Alan Wake

Amazing story, beautiful atmosphere and full of action!

The camera angle isn't great, there's blur effects absolutely everywhere, and the controls are sluggish, but ammunition is plentiful, so the gameplay feels like resource management with minimal player input as to how efficiently those resources are spent.

The story has some interesting ideas though. I need to write something long-form again.

Graphic not so outdated and gameplay still fun. Good story.
Needs a little mod with dxvk to fix the FPS but totally worth it.

The concepts are unique and could have been fun had the execution been better. The game is very repetitive and feels lacking at times.

Great story, mediocre gameplay.

Don't play it on hard unless you really like being irritated by a writer with congenital heart disease and severe asthma.

On the surface level, Alan Wake is a good game that has good elements of horror in it. It has got a well-constructed environment and has a good story too, putting you in the shoes of Alan as you journey through Bright Falls. However, one of the major problems with this game is that each mission gets too repetitive and annoying. There's hardly an enemy variety as you repeatedly battle the same enemies throughout all missions, including even in the DLC chapters. The combat is also not good and there have been moments where the game bugged out, forcing me to restart missions again.

If you don't have a problem with repetition and bad combat design, then I would probably recommend Alan Wake as it has a great story, and Alan is a good character to play as.

Amazing story and very interesting gameplay too. I absolutely recommend this game. I was captivated from start to finish.

One thing though: Those specials unlocked at the end suck ass. It's gauntlets of very bad fights with some story hidden behind. Don't recommend that part at all.

this game has been my all time favorite for the past like 10 years, im just writing a review for it now so steam knows i like it. pc controls feel a little weird but that might just be because ive always played it on console. this is the game to ever exist

Alan Wake is one of the most atmospheric and engaging psychological thriller games I have ever played. Developed by Remedy Entertainment, it follows the story of a bestselling writer, Alan Wake, who travels to the small town of Bright Falls with his wife to escape writer’s block. However, things quickly take a dark turn when his wife disappears, and he finds himself trapped in a supernatural nightmare, with shadowy enemies hunting him and pages of a manuscript he doesn’t remember writing coming to life.

The game’s biggest strength is its storytelling. Inspired by Stephen King and Twin Peaks, Alan Wake delivers a gripping narrative filled with mystery, psychological horror, and mind-bending twists. The episodic structure makes it feel like a TV series, keeping players hooked with cliffhangers and suspense. The game’s setting is equally impressive, with beautifully eerie environments, dense forests, and fog-covered roads that enhance the sense of isolation and fear.

Gameplay revolves around light-based combat, where players must use flashlights to weaken enemies before finishing them off with firearms. This unique mechanic adds tension, forcing players to manage batteries and ammo carefully. However, combat can become repetitive over time. Despite this, the excellent atmosphere, well-written characters, and haunting soundtrack make Alan Wake a memorable experience. It’s a must-play for fans of psychological horror and narrative-driven games.

Alan Wake is a really solid action survival horror with a great story supported by excellent writing and voice performances. While I do recommend this game it is with the caveats that there is kind of a steep difficulty curve at points but that could be an issue with me playing it more like an action game than a survival horror, and the sequel being an EGS exclusive as of writing this review and for the foreseeable future.

Amazing game, I would recommend you play the remaster as it just looks better but great game. Play the 2nd if you enjoyed this one.

enjoyable story for the price its worth a few hours

Alan Wake is a standout game that I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good story-driven experience. The unique episode structure is a fantastic, out-of-the-box approach that makes the game feel like a captivating TV series. Each episode is packed with suspense, leaving you eager to see what happens next.
The plot is intriguing and keeps you hooked from start to finish. You'll find yourself constantly playing to uncover the mysteries surrounding Alan Wake and the eerie town of Bright Falls.
However, it's worth mentioning that the first two chapters take a bit of time to start properly. The pace in the beginning may feel slow, but it quickly picks up and becomes an engaging ride. Additionally, the adventure is quite closed in terms of exploration. The game tends to guide you by the hand through each level, which might not appeal to those who prefer a more open-world experience.
Despite these small issues, Alan Wake offers a remarkable narrative and an innovative episodic format that makes it a must-play title. Dive into this dark and atmospheric world; you won't regret it!

