Easily one of the most wild and memorable experiences I've had with playing a game. The way it starts, the way the first couple requests go, I was thinking to myself "Hey this is really great, the setting is super interesting, these characters are fun, and this gameplay isn't nearly as convoluted or tedious as I thought" (ignoring the half an hour I spent trying to solve one of the insane math questions given through the optional lost and found items). But with each request, the game allows you to get a little closer to your goal, and as you get closer, it really starts to mess with you. Several of the chapters in this game felt like cruel jokes on the player, but the writing and execution is so spot on I still found myself laughing with the game, amazed at the audacity of several different moments. FSR definitely is as insane, occasionally bullshit, and patience testing as people say it is, but it never stops being incredibly compelling, quite a feat to pull off. Just when you think you're sick of it, it pulls you back in.

The way this ties into The Silver Case is also really cool, never really making clear what is and isn't related to the events of that game, but playing with the elements and characters of that game in a way that really kept me on my toes (apologies to the probably large percentage of people who played this port with no knowledge of TSC).

Lastly, obviously being able to play the PS2 version of this game would be great, but something about the way this game looks and sounds in order to be on the DS, as well as the fact that it's on the DS at all, it really adds something to it. Something might have been lost, but I feel like something else really good was gained, not smart enough to say what exactly. "That DS feeling", I guess is the only thing to call it. I mean, you should have seen how hard I popped off for the DS rendition of Tokio's theme.

EDIT: Coming in real quick because I forgot an entire paragraph of this review. Anyway, I mentioned earlier the way the game slowly becomes more and more cruel as the story goes on, and I love the way that's reflected in the NPCs. It starts off with everyone taking note of how kind Sumio is and how willing he is to help people out, and eventually everyone is telling him to his face that they're using him because he's a useful idiot, and tell him to fuck off to the other side of the island. Everyone goes "yeah it's hard, but you'll do it because I told you to, you piece of shit". That sudden hostility and anger that came out of characters every now and then in TSC shows up in full force. This coincides with more and more of the island's true nature being revealed, and it's quaint remote feeling being replaced by an unnerving artificiality. Good shit, in summation.

For all of Deadly Premonitions reputation about it's jank and hilarious moments there is actually a really deep game here. Not gonna lie and say it's perfect cause it's not. Gameplay around combat is horrendous. The gameplay in general is not great. So why do I like it and rate it so high? Cause DP is an amazing experience. Taking it all in for what it is and what it actually accomplishes despite it's budget is a remarkable achievement. There is a lot to do and see in here and a lot of different mechanics at play. Exploring the town and getting to know the characters and all their quirks and history is really enjoyable. The game has a solid mystery that can keep you guessing. You never know where it's going to go next or what crazy thing York will say or do next. I legitimately think the story is great and has a great mystery to it. As strange and goofy this game can be it was also moving to me. Loved the character of York and Zach and equally amazed at how much I loved it despite thinking this was gonna be the room of video games. In ways yes it was but at it's core there is some legit craft here. Love playing it every couple of years.

Platinum # 14