Yes, you read that right. Alan Wake now has a horde mode, and a rather good one at that. It seems that every game has one these days. However, is this something that Alan Wake fans want?
I got to sit down with the new "Fight 'til Dawn" mode in Alan Wake's American Nightmare, and yep, that's just what you do. Fight 'til dawn. If this already is of no interest to you, go ahead and read Brian Crecente's in-depth preview of American Nightmare and interview with Remedy Entertainment instead. However, if you're still curious, come along with me and my flashlight. I said flashlight, not Fleshlight. Perverts.
You see, I'm not a big Alan Wake fan, but I know a lot of people who are. They love the story, the atmosphere and the occasional bits of terrifying yet extremely solid gunplay.
However, Fight 'til Dawn is nothing but gunplay. As Brian put it:
Players start armed with a flashlight and a handgun and have to run around the massive maps looking for new weapons, more ammo and the occasional, healing lamp post. The object is to last till the sun rises. The many, varied enemies come in waves walking from the shadows, slowly, quietly surrounding you as you desperately fight and flee to survive.
Not only are the mechanics just as solid (if not more so) than in Alan Wake, but your arsenal of weapons is not too shabby either. Everything from pistols to shotguns and nailguns to crossbows will be available to help you fight 'til dawn against the hordes of rampaging supernatural baddies. All the weapons feel solid and the maps are large and varied. This is as good as a horde mode gets. It even looks better than the original Alan Wake. So why would anyone complain?
After my demo I told several of my friends about this great new mode in American Nightmare and that if it's popular, Remedy might put it in the next Alan Wake game. The responses I got generally ranged from, "Really?" to, "Ugh..."
Yet Remedy said that this is what the fans wanted. Furthermore, it's good. It's real good! However, there's always going to be people that say even though a mode like this is completely optional, it has no place being in the game.
"It's going to take away from the single player development and the story!"
"Git yer Gears of War outta mah Alan Wake!"
Trust me, they get that. However, Remedy seems to believe that the majority of their fans wanted more action, and that they know what's best for the future of their franchise. Think of it this way, if Blizzard had only listened to me and the other several thousand hardcore World of Warcraft raiders that cleared the Sunwell, and never opened the game up to more of the millions of casual players, we never would have been blessed with the upcoming Mists of Pandaria expansion! Wait... shit.
So, sound off! Awesome or not, is horde mode what you want in this and the next Alan Wake?
Headline image by Chad Lakkis