Alan Wake – Developed by Remedy
 
I was treated to a viewing of the progress of the latest game from Max Payne creators Remedy. The game is called Alan Wake, and it's turning out to be quite an exciting title worth keeping an eye on. The creators have billed this new title as a 'psychological action thriller' and with inspiration drawn from Twin Peaks and other offbeat, cult TV hits, Alan Wake seems to be developing in the right direction.
 
Alan Wake, the game's main character, is a horror novelist haunted by nightmares which are actually the basis of his novels. His muse turns out to be a woman who inspires him to write his nightmarish stories. They fall in love, and eventually get engaged, but she disappears mysteriously and Alan Wake soon becomes despondent and develops writer's block. His nightmares become worse however and he seeks help to return to a normal sleep cycle. To accomplish this he checks in to a sleep clinic in picturesque Bright Falls, WA—this American Everytown is an idyllic little burg…till the sun goes down. At the day's end is just when Alan Wake's nightmares—and your adventures—begin.
 
The gameplay consists of a massively large free-roaming environment with mission-based tasks to accomplish that will advance the complex storyline. The dynamic lighting system plays a large part in the game's mechanics as well. The game features a day and night cycle and the volumetric shadowcasting is accurate no matter what time of day it is. One of the handy tools that Alan Wake comes equipped with is a flashlight that will hinder his enemies who are more plentiful and powerful the darker it is. The flashlight's cone of light is a gorgeous thing to behold as it illuminates the nearby area in a highly realistic manner. At times, Wake will also need to equip himself with portable floodlights to safeguard against his enemies—there will also be motion sensor add-ons to add more versatility to the use of certain items, such as the aforementioned portable floodlights. Gameplay possibilities should be forming in your devious gamer minds by now, eh?
 
The physics engine was also showcased well. A tire swing was set in motion and it reacted to the changes in the environment accordingly. To further demonstrate this, a part of the game world was shown that had an explosive charge set to a button near the side of a road winding among the hills nearby to Bright Falls. As the charge was detonated remotely, an avalanche was triggered which rained down large boulders and logs from the side of the hill above the player. A weather system was also introduced that adjusts the fog, wind, and cloud cover dynamically—though how this will affect gameplay remains to be seen. It sure looks pretty, though! As the wind kicks up, leaves swirl around and blow in whatever direction the wind is blowing. The effect is very cool.
 
All in all I was very pleased that I got to see this title and I am looking forward to more information on this game. I fervently hope that the release date is a lot sooner than any one of us anticipates! Till then I'll just have to look to the future to be A. Wake.