After a great deal of uncertainty, it fell to Rising Star Games to bring Deadly Premonition to UK gamers. Arriving 15 years ago today, just in time for Halloween, one would suspect that Deadly Premonition could be as throwaway as any number of low-rent movie productions. But to dismiss it as such would be a disservice to both the team and director, Hidetaka Suehiro (aka ‘Swery’).
Deadly Premonition: Twin Peaks the Game?
Set in the small town of Greenvale, the player takes on the role of FBI Agent Francis York Morgan. He’s been sent to investigate a very gruesome murder. However, upon arrival in the town a freak car accident sees the player fighting through woods to reach the outskirts. Along the way they encounter strange zombie-like enemies and our antagonist, the Raincoat Killer. This may seem like a fairly well trodden path. However, the plotline is further convoluted by a cast of eccentric characters and a protagonist who regularly breaks the fourth wall to converse with the player as his split-personality, Zach.
Given its relative absurdity, Deadly Premonition has regularly been compared to the works of David Lynch, most notably Twin Peaks. However, while the setting and population may feature all the hallmarks of the intriguingly bizarre TV series, the lighting, camera angles and pacing more closely reflect Lost Highway. Lynch’s perhaps even more unique piece of cinematography has, until now, been without equal in the interactive medium. For all the Hollywood-alike productions the games industry was the recipient of in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era, Deadly Premonition was most certainly the low budget exploration piece. And that’s a commendable effort; videogames as a medium for message, rather than simple entertainment.
Deadly Premonition is a Survival Horror Game
The game plays as a more direct evolution of the original Resident Evil or Silent Hill template than Resident Evil 5 was ever intended to do so. The restrictive combat, stuttered movement and inventory system playing as big a part in the proceedings as the eccentric cast and backwater town. An episodic structure akin to that featured in Alone in the Dark (and later Alan Wake) – complete with a recap of the previous chapter – divides the storyline into neat portions. However, the player’s decision to pursue the main plot is typically their own. The a huge number of distractions available throughout Greenvale will likely pull you off course frequently.
The free-roaming aspect of the game allows the player to entertain themselves within the structured and surprisingly well-delivered side missions. Taking place on specific days and only uncovered by talking to otherwise unimportant townsfolk, the side missions provide pleasant idle distraction in addition to building a personality for the game. Furthermore, a number of mini-games are available through the town. This greatly increases the longevity of each chapter for those who are easily distracted.
The combat is reasonably challenging, but it’s the puzzling challenges that are the real meat of the game. Finding solutions to environmental challenges and collecting appropriate items is a core loop. It’s also up to the player’s intuition to work out the motives of other characters.
Gameplay vs. Graphics
Deadly Premonition was undeniably sub-par in terms of visual quality even 15 years ago. However, it has a definite character all of its own. With production values that fall far lower than the average Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 game those simply looking for the next survival horror experience have a dozen superior options available. However, to suggest that Deadly Premonition could’ve been presented on more primitive systems is over stating the fact somewhat. It’s untrue that the essence of the game could’ve been delivered on less capable hardware.
Contrary to the visuals, Deadly Premonition features fantastic voice acting; ably bringing the obscurity of the characters to life. Odd sound effects during conversation frequently aid the development of character profiles. The soundtrack is also phenomenal. Delightfully absurd, and often intentionally overbearing, the score only further pushes Deadly Premonition from the delivery of routine horror titles.
It’s often been said that there’s a fine line between genius and insanity, and Deadly Premonition treads that line with wanton abandon. Just as Lynch’s cinematic works are devised for those who appreciate the strengths of the medium, so to is Suehiro’s design aimed directly at gamers who understand what videogames are truly becoming capable of. For gamers who wish to explore the greater reaches of what the medium is capable of, Deadly Premonition is essential. In a nutshell, there are very few more imaginative acts you’ll see this generation of console hardware. Even subsequent releases in the series failed to capture exactly what Deadly Premonition was truly about.
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