Uploaded April 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Alan Wake is a game that pulls heavily from numerous vibes. Stephen King, In The Mouth of Madness, the Twilight Zone, and Twin Peaks, all chiming out a tune that’s both colourful and monochrome. I loved it back when I played it at launch, I loved it when I bought the remastered edition, and I love it still after wading around in its fiction.

So let's talk about it and its greatest inspirations.

This is a remaster of an old critique with new footage, audio, editing, and a reworked script. The old video is linked here for posterity's sake: youtube.com/watch?v=2bNjkTAhGrc

*LORE DUMP*
youtube.com/watch?v=QVyO4qRH5NE&t=8318s

*ALAN WAKE 2 CRITIQUE - BEYOND THE LAKE*
youtu.be/YtpmAwSTJeo

Thumbnail by Hotcyder
twitter.com/HotCyder

*TWITTER*
twitter.com/MontyZander

*PATREON*
patreon.com/montyzander

*MERCH*
monty-zander.myspreadshop.co.uk/egg+etc-A64d48ce76ae4d92b2d107c3f?productType=812&sellable=8ymb4k75R8cdZ34M5zkN-812-7&appearance=2

*TIMESTAMPS*

00:00:00 - An Old Story
00:02:45 - Introduction
00:05:05 - Alan's Inspiration
00:29:36 - Alan Can't Run
00:47:51 - Alan, I'm Scared
01:06:20 - Alan, Are You Okay?
01:22:39 - Alan's World
01:38:44 - Alan, Awake
01:49:15 - Alan, Again
01:59:45 - Alan Wake's American Nightmare

*ALAN WAKE 2 CRITIQUE - BEYOND THE LAKE*
youtu.be/YtpmAwSTJeo

*ALAN WAKE CRITIQUE - BEYOND INSPIRATION*
youtu.be/p7WasN_BNfU

*BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT CRITIQUE - LEGACY OF THE BAT*
youtube.com/watch?v=rruHbLSDTRo&t=3640s&ab_channel=MontyZander

*GOTHAM KNIGHTS CRITIQUE - SHADOW OF THE BAT*
youtu.be/hfM8HZ6IaHA

*BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS CRITIQUE - VENGEANCE OF THE BAT*
youtu.be/9RYwQpZ1tac

*BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY CRITIQUE - BREAKING THE BAT*
youtu.be/8aiK00lFVsI

*BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM CRITIQUE - FINDING THE BAT*
youtu.be/WDlY2RP3R3A

*FOOTAGE/REFERENCES*
1) Screen_Craft - David Lynch on Writer's Block: tiktok.com/@screen_craft/video/7135991824371420458
2) Stephen King - Why Hollywood Can't Do Horror: pcgamer.com/stephen-king-gave-the-opening-quote-to-alan-wake-for-just-one-dollar-and-its-not-the-first-time-hes-done-this/#:~:text=The%20quote%20is%20from%20a,to%20the%20poetry%20of%20fear.%22
3) Ars Technica - How Alan Wake was built 3 years into development: youtube.com/watch?v=AoHkGDu0_Hw&t=2s
4) Remedy Entertainment - The Making of Alan Wake: youtube.com/watch?v=hao1LIGsNtM
5) Venture Beat - Alan Wake's master storyteller explains why video game took so long to make
6) Game Informer - We talk with Remedy about Alan Wake: gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/02/16/we-talk-with-remedy-about-alan-wake.aspx
7) Esquire - The Twin Peaks Sound has influenced everyone from Kanye West to Beach House: esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a55077/twin-peaks-music-influence
8) Writing on Games - Alan Wake: Finding the Good Within the Bad: youtube.com/watch?v=t3_5j5lUX_s&t=157s
9) WorthPlayingVideos
10) 4KWDW - A look around Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom in 4K: youtube.com/watch?v=hu0t7E_4xOE&t=1s&pp=ygUUNEsgV0RXIGRpc25leSBjYXN0bGU%3D
11) G Cast
12) MinnMax - The Deepest Dive - Alan Wake 2: The Middle: youtube.com/watch?v=ERGmnJ0Gyh0
13) Eurogamer - Alan Wake: Remedy Looks Back: eurogamer.net/alan-wake-remedy-looks-back-interview?page=2
14) Alan Wake Remastered - Commentary Tracks
15 - Alan Wake's American Nightmare - Super Effective Sales Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=7cEXYWJPMIA
16 - Alan Wake's American Nightmare - Dev Diaries: youtube.com/watch?v=g3zHyNLtXQU
17 - Alan Wake Novel - Rick Burroughs

*MUSIC (in order of use)*
All Music is licenced by Artlist
INTRODUCTION
- WEARETHEGOOD: Outlawz - Instrumental Version
- Linus Johnsson: Seeing Through Your Eyes
- Alon Peretz: Turning Point
PART 1
-Petri Alanko: A Writer's Dream
-Ben Winwood: Salvatore
PART 2
-Roniit: Let Go
-Ziv Moran: Together Again
PART 3
-Angel Salazar: Clock
-Marek Jakubowicz: Dark Rose
PART 4
-Aleksey Chistilin: Lighthouse on a Cliff
-David James Terry: Cherished Memories
-Petri Alanko: The Clicker
PART 5
-Ardie Son: Come Back Home
PART 6
-Alon Peretz: Tired Eyes
PART 7
-Ziggy: Autumn Embrace
-Tiko Tiko: Gliding into the Unknown - Instrumental Version
PART 8
-Ben Winwood: Advent
-Mika Sade: Between Us (Outro Song)

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