Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut places you in the role of FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan as he investigates the murder of Anna Graham in the quiet town of Greenvale. With the assistance of local Sheriff George Woodman and his deputy Emily Wyatt, the trio work tirelessly to find the person responsible for Anna’s death. As details to the murder unfold, a string of new victims appear along with a possible suspect – ‘The Raincoat Killer’.
Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut improves on an already perfect game by adding PS Move Support, Stereoscopic 3D and vastly improved HD graphics. The in-game controls were improved as well, making the combat and driving sequences more manageable.
The game itself is memorable. Its cast of characters are likable and have a tendency to grow on you over time. Agent FBI York in particular is a maniacal, unpredictable character who communicates with an invisible person named Zach. Unlike the original game where you never get to see Zach, The Director’s Cut starts by showing him sitting on a chair, face hidden and hands wrinkled from age, telling the story of the Greenvale murders to a frightened granddaughter. As off-putting as this may sound, it sets the stage for an unforgettable survival horror-style game in a quaint, sleepy town in North America.
Gameplay is based on an open sandbox concept where the player can explore the entire city of Greenvale with little restriction. The game is seen from an over-the-should perspective similar to Resident Evil 4 and its successors.
As Agent York and his police escorts, George and Emily, search the town for clues pertaining to the recent death of Anna, the player can choose to visit locations outside the main story to question witnesses or explore the town. Since the game works on a semi-realistic day-night cycle that is one-third of real time, you must maintain Agent York by making sure that he eats and sleeps. A food and sleep gauge keeps track of these conditions.
There are ways to avoid sleeping by purchasing cups of coffee from the various vending machines located throughout the game world. Incidentally, drinking a newly poured cup of coffee from a hotel, and not a vending machine, is important to York’s premonition ability. It will help him receive ‘messages’ that can further the investigation. When the chance presents itself to grab a fresh cup of coffee, you should never turn it down.
Agent York is cursed with the ability to interact with a different realm of conciseness. While in this state, Agent York is tormented by twisted, zombie-like human abominations and a psychotic, axe-wielding maniac in a raincoat. This element of the game is linear as vines comprised of red hair block certain doors and hallways. Environmental objects like fences can be destroyed if they block your way. Any weapon will suffice, but using a blunt object like a pipe will make the job much easier. Crates can also be smashed open to obtain ‘Agent Honor’, which instantly converts into money.
Combat is straight-forward and resembles most survival horror games. Agent York uses pipes, knives and various firearms (including shotguns) to battle his demonic adversaries. Since the creatures stumble around in a stupor, it’s much easier to run around them. But if you do get caught in a corner, the best method of attack is to use a blunt object like a pipe since it deals more damage. For whatever reason, a standard firearm isn’t very effective during combat; it takes at least six bullets to kill an enemy.
While the game does use QTEs (Quick Time Events) for certain scenarios, it doesn’t rely on them. Encounters with the RainCoat killer can include a mixture of QTEs and rapidly moving the left analog stick to avoid being captured. This is a refreshing take on an overused concept.
The semi-clunky controls from the original game have received an overhaul and feel much smoother in comparison. Driving a vehicle is much easier, especially when taking sharp turns on the mountainous terrain. The only complaint is the aiming mechanics when using a firearm; the cross hairs creep across the screen when trying to target an enemy.
The town of Greenvale is massive with countless locations to explore. When you’re not working on a case, you can take a police vehicle to explore the wooded countryside for suspects and hidden items like Agent Honor medals. You can even visit local businesses to shop for food, repair your vehicle and purchase gas, fish at peers, and even play a game of darts at the local watering hole. The game world also contains numerous pay phones to save your in-game progress and toolboxes to store items from your inventory.
Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut has too much content to mention in a single review. You can spend hours exploring the town of Greenvale without even touching the main story. Aside from the Grand Theft Auto series, few games have ever come close to matching the content, character development and gameplay available in Deadly Premonition.
Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut comes highly recommend. Gamers who have already played the original game will appreciate the vastly improved graphics, while newcomers will enjoy the game’s unconventional approach to the survival horror genre. And while it may not be everyone’s favorite beverage, don’t forget to drink the coffee.
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Mike Pittaro
Platform: Playstation 3 (Available on PSN)
Developer: ToyBox Inc
Publisher: Rising Star Games
ESRB: M (Mature)
Price: $39.99
Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Official Website
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| The remastered HD graphics look stunning. | |
| Sound | |
| Creepy sound effects and a horror movie soundtrack enhance the experience. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Gamers can spend hours exploring the city of Greenvale. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| This is one game you shouldn't miss. | |
