Review: Alan Wake “The Writer” DLC Episode

If you’ve read my reviews of Alan Wake and the first DLC episode “The Signal”, you know that I’m an enormous fan of this game. No other title this year has resonated with me in such a profound way as the story of Mr. Wake and the quirky town of Bright Falls.

“The Writer” is the final downloadable episode for Alan Wake and it aims to conclude it’s fantastic story. This DLC comes with a 560 MS pts price tag ($7), but is it worth the price of admission?

Like “The Signal”, “The Writer” revolves around Alan at war with his own imagination. The line between reality and fiction is blurred beyond recognition and so is much of Bright Falls. You traverse the forest and rediscover places seen in the main game only to find that things aren’t the way you remember them. Despite a few recycled environments, there is still a sense of discovery that comes from wondering what’s around the corner. Sometimes it’s just the wind, other times it’s a guy swinging an axe.

New twists on familiar gameplay mechanics offer variety to the usual shine-a-light-and-shoot found during most of the game. Like Alan, you’ll have to use your imagination to figure out a way to get from one place to the next. “The Writer” is the most cerebral episode in the game by far. This is a direction I would love to see Remedy explore further in a potential sequel.

There are some genuine surprises, which I won’t even hint at here for fear of ruining them. Be assured that you’ll finally get some concrete answers to questions that have been lingering since May. Like most of the episodes, “The Writer” lasts around two hours. There are more hidden collectibles and achievements to unlock that will encourage multiple playthroughs. I plan on going back myself shortly.

“The Writer” is another thrilling episode in the Alan Wake saga and offers a suitable conclusion to this part of Alan’s story. It’s easily worth the $7 and it already has me imagining where things can go in the future. It would be a crime against humanity if Alan Wake doesn’t return in a sequel. I’m talking to you Microsoft. Make it so.