The main character in that game has a very focused and refined mind. This can be seen in their use of telekinesis. An ability which requires focus, clear spacial awareness, imagination and visualisation. The protagonist of control. Jane Control, sister of the villains mobile phone, John Control. Shows us exactly how much thought and focus she holds. By ripping bathtub sized chunks of floor out of the ground and playing bowling. With her dusty ex coworkers acting as the pins. Genius. No. More. Big Brian. (Controls a great game!, I'm glad you included it in this series of videos. Other than the 'STATS' and some grinding/balancing. Brilliant all around.) -Edit- autocorrect on this phone played a couple of pranks on me, just fixed the Grammer.
@@mememachine-386 In my days we called them add-ons. Separate games still tied to the original in all things. Like Tiberium Wars with Kane's Wrath or Dawn of War 1 and 2
when and how tf did this meme even start, and why is it so funny to so many people? To me this crap just suddenly appeared in every comment section out of nowhere
I like to think of American Nightmare being Alan having a mental break and wanting a b-tier movie ending while the real him deals with the Dark Realm's shenanigans
Especially in the context of AW2, where I'm convinced that "Tom Zane" is just another Alan who wished he could get the Bright Presence back, and then Tom Zane went and wrote Alan Wake's American Nightmare as a sequel to Tom the Poet
He's trying to keep Gianni from conquering the Brickyverse since he has already taken over the retro shooter universe and has several other universes in his sights.
I think Alan having a flat voice initially is what makes his sudden sparatic appearance in the dlc and as Mr. Scratch so memorable and good. You're genuinely taken aback by the sudden chaos in his voice because it had never occured to you that he could be that unhinged in the first place.
@@diamondhamster4320Very confused by the tone of this comment, are you just saying 4 hours is way too much for a video or that he spends too much time trying to make a single point?
Main issue with AWAN was that it was supposed to be Alan Wake 2, but they couldn't get the story right so when Microsoft came in and basically went "Hey start working on Quantum Break." the scraps of the original project turned into AWAN. This is very abridged and off memory but there's a lot of inside commentary and such that explains it better.
I also think this is why the fanbase has as much affection for AWAN as they do (apart from the genuinely awesome Mr. Scratch scenes). For a while, it seemed like this was all the Alan Wake we were gonna get. Between Microsoft tasking Remedy with Quantum Break and that heartbreaking Sam Lake announcement video, it looked like Alan Wake 2 might never come to be. AWAN wasn't great, but at least it was more Alan Wake.
@@jacobchandler7642 Lotta people, like me, also just didn't mind the writing as much. Maybe Bricky understands the reasoning behind it. Maybe he just doesn't think it landed, but for me it did, even though horny chick was annoying and uncomfortable. I got the issue. Mr. Scratch is a sort of inhibition/id/satan possessing Alan figure and this is a chick I think that is implied to have been manipulated by her, I think she eventually comes to her senses. In that vein, yeah obviously it's gonna be an incredibly uncomfortable experience. But I get why Bricky didn't like it and such. Then again, maybe I just have a soft spot for Remedy even though I never played the original Alan Wake (Missed my opportunity) I enjoyed Quantum Break even though it was bad, just straight up. And I enjoyed Control although I never beat it because halfway through trying to 100% the metroidvania style stuff, it wiped my save (not the games fault, eff you microsoft). That being said I've not been comfortable touching Wake 2 because of the increasingly weird circumstances around it and it being a potentially mid and unfulfilling sequel. But maybe Bricky will be my way around that.
@@jackbishop8610 Yeah, I think Bricky is a little harsh on the writing and combat fronts in general. To each their own on that. But I agree with you about the woman at the drive-in. To me it was pretty clear that she was enthralled by Scratch, while also having brief moments of clarity where she is fighting back against his influence. Just go back and talk to her after turning the lights on; that makes it pretty obvious that she was just affected by the darkness, much like Rose was in the original. Also, it's a shame that you haven't dived back into playing the Remedyverse games. What's turning you off from AW2?
@@jacobchandler7642 Don't want anymore Sweet Baby Politics shoved in my face after God of War Ragnarok(Which was pretty good in spite of it but could have been so much better) and Spider Mid 2.
I don’t know if it was intentional or not that Alan sounded so flat in the first game, but I’m glad Matthew Poretta did such a better job in the dlc and especially Alan Wake 2. He’s also probably the best part of Control as Dr. Darling (My Beloved
It's a insane when you play Alan Wake 2 and realise that American Nightmare is not only 100% canon, but is made retroactovely better by the events of Alan Wake 2.
It's hilarious how everyone else who plays this game is confused about Nightingale as he just seems to be a crazy drunkard and shoot Alan for no reason or motive, but Bricky think he lands right.
@@syrusalder7795 He's ex-FBI. Read the Alan Wake Files if you want better insight on him (if you got Alan Wake Collector's Edition on Steam, there's a PDF of it in the game's install folder).
My favourite part about the American Nightmare is the secret message in the Balance Slays the Demon song by the Old Gods. There is a moment after the solo where you can hear some jibberish or an incantation of sorts. You actually can reverse the track around this moment and there will be an amazing “portent”, seven years before the reveal of that story!
It was a refernece to something else, not foreshadowing Control. There was actually a fictional blog/blogger tie-in called The House of Dreams that was about the dark presence spreading to the town of Ordinary. It was setting up one of the 'abandoned' Alan Wake 2 ideas, so when it came to Control, they reinterpreted some of the loose ends, ideas and names.
