So, D4. I know it sounds like an interactive snuff film but this game is much more colorful, exciting and interactive than any snuff film you’ll ever see! Being advertised as a Kinect game, you may be wondering how well does it work? That’s what I’m here for, to show or tell you how the game makes it mark and whether it could be the saving grace of bad Kinect games. How does it stand? Is D4 (Dark Dreams Don’t Die) worth your time, money and Kinect powers?
The concept? Detective David Young’s world is shattered when his wife is brutally murdered and he is shot trying to save her. He now has bullet lodged into his brain, which allows him to travel back in time and solve crimes with the help of his bear like buddy and human cat lady who sells him snacks. David Young’s main objective is to track down the infamous figure simply known as D, who is responsible for the traumatic events in his life. It’s a rather strange and surreal tale of love, life, murder, lots of D and time travel. David’s power works by obtaining certain objects that he calls mementos, which allow him travel back to the point in time the object came from. The first two episodes feature David looking for someone who may know the identity of D. However the same person, a drug mule, disappears off an airplane while in flight. David must go back in time and find out what has happened to the courier and locate D.
It’s a nice set up for the story with some interesting characters who progress the surreal nature. Being the first episodes, I’m sure there will be more characters entering the story to play vital roles in our Hero’s journey, or to get freaky with a mannequin (see image above). The characters have depth and strong personalities making them quite memorable. Again, it becomes more interesting as the story progresses and with later episodes to come, hopefully it will build into a an epic saga. Yet, this episodic content method does leave a bad taste in your mouth. It’s great to leave people hanging and wanting more after a cliff hanger but it breaks the flow and the experience can leave you feeling unsatisfied on how quickly it ends. I hope the new episode comes out soon as my focus is now on something else: The Evil Within.
But enough about the story, the game play is important too. I have to say, this game works well with the Kinect. It’s like Microsoft just said “Hey, why not make a functioning Kinect game?!” and they did. There are a combination of simple interactions in the environment, with your hands to par taking in crazed quick time events, which involve you acting out certain actions to pass through. Both are easy to learn and are fun to play out. The quick time events are creative and inventive, ranging from hand movements to acting out a segment where David swings a false leg to hit a dangerous baseball heading straight for him. The actions you perform are detailed, allowing you to act out David’s action from catching falling objects, cleaning dirty surfaces and whacking people in the face. It’s a shame there weren’t more big events that involved vast interactions and quick time events.
The world is simple but filled with lots of interest and depth, allowing you to explore freely and discover some hidden truths and activities. The location of the investigation is rather limited and the best part in Episode Two takes David to the belly of the plane and here is where exploration becomes more interesting. However, it would of been nice to have a larger area to explore or to have one area with multiple paths. There are a number of other activities inside the game world to break up the story. There are mini games and side quests that allow a deeper look into the story and its characters but most of them feel like under developed fillers that don’t compare to the dynamic mechanics in the rest of the game.
The game works with a stamina system where David will have to eat and drink in order to brave out all these dynamic actions. You earn credits while performing certain interactions and exploring the world around you, which you can then use to buy food for David or other items that can be beneficial or just as an additional treat. It’s a simple yet effective means to keep players on their toes. Much like Deadly Premonition, you will have to keep an eye on something just as important as your health. This does not mean there are no other dangers in the world. There are objects to interactive with which can cause harm and even can kill you. Most of these dangers lie in the quick time events but there are plenty in the second episode while you explore a darken room looking for a flash light. Just a heads up.
Lastly, the investigating aspects. There are a vast number of interactions and unveiling of certain clues to be had, meaning you will have to revisit certain areas from a different approach. By pushing objects, wiping dirt off a window or using your hands to make a delicious cocktail drink, you learn more about the world and obtain clues to help in the case. But this is slightly ruined due to yet another Square Enix style “highlight everything of interest” vision. It sucks away any mystery and makes the game too easy. Unlike L.A Noire, if you make a mistake there are no major consequences as such but rather you earn less points at the end of the level. Still it’s worth replaying to obtain either right or wrong answers as there are plenty of items to unlock by completing tasks in certain ways.
So, D4. It’s a good start and shows lots of promise. The great thing with this game? It makes good use of the Kinect and finally we have something that’s as engaging and innovative as No More Heroes was on the Wii many years ago. With this release, I hope Kinect games will raise their standards in offering good entertainment. Overall, D4 is a good game, but needs more work to make it truly brilliant. By allowing for greater exploration in bigger areas, more insightful investigation mechanics and more of those dynamic quick time events which are epic and fun, I’m sure it will become a great cult classic. Lets hope Season 2 will bring us just that.