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"[GAME] Deadly Premonition - The Directors Cut"

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Sun 16/03/14 at 23:30
Regular
"Tip The Scales"
Posts: 869
Deadly Premonition – The Directors Cut Review

The Playstation 3 version of this game (the Directors Cut) was used for review purposes

Every so often, a piece comes along that changes the landscape of the gaming world. A technical masterpiece that looks like it'd be at home on the next generation of consoles. A game with a storyline that invokes real emotion. Mechanics and gameplay that mould the future releases of a genre. These games are a rare breed that should be coveted and treasured by all.

Deadly Premonition is not one of these games.

A survival-horror at heart, the game follows the exploits of FBI agent Francis York Morgan (although everyone calls him York) as he investigates a case involving a gruesome and rather bizarre murder that has taken place in the small, picturesque town of Greenvale. York must, with the help of the local police force and his imaginary friend Zach (more on that later), search the town to help profile the killer.

This is done in an open-world environment. An open-world survival-horror sounds good on paper, but it is ineffectually implemented. The world is too large and sparsely populated, with traversing taking far too long and being a huge chore. The car that is provided maxes out at 50 mph and has a turning circle much like a train on a straight track. Time also progresses far too slowly with the lack of the things to do.

The actual combative parts of the game are similar to old Resident Evil style – with inventory management and inability to move when shooting although without fixed camera. This would be effective at causing more horror...if the enemies weren't so slow, pathetic and move in incredibly stupid ways. The gunplay is difficult, slow and underpowered. The enemies themselves have about two or three different speech patterns that are all not scary, irritating after listening to each of them five or six times in a row and actually make you almost sympathetic with them. It is ultimately a combination of the worst parts of old horror games.

Deadly Premonition is one of the worst graphically presented games in recent memory. A Playstation 3 game that drifts between early Playstation 2 and mid-to-late Playstation graphics is amazing to the point of almost being nostalgic (driving is very similar to Driver 2 or the original Gran Turismo). This isn't purely graphics, either. Animation is atrocious. Faces unnaturally contort during speech and overly attempt to convey (usually inappropriate) emotions whilst walk cycles and other animations are rigid and unrealistic.

However, graphics aren't everything, are they? A horror game requires a certain amount of atmosphere – and very little of this comes from graphic fidelity. Unfortunately, Deadly Premonition cares very little for atmosphere either. Music appears in cutscenes that are completely contradictory in tone to the message or the situation. Happy jazz appearing over the explanation of an autopsy is a prime example. The voice acting is also amateurish and lacks tone. All of this combines to make a pretty horrific horror game.

Beyond this, the game is particularly bizarre and not necessarily sensical. York spends a lot of the game talking to an imaginary person that isn't particularly well explained. One of the earlier puzzles requires the player to find a key with a particular type of squirrel keychain – however the keys available (of which there are many) only describe traits. I obviously have to apologise to the creators of the game for not studying zoology before playing.

Deadly Premonition is a game with few, if any, redeeming qualities. It is a schizophrenic mess that tries to do way too much and does none of it right. The open-world is a good idea but lacks substance. The graphics are of a poor standard and the sound even more so. The story is mildly interesting but completely overawed by the It is a trainwreck in nearly every sense of the word.

This lack of redeeming qualities, however, is in of itself a redeeming quality. In much the same way that low budget sci-fi B-movies have to be watched to be truly experienced, Deadly Premonition must be played to be appreciated. A combination of awful graphics, dreadful gameplay, poor voice-acting and wonky tone setting combine to make a horror game that fails to scare and rarely fails to amuse.

If you can get hold of the game for free, or for very little outlay, and want to experience the worst that the dying generation has to offer. If you wish to play through the awfulness, then I can heartily recommend it. It is absolutely an experience – and if you play with the expectation of amusement and wondering just how bad something can be, this is it. The Sharknado, The Dino Croc vs. Supergator of the movie world – Deadly Premonition.

