With Halloween just around the corner, plenty of gaming enthusiasts are dusting off copies of their favorite horror titles to replay them this fall. Horror, however, is not for everyone, and as a result, some people try to avoid scary games altogether. Those same people might feel a little bit left out when great horror games release because of how full of upsetting content horror games usually are. Luckily, this fall has the perfect scary game for non-horror fans with Alan Wake Remastered hitting shelves next week.
Despite the fact that it's often classified as a horror title, Alan Wake is a fairly accessible game for those who are looking to get in the spooky season's mood without subjecting themselves to the constant terror of other titles like Resident Evil Village, The Medium, or Dark Pictures: House of Ashes. The fact that Alan Wake Remastered is launching in early October sets non-horror fans up to enjoy the game at their own pace, taking breaks if the game ever gets a little too scary for them to handle all at once.
Alan Wake's PG-13 Approach to Horror
Whether or not something is scary is purely subjective, making it hard to definitively say that a game is or is not scary. That said, Alan Wake's approach to horror is on the tame side, to say the least. While other horror titles have their protagonists wading through pools of blood and hiding from demonic monsters, Alan Wake's scariness primarily comes from its atmosphere. The fact that it's rated T means that it never crosses the line in terms of gore, violence, or language allowing players to need not worry about the unspeakable horrors that could be waiting around the corner for them in other games like Outlast or Amnesia.
In fact, Alan Wake rarely, if ever, resorts to jump scares to frighten the player. There are certainly startling moments as with all horror, but Alan Wake doesn't equate being startled to being scared. Usually, when the Taken appear to attack, they're proceeded by fast-moving fog giving players plenty of time to prepare. What's more, when they actually get close to Alan, the game usually points to them with a slow-motion camera effect, notifying the player that they're in danger.
Alan Wake is a Thriller, Not Exclusively Horror
All of this is in service of the fact that, while Alan Wake certainly has horror elements, it's better defined as a thriller above all else. The game is less interested in scaring players outright, instead, focusing on providing tension and a slow-burn psychological experience. Alan Wake is best for those who prefer a look into the mind of a character as opposed to something that requires a strong stomach. The thriller aspects of the game certainly provide some scares, however, they aren't so intense that those who avoid horror entirely would be too upset by them.
Alan Wake's focus is mainly on its narrative which means that terrifying the player isn't always the game's goal. Because the game is paced like a limited-run TV series, there are a lot of scenes that have nothing to do with the scares that come after the sun sets. The tone of the game is comparable to Remedy Entertainment's most recent title, Control. There's plenty in both that could be considered horror, but, at the end of the day, they aren't made to terrify, but instead, to tell thoughtful narratives. While Alan Wake is often classified as a horror game, its non-horror elements are potentially enough to satisfy the desire to participate in October's season without needing to sleep with the lights on.
Alan Wake Remastered releases on October 5 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.