Now, as one of the individuals that this hits home for, the battle with the TV, and the TV's screaming being more manic compared to Alan's natural composure, does actually hit the nail on the head pretty well. The darkness [depression] empowering the negative thoughts [natural anxiety and self reflection] is correct. It really is a wrestling match for me when one of my monopolar episodes kicks in. Once the episode ends, it's like I'm snapped back to the real world. It's jarring to say the least, but always a relief when it ends. I'm also studying to be a mental health therapist. Obviously the doctor is being made more traditional antagonist for videogame purposes, but there are a lot of people who view those in this practice as taking advantage of people suffering from the darkness for their own purposes, and there are.
Definitely play Quantum Break, but play it after Alan Wake 2. I think experiencing it in that order will really help with the concepts being presented in Quantum Break and how they matter to the larger RCU. I also recommend Max Payne 1 and 2, both because they are great games, but also because they might as well be connected. The only reason any game isn't "connected" to the RCU is legal reasons, but its up to the player whether they want to take that at face value or not. Remedy has encouraged many times that everything is connected, but for legal reasons they've had to clarify what is "connected", even if the legal restrictions aren't narratively valid.
I'm so glad that I haven't been spoiled with the game. Like I've seen no spoilers or random gameplay on RUclips shorts it's gonna be fun to play it when it's a little cheaper
From what I can tell with american nightmare and alan wake 2, I think they were test running ideas they were gonna use for the next game. For it is not a loop game, it's a spiral
I didn't mind his voice because it felt very much like they told him to act like a writer reading his own book for an audience, like when they read an excerpt for a book signing. I like Alan sounding like he's reading me an audiobook.
The Remedy-verse arc truly is the most blessed thing to happen. Can't wait for the upcoming videos. Both Control and Alan Wake II are... definedly something!
What makes me love the Alan Wake franchise is *because* it has good highs and very bad lows; it gets to the sweet spot of "I love hating this" where you dread the bad parts that are coming but the good parts of the franchise bumps up the quality where you can't hate it....but you can't love all of it either. Is funny, it lives in that limbo of "Oh Alan Wake you silly..." attitude for me
American Nightmare is still an enjoyable experience for me. It's more Alan Wake and I was desperate for more stuff. Either way, CONTROL is awesome. Can't wait to see the Brick's thoughts on that.
Yeah. AN got a lot of leeway on the grounds that it at least provided (what could be interpreted as) a somewhat positive, if esoteric, conclusion to the base game's cliffhanger, where the franchise otherwise seemed to be completely dead. And it's gameplay was a genuinely nice step up, too, especially considering that the base game was above-passable for the time (even if it has definitely aged terribly by modern standards).
Bricky, I would like a Quantum Break video. Also, American Nightmare exists because while they were originally working in AW2 immediately after the first when it didn't pan out they decided to not let their efforts go to waste and recycle everything they had made into a short (mostly) unimportant game. Honestly, to people reading, when it goes on another MASSIVE sale as it always does, if you enjoyed the combat from AW1 I'd say pick it up. The story is a breeze and it then also has several horde maps. It can be a fun time, it depends what you make of it. Also, American Nightmare Scratch is an incredible villain.
@@addison_v_ertisement1678Speak for yourself, I loved it and the changes they made to it for AW2 is what made me skip it. Loved AW1 and wanted nothing to do with AW2, watched it on RUclips instead
@@Taz_XE076"the changes", you mean making enemies stronger and more sparse, while emphasising actual aiming and weak spots? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the combat of AW, as well as AN, even more so. But AW2 is an unbelievable leap for the better in terms of gameplay. It looks better, plays better, and *feels* better.
Bricky, I’m aware how you’ll feel about the entire “all that matters is if it lands” but, the reason a lot of these characters in nightmare sound like this is again, by design. They’re not real. They don’t truly exist, not like this, anyway. Alan says himself this “battle” with Scratch was hastily written, using the episode of night springs as the quick and easy way to make it happen. They’re all supposed to sound like they’re in a episode of night springs, with barely written lines and barely paid cast. That was part of the point. Again, they didn’t sell that theme well enough to make this land and make you realize that’s what they’re doing. I love Alan wake.. if that wasn’t obvious by my name, and thanks for playing it
Would definitely love a video of Quantum Break. I know a lot of people were put off by the live action TV parts but I genuinely enjoyed them. I also really liked the combat and story.
Alan Wake American Nightmare is amazing. It's some of the best combat the series has had, the time loop mechanic is fun as heck, we get some character building with Mr.Scratch, and it's all set in Night Springs. also, Full Auto Nail Gun, need I say more! The run from the explosion at the oil rig hits every time.
When I first played The Signal, I was so stunned with the voice acting and the desperation you could hear in the voice. I love the Alan Wake game, but I agree with your points there. For me, the flat voice acting was in this case, though, not boring, but relaxing to hear. But having more emotion, more "spice" to it? Yeah, definitely much better
I was waiting for this one! The number of puns in the first 10 mins alone is magnificent 😂 Throwing my two cents into the new mike question, I think it's great for streams but less so for videos - the sound blows out at some points when you're stressing words (e.g. at 1:23 and around 18:45-18:50) and otherwise is a bit more flat/quiet than with the old one. Part of what makes your videos great is your style of speech and tone variation - feels like the new mike flattens that a bit!
I think I've figured out why Alan was so monotone and why it fails in the base game is because he wrote himself to be a stoic detective archetype because that's what Alan Wake knows how to write because he's crime thriller detective novelist which explains all the weird red herrings too and because Alan doesn't really know how to write horror.
