Does Microsoft hate money?
No, but they do hate the PCs. Seriously, what was the last MGS developed game that got ported, the multiple-year delayed and vista-only Halo 2? It crap like that why the 360 is the only current gen system I don't own/
You'd think, since you can't play any Xbox games on your PC, you'd HAVE to buy an Xbox.
And yes, this article just piqued my interest for this game. A lot. I was always interested in it ever since I saw the E3 gameplay. But this article just knocked my over.
If the game delivers what is said in this article, were looking at a mix between Bioshock and what Alone in the Dark 5 should have been. And it will be epic.
Man, what? Not on the PC? Does Microsoft hate money?
No, but they do hate the PCs. Seriously, what was the last MGS developed game that got ported, the multiple-year delayed and vista-only Halo 2? It crap like that why the 360 is the only current gen system I don't own/
You'd think, since you can't play any Xbox games on your PC, you'd HAVE to buy an Xbox.
Nah, while there are a few games (like this and fable 2) that I do kind of want to play, the vast majority of games are multiplatform. And the remainder are mostly console shooters like halo and gears, which I really don't care for anyway.
And yes, this article just piqued my interest for this game. A lot. I was always interested in it ever since I saw the E3 gameplay. But this article just knocked my over.
If the game delivers what is said in this article, were looking at a mix between Bioshock and what Alone in the Dark 5 should have been. And it will be epic.
Oh, it uses light just like that other horror game, Obscure.
Eurogamer can be pretty cynical and it's quite easy to tell when reading a preview if the compliments are genuine or backhanded, and whether it's actually going to be good or if they're just being nice about a guaranteed bomb. This really does look like it's going to be something special.
Sam Lake is the lead writer on this, right? That should be enough reason for anyone to anticipate this game. I can only cringe thinking about how Rockstar will handle Max Payne 3's story without him. Seriously, that guy has some class.
i just watched that video and i'm not sure what everyone is excited about
the player walked through a bunch of scripted sequences, one of which was pretty cool and atmospheric, and all of which were marred by shockingly bad voice acting. he didn't even do anything.
the other video from giantbomb was a little more interesting, but i didn't see anything really intriguing, especially with the reveal of possessed locals as antagonists. in an over-the-shoulder survival horror shooter.
I am saddened that this comes out the same day as Red Dead Redemption. I'm fully planning on buying both games, but I hope that Microsoft is going to bring the marketing dollars to compete. Considering the lower profile of this game...I'm not super optimistic about that.
brynstar on
Xbox Live: Xander51
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
I am saddened that this comes out the same day as Red Dead Redemption. I'm fully planning on buying both games, but I hope that Microsoft is going to bring the marketing dollars to compete. Considering the lower profile of this game...I'm not super optimistic about that.
I pre ordered both this morning. What to play first? I will probably get home from work and just stare at both of them unable to decide.
corin7 on
0
Johnny ChopsockyScootaloo! We have to cook!Grillin' HaysenburgersRegistered Userregular
I think I heard some Poets of the Fall in the soundtrack portion of that clip. This makes me happy, because what they did for Max Payne 2's ending took that game to a whole other level.
That's the kind of trailer that gives me hope that games can become a higher form of entertainment.
Typically, trailers are 1-2 minutes long, usually showing meaningless action sequences while some over-enthusiastic narrator tells you to "Get ready... to kick some serious alien ass!"
This is a 4 minutes, professional sounding trailer that tries to sell you the game based on its merits. I'm seriously impressed. It sure puts the game in a great light.
So are there no open world elements to this anymore?
It may just be the fact that it was taken away by Microsoft, but I'm really not finding it all that interesting any more. Especially now that heavy rain came out. (and yes, I know they really don't have anything to do with each other)
So are there no open world elements to this anymore?
It may just be the fact that it was taken away by Microsoft, but I'm really not finding it all that interesting any more. Especially now that heavy rain came out. (and yes, I know they really don't have anything to do with each other)
Its console exclusive now, different vastly from what was oriignally shown and is seemingly going heavy on the episodic DLC. Not good things.
So are there no open world elements to this anymore?
It may just be the fact that it was taken away by Microsoft, but I'm really not finding it all that interesting any more. Especially now that heavy rain came out. (and yes, I know they really don't have anything to do with each other)
If anything, Heavy Rain has made me more eager for Alan Wake. Heavy Rain overall was fine, but the story was pretty bad, and all it's really done is increase my appetite for a competent thriller.
Watching that video, I couldn't help but think "Oh, so like Alone in the Dark!" multiple times.