I really enjoyed this game and highly recommend it. It's a shame we most likely won't get alan wake 2 on steam.
The story and the idea of the game are really interesting and keeps you captivated all the way to the end.
The gameplay may not be innovative but it's interesting and i liked the idea of the darkness and the taken, the use of light sources too.
The characters are interesting too and the manuscript pages add a nice touch and more informations to the game.
Let's not forget about the soundtrack, which i love and is one of the best ones ever i think.

This game is about Night Springs, and... Coffee thermos.
Watch it on YouTube for the story. Other than that, there's nothing much to 'write' home about.

Oh, and the ending is a massive nothing burger.

Really good. Fantastic voice acting, music and atmosphere. And, for a 12 year old game, in my opinion it looks really good.

Now I have to replay Control to get what were the references to AW,

Alan Wake has to be the most Absolute Cinema game I ever experienced. Would love to play the sequel but that's only in the Epic Games store sadly. hopefully one day but this was a fantastic experience still.

Overall, wouldnt recommend it. The game play gets old pretty fast. The story is fine. Didnt have any memorable characters. Had to push myself to finish it. 5/10

at first i was a little bit skeptical about this game as graphically isn't the best cuz it's really old, anyways the history and the game deserves an oportunity which you won't regret. 9/10

PD: some enemies may be annoying cuz they can spawn behind you sometimes without hearing them so keep that in your mind when you're playing on high difficulties.

One of the best story telling survival horror games of its time, up there with the likes of silent hill or resident evil, whilst still retaining its own unique style and gameplay compared to its peers. Not much else to say, its a bloody good game :)

This game has a great fantasy story, the twists in the story are mind-blowing, and the ending too, this is definitely one of the best stories in gaming lore.

I Recommended ➟ 8.5/10 ✅

Man what a game! The gameplay gets super tedious after awhile but what a world they crafted, Barry for life. There's no "clever" trope deconstruction here, it's all played with cheesy sincerity. 9/10

Alan Wake is an extremely well-done, suspenseful, and psychological horror story.

You take on the role of Alan Wake, an author struggling with writer's block, who decides to take a trip with his wife, Alice, to the secluded town of Bright Falls, Washington. He hopes to find some peace and inspiration, but things take a dark turn when Alice mysteriously disappears and Alan finds himself caught in a twisted nightmare.

The game play is simple: Keep moving to the next checkpoint. You don't have to kill everything, but sometimes you need to kill or destroy shadow-controlled living beings or objects. The mechanics are also straightforward: use light sources to eliminate shadows on living beings or inanimate objects, then use a gun to finish off living beings after shadow is gone.

It all sounds simple, but even on the easiest settings the game is punishing. The main difficulty lies in dealing with the number of powerful enemies, who can easily surround and flank you (some requiring considerable effort while in high-pressure situations). There were two ways to handle them and the first is being fearful, using light, running, and dodging to reach the next checkpoint. The second is to be brave, taking things slow and methodically. However, sometimes it gets so intense you can only run to reach the next checkpoint as soon as possible.

I spent a long time playing the six main episodes and two special episodes of this game, experiencing its story. It was sometimes overwhelming and difficult, which might be a downside for some. There's plenty of achievements in the game, and it's also highly replayable (but the story won't be fresh the 2nd time). It also plays on the Steam Deck without issue!

Overall, Alan Wake is an extremely immersive, intense, excellent, effective, and challenging psychological horror game that all fans of this genre should try at least once! If you enjoy it, check out Alan Wake's American Nightmare!

