First Reactions: Alan Wake

There's something to be said about originality these days. Either you have it or you don't. Take a look at today's games, and honestly tell me how original they really are. Seriously. Soldier A in Army B fights Army C. Or they're sequels. Or they're an amalgamation of different games. When Alan Wake was announced as a free-roaming psychological horror game, it got people excited. When the sand box was taken out, the excitement diminished only a little. A psychological horror that isn't Silent Hill? Who isn't going to jump on that?

That being said, the skeptic I am, I wasn't really excited for Alan Wake. I got it anyway (at the behest of my girlfriend, of all things), and I have to say this: I'm glad I wasn't excited. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty good game, and the writing is solid. But, it hit two snags with the writing. Those snags? Twin Peaks and Deadly Premonition. Seriously, if you watched Twin Peaks, and/or played Deadly Premonition, you've played most of Alan Wake. Switch an FBI agent for a writer, and throw in some Max Payne for good measure as well. Luckily, most people have never even heard of Deadly Premonition, which is sad, because that's actually a pretty good game for what its worth (roughly about $15).

Granted, the story is told very well. You'll have manuscript pages telling you what's going to happen, which may seem like spoilers, also adds to the "what the hell" sensation of the game. Sometimes, you just get manuscript pages for another story (one which references a certain NYPD detective who lost his family, and is now making a "Late Goodbye" to them). The story elements are topped off with intense key moments that will leave you breathless. Then, the minor characters start talking, and sometimes, its so cheesy, it hurts. The cliches tend to run very heavy in this game, at least in the first two chapters.

The graphics are beautiful, and the controls are immaculate. Well, nearly. Dodging is, well, hard to manage. You have to stop completely, then dodge, because the dodge button is the same as the run button. Why? Another thing I noticed is that you really don't have to aim to hit anything. Weird, but not game killing.

So far, I am disappointed by the game's story, but its not a bad game. It's polished, but the controls are pretty weird at first. I'll have more on it soon.