Unsure of where the praise for the writing comes from. In truth, it never exceeds Capcom quality horror-cheese, but, those games have never bothered me too much anyway so it isn't a real complaint. In most other ways, it ends up aping the RE4 formula for its action horror pacing and atmosphere. The plots of the two games couldn't be more different, but RE4 worked for its combination of elements and pacing that made the campaign such an epic experience, and that's what Alan Wake absolutely nails. The atmosphere and pacing urge you on to the next setpiece, the next shoot'em'up encounter, the next plot point, without fail. As I said, neither of these games excelled in plot or writing, at all, but in the shape of the game--the way it is paced and the way the characters move through it--it urges the player to the conclusion with ferocity.
And I'm probably being harder than necessary on the writing--there's more than a few smile-worthy jokes, and Barry, Alan's agent, is hilarious to be sure. But most of the positives undermine the basic thematic presence the game's spent so much time building up. It will delight you in its action and innovations and nuances, but the dead-on seriousness of the titular character and his plight deadens the whole enterprise.
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