Zach, I was thinking earlier about what we were discussing. Movies that are "so bad they're good." I don't think I can place exactly what people mean by this. If something is good, well then it can't be bad. Perhaps what people mean by this is they enjoyed something they feel guilty of enjoying... a "guilty pleasure". Zach, I think people are, in some way, afraid to enjoy things that are too earnest or too raw in their emotions without putting up a veneer of irony. Do you remember when we played Pathologic, from 2005 and developed by Ice Pick Lodge? Oh, that was a great game.
It's often heralded as "janky" a term usually used to describe systems of gameplay that are either nonfunctional or obfuscated, purposefully or not, by the developers. It's a great game, Artemy Burakh's best performance. Its systems are often difficult to understand or directly averse to the player, which many disdained but I think makes it one of the best games of its release year and even the entire generation. The mere act of moving through a town and engaging with its many denizens allowed the player to become more deeply immersed in the narrative. It's even better with the map, which helps you become more easily acquainted with the landmarks and points of interest around town.
Zach, do you remember when we played Deadly Premonition, developed in 2010? What an amazing game, one that as soon as I finished it I knew was going to stick with me. All the details, the lovingly rendered town evoking memories David Lynch's telelvision series Twin Peaks. But there was another nostalgic aspect when I played it on my Nintendo Switch, Zach. Do you know what that is?
Exactly Zach, the early HD era of Japanese game development! The plasticine textures and oversaturated lighting were derided in their time, but I've come to appreciate the artificiality of it all. Zach, all of that was derided when this game was released, on top of myriad performance issues. But those performance issues are hard to fault the developers for in such a tumultuous environment for game development, and luckily the rerelease irons out the worst of them. I've never felt so immersed playing a game that looked so artificial! Even the occasional stuttering served as an almost Brechtian reminder that the world of the game was a false world with layers upon layers of detail building up to create a world that feels so real but loves to remind you that it is false. This veneer is furthered by the narrative, about a town's dark secrets being forced into the light by an outsider. In the narrative, it's not just you and I, Zach, it's the player.
And how does the player play, Zach? A lot of the game's critics would compare it to something like the survival horror titles of the time, but I don't fully agree. The overpowered weapons doled out by completing the real meat of the game, the sidequests, serve to trivialize the combat sections only a few chapters into the game. It's almost as if the shooting is only a further device of alienation. The shooting only serves to divide up the narrative segments, whereas most games do the opposite. It's almost as if the gameplay systems here are all serving the narrative, in lieu of classical gameplay wisdom that it should be the opposite. Zach, do you know what game I'm thinking of that also does that?
That's right, Zach, Pathologic. I can't speak for the director, Swery, but I believe at least a part of him was inspired to build a similarly plagued town falling apart at its seams. The big difference being the unshakable optimism of the denizens until the eleventh hour. Zach, I can't help but smile remembering the twins, or Emily, or any number of side characters who refused to let the world break them, even as it broke around them.
Zach, am I boring you? I'll stop now.
It's often heralded as "janky" a term usually used to describe systems of gameplay that are either nonfunctional or obfuscated, purposefully or not, by the developers. It's a great game, Artemy Burakh's best performance. Its systems are often difficult to understand or directly averse to the player, which many disdained but I think makes it one of the best games of its release year and even the entire generation. The mere act of moving through a town and engaging with its many denizens allowed the player to become more deeply immersed in the narrative. It's even better with the map, which helps you become more easily acquainted with the landmarks and points of interest around town.
Zach, do you remember when we played Deadly Premonition, developed in 2010? What an amazing game, one that as soon as I finished it I knew was going to stick with me. All the details, the lovingly rendered town evoking memories David Lynch's telelvision series Twin Peaks. But there was another nostalgic aspect when I played it on my Nintendo Switch, Zach. Do you know what that is?
Exactly Zach, the early HD era of Japanese game development! The plasticine textures and oversaturated lighting were derided in their time, but I've come to appreciate the artificiality of it all. Zach, all of that was derided when this game was released, on top of myriad performance issues. But those performance issues are hard to fault the developers for in such a tumultuous environment for game development, and luckily the rerelease irons out the worst of them. I've never felt so immersed playing a game that looked so artificial! Even the occasional stuttering served as an almost Brechtian reminder that the world of the game was a false world with layers upon layers of detail building up to create a world that feels so real but loves to remind you that it is false. This veneer is furthered by the narrative, about a town's dark secrets being forced into the light by an outsider. In the narrative, it's not just you and I, Zach, it's the player.