The fun thing about American Nightmare is it's likely the 3 episodes of the show Alan wrote, explaining why they're so shitty. The lone, female worker is a BIG aspect of those shows, and the poor acting only adds to it. Of COURSE they all wanna fuck him because he's Stephen King. His brain likely reverted back to old works after return failed and started shitting itself unable to coherently recall what happened in the episode. Barry and the Old Gods on the radio was likely his mind coming up with a likely scenario outside the world. It's why the Lyrics so heavily reference what was said in Zane's Poems, which nobody should know about. It also introduced Alan essentially writing the events of Control "A town called ordinary" (In the reversed audio). Plus Balance Slays the Demon absolutely FUCKS. It's fun to imagine it happened because Alan had to idea HOW to escape and just started picking at ideas from the recesses of his mind, and the ending where he beats Scratch, was just Scratch fucking with him. It's why it was WAY more action. He didn't see himself as some Tweed Jacket wearing tosser, but an action hero ready to save the say. It's also interesting how it was an early glimpse at the SPIRAL concept, where the way out really WAS repeating the events over and over until they just click.
Barry is practically invincible, that coat is lined with kevlar and ceramic plates. coupled with a lead lined interior this makes barry essentially a god within the confides of human skin.
Honestly though, the music of Old Gods of Asgard is a real gem. After each game I started listening to the songs from the game on repeat :) (Listen to Balance slays the Demon from his American Nightmare)
I mean, if you're gonna do reviews for the 'Remedy-verse' I think it's only fair you do Quantum Break as well. While, as far as I'm aware, Quantum Break isn't directly tied to Control or Alan Wake, it does have some teases and references to Alan Wake. I just think Quantum Break is a super underrated and unique game, and I'd love to see you discuss it.
Having played all the modern remedy games and recently beaten Alan Wake 2, I would definitely recommend playing quantum break before playing AW2 (if you plan on ever playing it, if you're gonna skip quantum break entirely don't let not playing it stop you from playing Alan wake 2)
If I had to guess, I'd say Microsoft had them tied up with licensing of the IP and a contract to make *something* for Arcade. They probably made them stick with Alan Wake simply because of the name recognition (XBox exclusive!! Woohoo!! ONLY ON ARCADE!! Or something), as they weren't known for anything else--OR maybe Remedy chose to do something Alan Wake related because they didn't want another IP tangled up with exclusivity rights. Either way, I'm thankful that they jumped out of Microsoft's clutches and Control landed cross-platform. It's easily one of my favorite games from the PS4/Xbone era.
Not sure if you’re aware but Quantum Break has a live action tie in show *you cannot watch* anymore. It was tied (HA) to that really weird and horrible Xbox app or something, it’s been forever, but when the app/service died, the show went with it. I honestly can’t say it’s not important to the story either, because it was possible to watch it when I first played it however when my girlfriend went to play it years ago she has so many questions by the time she was done. Also, have you covered Plague Tale? You should cover Plague Tale. *I WILL PAY MONEY TO WATCH YOU PLAY PLAGUE TALE*
Even though Max Payne technically isn’t part of the connected “Remedyverse”, I still strongly suggest you play those games. They still hold up today and share a lot of DNA from their future games. Max Payne 3 (technically made by Rockstar) still has the best 3rd person shooting mechanics ever.
I actually did play Control, I didn't finish it but I played a few hours of it and I rather liked it. The art was good, the creepiness was good, some of the encounters were a bit bleh and I ultimately didn't end up finishing the game but it seemed like it would be a good story. Unless of course it nose dives right after the part I stopped at lol
@@colbyboucher6391 Well that's a shame, the part I stopped at was after the mission where you have to sneak past those orb creatures and then you have to go find her sibling (I think). At that point I was already feeling a bit meh with things so I put it down for a few days, and then a few days became forever. I didn't really expect it to get any worse
I always interpreted the narration Alan gives, as just that - Narration in his Manuscript. A monotone readout of things happen according to the script. Rather than it being the actual thoughts of Alan reacting to things in the moment - I hope that makes sense. The monotone script-read acting as another hint, that this is just a preset story that Alan had written after entering the lake. But I also have to be fair and say that a lot of the things where Alan speaks out loud are not necessarily all that good (example being him saying: "Oh No" when Alice gets pulled into the Lake among other things, which just cracked me up in the moment and took me out of the game).
Okay the weird synchronicity of Bricky launching into a Factor ad as I dig into a Factor meal on a subscription that I started because of a Factor ad from Bricky is not lost on me
28:00 the reason american nightmare exists was because it was based of off a early prototype of alan wake 2 that was shown to Microsoft but was rejected and later turned into America nightmare
21:43 Actually Bricky, you should absolutely do a video on Castle Crashers. Despite releasing in 2008 it still has a MASSIVELY dedicated fanbase, and holds up today as one of the outright best Beat Em Up arcade games of all time. It's very fun solo and an absolute blast to play with friends, my sister and I spent most of 6th 7th and 8th grade coming home and playing it through with every knight to get all the unlocks
Okay, for the sake of fairness, American Nightmare's whole "three hot ladies the hero, champion of light, meets" being so off and cheap is intentional. Alan mentions that he started his writing gigs by working for Night Springs and he wrote a story where a hero called the Champion of light fights his double, the Herald of Darkness and that he reuses the script as one of his endless attempts to leave the dark place. That brings some questions like... Is Scratch what he is because of this script? Seeing in AW2 he takes on a completely different role. In the original, cancelled Alan Wake 2 demo there is a mention that Scratch is the result of rumors, y'know, handsome 'charming' writer goes off into woods with a gun and people disappear. What if he's secretly a serial killer, and Scratch is born of those rumors since the lake gives life to narratives. Could be both. AW's writing works like that. Scratch is both born out of rumors and falls within the antagonist role of the night springs episode since his existence aligns so much with the Herald of Darkness character, which is how Alan manages to 'defeat' him, assuming that's what happens in the actual episode. Now is the ending of American Nightmare just an illusion? He wrote a problem and wrote him finishing it but he didn't really solve anything? Was it him shedding light into the 'rumors' Scratch, through Alice's homemade movies showing his loving nature? Is that why in AW2 he's not the same figure he is in this?
