There's engaging level design and decent enough combat to be found, but that's not the indication the first Otherworld stage gives. After establishing such a solid narrative foundation, it's disappointing that the opening then throws one of the title's worst stages at the audience. It's as strong an introduction to the world of the game as the demo reel is, but it's literally derailed as York crashes his car into the first combat section. The story has the decency to kick off with an excellent cut-scene that establishes protagonist York's personality (along with that of his split personality, Zach) in a Tom & Jerry monologue that's surprisingly more layered than one might initially expect. As chilling as she is intriguing, Anna's body is a promise that there's more to Greenvale than meets the eye - and an important promise one at that, since the actual first gameplay impression is lacklustre to say the least. The victim of what was evidently a ritual killing, the camera doesn't shy away from the gory details, lingering on young Anna Graham's mutilated corpse. It doesn't take long for the vocal track Greenvale to kick in, and what was a technical embarrassment becomes a haunting moment of pure tension, as two twin boys stumble a woman's dead body in the woods. Deadly Premonition is as rough around the edges as a video game can be, but it doesn't diminish the experience. Yet there's an instant allure to the opening nonetheless - a rawness seldom seen in the medium. The sound mixing is choppy, with music clashing over dialogue, character movements are stiff and uncomfortable, and the voice acting is blatantly amateurish. Anyone who stops to watch the demo reel will almost immediately notice how poorly everything looks and runs.
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