Started a new thread for this since it's not really a horror game.

So I hear DP is very similar in terms of the open-world stuff, but the story sounds completely different. Is it just the structure of the gameplay that people are thinking of when they compare it to DP or are there more resemblances?

I believe it's the structure of gameplay and the fact that the graphics reminds a lot of people of an old dreamcast game. I haven't played the game myself (never owned a Dreamcast) but I think it's a convenient title for people to describe the game as. Kinda like how people say Silent Hill was like a Resident Evil clone when it first came out since Resident Evil was really the only well known horror game.

There are a ton of similarities, the open-world investigation, weird conversations, and Shenmue really popularized the "Quick Time Event" which are pretty frequent in DP. In Shenmue there is a day/night cycle and the AI will do certain things are certain times etc. If you get the chance I would recommend buying a Dreamcast, you can find them on Ebay with accessories for really cheap. Finding the games is pretty easy on Ebay as well, and they are extremely easy to pirate, no mod chip required. Couple that with a VGA cord and the 480p graphics are stunning (for its age) on a PC monitor/high def television.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgmCdt4EgxU

Yeah, Shenmue is pretty good although I wonder how it stands up to todays standards. You know me, I think DP is a graphical and technical masterpiece and I play PS2 games on a regular basis but I got shenmue 2 and put a few hours into it and let me tell you the dialog is an abomination. VERRY hard to get into. But yes, the open world, night and day, investigation, and detail is very similar. In shenmue you can knock on every door and open every drawer. Although most doors render a person saying they can't help and most drawers are full of nothing, the simple fact that you could do damn near everything was quite unique, and still is.

Aw man, dialogue is important to me... The fact that most of the doors don't do anything does strike me as very DP like. It's weird because maybe 1/5 of all doors will open, 2/3 won't and the rest will tell you you can't go in there.

I'm not so much a fan of being able to do anything as seeing little things like Sigourney's shoe on the driveway or looking at the toxic waste in Emily's house. Do they have an Observe button in Shenmue too? That always struck me as slightly adventure gamey but I wouldn't know.

...Apparently SWERY has never played Shenmue. Weird!

I love Shenmue. Nothing like running around in circles and following complete strangers without any caution.

Oh man I loved Shenmue! Granted, I didn't know what I was doing half the time in the game but there were plenty of random stuff to do to keep me occupied. So yeah, the side-quest adventure elements were definitely like DP.

Oh yeah and this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDEsJchoxkk

I don't care what anyone says; it's catchy as hell.

Shenmue is by far the game Deadly Premonition most resembles. The obsession with the mundane, all the little details, the amount of easter eggs... that all screams Shenmue.

Plus, they're just about some of the best designed games ever hehehe

...It's Dreamcast only??