[kuze]

Originally Posted by Gabe

Quite an achivement,A.W. delivering extremely dense atmosphere that unprecedented in pc gaming history.

Weeeeell, I'm a fan, but I wouldn't go that far...

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by kuze

Weeeeell, I'm a fan, but I wouldn't go that far...

Well I don't know. When I first played it, you instantly know how perfect and imperfect the atmosphere is. The organic nature is unprecedented, not to mention the soundscape and active environments.

[TiAgUh]

Fortunately its issues work in its favor and enhances the weird nightmare-ish feel, like the over-exaggerated moonshine that kills half the reason for a flashlight or the adamantium computers you encounter each step or the unexplainable killer river or... I dunno.

But I also think that's stretching a wee bit, like Kuze said. Btw, is there any reason for that useless wimpy jump of his?

[SamandMax]

Everything I've read about American Nightmare has hyped it up to be a much more combat-oriented experience, which it is, but they also neglect to mention that it actually offers a bit more freedom and exploration than Alan Wake did. The game is divided up into pretty large hub levels which you can explore freely for manuscripts and other hidden goodies, and while it's not exactly an open world sandbox game, it's fun to be able to delve into your surroundings a little more. Remedy clearly realized that people got sick of the whole march-through-a-linear-forest-path formula the first game followed closely so they do a good job opening things up a bit.

[Schneckchen ^.^]

So far the game is better than I expected and totally worth the $30. But as has been stated before... my favorite parts are just walking around exploring stuff with your flashlight. I don't really care about the shooting and hope they don't ruin the franchise by trying to please the COD kiddies who don't even play this game anyways.

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by Schneckchen ^.^

So far the game is better than I expected and totally worth the $30. But as has been stated before... my favorite parts are just walking around exploring stuff with your flashlight. I don't really care about the shooting and hope they don't ruin the franchise by trying to please the COD kiddies who don't even play this game anyways.

Well if its true that there is more exploration, then why should AM be worse than the original Alan Wake? By the sounds of it AM is closer to the original AW design than the released final copy of AW.

[SamandMax]

Remedy make action games and Alan Wake is no exception, so while I'm sure they will continue to offer some exploration and investigation elements, I think it's safe to say that this series will most likely become even more combat-oriented in the future. American Nightmare exists solely to cement the mythology of the Alan Wake universe so by the end of it, it seems pretty clear that what's coming ahead is probably going to be more of a hero-fighting-the-armies-of-darkness epic instead of just a novelist-trapped-in-limbo horror story. And I'm alright with that, Alan Wake isn't a mindless shooter like COD, I personally think there's a lot of finesse and grace to the combat and I think they will only continue to refine it in the future.

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by SamandMax

Remedy make action games and Alan Wake is no exception, so while I'm sure they will continue to offer some exploration and investigation elements, I think it's safe to say that this series will most likely become even more combat-oriented in the future. American Nightmare exists solely to cement the mythology of the Alan Wake universe so by the end of it, it seems pretty clear that what's coming ahead is probably going to be more of a hero-fighting-the-armies-of-darkness epic instead of just a novelist-trapped-in-limbo horror story. And I'm alright with that, Alan Wake isn't a mindless shooter like COD, I personally think there's a lot of finesse and grace to the combat and I think they will only continue to refine it in the future.

I don't know. I think Remedy went into making AN choosing a story to fit a combat oriented nature and not make a sequel to AW.

Its like saying all the DLC for Fallout New Vegas are representation of what the next DLC will be in the series. AN was a more combat oriented story. AW2 won't be.

[TiAgUh]

Originally Posted by Schneckchen ^.^

(...) my favorite parts are just walking around exploring stuff with your flashlight.

Not that you actually need it since those nights are everything but dark.

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by TiAgUh

Not that you actually need it since those nights are everything but dark.

Well to be honest, the flashlight wasn't used as a source of light for the player, but a combat mechanic.

[Schneckchen ^.^]

Originally Posted by TiAgUh

Not that you actually need it since those nights are everything but dark.