10/10

Been awhile since i have played any type of horror/scary game and it was a thrilling ride from start to finish.
Characters, voice acting, sound design is top notch. Even the old FMV's have a charm that is captivating.
I played this version due to not wanting to buy the remastered version on epic games and the graphics are still good to this date.

Fully recommend this game! Give it a go even if you don't like scary games :)

ABSOLUTE CINEMA !!!!i know its not your generic horror game but the attention to detail and the thrill it creates to capture you is just enough to leave anyone with awe and also keep the guy in constant fear of getting beat up by darkness...... overall an easy S Tier game

Not the most challenging nor the scariest survival horror game available, but pretty good. Story is fantastic and if you are at all interested in future Remedy games you have to play this one. This began the multiversal project that they are developing now with AW2 and Control.

I went into this expecting a masterpiece from all the hype I'd heard over the years. While not a masterpiece, it's still a great game. The story, while nothing special in today's standards, is still enjoyable and the game does well to make it just unique enough to keep you hooked

Old gameplay but still pretty enjoyable, and the storyline is fantastic.
Now I have to wait for AW2 to be released on Steam someday.

After hearing so many great things about this game I finally decided it was time to buy it and play it for myself.
And I must say, it did not disappoint.

The story of this game alone is one of the most unique and intriguing I've seen in a game in a very long time. Both its story and its compelling writing are 2 of its strongest elements and resulted in a story that kept me guessing all the way through. And the visuals of this game. Absolutely mesmerising even for a game that is as old as this. The jaw dropping mountains and the amazing natural beauty of this small town in rural Washington State that this game is set in made me look with awe in every episode and made me wish I could fly to America and see it for myself.

It's not a perfect game, then again though, no game is perfect really. The Mocap animation and performances are a clear sign that this game was made over a decade and a half ago. With characters making weird funny faces that sometimes ranged from overly animated to stilted and creepy smiles, resulting in some unintentionally funny moments from characters including Alan Wake during what was meant to be dramatic scenes. The characters themselves, with the exception of the main character and Thomas Zane, were not the strongest I've seen. Most of them either suffered from cliche character types (Barry being the cowardly comic relief for example) or just not enough time spent on them that could've given them more development. Alan's wife, Alice for instance. I sort of wished that we learnt a bit more of her in the story than what we were given which may have resulted in her and Alan's relationship and personal struggles more impactful in the story.

That's just my humble opinion though. And despite those small isolated cons, it did not affect my experience in the game in a negative way whatsoever and I enjoyed the game for what it was intended to be.

Overall, Alan Wake was a fantastic gaming experience and despite its little flaws and some dated elements it still holds up very well for 2025. 8/10 Highly Recommended.

Supernatural/Psychological Thriller that references Twin Peaks & Stephen King among others. Slightly camp as Alan is a jerk, a crap writer and hilariously out of shape. The game has great tension, creepy vibes and interesting, sometimes loopy story (again, be onboard for a bit of camp). The in-game graphics also look great and really enhance the creepy feeling.

Would not recommend to anyone who is looking for a Shooter or Survival Horror game. The shooting mechanics are purposefully awkward (think Silent Hill rather than Resident Evil) and running away is often a better strategy than trying to fight the enemies. The horror vibe is more creepy or spooky rather than gorey and disturbing as it is in RE or SH.

This game is so good, the story, characters, music, all of it. and we need Alan wake 2 on steam pls remedy

I enjoyed it. The story is fantastic! Some of the set pieces are fantastic too. The gameplay overall though, it’s a bit repetitive for my liking. Shine your light on a few enemies, shoot them once of twice, then pause and read a manuscript, or listen to the radio, or watch an episode, etc. Very stop-start. I enjoyed my journey through it, but was also happy when it was over. Barry’s a legend!

It pains me to rate this as not recommended, because I think the story in this game is absolutely fantastic. If you're a fan of Stephen King, you'll love this - it feels like homage whilst managing to maintain its own identity in all the best ways.