Won't stop saying it (i will hold this L if I must) but i genuinely like just about ALL of alan's voice acting in the whole package. American Nightmare? mostly in the form of Mr. Scratch, but even then... eh?
You can edit and release the control video in 2 days surely. Easy for the Brickenator. Also Cyclone Kirily is mad and I’m scared but your videos are making it better. Thanks Bricky.
if you do choose to skip Quantum Break, I do warn that you may be confused on some plot elements in Alan Wake 2. There are some very important characters that are very heavily hinted at being from Quantum Break
I didn't mind American Nightmares, it's not the best but it was still fun for a single playthrough. It did definitely get repetitive after a couple time loops but itvwas still a good time. It could be how i play games, to me if its not borderline unplayable, has a completely unredeemable story, ir a terrible MC, i can enjoy it.
Personally I thought Matthew Porretta's VA in the original game was good. But part of that is because the game was always intended to have a Twin Peaks vibe following the Night Springs shit from Max Payne. Also take Steam reviews of older games with a grain of salt because back then you couldn't review a game if you had under the refund period played. That has changed but definitely floated a ton of bad games because refunds weren't allowed to review the game as bad.
AW:AN also introduces a few plot details, but outside of literally one thing that probably won't ever matter, everything it introduces is covered again but better in AW2
I recommend that you play Quantum Break, yeah it's not officially part of the Remedy verse, but it kinda is, pretty much in the same way Max Payne is. Alex Casey is clearly Max Payne under a different name, but even they acknowledged this in Control if you keep interacting repeatedly with a certain character. Also Quantum Break ties in strongly to Alan Wake 2 through some key characters who have a similar role in Quantum Break but with different names. Plus, it has the entire premise of Alan Wake 2 in one easy-to-find Easter egg at the beginning.
The next video in the series will be CONTROL. Looking forward to it, the game has been stellar so far.
Epic gave me the ultimate edition a while back, I should really play it lol
I might have to finally play it.
Hope you review palworld soon….would love to see you enjoy yourself in that realm of possibilities.
Best SCP like game out there
The main character in that game has a very focused and refined mind. This can be seen in their use of telekinesis. An ability which requires focus, clear spacial awareness, imagination and visualisation.
The protagonist of control. Jane Control, sister of the villains mobile phone, John Control.
Shows us exactly how much thought and focus she holds.
By ripping bathtub sized chunks of floor out of the ground and playing bowling. With her dusty ex coworkers acting as the pins.
Genius.
No. More.
Big Brian.
(Controls a great game!, I'm glad you included it in this series of videos. Other than the 'STATS' and some grinding/balancing. Brilliant all around.)
-Edit- autocorrect on this phone played a couple of pranks on me, just fixed the Grammer.
"It's not a dlc... It's an ocean..."
Gottem
Dang bricky liked this 🤣
It's not a dlc... it's an expansion
@@mememachine-386
In my days we called them add-ons. Separate games still tied to the original in all things. Like Tiberium Wars with Kane's Wrath or Dawn of War 1 and 2
@@steelbear2063 why did that "in my days" sounded very 👴🦯
I liked it when he said "I'm a writer" and then totally wrote all over those guys.
I like it when he says he's Alen Wake, and totally waked all over those guys.
😂
"It's waking time"
when and how tf did this meme even start, and why is it so funny to so many people?
To me this crap just suddenly appeared in every comment section out of nowhere
@@rysirion_9102 blame Morbius for that
I like to think of American Nightmare being Alan having a mental break and wanting a b-tier movie ending while the real him deals with the Dark Realm's shenanigans
Especially in the context of AW2, where I'm convinced that "Tom Zane" is just another Alan who wished he could get the Bright Presence back, and then Tom Zane went and wrote Alan Wake's American Nightmare as a sequel to Tom the Poet
Remember how it's ssi that Alan wrote a couple of episodes for Night Springs? Maybe that's what it was, his early works.
How dare you cut off Gianni before he finished his very reasonable request.
He's trying to keep Gianni from conquering the Brickyverse since he has already taken over the retro shooter universe and has several other universes in his sights.
Gianni was in this? I must’ve missed it
@@marinenukem 2:45
I think Alan having a flat voice initially is what makes his sudden sparatic appearance in the dlc and as Mr. Scratch so memorable and good. You're genuinely taken aback by the sudden chaos in his voice because it had never occured to you that he could be that unhinged in the first place.
"Bury the Light" during the Barry segment was *chef's kiss*
*storm approaching intensifies*
Time stamp?
@@lorddukealayeneclipse331718:33
That's not Bury the Light, that's Barry, the Light
@speed_queen thank you!
'The filter of James Somerton.'
Gah damn. Don't make me want to rewatch a 4 hour long video Brickleman.
Here is a TLDR - Paligarism BAD. No need to watch or rewatch a 4 hour video, mate.
@@diamondhamster4320 But hbomberguy makes it so funny
Half of the video is talking about other guys so in actuality it's like 2 hours if you'd rather only watch that half
when they say "just one more video and I'll go to sleep" but they pull up Harris B. Guy
@@diamondhamster4320Very confused by the tone of this comment, are you just saying 4 hours is way too much for a video or that he spends too much time trying to make a single point?
Both Alan Wakes voice actor and model do an amazing job with the real world footage. I’m always amazed and impressed whenever I see it
Main issue with AWAN was that it was supposed to be Alan Wake 2, but they couldn't get the story right so when Microsoft came in and basically went "Hey start working on Quantum Break." the scraps of the original project turned into AWAN. This is very abridged and off memory but there's a lot of inside commentary and such that explains it better.
