24th December 2018 Remedy on the Go: Max Payne [Advent Calendar 2018]

On The Go is a new feature which tests Remedy products while travelling. Perfect for your commute to work or accompanying you on holiday. This could be a mobile game or book, anything small enough to be part of a journey. Today we're looking at an old Remedy title that was brought to mobiles back in 2012, Max Payne.

The History

After proving their talents with Death Rally in 1996, Remedy quickly expanded and got to work on their next adventure. Inspired by graphic novels and John Woo movies, Max Payne took five years in development but was a massive success upon its release in 2001.

Released two months after the launch of Rockstar's Max Payne 3, Max Payne was later brought to mobile in July 2012, ported by Florida-based developer, War Drum Studios.. The game received a redesign of its control scheme with on-screen buttons, but the in-game experience remains faithful to the classic.

Over the years a number of classic titles have made the jump from console to mobile including the first two Tomb Raider games which came to iOS and Android in 2013. Unfortunately those games have since been discontinued with the publisher reporting that they were taken down from stores due to it being incompatible with the latest devices. Fortunately the MP app is still available and looks to be regularly kept up to date with the latest update being 18th October 2018 which saw bug fixes and additional support for iPhone X.

The Premise

The Story
Max Payne's life is going well, too well. He has a new baby girl, and is living in the suburbs with his wife, Michelle. That is until he comes back home one evening to find a group of gangsters hooked on the drug Valkyr, had murdered his family. The event launches Max to join the DEA and going undercover in one of the toughest areas of New York, but the murder of friend and DEA agent throws Max into the limelight as a fugitive.

The Levels
Similar to the original Max Payne game, the game is split up twenty two chapters which are divided into three acts.

Gameplay 

The Look
If you've played Max Payne before, the first thing you're going to notice is how authentic it looks. There are slight graphical changes to make it run smoother on mobile devices but not as much as you might think. The levels are packed with detail and Max can explore and interact with the world just as much as he can in the XBOX or PC versions of the game. It underlines how far technology has come that an huge classic game can be ported onto a small device and capture everything that the original version had.

The Feel 
The biggest criticism of third personal action games ported to mobile is usually the controls, and... I'm going to be upfront about this; it might take a while to get used to. If you have any prior experience with on-screen analogue sticks it's going to be much easier than jumping straight into Max Payne. Personally, I became familiar with them through Death Rally (2011) and it wasn't too bad to get used to, but it might still take a couple of chapters until you get comfortable with them.

I recommend checking out the training level and moving the location and size of the buttons in the option menu until you feel like they're in a good place.

I will also say that I've completed the game on tablet, so while the controls can be a little tricky at first, when you're immersed in the experience, it doesn't really matter.

Accessibility 

Platform Availability
The game is available on Android and iOS devices. A full list of compatible devices can be seen on the Google Play store, but for iOS the latest update was posted on 18th October 2018 which included additional support for iPhone X. It's a title that often gets regular updates to allow it to be compatible to the latest devices, and for iOS it's received almost yearly maintenance.

Cost
The cost for the app is fairly inexpensive costing just £3 for a solid mobile game. The cost is for the complete experience, allowing you to bring the original 2001 title with you wherever you go. The game can be purchased through the App Store or through Google Play.

Time
For just £3, you'll be getting a complete triple A game which howlongtobeat.com reckons is in the area of around 7-8 hours, which is the approximate play length of most modern games.

Overall Mobile Verdict

If you enjoyed original game I definitely recommend checking out the mobile version. It perfectly captures the fun and fast paced action that the original game was loved for. It's a faithful port, with its main strength in being a solid recreation of the 2001 title, and is guaranteed to make your travel a lot more interesting. While the controls may take a little while to get used to at first, a dip into the game's training levels allows players to set up the control layout best suited to their style before trying out the actual levels. Although if you find yourself needing a change, you can reposition the layout at any time throughout the game.

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23rd December 2018 Win a Copy of Max Payne on Steam! [Advent Calendar 2018]

Released in 2001, Max Payne was Remedy's first AAA title. Prior to the project, the developers had only released one other game, a top down racer called Death Rally. This new game was much bigger and more ambitious for the team. Influenced by Hong Kong action movies, film noir and graphic novels as well as Norse mythology, on launch Max Payne became an icon in the games industry and even won a BAFTA for it's Bullet-Time mechanic.

So, why not a giveaway for those fans who want to relive the Max Payne's first adventure? The giveaway is targeted at both gamers who have played the series before, and those who are new but are interested. 

The Prize

The prize is a copy of the Max Payne EU version (retail price £5.99) on Steam. 

Official Synopsis for Max Payne: Max Payne is a man with nothing to lose in the violent, cold urban night. A fugitive undercover cop framed for murder and now hunted by cops and the mob. Max is a man with his back against the wall, fighting a battle he cannot hope to win. Prepare for a new breed of deep action game. Prepare for pain... 

For this competition there will be one (1) winner. (Don't worry we'll be offering more prizes in future competitions and giveaways. So if you don't win in this competition, there will be more chances!) The winning entry will be chosen at random by Random.org. The winner will be contacted within one week of the competition finishing.

The competition will end 30th December 2019 at 23:59 GMT.

How To Enter:

To be in with a chance of winning Max Payne on Steam, tell us why you want to play/replay the game.

