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Alan Wake is a Finnish video game that was first released all the way back in 2010. The action-adventure game with horror elements quickly became a favourite, receiving positive reviews and obtaining the first spot in Time magazine's list of the top ten video games of the year. A full stand-alone title called Alan Wake's American Nightmare was released two years later but the franchise was then put on hold. The remastered version that has been released in 2021 might perhaps revive the franchise for the near future.

This remastered version of the game is both highly recommended to fans of the original version and newcomers who might have missed the game for one reason or another. The plot revolves around author Alan Wake who travels to the small to town of Bright Falls in Washington to deal with his ongoing writer's block. Soon after arriving, his wife gets kidnapped and the author tries to figure out what might have happened. As he travels through the region's vast nature as he gets mysterious instructions from the kidnapper, Alan Wake meets possessed shadowy figures who are attempting to stop him by any means necessary.

This video game convinces on numerous levels. First and foremost, this is one of the most atmospheric video games I have ever played. It starts with a nightmarish sequence that leads to more questions than it actually answers. The six different episodes develop a mood of confusion, isolation and terror that only gets more intense as the video game progresses.

The challenge level is captivating but not exaggerated. Some of the shadowy figures will employ dangerous weapons to attack Alan Wake such as a bulldozer while other enemies will unite their forces to attack in three waves of four opponents. Players need to use ammunition, flashlights and light grenades carefully to ward off enemies without running out of resources. At times, running away to the next light source is the best way to get out of this ordeal.

The controls are simple and efficient. There are a few quick-time events where you have to avoid attacks from enemies. It's also important to always precisely direct light sources onto opponents. Shots have to be fired with much precision as well as the shadowy creatures are quite resilient and resistant.

The game flow is overall very good. The plot is captivating and makes you want to explore how the story unfolds. The different locations look outstanding and are intriguing to discover. You can collect coffee thermoses and pages from a scrapped manuscript throughout the game. The only slightly negative element is that many locations in the forests are somewhat repetitive and sometimes the sheer mass of opponents can become somewhat overwhelming.

The graphics are absolutely stunning. The dense forests, falsely idyllic small town buildings and abandoned ruins throughout the game invite players to explore every single detail of this game. Alan Wake is truly immersive and most recommended to players who don't want to rush to finish a game but take the time to let the entire environment sink in.

Alan Wake's length is quite satisfying for a horror video game. It has six episodes of roughly two to four hours each, depending on how well you are able to ward off your enemies. The remastered version includes two special episodes that might take another three hours to complete each. This remastered version certainly offers value for money.

The long-term fun factor is given thanks to the intriguing plot. Like a solid psychological horror movie, you want to progress to unveil all the mysteries and understand what's going on throughout the addictive plot.

Alan Wake's sound is highly efficient, offering some scary moments when enemies attack out of nowhere or when supernatural elements unfold before your eyes. The vintage sounds of radio programs and old television series add a lot of atmosphere as well.

The soundtrack might be the only average point of this video game. We can hear some songs from an old jukebox and the radio programs but they are rather exchangeable and unspectacular. However, it's exactly the kind of music you would expect people from an isolated small town to listen to. This means that even though the different tunes are somewhat boring and forgettable on their own, they actually fit in the context of the video game.

Finally, the story of Alan Wake is quite mysterious and intriguing. It's one of the reasons why players have cherished the game in the first place and why newcomers want to explore this classic in all its details to get to the stunning conclusion. However, fans of horror movies, novels and video games might predict quite a few elements as Alan Wake pays tribute to the horror genre without innovating it.

At the end of the day, fans of old date and new players alike should give Alan Wake Remastered a try and will explore an atmospheric, detailed and gripping action-adventure game with strong horror elements. If you appreciate this kind of video game, you should also try out Silent Hill: Shattered Memories that is even slightly better than the already excellent Alan Wake and that was released around the same time. Here's hope that the latter game will also be remastered, so it can be enjoyed on contemporary video game platforms by a new generation of video game enthusiasts.

Detailed rating:

Atmosphere: 10 / 10 

Challenge level: 9 /10

Controls: 9 /10

Game flow: 8 /10

Graphics: 10 /10

Length: 10 /10

Long-term fun factor: 9 /10  

Sound: 10 /10

Soundtrack: 7 /10

Story: 8 /10

Total score: 90 / 100

In Flames singer Anders Fridén has always been willing to experiment with unusual sounds in his dynamic career. The Swedish teenager started his career as singer in death metal band Septic Broiler. He was then originally the drummer for melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity but became the group's singer for its influential debut record Skydancer. Anders Fridén then moved to In Flames, a band that would become the most creative, influential and successful melodic death metal band in the world throughout the nineties and the early years of the new millennium. Later on, the band would shift its sound towards melodic groove metal, alternative rock and even electronic rock elements, alienating many fans of old date but impressing quite a few new listeners at the same time. Anders Fridén has also collaborated with many unusual artists and participated in intriguing projects. He was one of the singers of Nuclear Blast's Allstars for instance and performed guest vocals for Dutch symphonic metal veterans Within Temptation. While other former members of his main band In Flames have founded new projects that opted for contemporary melodic death metal sounds that lazily copied the original band, Anders Fridén's new solo side project If Anything, Suspicious walks off the beaten path and comes as a huge surprise.

This project is entirely instrumental and focuses on smooth, mellow and atmospheric ambient sounds that work splendidly when doing some intellectual work or just relaxing on a calm autumn or winter day. The pace of the different tunes is slow and focuses exclusively on simple keyboard patterns and a few sound collages for atmospheric depth. Offair: Lullabies for the Damned features seventeen songs varying between lengths of three minutes to eleven and a half minutes for a generous total running time of seventy-seven minutes. Released by Offair Records, a new label focusing on artists experimenting outside their usual genres, this album transmits a feeling of timelessness, rebirth and peace. As Anders Fridéns puts it himself, he wants listeners to go on a journey without borders or restrictions which fits exactly with what he has been doing throughout his career for thirty-two years and counting.

If you're wondering what this type of music exactly sounds like, think of the excellent closer of In Flames' Come Clarity, entitled ''Your Bedtime Story Is Scaring Everyone'' that opens with mysterious ambient sounds before erupting into a short liberating death metal conclusion. If Anything, Suspicious' Offair: Lullabies for the Damned explores these very same ambient sounds in an approach that values atmospheric depth over clever changes. This album needs a few times to grow with its at times repetitive patterns, slow-paced rhythms and minimal variations but offers much replay value due to its unexpected, timeless and moody soul.

It's obvious that this calm, introspective and timid type of electronic ambient music isn't something you might want to experience every single day. However, this album unfolds a comforting, hypnotizing and numbing magic when you are in the mood to dream yourself far away. It's remarkable that Anders Fridén continues to push boundaries and restrictions so late in his career without ever repeating himself or boring his audience. If you are willing to witness completely new soundscapes, then you should give this album a fair chance as well. Fans who keep complaining that In Flames has been sounding dreadful for two decades and counting however should stay as far away from this release as possible.

Final rating: 75%

Bonjour à vous,

J'ai préparé une présentation sur la Russie pour les élèves du premier cycle du Collège Nouvelles Frontières à Gatineau. Cette présentation met surtout l'accent sur ma visite de Saint-Pétersbourg et de Pouchkine en étant étudiant de la langue russe au Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium à Leverkusen.

Voici le lien de la présentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Xl5wkRm90tHNHUvRLDx-AtaOvoRRGXb5r5ACTMQ9B98/edit?usp=sharing