D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die is an episodic time-travel whodunit from Deadly Premonition developer Access Games. For those who partook in Agent York’s surreal investigation into the Red Seed Murders and found themselves wanting more, then good news: D4 is just as strange and bizarrely endearing. The first download pack includes the prologue and first two episodes of detective-turned-private-investigator David Young’s quest to find his wife’s murderer. The incident left him with amnesia, forgetting everything except for her last message to him, a cryptic suggestion to find “D”, a goal he pursues with his newfound power to travel back in time. By making journeys between the past and the present, he hopes to slowly unravel the mystery of who killed her and why.
Complicating Young’s investigation is the presence of Real Blood, a dangerous new narcotic that is somehow tied to his wife. The drug seems to not only offer users euphoric relief but also special abilities—that is, when it’s not leading to their death. Young’s wife, Peggy (affectionately named Little Peggy), was found drained of all her blood. Hers is one of the less-messy fates, as Young discovers of others whose bodies have been mashed and reformed into a cube and turned inside out. This string of bizarrely grotesque murders has the attention of his former employer, the Boston Police Department, and his ex-partner-now-helper Detective Forrest “Teddy” Kaysen. If that last name sounds familiar, it should: he has been a character in two other games directed by developer Swery, Spy Fiction and Deadly Premonition (the overly friendly traveling tree salesman). Kaysen feeds Young new information and evidence, and in turn, Young provides leads by offering additional insight into previous events after taking a ‘dive’ into the past.
It is through diving that Young hopes to work his way back far enough to prevent the death of his wife and uncover her role in the Real Blood phenomenon. He cannot go back to wherever he wishes, however; in order return to a specific point in time, he needs a memento, a special object that acts as a beacon for him to hone in on and dive to a key point in its history. New mementos from Kaysen allow him to travel to new places and interact with others as well, and it’s by returning with mementos gathered from these locations and people that he discovers that his actions have an effect on the past. Throughout his trips, he’s visited by the ghost of Little Peggy, who at times offers words of encouragement and at others warnings that what’s done is done and all that’s left is for him to accept this and move on. It’s difficult to get a read on the apparition, as it’s sometimes played as Young mentally torturing himself in guilt over not remembering what caused her death and at other times as a separate entity acting of its own accord. This sense of confusion permeates every scene in D4, and the constant questioning of what’s going on, and just what’s wrong with everyone, including Young himself, is what makes this otherwise straightforward investigative thriller so interesting.
As with Deadly Premonition, navigating through the scenes is just as important as gathering clues and questioning suspects. The case is the most important facet of Young’s life, but it isn’t the only factor, as he must work within the rules of this strange world and alongside its equally strange inhabitants. The emphasis here is on the narrative, and as a result, the actual gameplay mechanics are fairly shallow. A series of quick-time events and mini-games punctuate rather than dominate the extended sequences of investigating items, following up leads, and conversing with others. The first two episodes take place on an airplane, and while that restricts the number of people with which he can interact, the game gets great mileage out of its limited cast. A prime example of how these elements come together to form one abnormal experience is with Amanda: after interacting with Young’s television, he remembers a lazy afternoon of a pregnant Peggy watching reruns of her favorite cartoon while petting their cat Amanda, around the same time that he hears a banging on the back door. Once the door is opened, a leotard- and cat-ear-wearing woman named Amanda barges in during the game’s first quick-time event. After she charges in, players must either use their hands via the Kinect or the gamepad to swat away objects, including her claws (re: fingernails), dishes, and a mouse, in order to avoid being hurt. The only explanation offered is that Amanda simply showed up one day and started to live with him and that he doesn’t mind because she does the shopping, not what she actually is. Kaysen acknowledges Amanda but never in a way that the player can determine if she’s an actual person or if she’s a cat that Young sees as a person. As with everything else, the developers present the situation in such a way that it isn’t weird despite definitely being weird because the characters rarely acknowledge how bizarre thing are. This sort of confidence in its own normalized oddness is so infectious and engaging that it was hard not to get hooked.
