#dlc
The first downloadable expansion for this spring's celebrated Xbox 360 horror game Alan Wake arrives next week. It's called The Signal, and it's a mystery. More »
While you probably know about Alan Wake by now (we liked it a lot), and you probably know about the game's unconventional soundtrack, full of licensed tracks from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds to David Bowie, you may be less familiar with the game's original score by Finnish composer Petri Alanko. In short, it's not what you'd expect from a "psychological action thriller." Instead, you'll find something far more "romantic," Alanko says; a wistful arrangement with piano and strings that's a little more light than dark.
If you enjoyed Mr. Alanko's work and - especially if you didn't get the Collector's Edition whose soundtrack disc contained five tracks from the score - you'll be pleased to learn that Sumthing Else Music is releasing the full original score on July 20, featuring 18 tracks of orchestral music. You can pre-order the CD on Amazon now or, if you prefer the digital route, wait until the 20th and hit up Sumthing.com or iTunes.
#xbox360
Our neighbors to the north have likely already seen and been irrevocably horrified by Alan Wake's big, spooky and, most important, clever ad push, which intimidated Canadians with its warnings about just how evil the darkness is. More »
Remedy's imperiled author sim, Alan Wake, will be extended in two downloadable episodes later this year, with the first set to launch on July 27th. Entitled "The Signal," the first add-on is available free to players who purchased the game new. We met up with Remedy's Head of Franchise Development, Oskari Hakkinen, and ascertained that the episode -- which should last around 90 minutes -- will cost 560 MS Points ($7) on the Xbox Live Marketplace to those who didn't get to tear off some shrinkwrap.
The second downloadable episode, "The Writer," will also cost 560 MS points ($7). According to Hakkinen, the $10 price seen within Alan Wake's DLC menu was meant to be a placeholder.
We speculated that the live-action Alan Wake teaser that surfaced last week was promoting a new commercial or web short. It turned out to be a slick music video for "WAR," a song by Finnish rock band Poets of the Fall -- and one of the licensed tracks to feature in Remedy's atmospheric action game. The video features Alan Wake as portrayed by actor Ilkka Villi, who's basically the Milli Vanilli companion to voice actor Matthew Porretta.
Head past the break to see Wake freak out to musical accompaniment, ponder his mysterious manuscript pages ... and wonder why the world's worst cameraman is stalking him and his wife through a field.
[Seen Above: The first image from the upcoming Alan Wake DLC, "The Signal."]
Remedy has released a creepy, cryptic video for Alan Wake. So, it's a lot like every Alan Wake video, but it's especially like the Bright Falls prequel series in that it's composed of live-action footage. The only thing that looks unrealistic, really, is the imperiled author's jacket-hoodie combination.
We're impressed by how well the video captures some the thriller's imagery -- such as the blinding flares and the mysterious manuscript pages -- and we suspect it's part of a live-action commercial (much like those made for Microsoft's Halo franchise) or another web short. We'll be sure to bring you more information next week.
#gameclub
Let's go back to me in high school. Sophomore year. English class. Camus' The Plague. None us read it. The teacher made us sweat it out silently. You talk about Alan Wake Episode 3 please. I, uh, am behind! More »
#rumor
A peek through the downloadable content menu in Alan Wake reveals a listing for the game's second, as yet unannounced episode, "The Writer." More »
Stephen Totilo once wrote that game content can exist outside of a game disc, and there's more than a little fun to be had in expansions. They're antithetical to the limitations of physical distribution. In a news story, the reader keeps asking, "What will it cost?" but there can be no explanation ... even though there should be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest and it's what we'll remember complaining about in the end.
My name is Ludwig Kietzmann. I'm a blogger ... type thing.
The second downloadable episode of Alan Wake will be called "The Writer." The description of the content, which recently popped up in the game's "Downloadable Content" menu, reveals that the tortured author will find himself in "strange circumstances" (surely he must be used to those by now) and must face "one increasingly nightmarish situation after another." According to the listing, the episode will cost 800 Microsoft Points ($10). The first episode, "The Signal," will cost the same when it launches on July 27th, though it's a free download for those who purchased a new copy of Remedy's thriller.