For this giveaway there is a maximum of one entry per person, but an option of five ways to enter:

1. EMAIL
   You can send us your answer at alanwake.thesuddenstop (at) gmail (dot) com
2. FACEBOOK
   Write your entry in the comments section of THIS post or as a Private Message.
3. TWITTER
   Send us your entry as a reply to THIS post or as a Direct Message.

Boring (but important!) Fine Print:

1. This competition is not sponsored. The prize was purchased by myself a few months ago. 
2. Maximum of one entry per person.
3. This is open worldwide, but restrictions may apply on countries with limits on internet competitions.
4. Entry is free. 
5. No cash prize alternative will be available.
6. You must have a Steam account to enter so that the prize can be sent to you. (Setting up an account is free, and you don't need to have one at the time of entry, but you will need it to play the game.)
7. A new winner may be picked if the first does not respond to the email after two weeks. Although this is only a last resort after three weeks with reminders and alternative methods of communication e.g. through social media posts.
8. Competition begins at 23rd December 2018 at 14:00 BST and will end on 30th December 2018 at 23:59 GMT.
9. Please note that this is an unofficial competition and is not connected to Remedy, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Steam and Rockstar.
10. There will be 1 (one) winner who will receive a copy of Max Payne Bundle on Steam. The game is rated +18, and to legally enter, you must be able to play the titles.
11. Entries collected through Facebook follow the rules stated on 23rd August 2013, HERE.
12. Entries collected through Twitter follow the rules stated in their Guidelines, HERE. 

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22nd December 2018 Full Interview with War's Director, Akseli Tuomivaara [Advent Calendar 2018]

This year marks two amazing milestones; the fifteen anniversary of the beloved Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne and the fifteen anniversary of the brilliant Poets of the Fall. We celebrated the former back in October, but had a special feature earlier on in the year for POTF's achievement in which we spoke to Akseli Tuomivaara, co-director for the Alan Wake-themed music video, War.

Back in 2010, less than a month after the release of Alan Wake on XBOX 360, Poets of the Fall released their latest music video, War. The band had the song featured in the game, as well as two additional custom tracks as their in-game alter ego, Old Gods of Asgard.

Following the launch, the band teamed up with Remedy and directing duo Aleksi Koskinen and Akseli Tuomivaara to bring Alan Wake to life. We spoke to Akseli about his time directing the music video and his time spent on the set of War.

We published an article about his experiences as the video's director, but today I wanted to post the interview in full including details which didn't make it into the finished piece posted earlier in the year.

Photo by Tiia Öhman.

How did you become involved with Poets of the Fall, and with the directing of the “War” music video?
I hadn't worked previously with POTF. I believe I was recommended by Stobe Harju, the guy who directed many of their previous promos (Carnival of Rust etc.). Stobe was busy directing in game video material for Alan Wake, so he couldn't make the video. I'm also a cousin of Petri Järvilehto, one of the founders of Remedy - not sure, if that had something to do with them contacting me about the gig :)

Were you familiar with the source material before the project and how did the game influence creative decisions?
Best part of making this video was to get a private tour in Remedy and see the game before it's release. Based on that I wrote a loose [first] draft of the script. To be honest the script was just a bunch of random scenes trying to mimic the mood of the game. Creative decisions were all limited by the budget (very small). We had to shoot in Finland and with a tiny crew, so I was a bit worried how are we going to pull of the mood of Bright Falls. Thankfully we had the actor Ilkka Villi (who plays Alan Wake also in the game) with us. Remedy games are so character driven that I knew we could achieve something cool for the fans just by shooting Ilkka doing his act in the middle of a some random forrest.

I also really liked the song War and was listening it on a repeat. The lyrics and the mood of the song naturally had a huge impact on everything.

Photo by Tiia Öhman.

The music video shows a cyclical set of events, starting and ending at the same point, what was the process like determining the series of events and what would need to be included?
The "cyclical set of events" was mostly created in the editing. In the script (I believe) the beginning of the video was something different. Using the same scene twice this way is quite an old trick, but who cares if it works. ;)

Maybe you are interested to know: in the original version of the last scene we show that the lumberjacks (played by the band members) have kidnapped Alan Wake's wife Alice, and are holding her down in the back of pick-up truck. But the guys at Remedy asked us to edit it differently, because it contradicted the narrative of the game too much. Besides that I can't remember any major changes from Remedy's behalf.

Similar to the “Alan Wake” game, there’s the contrast of light and dark in the music video with scenes taking place in different levels of lighting. Did you faces any challenges adjusting for the various shots or setting up the different lighting effects?
Constant changing of the moods by lighting (from night to day, dream world to real world...) is a big part of Alan Wake. So we naturally wanted to use that in the video as well. We shot it in only two days, so we had to work long hours to cover all the different moods. Things never go by the plan, but with this one we mostly had a good luck with the weather and the locations.

What was the most challenging shot to get for the music video?
I can't remember anymore the most challenging shot. The scene we had most trouble with was the night scene where Alan and Alice are surrounded by the taken-like lumberjacks. We shot it really fast and late in the night, which kind of shows in the end result.

Photo by Tiia Öhman.

Do you have any favourite moments from working on the project?
My favourite moments include all the crazy improvisation we managed to pull of during the shootings. For example the scene with the police car was added very late when we found out there was a replica of an American police car available nearby. In the same scene also the roadkill fox was added on location using a fox fur from the wardrobe and some jam (as blood) from the catering.