Unfortunately, the actual gameplay is absolutely awful. Just mind-numbingly repetitive. Some of the setpieces are very cool in the latter half of the game, but the majority of your time will be spent pointing your torch at a small group of enemies for 10 seconds, shooting them once or twice, then walking thirty feet into a spot that regenerates your health. Repeat ad nauseum.

There are a few things that are slightly annoying about playing, such as the insanely limited stamina (you can run for about 10ft, then Alan wheezes and walks slowly for about 15/20 seconds, and some parts in the late game include floors dropping out beneath you, and with your hilariously feeble jump it can be frustrating to navigate, but your results may vary with these.

I will say, if you're a fan of Control, or just really want to check out the Remedy connected universe, it's probably worth pushing through. It's only about 10/11h for the main story, and roughly 4h for the DLC.

An absolute classic for gaming history. You don't need to have played Max Payne, but if you want all the onion layers for this game it would help. No one can explain the story of Alan Wake, you simply have to experience it. Sam Lake is my Kojima, my David Lynch.

Great game with a great story. But. I can recommend play it ONLY on Easy mode.

While the gameplay loop isn't very modern and is a bit dated, the overall story and concept is really cool and interesting. Simple mechanics.

This game is outstandingly good, the story, characters, music, all of it

Great atmospheric game, gameplay's a bit stale but the story keeps you hooked to explore more and more.

Gripping story. Great characters. Does suspense really well.

quite janky movement due to 3rd person camera placement, but the rest is perfect, i love the narrative story, graphic is idk good enough ig if you didnt have 2k24 game graphic standard.

After finishing Control and wanting to start up Alan Wake 2 I grabbed this to play it and see if it was a fun ride.

It absolutely is. 13 years later, it's a game I'm enjoying pushing through for the story.

This is honestly one of the best games developed, the story is captivating along with it's Stephen King-inspired narration, graphics and game play are solid and the soundtrack is very immersive.

As a game developer myself, this is pure inspiration.

Well done Remedy, you are one of the cures to the gaming industry.

The game still has a charm to it after all these years and despite what a lot of people say it is still a great game and I can see why it got a sequel. Whilst some of the gameplay mechanics (dodge is on sprint, dodging inconsistent, enemies appearing from nowhere) are quite dated and honestly quite bad. The overall balance that the game gives you from the story to the set pieces to the exploration as well as the overall vibe of the game makes up for it with a compelling story and secrets to uncover. This is definietly worth a shot if you want to know more about Alan Wake or have a general fun time playing a relatively short game

7 / 10

Steven King once wrote that nightmares exist outside of logic and there's little fun to be had in explanations. They're antithetical to the poetry of fear. In a horror story, the victim keeps asking why, but there can be no explanation and there shouldn't be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest and is what we'll remember in the end.

My name is Alan Wake, I'm a writer.

There is a reason why Alan Wake is one of the best horror games ever made.

You are Alan Wake, writer. You go to small town of Bright Falls. But stuff doesn't go so bright for you. You have to test Alans sanity to go trew the horrors that are happening around him to save his wife.

This game is fun and has good animations for how old it is.

Good story and presentation, good world building, all dragged down by repetitive combat that adds nothing to the experience.

Worth a play for those who enjoy cosmic/eldritch horror sorts of things.

As a fan of Twin Peaks, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, atmosphere and world building of this game.. Gameplay is a little lacking but still good overall. 8.25/10

Very cool story and gameplay, always had a way to keep things fresh by introducing new concepts each chapter but the fighting did get repetitive at some points, 9/10!

Game was kicking my ass. When I finished it I got an achievement for beating it on Hard difficulty, I completely forgot, that's why it was so hard. Hahaha

Great game. Pacing about right. Not a huge range of mechanics etc so story could never be longer than about 15 hours.

Graphics held up well given it's a 2010 game. Environments beautiful and sound direction is incredible.

Probably won't play again and it hasn't made me desperate to play AW2