This sequence also introduces D4‘s few direct gameplay mechanics. The game has the veneer of layered systems servicing an investigative adventure title, but there are few ways for the player to make an actual impact on the case once the quick-time events are removed. The events themselves also differ in terms of importance based on input type. The events are mildly engaging when using the controller, though easier to get through, while the Kinect offers the type of engagement from the player that the developers rely on to truly involve them in the world. The key to understanding Access’ intention is through a synchronization rate that pops up during specific interactions, such as when players respond to comments or play through a quick-time event. The rate’s role isn’t as an arcade-style point system but to encourage players to act like Young, as the highest rates are attained by responding in conversations as Young would and properly mimicking his motions; it’s a combination that has players mirroring him both physically and mentally. A significant part of the game, that is, is to merge with Young. To that end, players will knock back shots of tequila, slam their hands to have him slam the shotglass down, swipe to turn pages, lean to get a better look during character intros, and speak responses during conversations. Quick-time events are largely the same, with horizontal, vertical, and diagonal swipes used to dodge and grab objects, but their faster tempo doesn’t make them any different than a slow flip to turn a page because the synchronization rating is all about reinforcing immersion.
A few limitations make failure seem plausible, but in truth, it’s all but impossible not to progress. Young loses stamina each time he interacts with an object; he also loses vision every time he engages a heightened sense that highlights all usable objects and health during cutscenes or from the rare environmental hazard. In terms of gameplay, these largely feel like a type of padding used to stretch out otherwise brisk activities, but in terms of world building, they are used to further the sense of immersion. After leaving a memory, Young can further engage in conversations with Teddy and use his credits, earned by thoroughly studying objects and progressing, to buy items from Amanda. Amanda offers all of the items needed to replenish Young’s stats, including food and water, as well as new stat-altering articles of clothing for himself, new outfits for Teddy and Amanda, and new soundtrack cuts to listen to on a record player. Teddy adds more life to the investigation, but he also has a more functional role. When he’s not talking about his never-ending arguments with his wife Diane over whether Boston or New York is better, he’s offering up idle chit-chat or cooking a stat-replenishing meal. These conversations rarely offer insight into the wider ongoing investigation into Real Blood, but they are a treat nonetheless, especially when he begins to cook more elaborate meals and eat them in two bites, including a stack of five pizza slices, an entire fish, and nearly 20 hotdogs wedged into three buns. Picking up on such running gags and goofy jokes is a large part of the fun.
In terms of more traditional gameplay, there are two mini-games, but they don’t offer much. One requires that players grab 200 falling clovers before any reach the bottom of the screen, and the other asks that tiles be moved in order for a power grid to be properly re-connected. I have stressed the game’s focus on immersion over gameplay because it’s an important distinction, as these mini-games will be the extent to which many will feel they are actually playing a game. As with similar titles, such as the super-minimalist Gone Home, the game isn’t for everyone. D4 is first and foremost a compelling narrative experience, and one that is told a very specific way by the developers. Because of this approach, the game lacks the more typical elements of an adventure title or a police thriller, such as managing inventory, combining items, extensive branching dialog paths, or exciting shootouts. Even the occasional bout of hand-waving and Young-maintaining busywork are designed in such a way to more firmly place the player within the world and, more importantly, align them more closely with Young. When it comes to D4, players are simply along for the ride. And it’s a great ride.
Overall: 8.5/10
D4: Dark Dreams Don‘t Die is simultaneously silly, bewildering, and intriguing. The game isn’t for everyone, though, as it sits heavy on the narrative side of the interactive-narrative spectrum; players might control Young, but it’s about moving the plot along as Young rather than using their own wits and deductive skills to unravel the mystery. That focus on immersion and world-building also explains why there are so many curious asides, such as consumed calories tallied, readable articles found throughout the numerous magazines scattered about, and Amazon-like packages that appear bearing bonus items, and why the game is so charming. That being said, I would like to see the detective aspects expanded on the future, allowing players greater involvement in uncovering clues and connecting the dots. Recommended for players looking to jump into an off-kilter world that wants them to experience it rather than master it.
(This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher.)