Looking back on the project, what was the moment you’re most proud of?
The moment that made me proud was reading trough all the (mostly) positive feedback from the fans of Alan Wake and POTF. What made me especially happy was the comments by some fans in the US, who thought the video was shot in the same epic locations as the Bright Falls TV-series. In reality everything was shot just 30min ride from Helsinki and I added the mountains digitally by myself in the post production.

Photo by Tiia Öhman.

Were there any ideas that you would have wanted to include if circumstances (budget, deadlines etc) were different?
If we had the budget I would have loved to really do justice for the visually stunning world of the game - camera flying on top of mountains and rivers, weather changing in the middle of the shot etc... On the other hand I'm quite happy with the video the way it is. With the tiny budget we were kind of forced to be do things in an original way instead of trying to copycat the game. After all it's just a music video, not a game commercial. ;)

What projects are you working on at the moment?
Currently I'm working a feature film project I hope to shoot in 2019. I have two small sons which is also keeping me busy!

A huge thank you to Akseli for the interview! 

You can follow his work on his website, akselituomivaara.com

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21st December 2018 The Perfect Themed Night In; Films, Books, Music, Shows[Advent Calendar 2018]

Tonight will mark the shortest day and the longest night as we hold the Winter Solstice. While there are things that I love about this time of year, the constant darkness isn't exactly one of them, especially if you're cooped up inside with an outdoor/indoor cat who is blaming you for the temperature. Things got violent last year when it snowed.

But still, the weather and long nights are pretty perfect for things like soup, staying in, and catching up on your "to read", "to play", or "to watch" lists. So it feels appropriate today to look at titles which have influenced or feels thematically appropriate to Remedy's games.

You're going to have to find your own soup though. Sorry.

	Inception Inception influenced the early concepts of Quantum Break. While the two titles are so different from each other, there are similar threads connecting them both, such as large-scale scenes of destruction, and the fracturing of reality and time. The movie is approximately two and a half hours and focuses on a team of people who are able to mould dreams and influence individuals.
	Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy Cited as an inspiration behind Remedy's latest title, Control, the Southern Reach Trilogy (specifically the novels) by Jeff VanderMeer delves into the concept of "new weird". The books are called Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance and was published in 2014. They are available as a print edition (in both paperback and hardback formats) and as an ebook.
	The Matrix Released in 1999, The Matrix was a hit at a perfect time for Remedy's then-upcoming title, Max Payne. The studio was already working on having "bullet time" in the game but the success of the movie helped shine a spotlight on work the team had already put in. The Matrix is also a pretty classic title, becoming a major staple of pop culture early on, and is widely reference. There's a huge possibility that if you're reading this you've already seen it but if you haven't, it's worth checking out.
	Stanley Kubrick's The Shining Another classic film is The Shining directed by Stanley Kubrick. It's also the best and worst movies to watch when it's snowing outside and, as I mentioned before, have a slightly homicidal cat locked in with you. Stephen King didn't like the film, and if that doesn't make you want to check it out, nothing will.
	Songs That Inspired Quantum Break A while back, Remedy created a playlist on Spotify containing a long list of songs which influenced Quantum Break. While not all of them are thematically connected to the game, they fuelled the development days. To date there are forty seven songs, and all can be listened to on the studio's Spotify channel, HERE.
	The Wire If you've played Quantum Break, you may also want to check out The Wire which features both Lance Reddick (Martin Hatch) AND Aidan Gillen (Paul Serene). It can be fairly dark, so if you're sensitive to morally grey characters, violence or anything like that, double check the IMDB page first. If you're also a Tomb Raider fan, the show stars Dominic West who played Lara's father in the latest film this year, as the show's lead. The show has everyone.
	Die Hard Everyone's favourite Christmas movie! As well as just being a fun film, Die Hard shares a number of similarities to Max Payne, including the same outfit in the third instalment and a distinct lack of hair. It also stars Alan Rickman, who everyone is lawfully obliged to love because he's pretty great.

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20th December 2018 On The Go: Death Rally on Android, iOS & Kindle Fire [Advent Calendar 2018]

On The Go is a new feature which tests Remedy products on the go; seeing how perfect they are for your commute to work, while travelling on holiday, or returning home for Christmas. This could be mobile games or books, anything small enough to be part of a regular journey. Today we're looking at the 2011 title, Death Rally.

I absolutely love this title. While I played the original 1996 Death Rally, there's something about this edition which just instantly clicked with me. It was the first tablet game that I had played with on-screen analogue sticks and while I was predicting A LOT of crashing at first, the controls actually felt intuitive and the game guides you smoothly into becoming a better driver. It's a title which I've spent a lot of time playing and that I seriously love.

The History

Originally released in 1996, Death Rally was the studio's first game and was built with a skeleton crew. For the team, the title proved that they had a working formula to move on to bigger projects. The game was a top-down racer, developed by Remedy, published by Apogee, and distributed by GT Interactive Software. Thirteen years after the game's release, a proprietary freeware version was posted to the Remedy website, created by Jari Komppa.

