So this weekend saw me wrap up both Deadly Premonition and Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
I really am starting to dig these sleeper games that I see pop up. Oftentimes given criminally low budgets to work with, the developers have to make up for it with heart, soul and style, and while those factors are objectively hard to work into a review, subjectively it's right up my alley. The small town murder/mystery angle was such a fresh idea. I loved cruising around town and just getting to know the entirety of the population. Greenvale was one of those towns in a video game that actually felt like a town, with a sense of history to not only it, but its' inhabitants as well.
The storyline was deftly told, never revealing too much, too soon or at the wrong time, and while I had suspicions about it beforehand, the twist at the end about Zach being York nonetheless managed to be truly affecting for a variety of reasons.
The cast was great. Despite the clunky, awkward dialogue, these people felt real and fleshed out and contributed greatly to the overall atmosphere of the game. It was a real treat driving around with George and Emily, just talking with them. York's conversations with Zach about movie trivia ranged from being funny to informative, but never once did I want to skip them.
I can't recall any of the supernatural occurrences being explained in detail (if at all), but in the games' defense, I missed out on a good 90% of the sidequests. Maybe its' explained somewhere in them.
On my second playthrough, I'll be doing a more thorough run. This is a game that needs another go. Fantastic little title all around, though I'm not surprised in the least that it's gone under the radar for as long as it has.