I also think this is why the fanbase has as much affection for AWAN as they do (apart from the genuinely awesome Mr. Scratch scenes). For a while, it seemed like this was all the Alan Wake we were gonna get. Between Microsoft tasking Remedy with Quantum Break and that heartbreaking Sam Lake announcement video, it looked like Alan Wake 2 might never come to be. AWAN wasn't great, but at least it was more Alan Wake.
@@jacobchandler7642 More than that, it's just _fun._ The first game might not've been but I actually legitimately enjoyed playing AN Arcade Mode.
@@jacobchandler7642 Lotta people, like me, also just didn't mind the writing as much. Maybe Bricky understands the reasoning behind it. Maybe he just doesn't think it landed, but for me it did, even though horny chick was annoying and uncomfortable. I got the issue. Mr. Scratch is a sort of inhibition/id/satan possessing Alan figure and this is a chick I think that is implied to have been manipulated by her, I think she eventually comes to her senses. In that vein, yeah obviously it's gonna be an incredibly uncomfortable experience. But I get why Bricky didn't like it and such. Then again, maybe I just have a soft spot for Remedy even though I never played the original Alan Wake (Missed my opportunity) I enjoyed Quantum Break even though it was bad, just straight up. And I enjoyed Control although I never beat it because halfway through trying to 100% the metroidvania style stuff, it wiped my save (not the games fault, eff you microsoft). That being said I've not been comfortable touching Wake 2 because of the increasingly weird circumstances around it and it being a potentially mid and unfulfilling sequel. But maybe Bricky will be my way around that.
@@jackbishop8610 Yeah, I think Bricky is a little harsh on the writing and combat fronts in general. To each their own on that. But I agree with you about the woman at the drive-in. To me it was pretty clear that she was enthralled by Scratch, while also having brief moments of clarity where she is fighting back against his influence. Just go back and talk to her after turning the lights on; that makes it pretty obvious that she was just affected by the darkness, much like Rose was in the original.
Also, it's a shame that you haven't dived back into playing the Remedyverse games. What's turning you off from AW2?
@@jacobchandler7642 Don't want anymore Sweet Baby Politics shoved in my face after God of War Ragnarok(Which was pretty good in spite of it but could have been so much better) and Spider Mid 2.
I don’t know if it was intentional or not that Alan sounded so flat in the first game, but I’m glad Matthew Poretta did such a better job in the dlc and especially Alan Wake 2. He’s also probably the best part of Control as Dr. Darling (My Beloved
Darling is peak
According to Sam Lake, Alan was supposed to be terrified but playing it cool in the first game. He's clearly lost all of that cool since.
Dr. Darling is the man.
It's a insane when you play Alan Wake 2 and realise that American Nightmare is not only 100% canon, but is made retroactovely better by the events of Alan Wake 2.
Hearing Bricky say Nightingale was a cliche considering Control and what Alex knows about him in AW2 is funny
It's hilarious how everyone else who plays this game is confused about Nightingale as he just seems to be a crazy drunkard and shoot Alan for no reason or motive, but Bricky think he lands right.
was nightingale from the bureau?
@@syrusalder7795No, however he was persuaded (by the Dark Presence, IIRC) that Wake was responsible for his partner’s death when he was FBI.
@@syrusalder7795 He's ex-FBI. Read the Alan Wake Files if you want better insight on him (if you got Alan Wake Collector's Edition on Steam, there's a PDF of it in the game's install folder).
My favourite part about the American Nightmare is the secret message in the Balance Slays the Demon song by the Old Gods. There is a moment after the solo where you can hear some jibberish or an incantation of sorts.
You actually can reverse the track around this moment and there will be an amazing “portent”, seven years before the reveal of that story!
The hidden message is: “It will happen again, in another town, a town called Ordinary”.
Now that’s how you do foreshadowing
It was a refernece to something else, not foreshadowing Control. There was actually a fictional blog/blogger tie-in called The House of Dreams that was about the dark presence spreading to the town of Ordinary. It was setting up one of the 'abandoned' Alan Wake 2 ideas, so when it came to Control, they reinterpreted some of the loose ends, ideas and names.
@@BenM.Davies As true as that is, they definitely had the idea of Altered World Events down already
Not sure if it's intentional. But I love the fact that the first full word seen on the American Nightmare title screen is Help.
Now, as one of the individuals that this hits home for, the battle with the TV, and the TV's screaming being more manic compared to Alan's natural composure, does actually hit the nail on the head pretty well.
The darkness [depression] empowering the negative thoughts [natural anxiety and self reflection] is correct. It really is a wrestling match for me when one of my monopolar episodes kicks in. Once the episode ends, it's like I'm snapped back to the real world. It's jarring to say the least, but always a relief when it ends.
I'm also studying to be a mental health therapist. Obviously the doctor is being made more traditional antagonist for videogame purposes, but there are a lot of people who view those in this practice as taking advantage of people suffering from the darkness for their own purposes, and there are.
Damn right. If I played the DLCs as an adult instead of as an 11-year-old, that TV would've hit incredibly differently.
Definitely play Quantum Break, but play it after Alan Wake 2. I think experiencing it in that order will really help with the concepts being presented in Quantum Break and how they matter to the larger RCU.
I also recommend Max Payne 1 and 2, both because they are great games, but also because they might as well be connected. The only reason any game isn't "connected" to the RCU is legal reasons, but its up to the player whether they want to take that at face value or not. Remedy has encouraged many times that everything is connected, but for legal reasons they've had to clarify what is "connected", even if the legal restrictions aren't narratively valid.