Around the same time, Finland's mobile scene was booming. The success of Rovio's Angry Birds franchise in December of that same year, kindled the interest of many game developers to turn towards mobile development, Remedy included. While the dates are a little vague, it was between 2010 and 2015 that the developers made a studio structural decision; splitting the company into two groups. One group would be The Next Big Thing, and focus on things like Alan Wake's American Nightmare and Quantum Break. The second group would be mobile development and would create games like Death Rally in collaboration with Mountain Sheep and Cornfox & Bros and would go on to make Agents of Storm for iOS devices with publisher Flaregames.

The Premise 

The Story 
Death Rally's story is quite compact for a Remedy game but perfect for a mobile game, especially one with the emphasis on gameplay; in that regard it is very similar to the original title. The story is told in a series of new graphic novel panels, similar to the classic Max Payne titles. In the mobile version, you play as a nameless and faceless character. (Personally I like to keep the Remedy trend of eponymous characters, so in my head you play as Mr Death Rally). While escaping from the law, Mr Rally's car is wrecked and Police Chief Harris (whose look always reminds me of George Lucas) manipulates him to join a series of death rallies as an undercover criminal informant, to avoid jail time, and to help the police capture "The Adversary".

The Adversary is the antagonist in the game and will only show up later in the game once you start building a solid reputation and upgrade your car. By beating him, you essentially beat the game but while the story ends there, you can continue competing in the challenges afterwards.

Gameplay 

In Death Rally there are two areas that the player will spend the most time, the first is the garage where you can repair your car and buy new defences and weapons for the next race, with the other being on the track.

Your Garage 
Levelling up your vehicle feels easier than it did in the original, meaning that you can get straight into the action as a serious competitor quicker and get into the gameplay. This is partly due to the redesign for the mobile; while there's an element of strategy, it's now shifted to allow gameplay to be experienced in short boosts rather than diligent planning.

On The Track
There are approximately half a dozen different tracks, but while the locations may look familiar the more you play, there are a number of ways that the game makes the experience fresh. Simple things like reversing the direction of the circuit, competitor interaction, weapons, reward boxes and more all contribute to making the experience fresh. You control your car using two on-screen analogue sticks; one controls the steering, with the other controlling the weapon direction. While it sounds weird to describe, as you play it the two controls feels quite natural.

Accessibility 

Platform 
The mobile version of Death Rally launched on Android, iOS, and later on Kindle Fire devices. In 2012, it was launched on PC and is available to purchase on Steam.

Availability 
Availability for the title is... a little weird. While there's a product page for the game on the App Store through the browser, Death Rally doesn't appear on mobile devices. If you bought or downloaded the game previously, it will still be available to you, and you can redownload it. There's a similar story for Android owners. The product pages last show updates in 2015, which is when the game became free. It sounds like Remedy might have been wrapping up the project as mobile technology marched on. It doesn't mean that it's impossible to get a hold of a copy; there are some gaming websites selling codes including Amazon (which has a pretty good refund policy if it's not as advertised) for less than the app was originally.

Time
Each race takes only a few minutes, meaning that it's a solid pick-up-and-play title, perfect for when you just missed missed the Underground train. If you have a little longer to wait, you can string together a series of races, selecting different tracks to step up the challenge. There's also repairs and customisation that you can bring to your vehicles too. In short, while the gameplay duration can be as long or as short as you want it to be in a certain moment, it's a game that you're going to repeatedly go back to.

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19th December 2018 Ways To Donate This Christmas [Advent Calendar 2018]

As it's the season of giving, I wanted to write about some amazing causes and programs taking place throughout December. There are a number of ways you can help charities and fellow gamers in the run up to Christmas and all of them take just a few minutes to set up.

Amazon Smile

If you're purchasing something through Amazon for Christmas or in the run up to the New Year, make sure to go through smile.amazon first. Amazon Smile is free and the change takes just a few seconds to set up. By going through Smile, 0.5% of the cost from eligible purchases is sent to a charity of your choice. While it's not a huge donation, the funds sent to the charity builds up over time with each purchase. 

It's all official and created by Amazon, so if you trust the company enough to purchase from them, you can trust the security of Smile. When you make your first purchase through Smile, you can choose which charity you wants to donate to, and you can change anytime. 

According to Business Insider, in February of this year over $80 million has been donated to charities worldwide. 

All you need to do is go to smile.amazon.com or smile.amazon.co.uk. Or you can check out Business Insider for more information on the program. 

Humble Store

If you're looking at purchasing a Steam game, make sure to check out The Humble Store first. You can purchase games for a number of platforms including PC, Mac, Linux, and Android. The games are redeemable through a Steam code, but by going through the Humble Store, part of the cost you pay goes to a charity of your choice from a database of 20,000. 

The division of game costs means that developers sees 75% of the amount which will support future projects and general run of the studio, 10% will go to a charity of your choice, and 15% will go to help maintain The Humble Store. 

A number of Remedy titles are available on the store including: Max Payne, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Alan Wake, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, and Quantum Break!

#GiveItWithXBOX

Last month, XBOX announced a new program called #GiveWithXBOX, which combined cooperative gameplay and charities. Microsoft has asked gamers on Twitter to photograph what gaming together means to them and share those photos with the hashtag #GiveWithXBOX. With each tweet, Microsoft will donate $5 to Child's Play, Gamers Outreach, SpecialEffect, and Operation Supply Drop up to a total of $1 million.

