Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise Reviews
Mileage is very obviously going to vary on a game like Deadly Premonition 2 and I genuinely believe that should be embraced. For all of my (gameplay) criticisms, there will be another for whom they are points in the game’s favour and to them I say, have a blast.
Overall, Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise is exactly the game you expected it would be. A largely broken and mechanically mediocre game that manages to somewhat redeem itself thanks to its quirky characters and engaging story. If you’re able to look past the game’s many faults, you’ll certainly find an interesting story to experience. Otherwise, you’re likely to be left totally underwhelmed.
Deadly Premonition 2 is a failed sequel that completely loses perspective on those elements that made the first installment special. Its history and high doses of fan service still retain enough charm to satisfy many of its staunchest followers, but many others will be disappointed to have waited ten years to receive a product that is not only inferior to its predecessor, but in large part a betrayal of its spirit.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise is as hard to recommend as the previous title. Newcomers won't be welcomed with open arms and will probably hate the controls, the graphics and story. Fans of the first game will still find everything they loved from the previous title including a great atmosphere and the bizarre characters.
Review in German | Read full review
Narrative-wise Deadly Premonition 2 confronts you with a plot that starts slow, but then develops it's very own fascination and stands out with strong characters. Everyone who loves video games with typical B-movie flair should give the title a chance. All others wait until the developers patch the severe performance issues.
Review in German | Read full review
A faithful follow-up that doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but is riddled with technical issues that mar the experience quite a bit.
As a fan of the world of Deadly Premonition, problems aside I was happy to get to see Agent Morgan’s continuing adventures (as both York or Zach) and find out how crazier and crazier things could get in yet another game in the series. With that in mind, I could only truly recommend this to anyone who’s in the same camp and are up for another go at the sort of game that it is, or to someone who’s new to the franchise and has got their expectations in check, is in the right mindset, and willing to overlook its host of serious technical issues and design decisions that can and do get in the way of enjoying the unique flavor of absurdity that it delivers.
Deadly Premonition 2 might be fun for a tiny group of gamers, but I had a terrible time drudging through it. The B-movie esque plot and narrative scenes can be enjoyable in a cringy sort of way, but everything from the graphics to the controls makes it insanely hard to enjoy. Instead of wasting 20 hours with this game, I’d say you’re better off just going back and replaying Deadly Premonition.
It may a be a little rough around the edges but the game provides series fans with exactly what they would want from a sequel whilst still, almost incredibly, wholly subverting expectations. It supersedes the original in some respects whilst simultaneously significantly lacking in others but nevertheless provides a suitable vessel for Agent Francis York Morgan, one of the most brilliantly written characters in videogame history, to make a triumphant return. I’ve never known a game to have a more fitting tagline than Deadly Premonition 2 which, on the whole, can rightfully be described as nothing short of “a blessing in disguise”.
Ultimately, I had a lot of fun during my time with Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise after I was able to shut my brain off and simply go along for the janky skateboard ride through Le Carré. I found it to be charming and maybe I’m just a mark for garbage games, but I can see this having the same life as it’s predecessor if people decide to give it a shot and embrace this insane mystery.
A case better left unsolved.
Technically is a problem, but it's so charming and surreal, a perfect follow up of the cult classic. Bless your soul, SWERY.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If you’re not head-over-heels for Deadly Premonition, or if you were hoping that a sequel wouldn’t suffer from as many technical issues as the original, then you’re probably better off sitting this one out.
Particularly, I still consider Deadly Premonition 2 spectacular, but it is necessary that the player has a lot of patience to deal with its flawed aspects. I am deeply perplexed that there was no such care, because the product could have been a masterpiece. Still, I recommend it for those who, like me, are not afraid to take a chance on works that, even if they are not polished, still offer a lot of fun.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The entertaining quality of Deadly Premonition 2 is beyond any doubt and stands out so much from the monotonous lifeless open world competition that the game easily bypasses any technical doubt and is an absolute cult tip.
Review in German | Read full review
Overall, Deadly Premonition 2 is a wondrous game. It successfully follows on from a masterpiece of a game with a wonderful new cast of characters, improved graphical fidelity, and mature narrative that does not take away from the wacky charm fans of the first game have come to expect. It is a wonderful sequel with an equally as wonderful narrative hearkening back to the best of what the first game offered, and then some. Alas, it is let down by some truly atrocious optimisation. While it does not live up to the standards of the first, this sequel will undoubtedly go down as the perfect companion piece to the immortalised classic. In a way, it is very much stuck in time - almost like it released in the same year as the previous game, and never really managed to dig itself out of the decade old pit of classic action-adventure titles. It is a game frozen in time, meant to be consumed in no other way, and offers one of the most memorable and enjoyable detective experiences this side of York.
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise loses itself among too many technical and mechanical problems, which almost completely overshadow its intriguing story and memorable characters. Performance-wise it is almost always atrocious, the gameplay mechanics are basic and, despite that, inconsistent, and its design is frustrating on many levels. Underneath all its flaws are some enjoyable aspects, but only the most avid fans of the first game and its fantastic protagonist will want to take this experience all the way through to the end.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The tech part is hard but it doesn't make the game unplayable. If you loved the first Deadly Premonition, you can get more of Morgan with this title, if you don't this is not your game. Swery is a genius and every work of him make us imagine what he could create with a great budget
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If you didn’t care much for the original Deadly Premonition game, A Blessing in Disguise won’t convince you of the contrary. The dull combat, absymal framerate, and repetitive level design are blatant issues that truly bring the experience down. However, if you are a fan of the original, the same engaging (yet stupid) story and wacky characters might make it a worthwhile endeavour.
A disappointing sequel covered in imposter syndrome. Pains me to score this game as such, sorry Zack