Another imperfect Remedy gem, although... uh, a lot more imperfect than the others!
The combat is just not satisfying enough, and they throw so dang much of it at you. Alan Wake feels like a real product of its time; this game needed to be shorter and have the combat be rarer, almost like a set-piece. But 2010 was perhaps still a smidge too early for that. Games were still judged harshly for "skimping" that way, and it just wasn't the done thing. But if I've sleepily shot my way through one section of forest, I've done it two dozen times.
Outside of all that; the Remedy charm is there. It's eery and camp, without truly descending into unserious territory. The story is intriguing, with good voice acting, and a fabulous soundtrack. The only letdown in this department is the lip sync, which is comically bad. This wasn't a great era for that in general, but even so this is poor.
Steam Deck notes: ran like a dream!
The combat is just not satisfying enough, and they throw so dang much of it at you. Alan Wake feels like a real product of its time; this game needed to be shorter and have the combat be rarer, almost like a set-piece. But 2010 was perhaps still a smidge too early for that. Games were still judged harshly for "skimping" that way, and it just wasn't the done thing. But if I've sleepily shot my way through one section of forest, I've done it two dozen times.
Outside of all that; the Remedy charm is there. It's eery and camp, without truly descending into unserious territory. The story is intriguing, with good voice acting, and a fabulous soundtrack. The only letdown in this department is the lip sync, which is comically bad. This wasn't a great era for that in general, but even so this is poor.
Steam Deck notes: ran like a dream!