The charities all do amazing work. Child's Play is a charity based in the US which donates toys and games to hospitalised children to make their stay more bearable. Gamers Outreach is similar as it uses video games to help entertain children forced in stay long-term in hospital and focuses on the therapeutic abilities the hobby has. SpecialEffects is a UK organisation which makes the industry more inclusive by creating custom setups for gamers with disabilities. And finally, Operation Supply Drop who help service-members and veterans connect through gaming.

You can find out more information about the program, HERE.

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18th December 2018 Community Focus: Rm_ilo's Gorgeous Festive Commission [Advent Calendar 2018]

In the lead up to Christmas, I wanted to spotlight some amazing artists in the community who have created some gorgeous and festive Remedy artwork over the years.  For our final, advent calendar community highlight, we have the lovely Rm_ilo!

This year we collaborated with another wonderful artist, this time based in Russia. Her name is Rm_ilo, and she has been such a welcoming and active artist in the Remedy community for several years now, posting regular pieces of beautiful Quantum Break and Control artwork. Her incredible artwork has evolved a lot over the years and with different techniques, but this past year, she latched onto a specific look as her iconic and personal style.

Before approaching her about the commission, there was a specific piece which I fell in love with instantly and routinely went back to as I drafted an email to her. The piece in question was posted in June and featured Jack Joyce standing side by side with Jesse Faden. I loved the sharpness of Jesse's features and the wavey hair; she looked absolutely badass.

Rm_ilo very kindly took on the project, and I described the general design I was hoping for; essentially it was "Jesse Faden with a Christmassy twist" something like a Santa hat or a twist to make it festive. A little while later, I got back three incredible sketches and as I picked my favourite one, she got to work while I sent her the commission money across and waited eagerly for the final image.

The previous year, I contacted Rudy (aka Trenchiikoat) for the card design and with Rm_ilo this year, I feel really lucky to have worked with two incredible artists and lovely people. Seriously if you're looking to commission original artwork, look them up! I seriously loved talking to them and cannot recommend them highly enough!

When I got Rm_ilo's piece this year, I spent a long time looking at it thinking "is this real?!" The attention to deal was mindblowing and I LOVED her style. She really nailed her no-nonsense badass look, and the additional Christmas tree cradled in her arm was so cute!

Thank you so much, Rm_ilo!

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17th December 2018 Remedy on the Go: Alan Wake Novel [Advent Calendar 2018]

On The Go is a new feature which tests Remedy products while travelling. Perfect for your commute to work or while travelling on holiday. This could be mobile games or books, anything small enough to be part of a regular journey. Today we're looking at the Alan Wake novelization by writer, Rick Burroughs. 

The History

To coincide with the launch of Alan Wake on May 15th, Tor Books published an adaption written by writer, Rick Burroughs. The novel is available as a paperback in online and local stores, with an eBook edition available on Kindle. There are two editions of the paperback, with an earlier run featuring a slightly larger design, and the later edition being the traditional standard size for a paperback novel.

The book is a faithful adaption of Alan Wake's narrative, but includes additional scenes and details exclusive to the novel.

The Premise

If you've played the game, the story premise is going to sound pretty familiar to you! In the bid to temporarily escape the hectic city life and responsibilities, world-renowned author Alan Wake, and his photographer wife, Alice, travels to the Pacific Northwest, to Bright Falls. While hoping to relax, Alan comes to the realisation that the trip was not all it seemed to be, with the rented-cabin's study housing his typewriter, brought with them on vacation by his wife. After a heated argument, Alan storms off into the dark as, unbeknownst to him, something kidnaps Alice. Seeing her form below the water, he jumps in after her.

A week later, Alan awakens in his car having missed the past seven days. The cabin and island he was staying at is gone; seemingly submerged since the 70s, and Alice is nowhere to be seen. As dark figures lurk in every corner, and pages from a manuscript he has no memory of writing keeps resurfacing, Alan must track down what mysteries are shrouding Bright Falls, and find out how to get Alice back.

Approachability

Whether you've played Alan Wake or not, the book is a brand new experience. If you've played it, you can relive the story while on the go and experience it in a different medium. But if you can't play the game, it provides a way to experience the story, naturally it's not EXACTLY like playing the game but the mysteries will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

Availability
The Alan Wake novelization is still available and is old in bookstores and online. A paperback edition can be tracked down on sites such as Amazon and AbeBooks, but it's perhaps easier (and much quicker!) to buy the novel as a Kindle eBook.

Overall Verdict

Despite being both Remedy novelizations, the novels for Quantum Break: Zero State and Alan Wake feels miles apart. While both were written in time for the game's launch, with overlaps of the game's story, they feel so different. Zero State used ideas that were rejected by the studio such as the Joyce Farm and scenes from the End of Time, whereas the Alan Wake novelization sticks closely to the story told in the game.

But just because it doesn't stray away from the original source material, doesn't mean that if you've played the game you shouldn't pick it up. Burroughs expands on certain scenes and adds other across Wake's journey through Bright Falls. At the start, it nicely sets up that the small town has some unexplained mysteries before the couple had reached Bird Leg Cabin, with Alan stumbling across a wrecked car in the middle of the woods.

When it comes down to price, getting hold of a copy isn't going to cost too much. The paperback edition can vary in price depending on the bookstore, but the Kindle edition is just a few pounds, and cheaper than most eBooks on that platform. Plus as it holds 4.5 starts on Amazon UK by twenty readers, so it's definitely worth a go!