Sam Lake said that Alex Casey is supposed to be Max Payne, they just didn’t have the rights. All the noir scenes with Alex Casey are Max Payne.
It's not a puzzle... It's a checklist.
Cannot wait for the Alan Wake 2 streams
Gonna be a blast
Alan Wake 2 doesn't have Dark Barry so it's pointless to play tbh
@@kapkant6197 but it has schizophrenic musicals
I'm so glad that I haven't been spoiled with the game. Like I've seen no spoilers or random gameplay on RUclips shorts it's gonna be fun to play it when it's a little cheaper
@@markussakkinen7878oh is that the excuse for it being a walking sim
The reason for the books being titled Departure and Return is actually because those are the titles of different stages of the Hero's Journey
Barry's final fight should called, "Barry the Light" 😂😂😂
From what I can tell with american nightmare and alan wake 2, I think they were test running ideas they were gonna use for the next game. For it is not a loop game, it's a spiral
I just love how at 21:00 you have "Help & Options" highlighted in the menu.
Cuz you're really going to need both.
Currently replaying the goat alan wake games can't wait for the alan wake 2 video
I didn't mind his voice because it felt very much like they told him to act like a writer reading his own book for an audience, like when they read an excerpt for a book signing.
I like Alan sounding like he's reading me an audiobook.
The Remedy-verse arc truly is the most blessed thing to happen. Can't wait for the upcoming videos.
Both Control and Alan Wake II are... definedly something!
That James Somerton joke at 2:35 is brutal and I'm all for it. I had to do go back 10 seconds and make sure I heard/saw that right.
With his nail gun, you could have said "Serious Highs and Serious Lowes" Now there's a pretty meme! Exquisite!
Apparently Memesoon watches the Brickster.
AW DLC Ep2 was very strong. Literally fighting his inner demons.
What makes me love the Alan Wake franchise is *because* it has good highs and very bad lows; it gets to the sweet spot of "I love hating this" where you dread the bad parts that are coming but the good parts of the franchise bumps up the quality where you can't hate it....but you can't love all of it either.
Is funny, it lives in that limbo of "Oh Alan Wake you silly..." attitude for me
American Nightmare is still an enjoyable experience for me. It's more Alan Wake and I was desperate for more stuff.
Either way, CONTROL is awesome. Can't wait to see the Brick's thoughts on that.
Yeah. AN got a lot of leeway on the grounds that it at least provided (what could be interpreted as) a somewhat positive, if esoteric, conclusion to the base game's cliffhanger, where the franchise otherwise seemed to be completely dead.
And it's gameplay was a genuinely nice step up, too, especially considering that the base game was above-passable for the time (even if it has definitely aged terribly by modern standards).
When I went from the acting in this to Dr. Darling in Control, I really saw how good of an actor this guy is
Bricky, I would like a Quantum Break video.
Also, American Nightmare exists because while they were originally working in AW2 immediately after the first when it didn't pan out they decided to not let their efforts go to waste and recycle everything they had made into a short (mostly) unimportant game.
Honestly, to people reading, when it goes on another MASSIVE sale as it always does, if you enjoyed the combat from AW1 I'd say pick it up. The story is a breeze and it then also has several horde maps. It can be a fun time, it depends what you make of it.
Also, American Nightmare Scratch is an incredible villain.
"If you enjoyed the combat in AW 1..."
Not freaking likely.
@@addison_v_ertisement1678Speak for yourself, I loved it and the changes they made to it for AW2 is what made me skip it. Loved AW1 and wanted nothing to do with AW2, watched it on RUclips instead
@@Taz_XE076"the changes", you mean making enemies stronger and more sparse, while emphasising actual aiming and weak spots? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the combat of AW, as well as AN, even more so. But AW2 is an unbelievable leap for the better in terms of gameplay. It looks better, plays better, and *feels* better.
Playing bury the light for the Barry fight made me bust out laughing
Bricky, I’m aware how you’ll feel about the entire “all that matters is if it lands” but, the reason a lot of these characters in nightmare sound like this is again, by design.
They’re not real.
They don’t truly exist, not like this, anyway.
Alan says himself this “battle” with Scratch was hastily written, using the episode of night springs as the quick and easy way to make it happen.
They’re all supposed to sound like they’re in a episode of night springs, with barely written lines and barely paid cast. That was part of the point.
Again, they didn’t sell that theme well enough to make this land and make you realize that’s what they’re doing.
I love Alan wake.. if that wasn’t obvious by my name, and thanks for playing it
Oh yeah my name got changed to whatever that is. Oops
Would definitely love a video of Quantum Break. I know a lot of people were put off by the live action TV parts but I genuinely enjoyed them. I also really liked the combat and story.
Bury the light mixed with Alan Wake did not have to go that hard
Alan Wake American Nightmare is amazing. It's some of the best combat the series has had, the time loop mechanic is fun as heck, we get some character building with Mr.Scratch, and it's all set in Night Springs. also, Full Auto Nail Gun, need I say more! The run from the explosion at the oil rig hits every time.
When I first played The Signal, I was so stunned with the voice acting and the desperation you could hear in the voice. I love the Alan Wake game, but I agree with your points there. For me, the flat voice acting was in this case, though, not boring, but relaxing to hear.
But having more emotion, more "spice" to it? Yeah, definitely much better
Mr. Scratch was the light in the darkness that was American Nightmare
I was waiting for this one! The number of puns in the first 10 mins alone is magnificent 😂
Throwing my two cents into the new mike question, I think it's great for streams but less so for videos - the sound blows out at some points when you're stressing words (e.g. at 1:23 and around 18:45-18:50) and otherwise is a bit more flat/quiet than with the old one. Part of what makes your videos great is your style of speech and tone variation - feels like the new mike flattens that a bit!