And how does the player play, Zach? A lot of the game's critics would compare it to something like the survival horror titles of the time, but I don't fully agree. The overpowered weapons doled out by completing the real meat of the game, the sidequests, serve to trivialize the combat sections only a few chapters into the game. It's almost as if the shooting is only a further device of alienation. The shooting only serves to divide up the narrative segments, whereas most games do the opposite. It's almost as if the gameplay systems here are all serving the narrative, in lieu of classical gameplay wisdom that it should be the opposite. Zach, do you know what game I'm thinking of that also does that?
That's right, Zach, Pathologic. I can't speak for the director, Swery, but I believe at least a part of him was inspired to build a similarly plagued town falling apart at its seams. The big difference being the unshakable optimism of the denizens until the eleventh hour. Zach, I can't help but smile remembering the twins, or Emily, or any number of side characters who refused to let the world break them, even as it broke around them.
Zach, am I boring you? I'll stop now.
Historia 11/10 pero es puto injugable
Deadly Premonition is perfect. Isn't that right, Zach?
Maybe the worst possible way to play Deadly Premonition, with all the graphical and performance downgrades of the Director's Cut with none of the additional content, and a heaping load of crashes besides. But also it's Deadly Premonition :)
I would kiss Mr. Francis York Morgan and his forever disappearing and reappearing facial hair
This game is the only horror game I’ve managed to finish and maybe will be for a long while, with it’s goofiness and more light hearted stuff helping me get through it (even if it wasn’t that scary.) Aside from some glitches and early Xbox 360 jank making it to this remaster it was still a fun romp through this thriller of a story with twists and turns and some nice gameplay moments. I recommend if you don’t mind the graphics, weird stories and a few glitches getting in your way since it’s genuinely fun.
runs very bad but very good game
Rare glimpses of real weirdness can't redeem an otherwise drab and conventional open-world detective game. SWERY saw one episode of Twin Peaks and decided it was his personality; although it is never directly mentioned in the game one gets the distinct impression the man is an Invader Zim fan, just on how he seems to consume media. Yes, driving around and wasting time in town is pretty great, but you gotta counterbalance that with a few super-questionable reveals and how shitty everything looks and feels. The shittiness borders on charm, but never crosses over. Some good drone tracks though.
Deadly Premonition has such a reputation for being either the best thing in the world or the worst thing in the world, so when I finished it for the first time I was shocked to find out that it's actually....good.
The characters, jank animations and swerve from twin peaks into anime bullshit at the end are big highlights. Deffo a game you can have a good time playing through with a pal. Also shout out to the surprising number of unique side quests as well.
Now if only the shooting segments weren't actual ass...
The characters, jank animations and swerve from twin peaks into anime bullshit at the end are big highlights. Deffo a game you can have a good time playing through with a pal. Also shout out to the surprising number of unique side quests as well.
Now if only the shooting segments weren't actual ass...
This game might be simultaneously the worst and best game I've ever played.
Una de las mayores maravillas que he jugado en mi vida en un port bastante bien optimizado. El encanto de este juego, sus personajes y su historia me sorprende cada vez que lo juego y hace que quiera rejugarlo todas las veces que pueda cuando tenga oportunidad
The uhh...definitive? Maybe? Version of the best worst game ever made. Still as awful in every way that it was, which means it’s still as incredible in every way that it was. The closest thing to a Twin Peaks game we’ll ever get.
A game dated upon entry with a slideshow framerate and a lack of polish that would make even Bethesda blush, Deadly Premonition is one of the most polarizing pieces of media I've consumed thus far. And I absolutely loved it.
Francis York Morgan is maybe one of the most likable characters in any piece of fiction like...ever. Deadly Premonition succeeds and has such a prominent cult following because the aspects of the game that function and work are the same aspects that enhance the immersion in role playing York. You have to shave in the morning, eat breakfest, turn your headlights and wipers on in the rain. The story is engaging, the NPCs feel alive and interesting, and the roads always feel just a little to real to life in their length.
