Sinister System

 

Two weeks ago I played a game called Alan Wake that had pretty much just come out. I've spent the last weeks kinda chewing it over in my mind and deciding what to say about it.

Firstly, I'd like to make it clear that I wasn't one of those people who'd been following the game's development for years. I'd probably heard about it somewhere along the line, but it wasn't on my radar until Yahtzee ripped the game a new on on Zero Punctuation. Wading through all of his vitriol, it actually seemed like a game I'd like, so I wend and looked up some info about it. It became clear that I NEEDED that game. I had it that evening.

I don't usually play games in one sitting. Alan Wake I powered through in 2 days in which I did 2 things; play Alan Wake and sleep.

There was nothing about the game that didn't utterly entrance me. Unlike Silent Hill, it didn't utterly terrify me, but the atmosphere was suffused with this creepy *weirdness* that I just thoroughly enjoyed. Yahtzee was right about one thing; the game really does preform pretty vigorous fellatio on Stephen King. But I *liked that*. XD Probably because King is probably my most admired author.

The recaps that Yahtzee had a problem with are because the game is deliberately structured as a TV miniseries; it hits the notes exactly rigtht. Its like you're watching it on the Sci-Fi network. (Since its a miniseries, not a made for TV movie, this is meant as a compliment.)

Yes, the game is linear, and I understand how that disappoints people who'd been following the development and looked forward to it as a sandbox game. However, it *works* in its linearity. Not only does it help the narrative stay coherent and tight, but it also means no wandering around for three hours trying to figure out what you're supposed to be doing to progress. I SUCK at video games (especially ones involving shooting) and I didn't once have to consult an FAQ on how to continue.

They managed to make the gunplay fun and intuitive to me, which means any veteran FPS player will probably find it childishly simple, but I don't care, because I found it so refreshingly fun to play. Yeah, I still died quite a few times, on the easiest setting, but never so many times in one spot that I got pissed off or wanted to stop playing.

The story however, is the real gem. I can't say too much about it without spoiling it, but it's pitch-perfect. It's extremely meta and mind-screwy. And awesome. I mean seriously, you play as a writer in a nightmare little Maine town, finding manuscript pages that you don't remember writing, that describe what's happening to you. And it GETS WEIRDER. Even if the gameplay sucked (which it doesn't) I would recommend this to any fan of the genre, (or any fan of writing) simply on merit of the story alone.

Speaking of things I would recommend Alan Wake soley on the merits of; the soundtrack. Seriously. Talk about pitch perfect.

Look... just. Just play this game, okay? Or watch a let's play, or something. I'm serious. Its like 15 hours if you suck at it. That's not a waste, that's an *investment*.



-David

PS: Oh, and if you're one of those people who won't play a game unless its graphics give you a blow job, THIS GAME'S GRAPHICS GAVE ME A BLOW JOB, OKAY? Just PLAY IT.

Quilava	M	16	Mild	Afrit
Flaaffy	F	16	Hardy	Lil Zeus
Gastly	M	16	Rash	Jasper
Wooper	F	15	Lax	Whoopdie
Hoppip	M	15	Bashful	Delion
Spearow	F	16	Hasty	Starling

Just out of Ilex Forest.

Bunny has been playing Robot Unicorn Attack but Bunny is not very good at it. It is very pretty and neat and makes Bunny want to watch Rainbow Brite. But Mordax says rainbow Brite will make Mordax ill. So Bunny will draw instead.

-Bunny ♥ &heartsl

Update of an old pic I did when I was just starting drawing.

The Happy Mask Man from Zelda- even the face he shows isn't real.

DeDraMo 11. Pencil, photoshop. 1 1/2 hours.


Who is that Happy Mask Man by ~Greer-The-Raven on deviantART

For comparison- the original. Drawn in 2003.


The Happy Mask Man by ~Greer-The-Raven on deviantART

Story: The story is amazing. If you enjoyed the stories is the first 3 Silent Hills, this game will be a joy to you. It has a tight narrative, well acted and superbly paced. The game play and story fit together like a glove. The use of the psychology tests to tailor the details of the story to the specific player are used masterfully, and fit easily within the whole narrative. The characters are all compelling and multi-layered. A fantastic tale for any medium, this game should be played by anyone who is a fan of psychological thrillers.

Game Play: The game play is composed of three "modes" or sequence types. The first type is the wandering type. You search around the town, solve puzzles, take pictures, and interact with various other characters. This is the mode that most advances the plot, and in my opinion, the most fun to play. You get to have a lot of interaction, and just being able to passively observe all the details in the environments is a lot of fun. The puzzles are challenging, but not aggravating, and unlike some prior SHs none of them require strange out of game knowledge to complete without a guide. The atmosphere during these is somber, and moody, and more than a little spooky.

The second type are the Psychiatrist's office where you interact with a doctor, who puts the events of the game in a very psychological light, and presents you with psych tests in order to judge what kind of a person you are, and what to throw out at you in the game. These sections are really intriguing, and add a lot to the story. They're also a little bit disorienting, as you are thrown out of the action and onto the couch; however, this is clearly intentional, and serves to punctuate the events of the game.

The third type are the "nightmare chase" sequences. This is where you drop everything, and run away from unkillable monsters. It's intense, and panicky, and more than a little frustrating, especially if you don't have a good sense of direction as the paths are very twisting, and non-linear.

Graphics: The graphics in the game are surprisingly beautiful and detailed. I found it a shame that some much of the world had to be run through at high speed, because I spent a lot of time in the wandering sequences just enjoying all of the gorgeous detail in the environments. The snow and ice were especially pretty and actually looked real. The flashlight similarly shed light in a realistic manner and threw neat shadows all over the place. The character model's were very good, although Harry's face seemed just a touch rubbery (especially without glasses on).

Controls: The wii controls are... a mixed bag, from my point of view. On the one hand, controlling the flashlight was a joy. Using it to *steer* however, was not, and I found myself running in all directions, and at a disadvantage because of my shaky hands. It was also hard to turn during the chase sequences. Shaking off monsters worked really well, although it was tiring; it was difficult at first, but after I got the hang of it simulating shaking off monsters with the wiimote was really very immersive. Likewise I found the cellphone menu to be well implemented and easy to use.

Music and Sound: While not quite as fantastic as the music in previous Silent Hill games, it's still *really good*. It fit the mood well, and was used in a minimalist way that fit the tone of each scene. I quite like the soundtrack, although mostly the vocal tracks.

Overall: The game is a fine example of the series. While the lack of combat is a huge thing to adapt to, the system fits the game. In fact, all of the elements really gel into one great experience. The game is short, but extremely well paced, and has immense replay value because of the psych profile system and multiple endings. If you are a fan of horror, play this game!

THAT WAS THE BEST SH STORY SINCE SH 2.

I refuse to spoiler anyone for it. PLAY THIS GAME.

This game is beautiful; however;

I am stuck in the dark, in the woods, with only a flashlight, and no sense for direction. I have been killed about 15 motherfucking times trying to run through this motherfucker with no sense that I am getting closer to a victory. I have to retry from the beginning of the chase sequence every time.

This game does not play to my strengths.

-Mordax