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.
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.
Reader Comments (49)
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 7:26PM MystileArmor said
@Masker13
Pretty much anything is cheaper then a MW2 map pack.
Reply
Pretty much anything is cheaper then a MW2 map pack.
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 7:53PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said
@Masker13
Hopefully you can replay them as many times, and encounter as many different situations, as you can with the MW2 packs.
Reply
Hopefully you can replay them as many times, and encounter as many different situations, as you can with the MW2 packs.
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 7:29PM Mazrael said
I've had this since the day before 'day one' in the UK.. and I've only finished the first episode.. seemed pretty good (except for the dodging.. it even through Alan off a cliff).. I bought my mate's PS3 slim off him, he said he was noisy and treacked down a phat, which he still wasn't happy with as it was as 'premium' as his original launch model that YLOD'd on him..
..I'll get back to at some point..
Reply
..I'll get back to at some point..
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 8:32PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said
@Faenix
I upvoted you. There are too many hypocrites on posts involving DLC pricing. $7 for 90 minutes is more expensive per minute than the MW2 packs, but everyone is hating on Activision right now. Stand back and look at the facts people.
Reply
I upvoted you. There are too many hypocrites on posts involving DLC pricing. $7 for 90 minutes is more expensive per minute than the MW2 packs, but everyone is hating on Activision right now. Stand back and look at the facts people.
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 8:50PM greycobalt said
@Faenix Do you ever see any movies? $7 for 90 minutes would be a total bargain for any theater nowadays. I get more enjoyment out of games than most movies nowadays anyhow, so this seems like a pretty good deal to me.
Reply
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 10:32PM Fata1Stryke said
@Zoot Suit
It's hard to say that the map packs have a certain amount of time on them, though. Multiplayer lasts an indefinite period of time, and the map packs don't add to that time, they just toss in a little variety. An SP episode, on the other hand, delivers a new experience with a clear-cut beginning and end, hence the timeframe.
Personally, $7 for a 90-minute episode would be fine with me, because it's extending an experience I enjoyed (I haven't played Alan Wake, but the same applies to the Kasumi DLC for ME2, which I enjoyed thoroughly). On the other hand, I'm not willing to pay $15 for new maps, because I don't feel that they substantially change or expand upon the experience MW2's multiplayer already delivers.
Reply
It's hard to say that the map packs have a certain amount of time on them, though. Multiplayer lasts an indefinite period of time, and the map packs don't add to that time, they just toss in a little variety. An SP episode, on the other hand, delivers a new experience with a clear-cut beginning and end, hence the timeframe.
Personally, $7 for a 90-minute episode would be fine with me, because it's extending an experience I enjoyed (I haven't played Alan Wake, but the same applies to the Kasumi DLC for ME2, which I enjoyed thoroughly). On the other hand, I'm not willing to pay $15 for new maps, because I don't feel that they substantially change or expand upon the experience MW2's multiplayer already delivers.
Posted: Jun 22nd 2010 3:40PM Solar Jetman said
@Faenix
$7 / 1.5h = $4.66/hr
$60 / $4.66 = 12.875 hrs
Please explain why a 13 hour AA game for $60 does not sit well with you, then please explain why a complete DLC episode should somehow offer more for less.
Reply
$7 / 1.5h = $4.66/hr
$60 / $4.66 = 12.875 hrs
Please explain why a 13 hour AA game for $60 does not sit well with you, then please explain why a complete DLC episode should somehow offer more for less.
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 7:38PM Naru now in 3D said
Considering that Dragon Age charges 7 bucks for just for a storage chest [and a kinda neat 40 min dungeon], this actually seems like a good deal. Too bad I don't have a 360.
Reply
Posted: Jun 18th 2010 7:31AM The angry pro consumer gaming ga said
@Naru now in 3D Just because Dragon age is a bad deal doesn't make this one a good one. As far as DLC in general is concerned this is a bad deal period, for this length it should be $5. Personally I don't care, I'll play the first DLC and then trade the game which though good is not great, and it boogles my mind how some can claim this a GOTY candidate. Seriously if you consider this GOTY, you must not game much because this doesn't compare to RDR, nor ME2 this year or last year's B:AA, U2, AC2.
Reply
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 7:58PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said
Great deal.
I'll probably pick these up, eventually!
Reply
I'll probably pick these up, eventually!
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 8:50PM MarkezJM said
@Courtney
Have fun, buddy, I love it. I actually was playing Red Dead the other night for a few hours and just got bored and through Wake back in to start replaying it. I usually never, ever, ever replay games but already I'm really digging the 2nd play-through. There's so much of the story that makes more sense and it's been fun to see the early part of the game in a new light now that I've seen the ending.