I want to be York and the game gives me a world and narrative where I can do just that. It does it so well that everything that should be "bad" comes off as charming and just adds to the experience.
The NPC facial expressions, the bad framerate, the standstill 3rd person shooting. I thought it was all really delightful. The switch port crashed on me like 8 times and it always brought a smile to my face.
I want to be York and the game gives me a world and narrative where I can do just that. It does it so well that everything that should be "bad" comes off as charming and just adds to the experience.
The NPC facial expressions, the bad framerate, the standstill 3rd person shooting. I thought it was all really delightful. The switch port crashed on me like 8 times and it always brought a smile to my face.
This 3/5 doesn't at all describe the batshit insane genius of Deadly Premonition's story, featuring one of gaming's most interesting protags, Francis York Morgan (who's basically if Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks was a psychopath). Temper your expectations about the awful, boring 3rd person horror-shooter gameplay segments, and you might grow to appreciate exploring the town of Greenvale, learning about the quirky folks who live there, listening to that stupid whistling song for the 15th time in a row, and experiencing the rollercoaster that is this game's mystery plot.
(Find a different version to play though, the game suffers from some large performance issues on Switch.)
(Find a different version to play though, the game suffers from some large performance issues on Switch.)
what if Twin Peaks but none of the flavor
Forgot to review this! It's incredible stuff, my dream game in every aspect! While I haven't heard good things about it's sequel, it's got me curious.
have you ever shit your pants zach
Speaking of horror games, a specific one comes to mind. "Deadly Premonition". Do you remember that one, Zach? Released in 2010, directed by Swery65. A murder mystery thriller set in a small town, filled with 7th generation jank, I loved it. I remember if you didn't shave regularly, your character would start to grow a beard - isn't that right, Zach?
I'd describe it as a love-or-hate game, but I landed right in the middle on 'like'.
This runs and looks like utter shit but Swery's writing is straight up magic even if it's discount Lynch here. Greenvale feels like a real town and every character is interesting. The plot's genuinely intriguing while holding charm despite it's farcical nature.
You can tell a lot of care went into this, and it's not a so-bad-it's-good; it's good despite the bad. The technical jank and awful shooting stages are worth playing through for everything else. I want York to read my wedding vows.
You can tell a lot of care went into this, and it's not a so-bad-it's-good; it's good despite the bad. The technical jank and awful shooting stages are worth playing through for everything else. I want York to read my wedding vows.
It's busted. The frame rate sucks, the performance sucks, the animations are insanely stiff, and a lot of gameplay feels half baked.
But I love it. It's got that same weirdo charm that I get love out of Twin Peaks mixing with it's Japanese fanbase all wrapped up in what I can only compare to Euro-Jank. I actually don't hate a ton of the ideas in this game or think they're bad. I think they're all pretty solid and have been reused in better put together games. But they're also notDeadly Premonition.
Everything just works together in its own way here. Almost like lightning in a bottle.
But I love it. It's got that same weirdo charm that I get love out of Twin Peaks mixing with it's Japanese fanbase all wrapped up in what I can only compare to Euro-Jank. I actually don't hate a ton of the ideas in this game or think they're bad. I think they're all pretty solid and have been reused in better put together games. But they're also notDeadly Premonition.
Everything just works together in its own way here. Almost like lightning in a bottle.
Runs like an absolute state in the two busy sections of Greenvale and the port has other issues. Not as good as the Xbox 360 version, miles ahead of the PS3 version.
To be reductive, it's "The Room" of video games. This game is bewildering and weirdly problematic but I somehow find it too quaint to offended by it. Swery is an insane person and we need more people like him having more freedom to make games. The game wants to be Twin Peaks but clearly doesn't actually understand David Lynch. It's supposed to be horror(?) but I find the gameplay strangely relaxing. I don't want to make it seem like it's pure shit though - it's genuinely very creative and good in a lot of ways. Play this Switch version, I hear it's nerfed which makes the experience less obnoxious. If you like camp/so-bad-it's-good, this could be your thing.