Alan Wake Remastered is a 2021 re-release of the 2010 third-person survival horror game by Remedy Entertainment. You step into the shoes of Alan Wake, a prolific author who’s struggled with writer’s block for the last two years. When his wife Alice takes him to the scenic mountain town of Bright Falls to vacation and clear his mind, she mysteriously disappears and Alan’s only clues to find her are the scattered pages of a manuscript he can’t remember writing. If that weren’t enough, Alan’s efforts are impeded by slightly off townsfolk during the day and murderous shadowy creatures at night.
In terms of improvements over the original release, the graphical overhaul is readily apparent. The new 4K textures and updated lighting really make the game look modern, though its age sometimes pokes through in character movements and animations. The environments really get the bulk of the love; dark forests, dense fog, and menacing clouds are truly just as detailed as they are spooky. Other than the inclusion of some Control-style monologue videos hidden in QR codes, I couldn’t pick out anything that seemed like a brand new addition.
Alan Wake Remastered hits the mark as a remaster. It’s a tangible improvement in visual fidelity and performance that interested first-time players should be directed to, but I wouldn’t recommend veterans dive back in, as they’ve likely seen all it has to offer. Alan Wake Remastered is out today for $29.99 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and the Epic Games Store.
Watch our full Review in 3 Minutes for Alan Wake Remastered.