Reply
Have fun, buddy, I love it. I actually was playing Red Dead the other night for a few hours and just got bored and through Wake back in to start replaying it. I usually never, ever, ever replay games but already I'm really digging the 2nd play-through. There's so much of the story that makes more sense and it's been fun to see the early part of the game in a new light now that I've seen the ending.
Posted: Jun 18th 2010 6:28AM Blizzard said
Two of the five maps are what most people have already paid for and bought when they bought CoD: MW. So technically it's 1200 points for 3 maps. Not only that but a map is well just that a map. If you think of Alan Wake, it's going to be a massive "map", a story, tons of objectives, voice acting, collectibles etc. etc. for just 560 points. That's a deal if you ask me.
Reply
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 8:36PM Vcize said
Alan Wake is kind of an odd game in that it seems to have graded out much higher with users than with reviewers. It "only" got a "good" score on metacritic (82), but it actually has higher user ratings than games like ME2 and GoW3, which were 10-15 points higher on meta critic from reviewers.
Pretty much everyone I've talked to that has played it thinks it's amazing, but the review scores don't reflect that as much as it seems they should.
Reply
Pretty much everyone I've talked to that has played it thinks it's amazing, but the review scores don't reflect that as much as it seems they should.
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 8:59PM MarkezJM said
@Vcize
See my above comment up there to Courtney. I think part of the disconnect comes from the fact that I personally feel that industry reviews are all trying to fall in line with each other and aim to give games a score they think the rest of the industry will give it. Example, Red Dead comes out, it's a AAA Rockstar game, and I kind of think that to much of the industry that means an automatic 9, at least. I would give it probably a 7 at this point, but Alan Wake I would give a 9. I really, really wish the industry would move towards more 'personal experience' type reviews. Those reviews are more valuable to me as a consumer.
Sterling gets a lot of flak for it over on Destructoid, but I at least love the fact that he rates games as to his personal experience with them and articulates what he did/didn't like. He gave FFXIII a 4 I think, and personally I'd give it a 5, 6 tops. I wouldn't give Deadly Premonition a 10, but I'd sure as hell say 8 or 9. Most of the reviews that pop up on metacritic are just worthless. I don't think we, or industry reviewers, should shy away from their personal experiences on what they thought of games.
I am happy that Joystiq elected to start rating reviews.
Reply
See my above comment up there to Courtney. I think part of the disconnect comes from the fact that I personally feel that industry reviews are all trying to fall in line with each other and aim to give games a score they think the rest of the industry will give it. Example, Red Dead comes out, it's a AAA Rockstar game, and I kind of think that to much of the industry that means an automatic 9, at least. I would give it probably a 7 at this point, but Alan Wake I would give a 9. I really, really wish the industry would move towards more 'personal experience' type reviews. Those reviews are more valuable to me as a consumer.
Sterling gets a lot of flak for it over on Destructoid, but I at least love the fact that he rates games as to his personal experience with them and articulates what he did/didn't like. He gave FFXIII a 4 I think, and personally I'd give it a 5, 6 tops. I wouldn't give Deadly Premonition a 10, but I'd sure as hell say 8 or 9. Most of the reviews that pop up on metacritic are just worthless. I don't think we, or industry reviewers, should shy away from their personal experiences on what they thought of games.
I am happy that Joystiq elected to start rating reviews.
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 11:03PM Courtney said
@Markez
Ugh, somehow ended up out of the text field and hit enter, thus submitting an empty comment.
Anyway, I think there's some truth to that Markez, but I think a big part of it is something that's been brought up again and again: That most reviewers play games differently that regular gamers do. They are often rushing through them under a deadline, and thus a game that might take me a couple of weeks to finish in the time I have to game can be crushed by a reviewer in one or two days. A lot of games that use atmosphere and character well play better when you've spent a couple of weeks with them.
Even if you spend the same number of hours playing, you spend a lot more time thinking about the game (while you're at work, falling asleep, shaving a llama, etc.).
Reply
Ugh, somehow ended up out of the text field and hit enter, thus submitting an empty comment.
Anyway, I think there's some truth to that Markez, but I think a big part of it is something that's been brought up again and again: That most reviewers play games differently that regular gamers do. They are often rushing through them under a deadline, and thus a game that might take me a couple of weeks to finish in the time I have to game can be crushed by a reviewer in one or two days. A lot of games that use atmosphere and character well play better when you've spent a couple of weeks with them.
Even if you spend the same number of hours playing, you spend a lot more time thinking about the game (while you're at work, falling asleep, shaving a llama, etc.).
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 8:48PM matthargett said
I'll gladly buy this if it has improved facial models/animations. After playing Heavy Rain, Alan Wake's character models felt extremely dated.
Also, if it contains the low audio quality of previous Microsoft first-party DLC, I'll likely skip it. Audio and music that is both lispy and boomy at the same time is like nails against a chalkboard to me.
