Alan Wake (2010): The Review
Overview
Playing Alan Wake Remastered feels like pulling a beloved horror novel off the shelf and slipping it into a shiny new cover, it looks fresh, but the experience inside is largely unchanged, and a few worn edges still show. For longtime fans, it’s a nice nostalgia trip but hardly essential, while newcomers will still find plenty to enjoy in its unnerving atmosphere and clever narrative twists. It remains a distinctive slice of survival horror, even if the refined action and polish of Remedy’s newer work have long since outpaced poor Alan himself.
Score: 8 out of 10
The Positives ✅
Alan Wake Remastered shines a light on one of Remedy’s most atmospheric and narratively rich creations. Eleven years later, this psychological thriller still feels unique, a moody, pulpy descent into creative madness that plays like Stephen King’s Misery directed by David Lynch. The story remains its strongest suit: crime novelist Alan Wake, searching for his missing wife in the eerie town of Bright Falls, is trapped in a narrative where his own written words come to life. It’s surreal, unnerving, and completely gripping. The combination of noir-style narration, unreliable storytelling, and supernatural tension gives it an identity few games have ever matched.
The remaster itself does exactly what it promises, it takes the original’s cinematic atmosphere and polishes it for modern hardware. The gloomy forests, flickering lamps, and misty lakeshores have never looked better. Anti-aliasing smooths out the edges, textures are sharper (down to the wool on Alan’s coat), and the neon glow of Bright Falls finally pops the way it always should have. Running at 4K and 60fps, it’s the best the game has ever looked, and the results are immediate: the world feels alive again, menacing and inviting all at once. Even with its slightly stiff animations, Remedy’s sense of place and tone remains impeccable.
There’s also something refreshing about Alan Wake’s simplicity in 2021. In a world of sprawling skill trees and bloated crafting systems, its streamlined design feels almost rebellious. You’ve got your gun, your flashlight, and your nerves, that’s it. Every battery and bullet counts, and when the shadows close in, there’s a primal satisfaction in burning through the darkness with just enough tools to survive. Add in the haunting soundtrack, excellent use of sound design, and a brand-new commentary track by Sam Lake reflecting on the game’s creation, and you’ve got a package that feels both nostalgic and lovingly preserved.
The Negatives ⚠️
Of course, shining a brighter light also exposes the cracks. Alan Wake Remastered may look better than ever, but it plays exactly like it did in 2010, and not always in a good way. Combat remains functional but repetitive; by the halfway mark, you’ve already seen every weapon, enemy, and tactic the game has to offer. Encounters start blending together into predictable patterns of flashlight-zap-shoot-repeat, and the tension fades long before the credits roll. After experiencing the refined combat of Remedy’s Control, it’s impossible not to notice how dated Alan Wake’s mechanics feel.
The lack of small quality-of-life improvements also hurts. There’s still no visible stamina meter, meaning you’ll constantly guess how far Alan can sprint before wheezing to a stop, and the absence of better attack indicators makes off-screen hits frustratingly cheap. While the remaster fixes visuals and cutscenes, it ignores opportunities to modernize its feel, something that becomes especially apparent during longer play sessions. The character animations, too, remain stiff and uncanny, which clashes against the otherwise gorgeous environments.
It’s also worth noting that the remaster doesn’t add much beyond a new coat of paint. The QR code secrets are a cute touch for fans, and the included DLC episodes (The Signal and The Writer) are nice bonuses, but new players will find the package light on surprises. Those returning will get a nostalgic kick, sure, but might wish Remedy had pushed a little further in updating the experience beyond the visuals.
The Experience 🎮
Playing Alan Wake Remastered today is like finding a well-worn paperback in perfect condition, familiar, comfortable, and still capable of pulling you deep into its pages. Its story and atmosphere remain as compelling as ever, dripping with mystery and paranoia, and the presentation finally does its tone justice. Few games balance pulp fiction and psychological dread this well. Even when you’re frustrated by the clunky combat or wooden faces, the writing, pacing, and eerie mood keep pulling you forward.
Remedy’s worldbuilding is second to none. Bright Falls feels like a living nightmare: mundane on the surface, but crawling with unease underneath. Every flicker of light feels like safety, every shadow like danger. The new visuals only amplify that tension, making every forest path and motel room feel richer and more cinematic. The added commentary gives longtime fans a peek behind the curtain, and a reminder of how ahead of its time Alan Wake really was.
In the end, this remaster doesn’t reinvent the flashlight, but it doesn’t have to. Alan Wake Remastered is a reminder of how atmosphere, storytelling, and mood can elevate even dated gameplay into something memorable. It’s flawed, yes, but it’s also timeless, a cult classic brought back to life with just enough polish to shine in the dark once again
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