Combines Stephen King with Nolan
Alan Wake is a horror video game produced in 2010 by Remedy Entertainment and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The PC version was released in February 2012. This review is based on that version, including both DLCs: The Signal and The Writer.
It tells the dark tale of the eponymous writer, the main character of the story, who must uncover the secret behind the dark trap of Bright Falls and ultimately save his wife. Later, Alan discovers that many of his problems and troubles are caused by himself and his abrasive and depressive personality, which tries to hinder and block all his goals.
The game makes heavy use of time jumps à la Christopher Nolan, employing numerous flashbacks and flashforwards to try and explain the highly intricate woodland adventures and reconstruct, along with the manuscripts, what happens in this charming village. These writings are of fundamental importance not only to understand the meaning of the story, but also to figure out what kind of trouble you are getting yourself into.
For exploration lovers, Alan Wake doesn't give you much leeway with wide and expansive maps, because-given the horror nature of the game-it will constantly try to make you lose your way and lead you to certain death.
The protagonist's dynamics strongly evoke Stephen King, both for the narrated events and the heavy use of flashbacks, but they also draw inspiration from Christopher Nolan's intricate narrative structure. To fully comprehend the game's plot and understand the reasons behind all these events, it is almost necessary to have played it through at least twice.
Alan Wake is a title with a very sophisticated and intelligent plot. Those who are accustomed to this type of writing will definitely appreciate this work.