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Deadly Premonition |OT| first real survival-horror for X360

Kevtones

Member
Mr_Guillotine said:
I'm really kinda there with agreeing with you, the game actually made me feel like I was a schizophrenic detective in the middle of a murder mystery in a tiny town and I loved it. This game has so much heart and you can tell the developers really went crazy with the idea.

I just beat the game and it takes some really crazy twists and turns towards the end, my only complaint was it got really ridiculous towards the end with the supernatural stuff. I still plan on having another play through soon, I'm really glad I picked it up and was surprised how much the story and the feeling of being a part of the town sucked me in.

The ZACH element is what brings it together for me. Another complaint is that the VA doesn't need to mention ZACH, as most of the dialogue can be said without naming (and the player inputing their name).

So far, I'm obviously Zach (as the player).
 
I Push Fat Kids said:
The ZACH element is what brings it together for me. Another complaint is that the VA doesn't need to mention ZACH, as most of the dialogue can be said without naming (and the player inputing their name).

So far, I'm obviously Zach (as the player).

How far are you into the game?
 
I'm not done with the game as only I'm only a ways into the third episode, but Zach is tied into York's past. That's why it ends up feeling fine to have a proper name not chosen by the player used to address the player...if you want to take it that way. In fact, once how it came to be is revealed, the whole concept just works even more strongly going further into the game, IMO.

It's very strange, but I actually think that this game might just have the most amazingly-handled static story progression ever attempted. I dunno, my love for low-budget and weird shit definitely helps, but the game does a good job in making you feel a sense of strange belonging to that crazy place and not so game-like detachment from the crazy characters who live there. There's a real sense of connection built with the kind of things characters will say and do in relation to York & Zach. Very RPG-like, at least, as far as a sense of written and explored depth to characters...a real sense of layers of revelation.

Might be my favorite story-based experience this whole generation so far, but it has competition from Alan Wake, Heavy Rain, and others...and I hesitate to put it in direct comparison because storytelling is still so heavily influenced by the production value used to convey it in games precisely because they are so intent on using film and television as their template. On a nuts and bolts level of storytelling, this is better than most games, IMO. Closer to a point 'n click adventure than an RPG, really...kind of like Shenmue or anything else that sort of channeled the point 'n click spirit into a 3D action-game framework, but better-handled here simply because the acting isn't so wooden and characters aren't so predictably simple.

In any case, this game deserves far more than the two reviews seem to give it. I'm not going to argue scores whether I agree with them or not, but there seems to be a lack of digging deeper into the very experience on offer with DP in the review text. There's simply no inkling of there being much more than a shitty game you shouldn't bother to even try from the review writing...almost appearing as dismissive handwaving that comes from some high standard of epicurean sense that if something is simply not polished enough, that the production values not high enough, that the tone isn't self-serious enough or clearly shunted to one side of the column instead of how it straddles comedy, drama, and horror...that the game simply isn't granted a reasonable level of attention. There doesn't seem to be any tolerance for something that doesn't meet some rather superficial standards. I've already long been wary of reviews from most, if not all, sites and magazine because they enforce a very narrow sense of taste and the overvaluation of production values in games to begin with. I'm not saying DP is some misunderstood genre classic, like Blade Runner, or something...just that it, like a lot of low-budget fare, which is already at some clear disadvantage for so long now, is pressured even more by the high standards in place with your average title in the current generation and that sort of automatic judgment will naturally result in even more really good titles being lost in the shadows of the giants they're sitting next to.
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
VibratingDonkey said:
And so the praise from critics continues.

Not that the IGN review isn't dumb or anything, but I don't think it's very productive to check Z-tier blogs (and I've never in a million years heard of "just push start") for their reviews of anything. If Gamespot or Game Informer or EDGE or something like that gives the game a 1, post it for LOLs. I'm sure Xbox360Rulz.pl won't like the game either :p
 
Finally got this game in the mail today. Just started it up, after hearing so much about how bad the graphics are I've actually ended up surprised by how nice it can look at times. :lol I love the pause menu screen.
 

MiniDitka

Member
voodoopanda said:
Finally got this game in the mail today. Just started it up, after hearing so much about how bad the graphics are I've actually ended up surprised by how nice it can look at times. :lol I love the pause menu screen.
The graphics aren't nearly as bad as people are making them out to be. The character models and interiors actually look pretty good, its some of the outside stuff that doesn't look so great like the trees,sky and the horror sections but still not enough to detract from how awesome the game is.
 
