Deadly Premonition: Gaming’s Greatest Love Story?

Editor's note: Astute readers may notice that we included this post in one of our Spotlight articles, but I just read it for the first time and think it can stand on its own. -Demian

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By now you've probably heard about Deadly Premonition. Developer Access Games' mash-up of Twin Peaks, Resident Evil, and Grand Theft Auto already delivered one of 2010's most unique gaming experiences despite looking and playing like it should have come out on the Dreamcast a decade ago. The game's wildly divergent critical reaction suggests that it does some things that are worth discussing. But in light of Deadly Premonition's status as one of the most bizarre survival horror games in years, it might come as a surprise that one of those things is its romantic subplot. (This article contains minor plot spoilers.)

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Most video game characters are too concerned with being awesome to feel anything other than rage and lust. On the rare occasions when they do seem to experience actual affection for one another, it can be hard to understand why. This is what sets Deadly Premonition's love story apart from what we typically seen in games. It actually takes time to let us get to know who its romantic leads, Francis York Morgan and Emily Wyatt, are when they aren't chasing ghostly serial killers. As a result, when their feelings for each other come out, it doesn't seem like just another item checked off on a list of popular story elements….

This isn't to say that Deadly Premonition's love story is great literature. It's still kind of unbelievable that no-nonsense, small-town cop Emily would fall for York, who still talks openly with the imaginary friend he invented as a result of childhood trauma. But the fact that we see the two of them interacting like ordinary humans — for example, talking about their wild-high-school days over lunch — goes a long way toward making their emotions more convincing.

It's the kind of thing Grand Theft Auto 4 attempted with its system of social interactions, except that York and Emily's conversations are actually interesting and funny. And given Deadly Premonition's penchant for outrageous scenes, it's telling that one of the most memorable moments in the game comes when York finally accepts his feelings for Emily. Sitting alone in a room, he recalls the time they've spent together and hopes that everything will work out for the best so he can pursue a relationship with her. The scene's quiet charm makes it stand in sharp relief to the fever dream that constitutes most of the game.

Given how relentlessly nonsensical most of Deadly Premonition is, it could well be the case that its romantic subplot succeeds completely by accident. Regardless, I don't think it's overstating things to say that other game writers ought to pay attention to what's going on here. York and Emily's relationship follows a logical progression. We see them interact in ways normal people people can relate to. As crazy as York is, he's not under the impression that he and Emily are destined to be together. And when Emily finally reveals her feelings to York, she doesn't suddenly become a mushy non-entity. Accidental or not, the result is that York and Emily actually make some sense as a couple.

Quite simply, Deadly Premonition's director, Swery, seems to have grasped something about love stories that others in the gaming industry haven't: Two characters confessing their love for each other is not, in itself, a poignant event. If the player doesn't understand why they love each other, it's more likely to elicit laughs than tears. Let's hope Deadly Premonition doesn't fade into obscurity without helping to teach this important lesson.