If you’ve finished Alan Wake (review) and are hoping for more, help is coming in the form of two downloadable episodes. The first, The Signal, is packaged with your retail copy of the game via an insert with a code printed on it, while those who picked the game up used can pick it up from the Xbox Marketplace for 7 bucks. With it you get a short “chapter” of the game that works as an epilogue the events of Alan Wake (worry not- no spoilers ahead), showing Wake dealing with some more of his psychoses as he tries to hunt down Thomas Zane, the poet who previously fought the Dark Presence that currently menaces Wake. It’s a pretty solid bit of DLC, with nary a bit of fat on it, as this contains the best bits of Alan Wake. At least, the action side of things, as there’s even less of an emphasis on
scares this time around.
One main difference between this add-on material and the game is that you know that this is a dream. Alan Wake frequently plays with your sanity, making you question if what you’re experiencing is actually happening anywhere outside of Wake’s head, but here there’s no doubt of where you are. Throughout The Signal you visit areas that are connected in that unique way that they are in your dreams, heedless of geography. (The diner melds into his New York apartment melds into a lumberyard.) Shadowy visions of loved ones and acquaintances appear here and there to help you on your way. Also, the most damning evidence of all are the return of the typewriter words from the main game, words that float around the environment and only become concrete once Wake focuses his flashlight on them, as if willing them into existence.
So you’ll travel through familiar territory, but there are a few new additions that unfortunately feel quite old. For example, a new flashlight that simply gives you a larger battery, as well as a couple of new enemies that are plays on old ones. Those hoping for new creatures to fight (where are my bears, damn it?) will be left disappointed. But there are a couple of new challenges to face, some coming from the words that you shine your light on which can be dangerous to you. Much like the regular game it’s a very linear affair, one where you’re constantly attacked by shadowy foes with only your light to protect you. Ammo and weapons are in abundance here, though, and you’ll be doing a lot more fighting.
I must take a moment here to make a special note of some of the worst product placement in gaming history. While Alan Wake has already shown his preference of name brand batteries and cell phones time and time again in the full game, in the DLC there’s a moment where he finds a Verizon-branded cell phone and answers it, only to have the person on the other end ask “Can you hear me now?”
But fight the urge to smash your Xbox to bits and you’ll find out that The Signal does offer quite an action-packed and fast-paced ride, one that’s satisfying for anyone enamored with the game’s fun combat system.
There are more achievements to get (unfortunately, two are more dreaded
collectible missions) to add 250 points to your gamerscore, and
considering that it’s a fast little chapter that shouldn’t take you more
than two hours, it encourages replays.
But the one thing that might annoy owners of the game is that the DLC ends on a pretty significant cliffhanger, only to taunt you with the second, 7 buck DLC on the way. Titled The Writer, it’s scheduled for release sometime soon.
If these two do well Remedy Games has plans to continue Mr. Wake’s story through a second “season”, entirely via DLC. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see more adventures from this tortured writer, but let’s hope they can change up the experience a bit more the next time.