Watch: Hands on with Deadly Premonition The Board Game
Swery d65
Deadly Premonition is so very, uniquely weird that it's hard to imagine it translating well to a board game. Like Twin Peaks, its atmosphere is too specific and too bizarre, surely, to be supported by a tabletop game (a Twin Peaks board game really was produced in the 90s, in fact - I have it on good authority from Donlan that it's utter trash).
That was my main concern as I met with Daniel Osuna Pérez and Samuel Elphick, the men behind Deadly Premonition: The Board Game, to try it out for myself. With the campaign fully funded in just eight hours and, at the time of writing, approaching 300% of its initial target, there's a lot resting on their shoulders as they translate Swery's unforgettable game to an analogue format.
Pleasingly, they've ably succeeded. While the game is still being refined and tested, the prototype version I played was a lot of fun. It's easy to pick up while still boasting tactical depth and, most importantly of all, the source material is skillfully woven into an exciting competitive experience. You can get a thorough explanation of how the game plays and where it excels in the video below.
If you enjoyed this bit of board games coverage, you might be interested in checking out my review of Dark Souls The Board Game. I also had a look at the prototype for This War of Mine last year.