Lol yeeah... but it looks cool and increases the atmosphere

[Periglo]

Originally Posted by TiAgUh

Not that you actually need it since those nights are everything but dark.

Unlike Resident Evil 4. Man, those are dark nights...

[kuze]

I just finished American Nightmare, and I absolutely loved it. I went in with low expectations, prepared for action-heavy gameplay with little story, and was taken by surprise with great narrative, lots of exploration and a satisfying end. Such a great, well-rounded experience where music, dialogues and characters just come together beautifully, I'm really glad Alan Wake (and AN) exists.

To me, it doesn't seem like American Nightmare has more action than the first game, nor is it noticeably harder, and that's fine with me. While I think the combat in AW is well executed and somewhat original, it's really not what makes me enjoy the game. The story however, the setting, it's all I could have wished for in an Alan Wake XBLA title.

[Monolith]

^Thanks for that tidbit.

I just played the Trial on xbl and WOW holy crap the story sounds so awesome. The trial ends after you set up the Oil scene. Nice choice of song while you play the part.

The trial screams 'non-linear'. It feels like Alan Wake 1.5 or possible 2.0. I'm definitely going to buy it now.

Beautiful visuals, live action cutscenes, more adventure elements and surprisingly fun combat (its been a while since i played AW and hell I just love it.

Well if there is def more combat.....it doesn't sound like there will be more combat than adventure elements. More like everything was multiplied by 2.

[SamandMax]

I've been playing I Am Alive this weekend and it has definitely given me a better appreciation for what Remedy managed to do with American Nightmare. It's not easy to make a game as technically impressive and ambitious as AN with a 2GB size limit but they pulled it off, and even though they had to rely on repeating the same three levels, they even did that without it ever getting stale.

[Gabe]

In a enviroment like this attackers unbelievably limited i expect wolf pack,bears,boars,mooses etc.but all we get crows and takens why they always have to be miners or lumberjack for example at the clinic doc becames a taken but not patiences?I think devs animation skills so limited they couldnt create more than this just copy and paste.

[D.C.]

I was pleasantly surprised with Alan Wake's American Nightmare. I thought the DLC to the first game was decent, but stalled the story a little. (I feel the same way about Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Revelations. Great instalments in their own right, but where's my proper sequel damn it!? ) Finally felt like there was some progress on that front here, though I still want Alan Wake 2 more over DLC/XBLA editions.

Spoiler:

I mentioned this somewhere else, but it almost seemed that they responded to the repetitive criticism of the first game by making this one even more repetitive by design.

I loved the idea of the time loop and can understand the limitations they had working with XBLA, but I would've liked to see a lot more variation when replaying these initial chapters all over again. Maybe different perspectives of things going on at the same time and the like. At times it almost felt like padding, designed to extend the length a little. These criticisms are easily forgiven.

I wouldn't diss the animation guys at Remedy, though. I spent more time than I should've admiring the way Alan's shirt animated in the desert breeze.

[Schneckchen ^.^]

Originally Posted by Gabe

In a enviroment like this attackers unbelievably limited i expect wolf pack,bears,boars,mooses etc.but all we get crows and takens why they always have to be miners or lumberjack for example at the clinic doc becames a taken but not patiences?I think devs animation skills so limited they couldnt create more than this just copy and paste.

Yeah I kept hoping for some wildlife too. Some big dogs or something would have been pretty scary. I'm not all the way through the game yet but this comment leads me to believe there aren't any coming up

[TiAgUh]

Alan Wake got extremely monotonous after a while, so going Groundhog Day-like in American Nightmare isn't that of a huge departure, right? I kid, I kid .

Originally Posted by SamandMax

I've been playing I Am Alive this weekend

That one has Disaster Report written all over it (hopefully it's much much better).

[Monolith]

Everyone knows this is taking place is a story/episode of Night Springs right? Wildlife? That would make it feel like reality more than a surreal representation that is his reality.

Originally Posted by TiAgUh

That one has Disaster Report written all over it (hopefully it's much much better).

-_- I need to try I Am Alive. Mixed reviews, but i'm sure i'll like it. People are trying to pin the game's likeness to other games. It looks and feels like its own game.