Koopakiller said:
Is there really no way to make waypoints on the map?
No. One of the glaring weaknesses of the game given how spread out points of interest can be, but it just forces you to count intersections and streets and, generally, get to know the layouts.
 

MiniDitka

Member
I Push Fat Kids said:
The ZACH element is what brings it together for me. Another complaint is that the VA doesn't need to mention ZACH, as most of the dialogue can be said without naming (and the player inputing their name).

So far, I'm obviously Zach (as the player).

Just wait until you get to the
Zach/York twist toward the end of the game :0
 

~Kinggi~

Banned
Every video i have seen of the game looks like utter shit. Is that the appeal? I cant tell if there are just a lot of viral marketers here or something else is going on.
 

Costanza

Banned
~Kinggi~ said:
Every video i have seen of the game looks like utter shit. Is that the appeal? I cant tell if there are just a lot of viral marketers here or something else is going on.
seems like the general consensus is that it's basically so fucking bad that it's amazing.
 
Alright guys, I'm back full ready to tackle more Deadly Premonition. I finished Heavy Rain early this morning. Great game but now back to another great game.

Hope I didn't miss too much in the thread. Oh shit a 10 on Destructiod!!!! DAMNN!!!!

Well hopefully everyone is still enjoying the game! Can't wait to get back into it tommorrow. :D
 
Costanza said:
seems like the general consensus is that it's basically so fucking bad that it's amazing.

I rented it and thought it was so fucking bad that it's just so fucking bad. Maybe it's one of those games that I would need to play a lot more of to appreciate it, but that's just simply not going to happen. :lol

Every video i have seen of the game looks like utter shit.

What you see is what you get.
 
I don't think the game is so bad it's good, I think it's just good. Yeah, it isn't super polished, the graphics aren't the most high tech and the game play can be clunky at times. This can turn people off who are used to games being like Uncharted 2 or whatever, but that doesn't make it bad, because it happens to be really fun and entertaining and has a ton going for it. Especially for a budget title of only 20 bucks.
 
brandonh83 said:
Maybe it's one of those games that I would need to play a lot more of to appreciate it

This definetly. Though if it does not grab you then probably not. I was just sorta wtf about it at the start, though after a few hours, something clicked. I loved the humor, the characters, the weirdness of it all and I'm not just talking about the dialog and such, but even the issues with the game, just sorta faded away. Weird I know but its one of the only games to do that for me.
 
MiniDitka said:
Just wait until you get to the
Zach/York twist toward the end of the game :0

Oh man that blew my mind, the end part of the game is O_O.

Anyways, at least one reviewer "gets" the game abut I would never say it's a bad game to begin with. I had my fun with it and will continue to look for all these damn cards, I hope for a sequel or spiritual successor someday.
 

Dacvak

No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
Just bought this because of Costanza and Destructoid.

I can't effing wait.
 
Destructoid review said:
Deadly Premonition is like watching two clowns eat each other. It's perverse, it's wrong, and yet it's so fucking funny. There are many who will not understand, or not even want to understand what makes it so compelling and excellent despite its quality. For the twenty dollar price tag, however, there will be no finer experience for survival horror fans with a love for the darkly comic.
If I were drinking something at the very moment I read this, I would have spit it out all over my keyboard.
 
~Kinggi~ said:
Every video i have seen of the game looks like utter shit. Is that the appeal? I cant tell if there are just a lot of viral marketers here or something else is going on.

Basically its a budget game that "knows" its a budget game and is going to be the best budget game it can be.

and if this game did come out 8 years ago I could see it being a 7 or 8 title for "hardcore" gamers.
 

dallow_bg

nods at old men
So awesome.

vg1w10.jpg
 

randomwab

Member
I leave this thread for a couple of hours and the game gets a perfect score? FUCK!

God, I want this game so bad. Brb, I'ma fap one out to it, so says Mr Stewart.
 

Alucrid

Banned
At first when I heard "budget game" I thought $40. For $20 though, I don't think I can pass it up. I need to find a video game store in walkable distance from me now...
 
you motherfuckers dude. i tried to ignore this thread and this game..... but i'll probably bite even though gaf has burned me so many times with these recommendations.

i guess if there is a silver lining it's that this time i'll only be out $20.
 
This game is fucking awesome. Nothing else to really say. Fucking bizarro. Give it a chance people, come on.

