It's hard to remember a game that has been glimpsed so little and yet generated so much discussion. Admittedly, not all of that discussion has been positive.
In fact, mostly talk of Alan Wake is followed by arguments about whether it will ever come out, if it can possibly live up to three years' worth of hype and - whisper it - if it even exists anymore. Well, after a year of silence, a new trailer landed last month so we know, at least, it exists. But can it live up to expectations - and when will the game actually arrive on shop shelves?
Release date first, then - because there isn't one. As is Remedy's wont, the game will only see the light of day when completed. The Finnish coders have consistently shaken off any vague seasonal release pushed their way by publishers Microsoft, repeating on their website that the game only debuts once it's done.
That said, almost a thousand days into development and they are, at least, prepared to attach the year 2009 to the project. And, if we were to take a bash, we'd say autumn is a good bet.
Remedy admit Wake is a free-roaming game, with exploration, character interaction, interiors and, particularly, driving a major part of the adventure. They've also tried to distance it from GTA by saying the focus on story means the player will be more closely aligned with the plot. "The storyline doesn't advance if the player wanders aimlessly around the woods," says Lead Designer Petri Jarvilehto, which suggests that, while there will be a degree of freedom, you won't be base-jumping from the Lighthouse, or stealing ambulances and careering around the woodland with fifty cop cars on your trail.
So, with the story playing such a massive part, it's just a shame we know so little about it. What Remedy have released is a basic overview, repeated a thousand times: Wake is a writer, whose wife disappears when he moves to the Pacific north west town of Bright Falls - and as insomnia and writer's block kicks in, his book starts writing itself... and the events in it come to life. Hugely influenced by the works of Stephen King, the game's scripter Sam Lake also points towards weird-out cult TV show Twin Peaks as inspiration as well. Does that mean you'll be encountering backwards-talking dwarfs in red rooms? Er, no, but there'll certainly be that same sense of an apparently perfect small town hiding deep, dark secrets, with nothing quite as it should be.
For now, though, we just have to wait. Again. Still, given that Remedy have already made us sit on our hands for three years, another 6-8 months shouldn't be much of a chore...
Comments
15 comments so far...
lonewolf2002 on 1 Jan '09 said:
Hopefully this will live up to the media/gamer hype that has followed it. As you said Remedy have been very low key with their info on this.
At least they are taking their time to hopefully release a decent product.
jadehill2001 on 1 Jan '09 said:
I am well and truely looking forward to this game and have been since was announced years back. I even bought my 360 for this game alone so I can play it (My PC not being strong enough for the PC version).
If the release is 2009 then surely we'll be seeing more of the game. We don't even know whether there are monsters (a la Silent Hill) in this game or not?
rockstarsean on 1 Jan '09 said:
If its anywhere near as good as Twin Peaks I'll buy a 360 just for it
johnman on 1 Jan '09 said:
This is becoming something quite interesting. Hopefully they will make the surrounding country an interesting place to be.
StonecoldMC on 1 Jan '09 said:
If this game comes out in 2009 then I will be one happy gamer. Ever since I saw the tech demo of the engine years ago and then found out the type of Game Remedy were trying to create (in an open world!) I was sold.
The whole thing has a David Lynch/Stephen King feel to it and if Remedy can pull it off they could have something pretty special on their hands. Then again I might be getting a little too carried away.
Dajmin on 2 Jan '09 said:
The fact that it's by Remedy is just about enough to make me want it on it's own - I love Max Payne.
The thing that really got me was reading an earlier preview. The description of the "hitch-hiker" part of the story was enough to dilate my pupils and get my brain working overtime. Playing through it should be even better!
justy_uk on 2 Jan '09 said:
Hopefully this is a summer game and not another big name Xmas release! Can't be doing with having to plan my gaming like last year!
TheTingler on 2 Jan '09 said:
Sounds very like Alone In The Dark to me. If I can get that game but polished correctly and done by a team who actually can do 3rd person Action Adventures then I'll start looking forward to it.
The_KFD_Case on 2 Jan '09 said:
I've been intriqued by this game since I first started keeping tabs on it in 2008. It frustrates me a bit that Microsoft in cahoots with Remedy insist that the PC version will only be playable on Vista. If they stick to their guns on that point then I won't be buying it until/if I eventually decide to upgrade to Windows 7 (I am not going to use Vista).
slothfull9 on 7 Jan '09 said:
"if its anywhere near as good as Twin Peaks I'll buy a 360 just for it" - you said a mouthful there!
lonewolf2002 on 7 Jan '09 said:
Vista was a mess I never wanted or indeed had it. I have had to deal with to a degree as I work in IT but not many if any businesses took it on. It was mainly joe public that bought that s**te (or it was thrust on them through a PC purchase). I also think it will be a mistake if they make AW Vista/7 only.
BeauBeau on 13 Jan '09 said:
My Log has played Alan Wake. But you must ask the Log if you want to learn anything about it...
Will we ever see Alan Wake? I hope so. God alone knows what it'll be like, mind you. But isn't anticipation a good thing?
DTC_88 on 21 Jan '09 said:
Maybe this will be enough for me to buy a 360 back but hopefully i will get an elite they seem a bit more reliable.
Dirtyrat on 21 Jan '09 said:
There are already plenty of reasons to own a 360.
RED IMPACT on 23 Jan '09 said:
Eagerly awaiting this one, even if we dont see it in 2009, 2010 will be good enough for me!
Max Payne FTW!