No Rating
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
Sun 16/03/14 at 23:30
Regular
"Tip The Scales"
Posts: 869
Deadly Premonition – The Directors Cut Review

The Playstation 3 version of this game (the Directors Cut) was used for review purposes

Every so often, a piece comes along that changes the landscape of the gaming world. A technical masterpiece that looks like it'd be at home on the next generation of consoles. A game with a storyline that invokes real emotion. Mechanics and gameplay that mould the future releases of a genre. These games are a rare breed that should be coveted and treasured by all.

Deadly Premonition is not one of these games.

A survival-horror at heart, the game follows the exploits of FBI agent Francis York Morgan (although everyone calls him York) as he investigates a case involving a gruesome and rather bizarre murder that has taken place in the small, picturesque town of Greenvale. York must, with the help of the local police force and his imaginary friend Zach (more on that later), search the town to help profile the killer.

This is done in an open-world environment. An open-world survival-horror sounds good on paper, but it is ineffectually implemented. The world is too large and sparsely populated, with traversing taking far too long and being a huge chore. The car that is provided maxes out at 50 mph and has a turning circle much like a train on a straight track. Time also progresses far too slowly with the lack of the things to do.

The actual combative parts of the game are similar to old Resident Evil style – with inventory management and inability to move when shooting although without fixed camera. This would be effective at causing more horror...if the enemies weren't so slow, pathetic and move in incredibly stupid ways. The gunplay is difficult, slow and underpowered. The enemies themselves have about two or three different speech patterns that are all not scary, irritating after listening to each of them five or six times in a row and actually make you almost sympathetic with them. It is ultimately a combination of the worst parts of old horror games.

Deadly Premonition is one of the worst graphically presented games in recent memory. A Playstation 3 game that drifts between early Playstation 2 and mid-to-late Playstation graphics is amazing to the point of almost being nostalgic (driving is very similar to Driver 2 or the original Gran Turismo). This isn't purely graphics, either. Animation is atrocious. Faces unnaturally contort during speech and overly attempt to convey (usually inappropriate) emotions whilst walk cycles and other animations are rigid and unrealistic.

However, graphics aren't everything, are they? A horror game requires a certain amount of atmosphere – and very little of this comes from graphic fidelity. Unfortunately, Deadly Premonition cares very little for atmosphere either. Music appears in cutscenes that are completely contradictory in tone to the message or the situation. Happy jazz appearing over the explanation of an autopsy is a prime example. The voice acting is also amateurish and lacks tone. All of this combines to make a pretty horrific horror game.

Beyond this, the game is particularly bizarre and not necessarily sensical. York spends a lot of the game talking to an imaginary person that isn't particularly well explained. One of the earlier puzzles requires the player to find a key with a particular type of squirrel keychain – however the keys available (of which there are many) only describe traits. I obviously have to apologise to the creators of the game for not studying zoology before playing.

Deadly Premonition is a game with few, if any, redeeming qualities. It is a schizophrenic mess that tries to do way too much and does none of it right. The open-world is a good idea but lacks substance. The graphics are of a poor standard and the sound even more so. The story is mildly interesting but completely overawed by the It is a trainwreck in nearly every sense of the word.

This lack of redeeming qualities, however, is in of itself a redeeming quality. In much the same way that low budget sci-fi B-movies have to be watched to be truly experienced, Deadly Premonition must be played to be appreciated. A combination of awful graphics, dreadful gameplay, poor voice-acting and wonky tone setting combine to make a horror game that fails to scare and rarely fails to amuse.

If you can get hold of the game for free, or for very little outlay, and want to experience the worst that the dying generation has to offer. If you wish to play through the awfulness, then I can heartily recommend it. It is absolutely an experience – and if you play with the expectation of amusement and wondering just how bad something can be, this is it. The Sharknado, The Dino Croc vs. Supergator of the movie world – Deadly Premonition.

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