The interesting thing is that I find myself doing them now. Normally, when I finish a game’s main story, that’s it. I’m done. For example, when I finished up Mass Effect 2, there were still a ton of side missions that I could go and do, but I have zero interest in doing them and no interest at all in the DLC either.  Even Fallout 3, which is by far my favorite game, became less interesting to me once I had completed the final story-related quest (i.e. the Broken Steel DLC) But Deadly Premonition inhabits such a quirky wonderful place and I find the protagonist so charming that I just want to spend more time with him, so I’ve been wandering back into earlier chapters to play whatever side quests appeal to me. The Emily quests are a “MUST DO”.

Now a few thoughts for the End game. *SPOILERS BELOW*

SPOILERS

Reaction to the endgame:

I utterly loathed the final boss battles, but I am really horrible at Quicktime events. It’s like my fingers refuse to process what my mind is registering, so even though it clearly shows A on screen, I still hit X. This is very frustrating and it took me hours to get through those last few battles. My biggest issue, I think, is that I was panicking and therefore hitting the buttons too fast and too soon and so screwing up. Once I finally slowed down though, it was much better. That damn section that had you running down staircases though just about killed by left forearm. Ouch! That was so unnecessarily tedious.

That said, I can ignore all that because I found the rest of it really great. The whole situation with Emily and Zach/York teared me up a bit. I was verklempt!

I think this is one area in particular where Deadly Premonition really shines. The game is such a diamond in the rough, but I disagree completely with the idea that it is so bad it is good. No, it is just good. Unpolished in many ways, but like a diamond there is plenty of sparkling goodness to be revealed if it is cut just right. The relationship between Emily and York is really well done. Even more so, really, if you have done the Emily side missions beforehand. I actually was much more involved in this relationship than I was in the relationship I had to cultivate in Mass Effect 2 — where everything just seems to move ridiculously fast on the romance front. But with Deadly Premonition, it is handled with a light touch and we get most of information from the shared asides that York makes to Zach about his feelings for Emily. So when she dies, it is that much more gut-wrenching.

I gotta say, for a game that takes a very lighthearted approach to all the horror elements, the ending is an awful downer. When you stop and think about it, York didn’t save anyone at all. Sure, he killed the killers, but by that point the victims have piled up pretty high — he couldn’t even save Emily. It was quite the drag emotionally – and yet, oddly satisfying.

I haven’t really been playing video games for very long — maybe two years now — but so far, in all the games I’ve played, it is really clear that most video game developers have no idea how to conclude a story in a way that makes you feel good about the game being over. In fact, most game endings are total shit. But even though I feel that Deadly Premonition has quite a downbeat ending, it feels “right”. Although, frankly, I could do without the York/Emily afterlife thing — it makes no sense at all. She’s a ghost (I guess), but York isn’t actually REAL. I guess it is just really all a figment of Zach’s imagination, but I think they could have let it go.

PS : Two years since my last post! I figured I’d brush the dust off this journal and start posting again. Here’s to Zach for making me do it!

I’m very glad to see Kyle back and Jordan Collier just gets hotter every season. The man is simply magnetic. I really could not stand him in season 1, but by now I’ve done a complete turnaround and I have a feeling that this season I’m actually going to be rooting for him.

Another thing I’d forgotten is that the guy who plays Lorne on Stargate Atlantis plays Agent Garrity on The 4400. And I love him! I love him on both shows, but more on The 4400 than Stargate. And he’s always been something of a bit player on both shows, so I’m hoping that his increased presence in the season premiere means we’ll be seeing a lot more of him.

And now for some episode specifics.

So, Kyle took Promicin because of Shawn? Awwwwww. I just love these two together. And I’d really love to know what Kyle’s superpower is going to turn out to be. I guess we will find out next week! So the redhead was right about giving Shawn a big dose of the green stuff. Now, is she someone who took Promicin herself or is she maybe someone from the future? Hmmmm.

I love that Jordan can take away the powers given by Promicin. He is so right. We don’t need another God stand-in when he’s pretty much pitch perfect in the role himself. How did we go from Jordan being L. Ron Hubbard to Jesus?

Okay, it is now more clear to me than ever that Captain Jack Harkness has become my favorite character in the Whoverse. I much prefer him to No. 10. He’s on the short list of “default fictional characters of my soul”.  Funnily enough, it was seeing Jack and 10 together that made me realize I will never love 10 as much as I loved Nine and I’m liking him less and less this season.

I am so full of ridiculous love for Jack. Just seeing him run like hell trying to catch up to the Tardis before it left. When 10 saw him on the monitor and just fired up the Tardis to leave him, in that moment I really hated him. I don’t hate him now, but I don’t think I’ll ever recover completely from that moment.  Jack’s life has been basically fucked ever since he met up with the Doctor and Rose.

As for the episode, loved it to pieces. Derek Jacobi is made of AWES! and JOHN SIM! OMG OMG OMG! How am I going to survive to next week?? HOW????  And the whole conversation between Jack and Ten and Ten telling him it was Rose who made Jack immortal. I just asdfghjklQ!

Did everyone notice Barrowman was in the actual credits and not just a guest star? That really pleased me (have I mentioned I love Jack like Whoa?). So does this mean we have him until the end of the season? Or is the season just about over anyway? Hmm. I guess it is, isn’t it? That was episode 11, part two is next week and I’m guessing they’ll extend this story until episode 13 since it seems doubtful they could wrap it up with just one ep. And we only get 13 eps right? 2 MORE EPS WITH JACK, YAY! (I assume!)

AND THEN WHEN DOES TORCHWOOD START OMG WHEN??

I LOVE JACK HARKNESS. THE END.