I think I've figured out why Alan was so monotone and why it fails in the base game is because he wrote himself to be a stoic detective archetype because that's what Alan Wake knows how to write because he's crime thriller detective novelist which explains all the weird red herrings too and because Alan doesn't really know how to write horror.
The fun thing about American Nightmare is it's likely the 3 episodes of the show Alan wrote, explaining why they're so shitty. The lone, female worker is a BIG aspect of those shows, and the poor acting only adds to it. Of COURSE they all wanna fuck him because he's Stephen King. His brain likely reverted back to old works after return failed and started shitting itself unable to coherently recall what happened in the episode. Barry and the Old Gods on the radio was likely his mind coming up with a likely scenario outside the world. It's why the Lyrics so heavily reference what was said in Zane's Poems, which nobody should know about. It also introduced Alan essentially writing the events of Control "A town called ordinary" (In the reversed audio). Plus Balance Slays the Demon absolutely FUCKS. It's fun to imagine it happened because Alan had to idea HOW to escape and just started picking at ideas from the recesses of his mind, and the ending where he beats Scratch, was just Scratch fucking with him. It's why it was WAY more action. He didn't see himself as some Tweed Jacket wearing tosser, but an action hero ready to save the say.
It's also interesting how it was an early glimpse at the SPIRAL concept, where the way out really WAS repeating the events over and over until they just click.
Barry is practically invincible, that coat is lined with kevlar and ceramic plates. coupled with a lead lined interior this makes barry essentially a god within the confides of human skin.
His name is Alan Wake. And he's a writer writing about his return. In this new book of his, Return, Alan Wake writes about his return.
Honestly though, the music of Old Gods of Asgard is a real gem. After each game I started listening to the songs from the game on repeat :)
(Listen to Balance slays the Demon from his American Nightmare)
I do have to say that I love how Alan literally just can't write women in American Nightmare. Excellent gag.
a 10 days gap from new video is a new record !!
I mean, if you're gonna do reviews for the 'Remedy-verse' I think it's only fair you do Quantum Break as well. While, as far as I'm aware, Quantum Break isn't directly tied to Control or Alan Wake, it does have some teases and references to Alan Wake. I just think Quantum Break is a super underrated and unique game, and I'd love to see you discuss it.
*"its not a dlc...its an extra part of the game"*
Barry was never taken because the darkness would’ve lost control to him.
Correct
Having played all the modern remedy games and recently beaten Alan Wake 2, I would definitely recommend playing quantum break before playing AW2 (if you plan on ever playing it, if you're gonna skip quantum break entirely don't let not playing it stop you from playing Alan wake 2)
If I had to guess, I'd say Microsoft had them tied up with licensing of the IP and a contract to make *something* for Arcade. They probably made them stick with Alan Wake simply because of the name recognition (XBox exclusive!! Woohoo!! ONLY ON ARCADE!! Or something), as they weren't known for anything else--OR maybe Remedy chose to do something Alan Wake related because they didn't want another IP tangled up with exclusivity rights. Either way, I'm thankful that they jumped out of Microsoft's clutches and Control landed cross-platform. It's easily one of my favorite games from the PS4/Xbone era.
19:35 ...Who's gonna tell him?
"it's like you're replaying the game again, but it's gone through the filter of James Sommerton" brooooooo 😂
Not sure if you’re aware but Quantum Break has a live action tie in show *you cannot watch* anymore. It was tied (HA) to that really weird and horrible Xbox app or something, it’s been forever, but when the app/service died, the show went with it. I honestly can’t say it’s not important to the story either, because it was possible to watch it when I first played it however when my girlfriend went to play it years ago she has so many questions by the time she was done.
Also, have you covered Plague Tale? You should cover Plague Tale. *I WILL PAY MONEY TO WATCH YOU PLAY PLAGUE TALE*
27:27 But it’s not a loop… It’s a spiral.
31:40, yes, make a Quantum Break video.
Oh yeah, both halves of Alan are freaking fantastic, im so excited for you to get to Alan Wake 2 and see just how well they both perform
I unironically enjoy Alan Wake combat, but I think that's just because I'm a sucker for slo mo dodges 😅
Even though Max Payne technically isn’t part of the connected “Remedyverse”, I still strongly suggest you play those games. They still hold up today and share a lot of DNA from their future games. Max Payne 3 (technically made by Rockstar) still has the best 3rd person shooting mechanics ever.
"Here, take the Bricky"
*holds him gently* Thank you Tom Zane for this wonderful present
American Nightmare: "It's not a loop. It's a spiral. A downward spiral. Down the toilet."
I actually did play Control, I didn't finish it but I played a few hours of it and I rather liked it. The art was good, the creepiness was good, some of the encounters were a bit bleh and I ultimately didn't end up finishing the game but it seemed like it would be a good story. Unless of course it nose dives right after the part I stopped at lol
It does, in fact, nosedive, and I say that as someone who _loves_ Remedy.
@@colbyboucher6391 Well that's a shame, the part I stopped at was after the mission where you have to sneak past those orb creatures and then you have to go find her sibling (I think). At that point I was already feeling a bit meh with things so I put it down for a few days, and then a few days became forever. I didn't really expect it to get any worse
It sure is an fps counter of all. Time
Truly the best part about playing American Nightmare was watching bricky talking about it.
I always interpreted the narration Alan gives, as just that - Narration in his Manuscript. A monotone readout of things happen according to the script. Rather than it being the actual thoughts of Alan reacting to things in the moment - I hope that makes sense. The monotone script-read acting as another hint, that this is just a preset story that Alan had written after entering the lake. But I also have to be fair and say that a lot of the things where Alan speaks out loud are not necessarily all that good (example being him saying: "Oh No" when Alice gets pulled into the Lake among other things, which just cracked me up in the moment and took me out of the game).
