D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die Game Sample - PC
19WARNING: This game contains mature language and themes.
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die is a well-written, stylish, over-the-top Arcade-y "episodic" graphical adventure released for Xbox One and PC, and also the tragic victim of low sales and polarizing views. Developed by Access Games and directed by Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro, (best known for the "Rainy Woods" prototype, Tomba! 2, Lord of Arcana, Deadly Premonition, and his latest crowd-funded project, "The Good Life"), the game is a roller coaster ride of comical insanity, outrageous characters, superfluous gaming elements (stamina, vision, an unexplained marketplace... things thrown in just for the sake of it, but appreciated all the same) and adequate brevity. Choices don't really have any real weight to them (usually just affecting how many in-game credits you can amass) but it's fun to hear the different interactions all the same. Much to the dismay of die-hard fans, future episodes were cancelled after Swery left Access Games in 2016, which may have hurt his reputation once he founded his new studio, with "The Good Life" coming quite short of its crowdfunding goals. Still, his abstract vision and desire to pursue the projects he wants on his own terms is inspiring, and has not gone unnoticed among the obscure sect of the gaming populace.
After the death of his wife, former Boston police narcotics officer turned private detective, David Young, gains the supernatural ability to travel into the past (Dive) by utilizing special items called "mementos". Two years earlier, David's wife was murdered and David was shot in the head which caused him to lose his memory of the event except for his wife's final words "Look for D" and gain the ability to "Dive" by utilizing the residual memories of mementos. Now he's been investigating everyone who's name starts with "D" that is in conjunction with the trafficking of a drug called "Real Blood", a substance found in his wife's body during her autopsy.
Players get to interact with tons of objects and do primary cases as well as optional ones, earning credits or other goods / collectibles to use. Every so often, you get to play a QTE (Quick Time Event) mini-game where you battle it out with a person or suspect... now I know a lot of people don't like QTEs, but they are used to great effect in this game, breaking up the reading and investigating typical to games of this type, and also highlight our protagonist's athleticism but also his vulnerabilities. He's tough, but not invincible after all. Doing well nets you more credits that you can use to buy items, costumes, etc. The controls are not particularly responsive, but the game is pretty forgiving in terms of timing, and the slider that shows upcoming actions is a plus.
The game is about three to four hours, perhaps a bit longer if you're trying to get everything.The game is relatively unfinished however, so I can't personally recommend it. Still, I think Swery's games are interesting and there's an offbeat charm to everything he's involved in, so I would suggest looking into his other works and use this game as a sort of example in which to base his current work, creatively speaking. If you like this, perhaps go back and explore games like "Deadly Premonition" and stop by and see how "The Good Life" by -White Owls Inc.- is doing. This is a video of the game in action. Enjoy.
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