Interview: SWERY On Cult-Hit Deadly Premonition's Development

Author: by Staff

This year, the game Deadly Premonition became a surprising cult-hit -- partially because it's so bad it's good, but also because it's also genuinely creative and enjoyable -- and Gamasutra's latest feature is an interview with its director, SWERY. Access Games director Hidetaka Suehiro, better known as SWERY, describes the development process of the game: "Something I'd wanted to try was a crime investigation story set in real time in an open-world setting," he says. "I kind of had everything in place in my mind but I have to admit that at that time, our technical skills, staff, connections, and even my own skills weren't enough to deal with this project... Looking back, I hadn't imagined all the troubles we would have along the way, and how much time it would take to overcome them." He also describes the surprising genesis of the unusual conversations between the protagonist and his imaginary friend, Zach -- conversations with Deadly Premonition script collaborator Kenji Gota. "Kenji Gota is actually a movie director in the Japanese independent scene and he is a good friend of mine," says SWERY. "When we meet, we always talk about movies, sometimes for hours while drinking. This atmosphere, I wanted to recreate it in the game too that's why I had to think about a way to integrate it." While he's thankful that the game has reached a wide audience thanks to the U.S. press picking up on it, he laments the fact that a similar situation doesn't seem to be possible in the game's domestic market. "The Japanese media didn't really bother," he says. "Unfortunately, there is no alternative games press at the moment here." For more from SWERY, be sure to read the full-length feature, Thank You And Guys, I Love You!! - A SWERY Interview, live today on Gamasutra.