Unlike Alan Wake, which is narrated by Alan, American Nightmare is narrated by actor Lloyd Floyd, who voices the narrator of Night Springs in Alan Wake. He also voices Tor.
Alan (or the narrator)explains the connection to the player. Before Alan became a famous novelist, he started his career writing for the TV show, Night Springs. Alan wrote a story for Night Springs about a Champion of Light and a Herald of Darkness. Alan explains that he has fashioned this location from that story. Inside the Dark Place Alan has some control over his world, allowing him to set it in Night Springs, Arizona. As in Alan Wake, Alan can use the power of the Dark Reality to create the world, but it has to follow the rules of drama. He explains to Emma, “Maybe that's just how the story goes,” when he explains why he can't make something better. It's dream logic. He isn't the only creative force. The world is in tension between Alan and Mr. Scratch, who is working against him.
At the Drive-In Alan meets Serena Valdivia. She has also met Mr. Scratch, who always proceeds Alan. Unlike Emma and Dr. Meadows she was seduced by the doppelganger. The actress who voices Serena overplays the 'seduced by a bad guy shtick', rendering it simultaneously corny and disgusting. Aside from Mr. Scratch, the only people Alan encounters are woman, and it seems they are used to contrast Alan and Scratch. Unfortunately it seems the developers employs them as objects for Mr. Scratch to vent his sexualized violence upon, and Serena suffers the worst.
After completing the Drive-In, Mr Scratch sends Alan back to the first area. Walking towards the motel Alan discovers some of his objectives are already completed. Talking to Emma, he finds that she has a vague recollection of their previous meeting. She completed some of his tasks in advance. Alan tries to protect Emma, and fails again.
Before the player knows it they are back at the Observatory. Along the way the player continues to collect manuscripts. New ones appear each time Alan revisits a location. At the conclusion I had found 19/21 at the Motel, 14/16 at the Observatory, and 11/16 at the Drive-In. I watched all nine of the videos of Mr. Scratch. I listened to seven of the nine radio shows. Unlike the more engaging Pat Maine of Alan Wake, the new radio show is hosted by Eddie Rodman. He talks to people in reality, like Barry Wheeler and the Old Gods, along with Alice Wake. This offers Alan a glimpse into the world without him.
From the Observatory, Alan returns to the Drive-In. Mr. Scratch taunts Alan about his predicament. Poor Alan, stuck in the Dark Reality. Mr. Scratch claims to travel into the real world. He threatens to pretend to be Alan, trick Barry, and seduce and murder Alice. He is a terrifying figure, and his repeated sexual violence against women, and to a lesser degree men, is powerful, disgusting, and too much.
Then Alan is back at the Motel again!
On the third round, Emma remembers him more clearly. There is almost nothing for the player to do. The same is true of the Observatory and the Drive-In. Alan participates in a sort of a final battle, where the Herald of Darkness doesn't actually fight (he never does), but throws a slightly larger than normal horde of minions at the player. Mr. Scratch misses his real opportunity. While he mocks Alan earlier, he doesn't do anything to defeat him. Mr. Scratch needs to kill Alan, but this repetitive loop he has set up buys Alan time and space to enact his own plan.
After the battle Alan completes a puzzle that isn't a puzzle (American Nightmare tells the player exactly what to do) to do something that defeats Mr. Scratch. On top of the techno/magic babble required to activate the weapon to defeat Mr. Scratch, he also has to accidentally stand in exactly the right place at the right time, which he obligingly does.
Alan watches on the drive in screen as it shows a reunion between Alan and Alice. The cinematic, along with all the other cinematics in Alan Wake's American Nightmare are fantastic. They are used just enough, and look incredible. The narrator breaks up the romantic reunion with his narration. He undercuts the joy by asking, “Are these actual events, or merely a dream? A memory, or a glimpse of what is to come? [It] takes place … far, far away from Night Springs.”
An after credits scene shows Barry awaken to a staticky TV.
In Conclusion,
Alan Wake's American Nightmare is both a step up, and a stumble for the Remedy Connected Universe. It replaces Alan Wake's dull villain with a superior threat. Mr. Scratch exudes character and panache. He is despicable, maybe too much so. But he is an idiot that never threats Alan. Nor does he advance the plot. Alan starts and ends in the same place, stuck in the Dark Place. The setting is less engaging, less clear why the player is here, and its three areas are vacant and bland.
The movement around the areas is similar, but everything looks better. The combat barely improves, with similar enemies. Because of the lack of ax throwers, unlimited ammunition, and few enemies, American Nightmare is a much easier game. I didn't die a single time. The three NPCs are less engaging than the previous allies. Alan Wake contains crucial characters like Barry, Alice, the Sheriff, Emil, and the Old Gods. American Nightmare has the one person at each location. Unlike the others, they lack character. It feels as if they are there to compare Alan to Mr. Scratch. They are of no interest, except as a tool for Alan. The dialogue veers between compelling and contemptible. Mr. Scratch terrifies from the TV screens, but spouts bad banter when he appears to threaten Alan with Taken. The conversations between Alan and the NPCs is to the point, and meticulously obscure and repetitive. But find the Phone Booth Easter Egg and listen to the pathos of Alan describe a horrifying real life event, or just enjoy the steady voice of the narrator. Remedy can write, except when it can't.
What does the Universe have in store, on the next stop, Control?
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