Alan Wake: Bring plenty of batteries

I need to start this review by being honest about something: I am the target audience for Alan Wake. I’ve watched the X-Files like it was my job (except those episodes with Robert Patrick, that show ended 3 seasons too late). I’ve read Stephen King, James Joyce, Bret Easton Ellis (the game draws most heavily from Lunar Park, which is a shame, because that is the bottom of the Ellis lot. Although a whole game about disenfranchised youth would be pretty boring. An American Psycho game? BRING IT ON), Edgar Allen Poe, and I’m a devoted H.P. Lovecraft follower (it even drops an August Derleth reference on you!). Alan Wake name drops and borrows elements from all of the above, pretty shamelessly in some cases. Thus, I will say, without any shame, Alan Wake is an absolutely fantastic game.