Alan Wake: Chapters 1 - 3

[Spoiler Alert]

Courtesy of Toy TMA

So, I just finished Chapters 1 through 3 in Alan Wake, and so far, the game is pretty interesting.  The plot line is fairly decent, but what I was really interested in were the fighting dynamics.  Your flashlight is your main weapon in this game.  I know what you're thinking: That's super gay.  Hold on though, hear me out.  In order to kill enemies, you have to destroy the darkness that surrounds them first with the flashlight.  Thus, light becomes your main weapon (along with flares, flare guns, flashbangs, revolvers, shotguns, and hunting rifles).  Most of the game takes place in a dark forest, so that flashlight serves a dual purpose: literally to be used as a light, and as a weapon.

That's all well and good, but how's the actual game?


Good question.  If you think gore is what makes a movie or game scary, then you need to spot being 12 years old or a girl or both.  Let's get one thing straight: gore does not equal scary.  This game has little to no blood.  So how does it scare you?  It creates believable characters, spends very little time explaining itself, uses common fears (such as the fear of darkness), and a stunning soundtrack to delve you into the situation.

When I got the game in the mail, I immediately began playing it on Hard, which guess what? It's hard like trying to tie your shoe with one hand.  I constantly run out of bullets, enemies try to attack you from your blind spots, and right when you think: Oh thank god, a hunting rifle, you find out that you've only got 7 bullets with it.

|Overall, this game is rocking my expectations, I can't wait to find out how it ends.