Alan Wake is a game that wears its influences boldly on its sleeve. It’s a story about a horror writer who is plunged into a real-life horror tale, and the first two words you hear are “Stephen King”. The shadow of King looms large throughout the proceedings. On many occasions I found myself recognising nods to The Dark Half, Misery or The Shining (one sequence takes place within a garden maze). The plot sees Wake trying to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of his wife while on vacation in the idyllic town of Bright Falls, while the author is plagued by blackouts and visions of characters from his new book – which he doesn’t even remember writing – coming to life.