1. Hobiologe

   10

   Well, it makes a lot of fun and the Horde Mode as well as the Story is pretty cool. Especially the weapons are much more better than in Alan Wake and the atmosphere is just amazing; as it used to be in an Alan Wake title. Makes much fun, looks fantastic, feels awesome and a 100% recommendation. Fair Price!
   
   If you like Alan Wake you will love the Nightmare!… Expand

   • Helpful? 5 of 6 users said Yes.
2. Xborn74

   8

   My opinion having played it now: if you liked the original game, you'll like this one.
   
   The game tells the story of an alternative Alan Wave, which appears in the introduction of a TV show that is playing on a roadside Motel, and this show is happening in a small roadside Motel of Arizona, and in an episode of Night Springs (that Alan wrote in the past), where he must try to escape, while facing his nemesis, Mr. Scratch, his alter-ego.
   
   The gameplay follows the same principles of the original retail game, with you walking across the landscape, facing many different enemies from the shadows, with your flashlight to weaken them (LT) and a gun to kill them (RT, with a range of weapons such as guns, nail guns, signal pistols, etc.).
   
   Spread across the scenarios there are collectibles (manuscripts), which are also used to open special weapons caches, that contains more powerful guns; these caches are spread both in Campaign mode and in Arcade mode.
   
   The points of the the objectives are shown with stars, in a top screen radar, and other things like ammunition, each one with a different icon: also at the Motel that exists in this town, there is a garage where he meets characters from the previous game, and of course the classic spots below the lamps, where he regenerates and is protected by the light above.
   
   The graphics are very good for an XBLA game, though not having all the full refinement of the Retail version, but that's a barely noticeable deatil: also the lighting effects are good, but not as much as the original, in variations and shadows. The opening CG is made with a mixture of real shooting and CG footage, very cool indeed.
   
   Regarding the game's audio, it features music and performances really well done, one of the highlights in the game, plus a atmosferic narrator for the story.
   
   American Nightmare also features an Arcade mode, where, in many different scenarios you face Wave after Wave of enemies, with ammunition and weapons scatered around, to survive these waves (similar to Horde mode in Gears). The aim in this mode is to try to survive till dawn (there is a clock with 10 minutes on the top screen, which is the remaining time until dawn), and try to attain a maximum score, killing the enemies.
   
   The game, in resume, is clearer than the previous one, and the enemies and weapons are more varied, with an improved enemy AI, while maintaning the core gamplay of the original Alan Wake: the game is more than recommended for 1200MS Points, for those who enjoyed the first, which will not be disappointed at all. My score fo this one: 8,6.… Expand

   • Helpful? 5 of 5 users said Yes.
3. cman12314

   7

   This is not a sequel to Alan Wake, nor is it a prequel, or really even a spinoff, for that matter. No, American Nightmare is more of an Alan Wake 1.5, a halfway point between 1 and 2. Because of this, the story, disappointingly, doesn't really deliver. While Alan hunting his evil double Mr. Scratch is an interesting idea, Mr. Scratch himself isn't really all that menacing. Also, to make up for the limited amount of areas they can put into an arcade game, the developers recycled the same three areas in a story about a time loop that really doesn't make much sense. So the story is a little lackluster, but not all is bad. The combat has really been revamped, with more weapons and more varied enemies. This keeps your encounters with the darkness from getting stale like they did in the first game. On a side note, the new, open setting of Arizona isn't quite as interesting as the creepy woods of Washington. Something completely new in this game is the Fight Till Dawn mode, in which you are put into an arena and tasked with surviving against ten minutes of nearly non-stop taken. This mode mode is actually way creepier than the campaign, and the fast arcade action is a nice change of pace. This is by no means a bad game, despite my complains, and is arguably the most impressive game on the arcade yet in terms of presentation. For $15, Alan Wake's American is definitely worth the buy, especially for Wake fans, just don't expect something quite as special as the first game. 7/10… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 2 users said Yes.
4. Evis03

   2

   Nothing of value was experienced, the first game was cheapened, and generally this was one of the most tasteless and vapid games I have ever played. It was like eating a bread sandwich. The gameplay mechanics offer no challenge, the story goes nowhere, there are no characters to speak of, the delivery is nonsense and it feels nothing like the original. The main villain is like Jason Vaughees if he was played by Eddie Murphy.
   
   
   If you enjoyed the original, avoid this game. It is a complete betrayal and even taken on its own principles the story is terribly executed, the design is lazy and the combat is somehow even more boring the original. At least there you felt threatened. It also makes you play through the same three levels three times before you can finish the game. You thought Bioware took the piss recycling the same map over and over again? Try recycling your entire GAME. I award you a great, big, round fail, and may the deity of your choice offer pity, for I have none. Remedy, you have been moved off my 'must buy' list, and into the 'avoid unless world sequels with delight at passing' list. I made it just for you.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 4 users said Yes.

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