Probably one of the best parts about the combat:

*shake L stick* to "Get it off"
 
Man, this game just keeps. on. giving. I keep expecting it to peter out and things to groove themselves into a too repetitious pattern of action, mission, traveling, profiling, QTE, etc. while the story, I also expect, to finally level off and 'jump the shark'...but if anything, it's riding that shark through hoops of fire. It gets mixed up well, in terms of order as well as the amount of blocks of content and activity period ratios. The conclusion to episode three....wow....and then it starts its booster rockets for episode four and heads into the outer atmosphere. :lol Insane game story. Insanely entertaining, too. I haven't been this continually impressed with the non-stop evolution of a game's story and wackiness since back when Incredible Crisis on the PS1 was released. Both games are clearly low budget, and both are amazing for their economy of getting a lot out of relatively little....but this game...holy. shit. I love it. So far, this would be on-par, as a memorable and entertaining experience, with any 'survival horror' title I've ever played. And I've played most of 'em. And I'm still not done... Approaching classic status for me.
 
I've been playing this game a bit more and you know what it reminds me of? Not in content or story, but in style? Evil Dead 2. Evil Dead 2 was low budget, it had cheesy special effects, over the top acting and goofy dialogue and it embraced it and ended up being great. Deadly Premonition has a very similar feel to it. Both are awesome. Oh, and they both have crazy living mounted deer heads.
 
I think what makes Deadly Premonition genius is that the developers set out to make a bad game and succeeded. Don't get me wrong this isn't something like Two Worlds which is just hopelessly broken and terrible. Instead it's like the developers sat down and made a list of everything that people complain about in games and found a way to include it.

-Insta-death QTEs.
-Uncanny Valley
-Cheesy cutscenes, music, etc
-Awful graphics to the point of hilarity(I mean really now look at those freaking trees! They're like four polygons each.)
-Controls in general kind of stink. They're serviceable if you're into older Silent Hills and pre-RE4 but otherwise seriously.
-Budget as fuck even when it doesn't have to be. That hackjob of a titlescreen looks like something out of an indie game for crying out loud.

The great thing is these guys manage to make it all work and create a very good game. Not a single element is out of place really. It'd be one thing if the game had all these flaws and looked like Heavy Rain or some shit but it's quite clear that everything is perfectly executed for maximum badness.

This is definitely in the running for being one of my favorite games of this generation.
 

Matrix

LeBron loves his girlfriend. There is no other woman in the world he’d rather have. The problem is, Dwyane’s not a woman.
FrenchMovieTheme said:
you motherfuckers dude. i tried to ignore this thread and this game..... but i'll probably bite even though gaf has burned me so many times with these recommendations.

i guess if there is a silver lining it's that this time i'll only be out $20.


:lol

You laughed at me for buying this game.
 

Costanza

Banned
just started this.

the noises the fucking zombies make are killing me :lol :lol :lol :lol

"DONT WAAAAAANT TO DIEEEEE. FORGIVEEEE MEEEEE"

and every one sounds exactly the same :lol
 
PepsimanVsJoe said:
I think what makes Deadly Premonition genius is that the developers set out to make a bad game and succeeded. Don't get me wrong this isn't something like Two Worlds which is just hopelessly broken and terrible. Instead it's like the developers sat down and made a list of everything that people complain about in games and found a way to include it.

-Insta-death QTEs.
-Uncanny Valley
-Cheesy cutscenes, music, etc
-Awful graphics to the point of hilarity(I mean really now look at those freaking trees! They're like four polygons each.)
-Controls in general kind of stink. They're serviceable if you're into older Silent Hills and pre-RE4 but otherwise seriously.
-Budget as fuck even when it doesn't have to be. That hackjob of a titlescreen looks like something out of an indie game for crying out loud.

The great thing is these guys manage to make it all work and create a very good game. Not a single element is out of place really. It'd be one thing if the game had all these flaws and looked like Heavy Rain or some shit but it's quite clear that everything is perfectly executed for maximum badness.

This is definitely in the running for being one of my favorite games of this generation.

Is there anywhere that actually claims that they set out to make the game so bad on purpose, or is this just all assumption? For all we know, they seriously just made a shitty game thinking they were doing a good job or best they could, yet everyone is finding it so bad it's good.
 

mjc

Member
Oddly enough, they blow their graphics load right in the beginning with the raining woods. Everything after that is downhill.

:lol :lol
 

mjc

Member
BattleMonkey said:
Is there anywhere that actually claims that they set out to make the game so bad on purpose, or is this just all assumption? For all we know, they seriously just made a shitty game thinking they were doing a good job or best they could, yet everyone is finding it so bad it's good.

Just the cutscenes alone make me believe 100% that they made this shitty on purpose. I love it.
 
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