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16th December 2018 Win Alan Wake's American Nightmare on PC! [Advent Calendar 2018]

Following our Alan Wake giveaway, it felt right to only follow that with an American Nightmare giveaway!

As initial work began on Quantum Break, a team at Remedy went ahead and within eight months made Alan Wake's American Nightmare. American Nightmare was a bite-size AW title, comprised of three acts and focusing on cyclical time as Wake finds himself caught in a temporal trap set by his evil double, Mr Scratch. In addition to the game's story mode, the title also featured Fight Til Dawn, a horde mode which tested the player's skill against waves of Taken. The game was launched 22nd February 2012 for the XBOX LIVE Arcade House Party. 

The Prize

The prize today is a copy of Alan Wake's American Nightmare (retail price €9.99) on Steam.

Official Synopsis for Alan Wake's American Nightmare:

In this brand new standalone experience, Alan Wake fights the herald of darkness, the evil Mr. Scratch! A thrilling new storyline, hordes of creepy enemies, serious firepower and beautiful Arizona locations, combined with a fun and challenging new game mode make this a must for Alan Wake veterans, and the perfect jumping on point for new players!

For this competition there will be one (1) winner. (Don't worry we'll be offering more prizes in future competitions and giveaways. So if you don't win in this competition, there will be more chances!) The winning entry will be chosen at random by Random.org. The winner will be contacted within one week of the competition finishing.

The competition will end Friday 21st December 2018 at 18:00GMT, so the winner can enjoy the game over the weekend.

How To Enter:

For this giveaway there is a maximum of two entries per person (one entry per social media channel). 

With Christmas so close, stress tends to be at an all-time high this time of year, so to enter I'm asking participants to share adorable animal gifs. Send me adorable puppies, kittens, baby chicks!

1. FACEBOOK
   Respond through THIS post or as a Private Message.
2. TWITTER
   Respond through THIS tweet or as a Direct Message.

Boring (but important!) Fine Print:

1. Please note that this is an unofficial competition and is not connected to Remedy, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Steam or XBOX. (I bought the games a few months ago.)
2. Maximum of two entries per person.
3. Entrants must be over 18.
4. This is open worldwide, but restrictions may apply on countries with limits on internet competitions.
5. Entry is free. 
6. No cash prize alternative will be available.
7. You must have a Steam account to enter so that the prize can be sent to you. (Setting up an account is free, and you don't need to have one at the time of entry, but you will need it to play the game.)
8. A new winner may be picked if the first does not respond to the email after two weeks. Although this is only a last resort after three weeks with reminders and alternative methods of communication e.g. through social media posts.
9. Competition begins on 16th December 2016 at 14:00 GMT and will end on 21st December 2018 at 18:00 GMT.
10. Entries collected through Facebook following the rules stated on 23rd August 2013, HERE.
11. Entries collected through Twitter following the rules stated in their Guidelines, HERE. 

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15th December 2018 Last Minute Gifts for Remedy Fans [Advent Calendar 2018]

Despite the vast number of local and online stores available, it can still be overwhelming to find that gift that is just right, especially as Christmas edges closer.

Earlier in a month we posted a list a Christmas gift ideas for Remedy fans, which included items ranging from t-shirts to Collector's Editions, but if time is getting away from you, today we've put together a list of last minute gift ideas perfect for a Remedy fanatic. Everything listed below should arrive in time for the holidays, but... just double check those shipping dates if you're buying a physical item, just to be on the safe side.

Last Minute Gift Ideas for Remedy Fans:

	Last Minute Amazon Deliveries If you have Amazon Prime you still have a few days to get your order in. There are some wonderful potential presents including the Alan Wake Collector's Edition for PC, the Alan Wake novelisation, and Quantum Break: Zero State.
	Digital Steam Gift If the person you're buying for is PC Gamer you might want to look out getting them a Steam gift. All of Remedy's AAA titles are available on Steam, from Death Rally to Quantum Break. Or you can also buy them a recommended game from the list of similar titles.
	Humble Store Game Gift If you're looking at getting a digital PC game, you might also want to consider buying something through The Humble Store. If you purchase through the Humble Store the game can still be redeemed on Steam but a portion of proceeds will be donated to a charity of your choice.
	Kindle Book Gift If you live in the US and you would like to give a book this Christmas, Amazon US has a system which allows you to purchase and gift an eBook to give to a friend. If your friend has yet to read the Alan Wake novelization or Quantum Break: Zero State, it's the perfect opportunity to give them that chance.
	Art Commission Why not work with a talented artist to create something special for someone?! The artwork doesn't have to be ready for the date, as the person in question can also help design the piece, but that collaboration might be a nice way to start the new year. Artists in the Remedy Community available for commission: CMDonovann, SeaCat2401, AceDhampir. (Artwork to the left by CMDonovann)

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13th December 2018 Highlights From Our First Advent Calendar [Advent Calendar 2018]

Today we have a little bit of a retrospective. Back in 2012, we held our first advent calendar and so much has happened since then. We had the development and launch of Quantum Break in 2016, and the announcement of CROSSFIRE 2 and Control later in the year with a full reveal of the latter game a few months ago at E3. We also have a lot more faces in the community since, so for today, I wanted to revisit some of those earlier adventures.

