8 April 27, 2010 The Press, Christchurch

Alan Wake: Not a typical hero

Finnish game developer Remedy has been working on the game Alan Wake for five years and with just a handful of weeks until its release, Matias Myllyrinne, the managing director, tells Gerard Campbell that the game is a labour of love.

lan Wake is a best-selling writer with a problem: He’s got severe writer’s block. AWake is the main character in Alan Wake, an Xbox 360 game from Finnish developer Remedy, and as if sharing his writer’s block, I spent hours staring at the pad containing the scribbles from my interview with Remedy’s managing director, Matias Myllyrinne. It’s particularly bad for the character Wake, however. He hasn’t managed to write anything in more Alan Wake: The lead character finds himself trapped in a nightmare where his latest novel – a he can’t remember than two years, so in an effort to ‘We wanted to writing – starts coming to life. reignite his creative juices, his wife, touch people’s Alice, takes him to the small American town of Bright Falls. emotionswitha able to control the roller coaster ride, different story arcs, drama, action monsters. We weren’t interested in Alice then disappears, and Wake compelling so we decided that we had to control sequences, close on thriller, have a cheap scares.’’ finds himself trapped in a nightmare the timing of the thriller. We lost season finale and build up again. Myllyrinne sees Alan Wake as a where his latest work – a thriller he psychological about six months, but there were a ‘‘The first episode, which we’ve character that gamers will relate to. can’t remember writing – starts lot of benefits in doing so: We could been showing off, lasts about 90 ‘‘We wanted to build a real coming to life. thriller. We create dramatic tension and make minutes (there will be six episodes in person who is more than a Gamers first caught glimpses of wanted to get sure that it was night, and that it was the game) and there is a tonne of cardboard cutout. Wake has issues Alan Wake at (one of the world’s raining, and that Alan’s wife is exploration, but that’s not forced on with his marriage and this is his last largest video game conventions) in into people’s screaming in the background. We people. chance to keep things together. And 2005. Fast forward five years and the can control where things are coming ‘‘If someone wants to grab the he has writer’s block. It’s that Alan game is almost finished. Having heads.’ from. flashlight and play it as an action Wake is not picture perfect that spent so much time working on one Matias Myllyrinne ‘‘If it’s an you could game, they can, but if someone makes him engaging. He’s not your project, I asked Myllyrinne whether have someone running up a small wants to wander about and explore, typical hero. Alan Wake is a labour of love for the hill with a monster truck chasing turning on radios, watching the TV, ‘‘I would have had a hard time studio. emotions with a compelling them – that would not create the reading the manuscript pages, waking up every day and creating a ‘‘It is. The creative process is not that will touch emotion that we were going for. revealing more about the character, space marine or a ninja – that’s not painless or simple, but ultimately people. We wanted to get into Sometimes you have to change then they can. That’s the benefit of something that we get kicks out of.’’ something compelled us to create people’s heads.’’ direction, change tack, but the doing it how we have.’’ Does Remedy intend to make what we did and make it the way we The Alan Wake of 2010 is far overall vision very much remains the Myllyrinne says that story was more ‘‘seasons’’ of Alan Wake? did. The attention to detail and love removed from the Alan Wake of same.’’ important, and Alan Wake has ‘‘We’d love to do more but that is that went into the game shows in the 2005, where it was touted as an Alan Wake plays out as if it is a parallels to TV shows such as Twin dependent on the reaction of the end result. We needed to get this open-world game. Over the course TV series, with sections broken Peaks and Northern Exposure. audience – but we always planned to right and we didn’t want to become of development it has transformed down into episodes. ‘‘We decided ‘‘We wanted to create a thriller, build something larger.’’ a game factory – but I hope we’ve into a more tightly scripted early on to use the TV series which is very different from a horror, done one or two things that will experience. The change was for the template because of the pacing and and we decided early on what Alan push the envelope (in the industry).’’ better, say Myllyrinne. story telling mechanics that tele- Wake was not: it’s not about blood, ❑ Alan Wake will be released on the ‘‘We wanted to touch people’s ‘‘Being open world we weren’t vision gets right. You can do it’s not about gore, it’s not about Xbox 360 on May 20. Entertaining romp packed full of drama

Final Fantasy XIII The story is quite engaging with of Final Fantasy XIII, and the result From: Square Enix an intricate cast of characters, each is a fighting system unlike any other For: PlayStation 3 with their own goals and personal in the series. Classification: Everyone story. It largely revolves around The player only has control of the Score: ★★★1⁄2 Cocoon, a world widely regarded as leader of the party and each party a utopia with a long history of peace member is assigned one of six roles As is tradition, Final Fantasy XIII and prosperity. during battle, which can be Final Fantasy XIII: A flagship title for PlayStation 3, it goes to great lengths to introduces a new world and new The game starts out slowly – but customised to suit every situation. show the visual capabilities of Sony’s game console. characters, with some familiar hits its stride around the fifth The in-game graphics are so good elements to tie the game to the rest chapter, evolving into an enter- that it’s not always obvious whether The in-game character models are beautiful and enjoyable title that can of the series. taining romp packed full of drama. a cut scene is CG (computer superb, hair and clothing blows in stand on its own despite an Unlike most Final Fantasy games, The six main characters are annoying generated) or in game. As the the wind, and the environments look overwhelming amount of hype. which take place in open worlds, at first, but they all grow on you as flagship title for the series on the stunning. It’s a different experience in both Final Fantasy XIII tends to guide you their lives spiral out of control. PlayStation 3, it goes to great lengths Final Fantasy XIII has made some good and bad ways, but ultimately along a set path, not giving you the Square Enix also made some to show the visual capabilities of major changes to the typical RPG the positives outweigh the negatives. optiontoexplore. major changes to the combat system Sony’s game console. formula, but the final result is a PHIL MCKENZIE