“A good game is not a matter of weighing its pros and cons”: What Makes Alan Wake So Different from Other AAA Games Despite its Glaring Flaws?

Alan Wake first hit the market in 2010, and despite some flaws in its gameplay, it managed to satisfy a primal desire for most players. The first game lacked a lot of things but still managed to age well over the years.

The game revolutionized the survival horror genre with a touch of thrilling elements to keep players hooked on till the end. It is very different and unique from most of the other AAA titles in today’s times.

Alan Wake Lacks In Some Ways But Excels In Many

Alan Wake is a story-driven game, mainly focusing on its prime narrative involving a writer who is on a quest to find his missing wife. The game draws heavy inspiration from the widely celebrated horror novels by Stephen King and borrows its surrealistic elements from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.

The game lacks in making the gameplay more interactive and fresh. The game has only 3 major enemy types: birds and objects. To kill enemies, players need to kill the darkness within them first by throwing rays of light at them, and that is pretty much the only fighting mechanic in the entire game.

Due to this, players often get bored of the mundanity of facing enemies while progressing in the game. The story also lacks in telling something new but still does a pretty good job at hooking players on it till the very end.

There are many other things that further enhance the flaws of the game, including some of the design decisions, extended chapters, and fight initiations.

Despite all this, some players have enjoyed the game and are of the opinion that in spite of it lacking in variety, it makes up for it in personality and charm. One Reddit user gave their account of the same by talking about this in detail.

Alan Wake: Just because a game is very flawed, doesn’t mean it can’t be a great experience
byu/jimmerdejim inpatientgamers

Alan Wake is a game with an identity of its own and comes off as a bold game that is ready to explore new ways of storytelling. This is largely what sets the game apart.

There Is More To Games Than Assessing Pros & Cons

Gaming, like any other art form, offers a highly subjective experience to each individual, due to which it becomes hard to give dogmatic statements claiming the game to be absolutely good or bad.

Alan Wake is the biggest example of it, as the game might not appeal to people who are looking for interesting and challenging boss fights with a lot of focus on the gameplay as opposed to those who just want to experience a good story.

These are some of the differences that set a game apart. Having said that, there is no doubt that Alan Wake is not a bad game; it is just about what an individual is looking for while playing it.

Did you enjoy playing Alan Wake? Let us know in the comments below.