It was five years ago so a lot has also changed with the site too; the cat mentioned in the article is a different cat, the writing style has changed, and I've gotten a lot better at cooking... which wouldn't have taken much to be honest.

So when you read these imagine a tinier Jaden with a different cat, and a cold kitchen (because we can't do insulation in the UK), winging it like crazy.

Highlights from our Advent Calendar 2012:

	Exclusive Interview with Fred Berman To celebrate the festive season, the wonderful Fred Berman, voice of Barry Wheeler (Alan Wake) and Vinnie Gognitti (Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne) kindly agreed to do an interview with us for our 2012 advent calendar. During our conversation, he spoke about voice acting, how different it is to acting on stage, portraying emotional depth, and who would win in a fight between Barry and Vinnie.
	Bird Leg Cabin Gingerbread House Taking a twist on the traditional gingerbread house design, we made a house in the shape of Bird Leg Cabin from Alan Wake. Less darkness and evil and more tasty. Although it did collaspe into a surprisingly convenient flat pack for storage suddenly and without warning soooooo... maybe a slightly possessed gingerbread?
	Remedy-Themed Cupcakes Following the Bird Leg Cabin gingerbread house, I decided that there wasn't enough sugar in the house, so I made some cupcakes, decorated with designs inspired by Remedy's titles.
	Alan Wake Gingerbread Characters You have your Bird Leg Cabin gingerbread house and themed cupcakes but what you're really missing is some gingerbread men. There's still a possibility that you could run out of sugar and that would be dreadful! So I made some Alan Wake-inspired gingerbread men.
	Barry Wheeler Munny Back in 2012, KidRobot had a store in London, they have since sadly closed down, those traitorous fools. While they were open I picked up a Munny to create an action figure that Funko Pop needs to get to work on, Alan Wake's Barry Wheeler.

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12th December 2018 Helsinki At Christmas Time [Advent Calendar 2018]

A number of participants of our recent Community Survey were interested in learning more about Remedy's home in Finland. Earlier in the month we featured a small recipe for pannukakku, but this time I wanted to actually delve into what it's like in Helsinki around Christmas-time.

Tuomaan Markkinat. One of my favourite things about this time of year are Christmas markets, and every year Tuomaan Markkinat sets up base at the bottom of the steps at Senate Square. It's quite an impressive sight as looking over the market is perhaps one of Helsinki's well known tourist spot, the Helsinki Cathedral. The stalls are set up in small sheds to protect sellersfrom the elements. But in addition to that, the wooden sheds which fill the marketplace with so many sights and sounds are enclosing a huge and bright merry go round. In each shed, there's a different seller which could be selling things from bakery products to cheese, to fudge, to chocolate. My favourite thing to do is get some roasted chestnuts and tour the sheds. It's also worth checking out a store called FudgeLove (who also has pop-up stores around Helsinki) as they do an AMAZING salmiakki (salty liquorice) and lemon fudge. There's homemade jam, and hand-knitted accessories, and hand-crafted chocolates, a lot of perfect products if you're still looking for a special gift. The Christmas Market is open from 1st-22nd December. For more information on the activities taking place, check out their website, at TuomaanMarkkinat.fi

Senate Square / Photo by Jussi Hellsten, as part of his 365Helsinki project with VisitHelsinki.

Christmas Street. In London, a select few streets are chosen to have Christmas decorations; lights brighten up Covert Garden, Regent Street, and Oxford Street, where the main traffic tends to be, but you only need to walk a little further for it all to descend into darkness again. As Helsinki is a smaller and more tightly-knitted city, Christmas decorations seem to fill more of the area making for a magical walk. There is one street in particular which is focused on this time of year, Aleksanterinkatu, which is also dubbed Christmas Street. In late November, the opening of Christmas Street is celebrated with a switching on of the lights and a parade through Unioninkatu (by the Helsinki Cathedral), Aleksanterinkatu (along Christmas Street, past Stockmann), Mannerheimintie (along the main road) and  Pohjoisesplanadi (through to Esplanadi Park) which makes for a lovely and festive walk even after the parade. With Christmas lights overhead, a number of store fronts start their seasonal displays, some of the most impressive of which is the Stockmann windows.

Christmas Shopfront / Photo by Jussi Hellsten, as part of his 365Helsinki project with VisitHelsinki.

Jääpuisto. Situated next to the Central Railway Station, there's a perfect spot to fit in some ice skating! Tickets start at 3€ for children (under 18), and 6€ for adults. Renting a pair of skates will also cost an additional €6. There are also season tickets (ten visits) available, as well as private lessons for 30 minutes, starting from 25€. The park is located in a wonderful spot with amazing architecture and within comfortable walking distance of a number of restaurants. The park also has a cafe alongside selling snacks and hot drinks for days when the temperature dips.

Treats. It wouldn't be Christmas without some festive treats and Finland is packed with them. There's glögi in almost everywhere, and it's perfect for having when the temperature gets chilly. Glögi is essentially mulled wine and contains spices such as cloves, cinnamon and ginger. The shop-bought cartons tend to be based on a fruit juice such as grape, blackcurrent, or apple. And while the pre-made glögi from stores is non-alcoholic, red wine or vodka can be adde to give it an extra bite. Some of my favourite treats are joulutorttu which are seasonal pastries with prune jam (and can be easily made at home), and Fazer's Vihreitä Kuulia which are fruit jellies.

