4/5 ★ – cowpokecleric's review of Alan Wake's American Nightmare.

Revisiting older Alan Wake with Alan Wake's American Nightmare! I genuinely really missed the controls of the first game, and the controls in this game feel pretty much identical. The clunky dodges and shooting without aiming are just so uniquely Alan Wake. I also think the Nail Gun is my favourite weapon from the series, I tried to use it exclusively (because it's a staple to this game) and it was a blast. The time loops within the game were not only executed in a way that kept the story fresh, but they are the foundation for the "It's not a loop, It's a spiral" plot twist, which I find incredibly cool. The graphics have held up surprisingly well, and aside from some strange side character voice acting at times, it doesn't feel like a game that is almost 12 years old. If anything, the age of the game adds a lovely charm, as opposed to a hinderance. Regarding lore, this game predictably left me with more questions than answers. The most comforting aspect, however, is that this game is confirmed to be canon to the story of Alan Wake. From what I can gather, this is an early escape attempt between Departure and Return, where Alan uses an edited script of his Night Springs episode as opposed to an entirely new manuscript. The new manuscript that would eventually become Return or Initiation. Alan Wake's American Nightmare is the first we hear of the "Champion of Light" and the "Herald of Darkness", titles that originated from Alan's Night Springs script and are frequently used in the most recent instalment, so there is some pretty serious weight to the story being told here. I believe this game could be heavily interconnected with the upcoming "Night Springs" DLC coming to Alan Wake 2, and that Night Springs will have a much bigger role to play in this connected universe. Overall I think Alan Wake's American Nightmare is a tragically overlooked instalment in the series, as it sets a lot of important groundwork for the future of the series... maybe even more than we know. I'm so glad this game was confirmed canon, because I am unbelievably excited to pick it apart. I'm probably going to start with whatever is going on with Mr. Scratch, because how could you not focus on the objective star of the show?