POSTED 20/10/14


D4: DARK DREAMS DON'T DIE - SEASON ONE

Access Games/Microsoft Studios

Still don’t know what I was waiting for, and my time was running wild...

David Young’s an ex-cop who quit the force to go private dick following the murder of his wife, Little Peggy. All he has to go on is involvement of a drug called ‘Real Blood’ and his spouse’s final words, “Look for D...”

Sounds like a typically yawn setup, doesn’t it? Perhaps, but D4’s actually anything but typical.

Instead, it’s gloriously and inspirationally bonkers – which won’t surprise those familiar with its creator, SWERY, the mind behind the similarly whacked-out Deadly Premonition.

Being an episodic adventure, for a meagre investment you receive three chapters and as many hours of play – more if you’re fastidious. The prologue introduces us to David’s world via his apartment, complete with former cop partner and freeloading cat lady. That isn’t in the typical sense, rather this chick believes she’s a cat and her behaviour reflects it. Then you discover that David can time travel...

If that’s too weird for you then you won’t enjoy the two further exploits of David, as action moves aboard an airliner populated by paranoid, lifejacket-wearing obsessives, crazy-tall, staccato-speaking surgeons and a verdant-headed Gaultier/Pet Shop Boy hybrid.

Despite being mostly a point-and-click affair (think Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls), action happens, even during cutscenes, requiring on-the-toesiness.

D4’s been baked especially for Xbone, so you can dust that Kinect and get all swipe, grabby, push – and it mostly works. Thankfully though you can also use a controller, which mostly works... Erm, you can swap between the two any time.

Besides looking for clues, you have to keep track of stamina and abilities. Helpfully, doing stuff earns stuff you can exchange for stuff via feline presences.

If you’re beige, forget D4. But if you’re attracted to things very off-kilter then please, turn and face the strange...

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