Went from a Sennheiser MKH416 to some dingus mic with a headphone jack, truly a Bricky move
"Bury The Light"
"Bary The Light"
Clever, Bricky
Okay the weird synchronicity of Bricky launching into a Factor ad as I dig into a Factor meal on a subscription that I started because of a Factor ad from Bricky is not lost on me
You can’t take out darkness without the holy sick shooter my guy.😺
Almost at 1mil for the brickle, so happy for you man!
sooooo close to one million subs, mad asf man congrats!
28:00 the reason american nightmare exists was because it was based of off a early prototype of alan wake 2 that was shown to Microsoft but was rejected and later turned into America nightmare
21:43 Actually Bricky, you should absolutely do a video on Castle Crashers. Despite releasing in 2008 it still has a MASSIVELY dedicated fanbase, and holds up today as one of the outright best Beat Em Up arcade games of all time. It's very fun solo and an absolute blast to play with friends, my sister and I spent most of 6th 7th and 8th grade coming home and playing it through with every knight to get all the unlocks
Okay, for the sake of fairness, American Nightmare's whole "three hot ladies the hero, champion of light, meets" being so off and cheap is intentional. Alan mentions that he started his writing gigs by working for Night Springs and he wrote a story where a hero called the Champion of light fights his double, the Herald of Darkness and that he reuses the script as one of his endless attempts to leave the dark place.
That brings some questions like... Is Scratch what he is because of this script? Seeing in AW2 he takes on a completely different role. In the original, cancelled Alan Wake 2 demo there is a mention that Scratch is the result of rumors, y'know, handsome 'charming' writer goes off into woods with a gun and people disappear. What if he's secretly a serial killer, and Scratch is born of those rumors since the lake gives life to narratives.
Could be both. AW's writing works like that. Scratch is both born out of rumors and falls within the antagonist role of the night springs episode since his existence aligns so much with the Herald of Darkness character, which is how Alan manages to 'defeat' him, assuming that's what happens in the actual episode.
Now is the ending of American Nightmare just an illusion? He wrote a problem and wrote him finishing it but he didn't really solve anything? Was it him shedding light into the 'rumors' Scratch, through Alice's homemade movies showing his loving nature? Is that why in AW2 he's not the same figure he is in this?
For what its worth, Quantum Break adds some... interesting context to some Alan Wake 2 stuff, so id maybe not skip it
Won't stop saying it (i will hold this L if I must) but i genuinely like just about ALL of alan's voice acting in the whole package. American Nightmare? mostly in the form of Mr. Scratch, but even then... eh?
It's not magically good just because you like it.
@@addison_v_ertisement1678 OKay? that being said, I disagree on the quality regardless. At least, I have a hard time being as hard on it.
Love the video Brickster, can't wait for that DRG vid. Rock and Stone!
I don’t care what anyone says, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare is great.
Are you serious?
@ yes, I really enjoyed it and I would play it again.
I can't wait to see his reaction to Dr. Darling lol.
You can edit and release the control video in 2 days surely. Easy for the Brickenator. Also Cyclone Kirily is mad and I’m scared but your videos are making it better. Thanks Bricky.
WE DEFINITELY NEED THE QUANTUM BREAK VIDEO EVENTUALLY
if you do choose to skip Quantum Break, I do warn that you may be confused on some plot elements in Alan Wake 2. There are some very important characters that are very heavily hinted at being from Quantum Break
Barry is indeed referenced in Alan Wake 2!
The best 6/10 dlc's we ever had
I can’t wait for the Alan Wake 2 video, this series gives me life 😂
Finally, time for more Brickino.
I didn't mind American Nightmares, it's not the best but it was still fun for a single playthrough. It did definitely get repetitive after a couple time loops but itvwas still a good time. It could be how i play games, to me if its not borderline unplayable, has a completely unredeemable story, ir a terrible MC, i can enjoy it.
Personally I thought Matthew Porretta's VA in the original game was good. But part of that is because the game was always intended to have a Twin Peaks vibe following the Night Springs shit from Max Payne. Also take Steam reviews of older games with a grain of salt because back then you couldn't review a game if you had under the refund period played. That has changed but definitely floated a ton of bad games because refunds weren't allowed to review the game as bad.
Well, I personally thought that his voice acting was terrible.
I feel like the dlc were the result of the team being told okay alan has gone crazy in the dark place, have fun with it, and it was amazing.
“Desert Shore Motel”, reminds me of Control
26:34 sounds like when Bilbo had to leave the ring behind
12k to go brick boy, damn, they grow up so fast
Walking down Barry with the shotgun is a vibe
AW:AN also introduces a few plot details, but outside of literally one thing that probably won't ever matter, everything it introduces is covered again but better in AW2
16:00 oh boy, bricks really things that Hartman is gone 💀
I quite enjoyed American nightmare. I also wasn't expecting much and that helped but I had fun with it and I think the short time helped a lot
Alan is now *Awake*
Good use of "Bury the Light" there Bricky 👌 10/10
I recommend that you play Quantum Break, yeah it's not officially part of the Remedy verse, but it kinda is, pretty much in the same way Max Payne is. Alex Casey is clearly Max Payne under a different name, but even they acknowledged this in Control if you keep interacting repeatedly with a certain character. Also Quantum Break ties in strongly to Alan Wake 2 through some key characters who have a similar role in Quantum Break but with different names. Plus, it has the entire premise of Alan Wake 2 in one easy-to-find Easter egg at the beginning.