Me too. You have to keep in mind, I enjoyed the recent Alone in the Dark, and I love Remedy games, so I'm not super bummed out by this, but it seems a fair bit different from the tech demo stuff they showed early on. I also loved all of the random bullet time in that trailer.
brynstar on
Xbox Live: Xander51
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
I still can't believe that the reasoning behind the cancellation of the PC version was so "You could get the theatrical experience by sitting on your couch."
Still gonna get it, but I wish PC was still an option.
Also Sam Lake FTW
Snowblindvictim on
0
Zxerolfor the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't doso i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered Userregular
edited April 2010
No, the reasoning behind canceling the PC version is that Microsoft doesn't give a shit about PC gaming, especially in consideration to the 360. They make the decision, and then the PR guys get to think of a crazy spin to justify it.
I wish I creative enough to make big bucks spewing bullshit in marketing.
No, the reasoning behind canceling the PC version is that Microsoft doesn't give a shit about PC gaming, especially in consideration to the 360. They make the decision, and then the PR guys get to think of a crazy spin to justify it.
I wish I creative enough to make big bucks spewing bullshit in marketing.
"Its not on PC because you dont want it on PC. We're doing this for you!"
So are there no open world elements to this anymore?
It may just be the fact that it was taken away by Microsoft, but I'm really not finding it all that interesting any more. Especially now that heavy rain came out. (and yes, I know they really don't have anything to do with each other)
Its console exclusive now, different vastly from what was oriignally shown and is seemingly going heavy on the episodic DLC. Not good things.
Posts
Somebody get that man to IHOP, STAT!
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/alan-wake-preview
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
You'd think, since you can't play any Xbox games on your PC, you'd HAVE to buy an Xbox.
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If they manage to deliver what is implied by the article.
And yes, this article just piqued my interest for this game. A lot. I was always interested in it ever since I saw the E3 gameplay. But this article just knocked my over.
If the game delivers what is said in this article, were looking at a mix between Bioshock and what Alone in the Dark 5 should have been. And it will be epic.
Nah, while there are a few games (like this and fable 2) that I do kind of want to play, the vast majority of games are multiplatform. And the remainder are mostly console shooters like halo and gears, which I really don't care for anyway.
Oh, it uses light just like that other horror game, Obscure.
Also, what a horrible night to have a curse.
They can take their sweet time.
It looks fucking spectacular. I really look forward to this. I loved both Max Payne games and this looks just as promising.
I'm not, because I know that I'd weep. But not for joy.
They did cancel it, they're working on Duke Nukem Forever now.:P
Oh, the naive us' of a year ago. I wish I could find quotes of optimism from the half-decade ago when it was announced.
Well, if it takes long enough, we'll be in the next gen. With the quad core CPUs and special DX10 effects they advertised in the earliest demos of it
the player walked through a bunch of scripted sequences, one of which was pretty cool and atmospheric, and all of which were marred by shockingly bad voice acting. he didn't even do anything.
the other video from giantbomb was a little more interesting, but i didn't see anything really intriguing, especially with the reveal of possessed locals as antagonists. in an over-the-shoulder survival horror shooter.
hmm.
You're adorable.
Apparently...Waka Laka has need of you.
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
I pre ordered both this morning. What to play first? I will probably get home from work and just stare at both of them unable to decide.
I think I heard some Poets of the Fall in the soundtrack portion of that clip. This makes me happy, because what they did for Max Payne 2's ending took that game to a whole other level.
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
Typically, trailers are 1-2 minutes long, usually showing meaningless action sequences while some over-enthusiastic narrator tells you to "Get ready... to kick some serious alien ass!"
This is a 4 minutes, professional sounding trailer that tries to sell you the game based on its merits. I'm seriously impressed. It sure puts the game in a great light.
It may just be the fact that it was taken away by Microsoft, but I'm really not finding it all that interesting any more. Especially now that heavy rain came out. (and yes, I know they really don't have anything to do with each other)
Its console exclusive now, different vastly from what was oriignally shown and is seemingly going heavy on the episodic DLC. Not good things.
If anything, Heavy Rain has made me more eager for Alan Wake. Heavy Rain overall was fine, but the story was pretty bad, and all it's really done is increase my appetite for a competent thriller.
360 exclusive?
Yep. It's published by Microsoft.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Me too. You have to keep in mind, I enjoyed the recent Alone in the Dark, and I love Remedy games, so I'm not super bummed out by this, but it seems a fair bit different from the tech demo stuff they showed early on. I also loved all of the random bullet time in that trailer.
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
Still gonna get it, but I wish PC was still an option.
Also Sam Lake FTW
I wish I creative enough to make big bucks spewing bullshit in marketing.
"Its not on PC because you dont want it on PC. We're doing this for you!"
MONIES PLEASE
I don't like selling games piecemeal either, but one piece of DLC does not "going heavy" make.