To learn more about Helsinki at Christmas, visit the tourist website VisitFinland.com.

Useful links for exploring the city this season: Christmas Paths and Other Seasonal Fun for the Whole Family, New Year’s Eve at the Senate Square in Helsinki 2019, Christmas Markets and Fairs that are Full of Atmosphere.

Aleksanterinkatu / Photo by Jussi Hellsten, as part of his 365Helsinki project with VisitHelsinki.

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11th December 2018 The Violent but Adorable Story of My Cat, Scratch [Advent Calendar 2018] Updated

If you've visited The Sudden Stop before, you may have seen mentions or photos of a cat. Recently, we've had some developments with this cat, which I wanted to write about in today's Advent Calendar post, as it's a pretty nice story and has a Remedy aspect to it.

For our first Advent calendar on the site back in 2013, our articles mentioned a cat from time to time. The cat then was called Tabbs, or Lord Tabbs of Londonium, to give her the proper title, and she was an absolute sweetheart. She was very fond of ham and prawns and loved snuggling next to people. She was also co-owned with my neighbour, who sadly passed away the following year, and her family was desperate to keep her. She was in our lives for about thirteen years, and while she was getting elderly, clearly no one had told her that, as she was as agile and as friendly as she was as a kitten. She was also a proud and mighty hunter and killed possibly half of London's mouse population.

When she left for new adventures, we apparently had a cat-shaped vacancy and the reluctance to get another cat... So Scratch decided to move in.

I had seen her around the neighbourhood as a kitten, demanding pettings at school leaving time, but as a grown cat she had the confidence to stroll in through an open door and sleep on our laps. We have a cat-friendly neighbourhood here, so while we all know everyone, we also know everyone's cat. Some people are more willing to let the other cats roam around, but most just give them little treats every now and then or pet them as they pass by. So having this cat visit wasn't a big thing, and she wouldn't stay long.

Then, suddenly, a series of things happened very quickly. First, although no one knew at the time, her owners had moved on without her. Second, soon after they left, the cat got very seriously ill. Third, she left while we were arranging help for her. She suddenly stopped visiting, and while no one said it aloud at the time, everyone knew she had died.

So. It was a little bit of a surprise when, alive and well, she turned up on our doorstep again, six months later, and walked through like nothing had happened.

After a while, and after trying to locate the original owners, it became clear that she was looking to move in. She then got a name, Mr Scratch, named after the adorable but deadly antagonist from the Alan Wake series, but these days it's been shortened to "Scratch"... or if you're my Dad, "Her Royal Fluffiness".

Naturally, with the move, we decided to upgrade her meals from a wandering cat to a permanent one, and got her toys and other cat-related things she needs. We believe that a local animal organisation had taken her in during that time and released her back in the neighbourhood where she was found in the hope of reuniting her with her owners. During her stay away, her fur had become heavily matted from where she had been too weak to groom to shed the winter fur. And while it was definitely the same cat, she had also developed a semi-violent behaviour. She would have occasional episodes where things become disoriented for her, and on top of that, she would also have trust issues, both of which would end violently if she felt she wasn't in control.

When she returned after disappearing for six months:

A year later:

As I write this, a little while ago, we checked her for a microchip. The laws, at least in the UK, are a little weird, but boil down to this: if you have a microchip, you have a cat. Even if you've been looking after the cat for years, if they have a microchip, they are not your cat. It gets a little foggy if the cat was abandoned, but a lot of animal charities are required to contact the original owners marked on the microchip, as cats are considered property. Other organisations, such as the RSPCA, can get involved if there's an abuse case to be made, but it's another thing to deal with, and it can be stressful. So I was really hoping that she wouldn't be chipped, and fortunately, the reader couldn't see anything. She had become a big part of our lives by this point, so scanning for a chip was one of the most anxiety-inducing minutes of my life.

Turns out, I have an unplanned cat now! Officially, she's called Scratch (but is referred to by my neighbours as "Scarlet", Stanley" or "Fishcakes"), and she likes chicken, tuna and Felix cat treats. More than anything, though, she likes her blanket, which was originally a new throw, but I didn't have the heart to correct her, so she has a blanket. Because of her, I also work part-time at an animal charity as a Social Media Volunteer to help other owners and other cats... and a little bit to check out adorable cat photos.

So that was my Mr Scratch story! As I write this, it's just after 2am, and she is huddled by the fireplace on her favourite blanket and slightly snoring, and I am very okay with this.

[Update: After thirteen years of mischief, Scratch passed away at the beginning of June 2026. Losing a family member is devastating, and I miss her every day, but honestly, I am so lucky that I got to spend years with this tiny creature. She was so aggressively loved. Scratch definitely mellowed out as the years went by, soaking up the sun in the garden during the day and snuggling up to people at night. She loved having a warm, heated blanket during the winter, snacking on her Sheba yoghurt (awkwardly imported due to Brexit), scoffing down more turkey than you would think her small form could contain, and was made a fuss over whenever she stepped into a room. She was also often my writing partner for this site, positioning herself on my lap, on the sofa next to me, or on the keyboard as I wrote. She was a beautiful, tiny black cat with a single white whisker which formed in her later years. Words are not enough to express how absolutely wonderful she was.]

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