I think they changed the name to "Heavy Rain" for the EU release.

Thanks for the heads-up; that sounds quite interesting. The reviews are all over the map; from 1.0 / 10 to 10/10 from what I've seen.

I like Destructoid's summary:

Deadly Premonition is beautiful. No, not graphically. Graphically it's atrocious. It's a beautiful trainwreck, and it's well aware of the fact. Despite this game being quite like everything ever made, there's nothing quite like the game itself. There is absolutely nothing in this industry that can compare to how weird and wonderful the whole experience is. Judged as a piece of entertainment, as a game that consistently surprises and amazes and leaves jaws hanging, I have no choice but to say that Deadly Premonition goes above and beyond. This game is so bad, it's not just become good. It's pretty close to perfect.

Is this gaming's version of Snakes on a Plane?

I would too. It wouldn't shock me if somewhere in that game there was a "bufu" spell or something.

Watching that I kept having the urge to move my right stick to make the car swerve or light the cigarette, etc. Heavy Rain has taken over my brain.

I've been toying with the idea of picking this up since I got my Xbox360. Judging by your description it seems to be one of those cases where the technical aspects of the game make little justice to the actual quality of its substance. Definitely going to get it further down the line.

I'm intrigued. Though I wanted to nudge the guy playing for that footage. It just seemed so obvious to me that if you want the game to go on, you should go and stand in all the little glowing spots first.

Yeah, this is Silent Hill type stuff, not GTA. I watched a few more trailers and I think I may pick this up. Even with clunky controls I think the horror and bizarre Lynchian nods may get me through it. James Sunderland wasn't exactly an acrobatic combat machine and I got him from one end of Silent Hill to the other about 6 times. My wife would probably enjoy it too.

EDIT: Okay. Yeah. I just reserved it. I'm doing it. I don't even care!

I've put about 5 hours in so far. I'm enjoying it. It's totally broken in some areas and just archaic in others. The driving is horrendous as is the navigation. The action sequences fair a little better, but still feel like a crappy copy of Resident evil 4. The graphics are awful. They would barely look passable last gen and there is still pop-in. A lot of the gameplay and systems feel last gen as well. Yet despite all this I just want to keep playing.

I was late to pc gaming. I probably started paying attention to PC game in the last 5 years. To play catch-up I try to play well regarded older pc games, like max payne or deus ex. Playing Deadly Premonition feels like going back to play those 10+ year old pc games. It doesn't conform to accepted ways of doing things that has evolved in game design. Older games don't because the best way to do things hadn't been discovered yet. Deadly Premonition seems not to because of budget. However, like those old games, after accepting the game for what it is, I've easily been able to get past all that.

The game has great writing and characters. It's bizarre and surreal, but hasn't felt like it was doing anything just to serve those purposes. The main character is an FBI profiler who regularly holds his hand to his ear like he is talking into an ear piece to talk to an imaginary guy named Zack. While driving around he has conversations with Zack (often about 80's cinema). The few other people I've met in the town have been just as strange. Sometimes it can seem goofy but rarely slapstick though. It has a consistent gravity that underlies the bizarre.

If you can't get past the mountains of flaws, there is a ton of value for the $20 and what seems to be an experience you won't find elsewhere. I'm about 5 hours in and haven't finshed the first chapters (i think there are 5)

Below are a few vids. The first is a encounter with someone from the town. It's relatively early into the game so it's not a huge spoiler. It's one of the lighter scenes (notice how he peaks around doors before he goes through. He even does that with gates you can see through). The second is an example of the combat sections of the game. Again, both are gameplay clips so they would be considered spoilers, but nothing major and nothing really plot related.

I've only had a few spare hours to play so far. Yes, some of it is very borked but there are some moments already that have me looking forward to more playtime. Specifically, the introduction of the stealth system. The shadows can't find you if you're holding your breath. This mechanic is introduced in a gameplay cutscene (does that qualify as a quick-time event?) that really made me cringe. I was getting really worked up as York tried to inch past this wavering monster. The little scene just kept on going with York taking a little half step and then freezing when the monster lurched blindly, all the while with his hand clamped over his mouth to hold in his breath.

I just kept saying "Okay, keep moving. C'mon York. Keep moving. How long can you hold your breath York? Are you going to start gasping and give yourself away. Oh no! That was too close York, it must know where you are! Oh, okay it's moving away so just keep moving!"

Yes, I'm already talking to the screen playing this one. I think it's because when York talks to Zach, he seems to be asking for guidance and what am I doing with a controller in my hands apart from providing guidance? Think about it won't you? Thank you.

Watched Jeff and Vinny's earlier. When they started getting to the actual gameplay it, ER and the game, became dull. Here's hoping the insanity expands beyond the cutscenes and into the gameplay.

Yep. That's probably why they released it at $20. It's an experiment, of sorts, in crappy games.

Although, it is getting a lot of attention. I really want to play it, but I might just watch the Endurance Run instead.

In case if anyone is interested... Amazon put this game as a Deal of the Day, $14.98! Link

YES!

Now I too can experience F...K..... in the coffee (in September).

Granted I already watched the endurance run to it's completion, but still...

Still about $16 too much, if you ask me.