Reply
Also, if it contains the low audio quality of previous Microsoft first-party DLC, I'll likely skip it. Audio and music that is both lispy and boomy at the same time is like nails against a chalkboard to me.
Posted: Jun 18th 2010 3:54AM gamergirlem said
Usually I'd agree with MarkezJM in feeling frustrated that game reviews tend to follow each other and rarely go against the grain. I didn't like MGS4 and I hated GTAIV, but they are both wildly applauded by practically everyone. It felt as though no one wanted to stand up and say anything different about them.
However, I disagree about Red Dead Redemption. That game genuinely deserved the praise it has been given. I can't say enough good things about that game.
Alan Wake was a strange one. I finished it, understood it, but still felt unmoved by it. I think part of the problem was Alan himself. He was a bit of a prat and it was hard to feel connected to him at all.
Reply
However, I disagree about Red Dead Redemption. That game genuinely deserved the praise it has been given. I can't say enough good things about that game.
Alan Wake was a strange one. I finished it, understood it, but still felt unmoved by it. I think part of the problem was Alan himself. He was a bit of a prat and it was hard to feel connected to him at all.
Posted: Jun 17th 2010 9:25PM CaramelZappa said
@imeNrique
In a lot of cases I'd agree with this, since this seems to be how the industry is turning, however:
Alan Wake didn't feel like a half baked game, though. The ending was open ended enough to continue but provided enough closure to make you feel like it's a complete game. And the campaign was long enough and included enough extras to the point where I think if they included two extras chapters from the start it would feel too long. Instead it just seems like the DLC is extra for those who want more Alan Wake.
Reply
In a lot of cases I'd agree with this, since this seems to be how the industry is turning, however:
Alan Wake didn't feel like a half baked game, though. The ending was open ended enough to continue but provided enough closure to make you feel like it's a complete game. And the campaign was long enough and included enough extras to the point where I think if they included two extras chapters from the start it would feel too long. Instead it just seems like the DLC is extra for those who want more Alan Wake.
Posted: Jun 18th 2010 5:39AM (Unverified) said
Great to hear! I've just 1000G this game, and I'm waiting to see how the story pans out.
Just for the record, I think this DLC is just extra episodes to Season 1, I read Season 2 will be the full fledged sequel. Remedy have said we can expect more DLC in the forthcoming months, and they're treating it as the "interquel" between Season 1 and 2.
Think of how 24: Redemption was the little bridge between Seasons 6 & 7...
To finish off, my friend is always complaining about DLC. For this game it works. Because if you think about it, the game plays out like a TV series, henceforth, TV episodes are being written and planned out all the time as soon as one episode airs. I just don't want to wait 5 years for another sequel...
Reply
Just for the record, I think this DLC is just extra episodes to Season 1, I read Season 2 will be the full fledged sequel. Remedy have said we can expect more DLC in the forthcoming months, and they're treating it as the "interquel" between Season 1 and 2.
Think of how 24: Redemption was the little bridge between Seasons 6 & 7...
To finish off, my friend is always complaining about DLC. For this game it works. Because if you think about it, the game plays out like a TV series, henceforth, TV episodes are being written and planned out all the time as soon as one episode airs. I just don't want to wait 5 years for another sequel...
Posted: Jun 18th 2010 12:39PM RandomAcronym said
"...will cost 560 MS Points ($7) on the Xbox Live Marketplace to those who purchased the game sans shrinkwrap." I got it new at GameStop,CRAP!
Reply
Posted: Jun 22nd 2010 3:53PM Solar Jetman said
"to those who purchased the game sans shrinkwrap."
@Joystiq
The metaphor is cute and all, but we're missing some sober second thought. It's entirely possible and fairly common to buy second-hand games with unused codes. People willing to burn through a game in the first 2 weeks of release know they can resell it for a higher price when not redeemed.
If the game has no compelling reason to use a code immediately, the new/used strategy is not very effective. You should be able to nab AW with a code until the end of July, because many players have moved on, rather than wait 2 months for DLC.
As always, I recommend that you vote with your wallet. Buy games new when you want to send a message for them to make more games like that. So far I've always bought Remedy's games new, and don't plan to change that.
Reply
@Joystiq
The metaphor is cute and all, but we're missing some sober second thought. It's entirely possible and fairly common to buy second-hand games with unused codes. People willing to burn through a game in the first 2 weeks of release know they can resell it for a higher price when not redeemed.
If the game has no compelling reason to use a code immediately, the new/used strategy is not very effective. You should be able to nab AW with a code until the end of July, because many players have moved on, rather than wait 2 months for DLC.
As always, I recommend that you vote with your wallet. Buy games new when you want to send a message for them to make more games like that. So far I've always bought Remedy's games new, and don't plan to change that.
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