You'll find an image and full description of the DLC after the break -- don't venture further if you're sensitive to spoilers.
Excerpt from Alan Wake's technological thriller, It Came from Amazon:
I sat there staring at the screen, unable to believe my aching eyes. Had I had too much to drink, or was this real? The Amazon checkout cart read $49.99, and it was definitely Alan Wake sitting in the basket. That alone didn't really frighten me. What tipped me over the edge was the $10 bonus credit on a future video game purchase.
The site had similar deals on other games. Super Street Fighter IV for $30, God of War 3 for $45, Splinter Cell Conviction ... again $45. All of these and more, like Super Mario Galaxy 2, with at least $10 bonus credit. Was that even possible? Or, had the Darkness managed to infiltrate my computer?
Unsure of itself, my shaking index finger finally clicked true. The purchase was made -- with free Super Saver shipping -- and now all I could do was wait, wait and contemplate how to spend that $10 credit. Red Dead Redemption was supposed to be pretty good.
#alanwake
Alan Wake is not like Heavy Rain, Halo Reach, God of War III, Splinter Cell: Conviction or any of the other big 2010 games that are not named for their star character. That's intentional. More »
#remedyentertainment
Did you know the alternate names considered for the Alan Wake game? Did you know Remedy turned down a chance to put Wake in another game? No? Then you need to download this week's Kotaku Talk Radio right now. More »
#podcast
Load your pistol and make sure you pack plenty of batteries as Kotaku Talk Radio talks with two members of Alan Wake development studio Remedy Entertainment. More »
#alanwake
Just a few hours after two Alan Wake creators join us on Kotaku Talk Radio we'll begin our bookclub style discussion of the game. One chapter per session, starting tomorrow at 3pm KT (2pm PT, 5pm ET). More »
#podcast
Kotaku Talk Radio will be recording live on Wednesday. 11am Kotaku Time. 1pm ET. 10am PT. Host: Me. Guests: Matias Myllyrinne and Oskari Häkkinen of Alan Wake studio Remedy Entertainment. Call-in and live-streaming details will be on Kotaku at showtime. More »
Have you already managed to complete Alan Wake's narrative arc, and now you're jonesing for more episodic storytelling in the Bright Falls universe? First of all, unless you live in Europe, holy crapyou're fast. The game's only been out in the U.S. for half a day! Second of all, you now can look forward to the release of the game's first DLC pack, titled "The Signal," which Microsoft recently announced will launch on July 27.
If you bought a new copy of the game -- which, again, we're assuming you did, since it's been out for a few hours -- you've already got a coupon code that will let you grab the new content for free. Of course, we have no idea what that that content will actually entail. We're assuming that signals will be involved, and will somehow be directing our attention towards things that are scary.
Remedy has released what's presumably the final Alan Wake trailer, entitled "Building the Drama." It's dramatic: knowing glances, dark proclamations, brooding environments, floating review scores -- all here. And if this final tease doesn't convince you, allow us to: The game is really good.
Alan Wake will be available from North American retailers tomorrow, May 18.
#clips
As far as we're concerned, the main drama of Alan Wake is having to wait another day to play, but developer Remedy went to all the trouble of putting together this Building the Drama trailer, so here you go. More »
#alanwake
Attention to those of you planning to play Alan Wake. Read this first, so that you can play — and discuss — the game with the rest of Kotaku. More »
If you're hoping to get acquainted with the world of Alan Wake before the game's extremely imminent release, you may want to watch the six-part mini-series Bright Falls, all of which is now available on Machinima's YouTube channel. Regardless of whether or not you understand a lick of what transpires during the Twin Peaks-esque series, it's still a really well-made tie-in, and gives a great sense of the unsettling environments the titular Wake will be exploring.
If you want more information about Bright Falls after viewing the series, we suggest checking out our interview with co-writer and director Phillip Van.
#xbox360
In advance of the Xbox 360 game's release, Alan Wake developer Remedy brings word that the first downloadable add-on episode for the suspenseful adventure will arrive in July. It'll be free, provided you have a new copy of Alan Wake. More »
