Alan Wake

I actually loved this element of it, not knowing what's an enemy and what isn't was a nice source of tension.

If you didn't have achievements you would not care about such frivolous things so just crack on.

I generally only go for achievement completion if I really love the game so doing a rerun is a pretty standard affair.

While I do like it, it's definitely feeling like a one and done for me compared to something like RE4, which is practically infinitely replayable.
I reckon I'll just redo it tomorrow afternoon if the weather is still miserable. I've been mainly focussing on mopping up collectibles while it's still bright. Headphones on, lights off and crack on with the story at night.

Plus I do kind of want to play couple of specific sections again without having to go through the full game.

Yeah definitely one and done. Which is fine as no game is replayable for me these days. I used to play the best games multiple times. Hard mode, best score etc. Now that has zero appeal. I want to play new games all the time, not waste my precious time relaying games. The only games I play on repeat is any mp games with my son. Story games are all one and done now.

In fact I’m talking shit. There’s bits of this game I’d happily do multiple times. Starting with a certain musical themed section.

Seems to get better once you’re out of that god damned subway system. Like seriously why do games always make you go through some dark tunnels?

Don’t forget to pat the deer heads as Saga

Edit: Bah. Just lost quite a bit of progression - including time spent deducing - because it crashed again.

Had my first session with it last night and played through the first chapter. There is a lot to like and the presentation of it all is cracking. Very atmospheric and creepy. They really have nailed the horror vibe and it captures that feel of True Detective mixed with Twin Peaks: The Return very well.

Graphically it is obviously superb, with the reflections and lighting in general looking great. Probably the best looking game there is at the moment. It is inconsistent though. Animation in particular is a bit of a mixed bag. Rose in the diner was incredible, albeit her facial mo-cap crossed her well into the uncanny valley (appropriate for the scene). Same goes for the couple Saga interviews in the diner, who were more natural and eerily life-like. Casey's face though barely moves and when he speaks his mouth doesn't do much more than just some vague open and shutting, with hardly any regard to lip-synching.

Story is intriguing, but I agree with previous comments that reactions to events is weird. The ending of chapter 1 should really have caused a bit more of a reaction. I quite like the Mind Place stuff, although it is very directed and feels more like a means for exposition and character building, giving you an opportunity to get a sense of how Saga pieces things together, rather than giving the player an opportunity to do this. Tonally it works well, but also feels like a little bit of a missed opportunity for some good puzzling (I would say "for now", but judging by reviews this doesn't change much throughout).

Obviously, I'm still fairly early on and I knew going in that it took its time. So, mostly just been walking around. I've enjoyed that walking around though and happily just do some more of that and interacting with the citizens of Bright Falls.

There’s a couple shots where Alan’s face looks very plasticky, when he’s in that phone booth. Kind of stands out when everything else looks so amazing.

Not sure if I have found a progression bug - did anyone else have any issues with the first light sources / lamp puzzle outside of the theatre (where you open the subway, then the train platform steps with the lamp)? I went back into the theatre to save halfway through and now there is no light source for me to use in the puzzle? Pretty sure I'd left the steps activated when I saved and now every light in that area is flickering / not activated.

Yeah I can't find other mentions of this particular sequence being bugged, so it is almost certainly a player stupidity issue.

Update: I went back and thoroughly searched the level and am pretty certain it's a bug. Annoying as I was really enjoying the game and had just saved in a weird spot because I had to stop playing the other night.

Hard to figure out when this all taking place. There’s crt monitors, smartphones, and early 2000’s cars?
Also finding it weird that now that we have raytraced reflections, mirrors suddenly look like they’ve taped a bit of tinfoil to the wall.

Another update released. Says it fixes the sound issue at the start.

Did a bit more this morning. The wellness centre creeped the shit out of me. This game has huuuuge sections with fuck all action but every encounter is memorable.

I'm coming round to it.