Journey to the depths of the mind; Sam Lake, creator of Max Payne and Alan Wake

In this article, we are going to discuss Sam Lake's attitude and writing style. Join me to walk in the world of this Finnish writer.

A confusing introduction

Confusion is a problem that even the wisest people face. But what exactly is chaos? Maybe with a little reflection and analysis about this simple question, you have understood this concept to some extent. In general, confusion means that the mind is out of balance. Now we turn to the next question: Is it possible that there is a truth hidden in the depth of chaos? To answer this question, one must say: “Nothing is impossible”. Chaos is very similar to an earthquake; The boundaries defined for us are only used to separate two entities. If the confusion reaches its ultimate limit, the wall separating reality and illusion collapses and the mind goes out of control. Now we come to the final question: With the collapse of this imaginary wall, will the new wall that is built between reality and illusion still be as accurate and strong as before? In the world of video games, Sam Lake is one of the writers who has been able to portray this mental turmoil very well. His works not only take the players to a dark and complex world, but also confront them with deep philosophical and psychological concepts.

Sam Lake, real name Sami Euroi, was born on July 18, 1970 in Finland. He studied at the University of Helsinki, where he met Mikko Rotlin, the founder of Remedy Entertainment. This acquaintance was a turning point in his life, which led him to enter the world of video games. In the 1990s, Sam Lake joined the Remedy team as a writer and started his first big project called Max Payne. He not only worked as the author of the story of this game, but also used his face as a model for the main character of the game. Max Payne was released in 2001 and quickly became a huge success. The game's dark and complex narrative, along with gameplay innovations such as Bullet Time mode, was highly praised and established Sam Lake as one of the leading writers in the video game industry. After the success of Max Payne, Sam Lake continued to write stories for other games. He was the main author and creator of the game Alan Wake, which was released in 2010. This game also met with wide acceptance and was known for its mysterious story and unique atmosphere. With Alan Wake, Sam Lake was able to demonstrate his skills in creating complex and suspenseful narratives.

Sam Lake uses the two philosophies of Surrealism and Nihilism. Of course, the claim of using these two philosophies is only my personal opinion based on the experience of the works of this lovely author.

Drowning in nihilism

It is better to start like this. What is nihilism or absurdism? If the purpose of your life is taken away or if you are an aimless person, how do you see your world? If for each entity a question such as “What is the purpose?” is presented and no answer is found in line with it, man faces a crisis of absurdity. According to some people, if a person has such a belief, that person is hopeless and has a very dark view of the world around him. In response to such a claim, it should be said that these two cases are very different from each other. You can be an absurd person but at the same time very happy! Nihilism was first noticed in the 19th century, especially in Russia. Later, people like Friedrich Nietzsche, who, according to himself, “future will understand his words”, dealt with this philosophy extensively.

Absence occurs when there is no meaning.

The title Max Payne is a window to look at this philosophy. After murdering his family, Max falls deeply into himself. A person whose even tone of speech shows a desire to be freed (death) from this deep well (life). This unfortunate incident inflicts a fatal blow on the soul of this stubborn policeman to the point where everything meaningful in his life disappears! Max is suddenly faced with a void, a void bordering chaos, and later Max crosses the void and enters the chaos. Important point how Passing through the void and entering the chaos. Max seeks revenge and justice. But Siah Bakht workshop does not reach any of them. The more he walks on this path (corruption, crime and betrayal), the more he comes to the conclusion that the world around him has no deep meaning and his efforts are fruitless! During the game, Max's inner monologue proves my claim well. The atmosphere or environment of the game is designed in such a way that these thoughts and feelings are shown to the audience in a powerful way. The falling of white snowballs in the black sky, the falling of rain tar, each of which has a sea of ​​meaning, the sad music that tortures the heart, all together show such a bitter world. No matter how much time Max controls. He is a human! Life hurts.

One of the major differences in the third version is the way Max's character is displayed and processed. He is no longer a stubborn agent! Now painkillers and alcohol are keeping Max on his feet instead of a crutch. This change reflects his deteriorating mental state and his struggle to deal with his inner monster. Max, who was a strong and resilient character in the first two episodes, despite all his sufferings and pains, has become a broken and damaged man in the third edition.
Another difference is in the way the story is told. In the first two parts, the story is told as a graphic novel from Max's personal point of view. This narrative style allows the player to understand the depth of Max's mind and emotions. But in the third part, the story is told in a more cinematic way with more focus on action and moving scenes. This change causes some of the philosophical and psychological aspects that were prominent in the first two parts to become less prominent.

Really Max Payne or Max Pain?

Interference between reality and illusion

Surrealism is an artistic movement that goes beyond the boundaries of reality, seeking to discover the hidden depths of the human mind and soul. This movement, which began in the early 20th century, reached its peak with artists such as Salvador Dali and René Magritte. Surrealism wants to take us to the world of dreams, unconscious and imagination, where logic and physical laws are challenged and extraordinary and wonderful images emerge. Alan Wake is a unique embodiment of this philosophy. The story of this game, a writer who goes to the small town of Bright Falls to find his missing wife, is full of complications and secrets that blur the line between reality and fantasy. This game, just like a surrealist painting, takes you to a world where everything is possible and everything is not expected! From the moment you step into the world of Alan Wick, you feel like you are caught in a complex and ambiguous dream. Light and darkness, the two main elements of the game, symbolize the constant struggle between consciousness and unconsciousness, between reality and illusion. When Alan turns on his flashlight and goes to war with the darkness, it's as if he's trying to pull the truth from the depths of his complicated mind.

With misty trees, abandoned buildings, and a tranquil lake that holds a thousand secrets beneath its surface, the town of Bright Falls is an environment that completely immerses you. This city, with all its secrets and codes, is like a surrealist dream that may surprise or frighten you at any moment!

But what distinguishes this game from other similar works is not only the story and the environment, but also the deep and passionate emotions that lie in it. Every moment of the game makes you think, scares you. Alan's voice talking to himself, his efforts to find his wife, and his battles with the darkness are all mixed with deep, human emotions that engage you completely. Alan Wick is a surrealist masterpiece in the world of video games. This game takes you to a world where nothing is as it seems. You are challenged to face your inner darkness and seek the light of truth. By creating this work, Sam Lake has given us not only a unique game, but also a deep emotional and artistic experience. An experience that remains in our minds and hearts even after the end of the game.

He who fights with monsters must be careful not to become a monster himself. Friedrich Nietzsche

Thank you for accompanying me to the end of this article.