Deadly Premonition
One day in February 2010, Access Games released a relatively low-key title on the Xbox 360 called Deadly Premonition. Directed and co-written by Hidetaka Suehiro, it actually started out in 2004 as Rainy Woods and debuted at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. The Twin Peaks comparisons were already being made but the title would be canceled due to technical limitations. Suehiro would reboot it as Deadly Premonition with a new scenario and protagonist. Its critical reception encompassed a fairly wide spectrum – some loved the game for its bizarre story-telling and scenario design while others outright hated the controls, visuals and pacing. The current Metacritic score sits at an average of 68 with 39 reviews on Xbox 360.
Perhaps because of its wide range of reviews, word of mouth began to spread and soon, Deadly Premonition gained a reputation for its originality. Those who looked past the iffy mechanics and graphics discovered a rich narrative with quirky characters, and an atmosphere that’s equal parts mystery and macabre. While its sequel didn’t receive nearly as good of a response, Deadly Premonition is still fairly beloved to this day.
