Alan Wake has two great qualities, both surprising. The first is the use of light. Surprising in that it is used so well to evoke atmosphere and even as a gameplay mechanic. The second is the story. The dialogue can be overwrought, and the lip synching is fantastically awful, but the character of Alan Wake ends up being actually very believable, and the whole thing is tied up perfectly (in that it's a little ambiguous). Wake's character arc is sympathetic, and the supporting characters aren't just billboards that spout necessary dialogue.
The gameplay itself, at least the shooting bits, gets pretty tiresome, and the game is done introducing new elements halfway through. Still, worth it for the story alone.
