Review: Alan Wake "The Signal" DLC

The Signal is the first DLC "Special Episode" for Remedy's Alan Wake on the Xbox 360. It picks up where the story left off in the main game so obviously it's meant to be played after finishing it.

If you haven't played Alan Wake (what's wrong with you?) then you can read my review and find out what all the fuss is about.

I've decided the best thing to do is review The Signal in two ways. The first is a spoiler-free answer for people wondering if it's worth their time. The second is a detailed discussion of the plot in The Signal meant to be read after you've finished it. I just had to share it with somebody :)

What follows first is my spoiler-free review.

Here's all you need to know about The Signal DLC: It's a wonderful full-quality episode and it's free. Well, it's free for anyone who purchased a new copy of Alan Wake and has the voucher code included inside the box. If you bought the game used then I would still say it's worth the 560 MS point ($7) entry fee for another two hours of extra gameplay. It's one of the best single-player add-ons I've ever played.

Review Score: 9 out of 10

Now on to my thoughts of The Signal DLC as a story.

***SPOILER-ALERT***

The following text is hugely SPOILERIFIC so DO NOT READ UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED PLAYING THE SIGNAL DLC. 

REALLY, THIS WILL RUIN EVERYTHING.

He are my thought upon just completing "The Signal".

• It was nice playing the DLC without having Alan's search for Alice as the focal point. Now that Alice is apparently safe from the Dark Presence, Remedy is free to take the story in a new direction. In The Signal, Alan's self-preservation skills are tested as he tries to save himself from himself.

• I'm still not totally clear regarding the relationship between Alan Wake and Thomas Zane and that might be the way Remedy wants it. Is Thomas Zane the actual author of the story and Alan the character or vice-versa? Does Zane represent Alan's absent father or is he actually his father? Is Zane just a fictional character or really a dude that disappeared in a lake during the 70's? In my opinion, Alan is the writer and he creates Zane as a conduit to aid the Alan that is trapped inside the story. It's complex, but I think it makes sense.

• What a creative way to put Barry Wheeler in the DLC! Alan bickering with the imaginary Barry is one of my gaming highlights of the year. "My allergies!" I love that imaginary Barry was still wearing the Christmas lights.

• There wasn't much plot development in this episode and The Signal's cliffhanger ending was just as non-committal and vague as the game's original ending. I'm still excited to see where the story goes next and I'm happy to see more of Dr. Hartman whether he's real or not. I think there's still more they can do with his character.

• Although many elements were recycled from the game, Remedy did try out a few new gameplay ideas in the new DLC. The furnace room, the "bad words" in woods, the demolition derby, the electricity field, and ravens made of books were all fresh takes on standard gameplay elements.

• I LOVED finally being able to walk into the kitchen of the Oh-Deer Diner. You don't know how much it bothered me that that area was off-limits in the main game.

• I liked collecting alarm-clocks and finding book cut-outs instead of more manuscript pages and thermoses. It's a clever idea to have the collectibles tied to the plot of each episode. Also, listening carefully for the ticking sound of a clock adds a new gameplay element.

• I also thought that the use of televisions to convey Alan's feelings was more effective than reading the manuscript pages in the main game and didn't slow down progress in the game.

• Does anybody do a better job of interjecting humor into their games than Remedy? You wouldn't think a "Psychological Action Thriller" like Alan Wake would have so many laughs, but it works and it's genuinely funny, unlike games that try to force humor. Providing comedic relief after a tense situation really cleanses the palette and keeps things from being too dire.

• I like the concept of episodic DLC and wonder if this wouldn't be a lucrative business model for Microsoft and Remedy to try. If it were up to me, I'd give away the first episode of Alan Wake for free and then sell the subsequent episodes individually at a modest price. Just like a drug dealer. I can't imagine someone playing that opening episode and not wanting more. Perhaps try it around Halloween and get some new people on board. Microsoft did a terrible job promoting their best new game in years, but they can still give it another good push. Alan Wake deserves it.

• Bring on The Writer DLC!

I completed The Signal twice for this review totaling 3 1/2 hours of game time. I somehow missed two clocks though so I'll be playing it a third time, probably right before The Writer comes out.