History Main / DejaVu

* BatmanGambit: [[spoiler:Even if you do get your memory back and uncover the plot to frame you for murder, Sternwood and Vickers planted more than enough false evidence to make sure you'll look like the more likely suspect if you go to the police.]] the weakness of the plan is [[spoiler:Fortunately, you can dispose of the false evidence against you.]]

A sister game to ''VideoGame/{{Shadowgate}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Uninvited}}'' just instead of taking place in a castle, it's in 40s film noir, starring an amnesiac detective. Lighter on the NightmareFuel. Also spawned a less well known, but nice in its own right sequel.

Compare to ''Uninvited'', also by the same developer.

This game provides examples of:

* XanatosGambit: [[spoiler:Even if you do get your memory back and uncover the plot to frame you for murder, Sternwood and Vickers planted more than enough false evidence to make sure you'll look like the more likely suspect if you go to the police. Fortunately, you can dispose of the false evidence against you.]]

A sister game to ''{{Shadowgate}}'' and ''{{Uninvited}}'' just instead of taking place in a castle, it's in 40s film noir, starring an amnesiac detective. Lighter on the NightmareFuel. Also spawned a less well known, but nice in its own right sequel.

Compare to ''{{Uninvited}}'', also by the same developer.

* CombatPragmatism: It's possible to try just shooting the other person, but this will usually just get you arrested. [[spoiler: Though it works nicely on both the crocodile, and that pesky hitman in your office.]]

*** You can also do away with the armed mugger like this, but you've gotta at least [[VideogameCrueltyPotential give him two black eyes and a broken nose first]] and make the bastard earn his keep.
* ItsAlwaysSunnyInMiami: The first game supposedly takes place in [[TheWindyCity Chicago]] right after the [[{{WWII}} Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor]] (which places the timeline as December 7th, 1941). Yet, there's no indication that it's winter and everyone is dressed for warm weather.

* ShoutOut: In ''Deja Vu II'', Stogie remarks that he'd never seen anyone wearing purple underwear before. [[BackToTheFuture At least he didn't call you "Calvin."]]

* VideogameCrueltyPotential: At one point, you'll gain access to a doctor's office, and all manner of drugs, from heart murmur medication to nerve gas antidote. Said medications have rather lethal side effects for anyone who does ''not'' have heart murmurs or nerve gas poisoning. You can apply them to any character who will hold still long enough for you to jab the syringe into them. Yep. Best of all, this doesn't draw the attention of the cops, so you can potentially go around murdering multiple characters with no immediate consequences. It does prevent you from getting the good ending, though, as you are immediately condemned as "a dangerous lunatic armed with a loaded syringe" the moment you try to clear your name.
* VideogameCrueltyPunishment: You start the game with a pistol loaded with 3 bullets, and are free to shoot anyone you want with it. Doing so pretty much results in an instant game over, though, either due to the arrival of the cops or the other guy being quicker on the draw.

** Which doesn't make much sense, you need special equipment to put medicine in capsules, and it is difficult as all get out to give capsules to unconscious, or sleeping people.

* VideogameCrueltyPotential: At one point, you'll gain access to a doctor's office, and all manner of drugs, from heart murmur medication to nerve gas antidote. Said medications have rather lethal side effects for anyone who does ''not'' have heart murmurs or nerve gas poisoning. You can apply them to any character who will hold still long enough for you to jab the syringe into them. Yep. Best of all, this doesn't draw the attention of the cops, so you can potentially go around murdering multiple characters with no immediate consequences. It does prevent you from getting the good ending, though, as you are immediately condemned as "a dangerous lunatic armed with a loaded syringe" the moment you try to clear your name.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: In the NES and GBC versions of the first game, the empty syringe is changed to empty capsules.

* NintendoHard: Less so than ''{{Shadowgate}}'' or ''[[TheUninvited Uninvited]]''. A determined player can conceivably beat this one without ever consulting an FAQ.

* TheDragon: Stogie, in the sequel. A really annoying one, too.
* TheMafia: Your biggest worry in the sequel.
* TheManyDeathsOfYou

* EverybodySmokes: Averted for the most part with a lot of the [=NPCs=] in the sequel. Offering the pack of cigarettes to other people will cause them to mention how they don't smoke, and/or how someone will find out that smoking will kill you. Smoking in the original game will have the narration mention how you will probably get cancer.

* WhyDontYaJustShootHim: Usually, trying this will only get you arrested. [[spoiler: Though it works nicely on both the crocodile, and that pesky hitman in your office.]]

** [[spoiler: If Sternwood was supposed to kill his wife, why is she still alive, albeit unconscious, in the trunk?]]

* WallBanger: You are sentenced to 10 years for shooting a helpless begger while shooting a mugger in self-defense gets you the death penalty! (It's a NonStandardGameOver either way, but still...)

* EverybodySmokes: Averted for the most part with a lot of the NPCs in the sequel. Offering the pack of cigarettes to other people will cause them to mention how they don't smoke, and/or how someone will find out that smoking will kill you. Smoking in the original game will have the narration mention how you will probably get cancer.

* AdaptationDecay: The PC versions of the game contained many more mature descriptions than the NES and GBC versions, as well as some more darker elements of the plot being removed. The biggest difference is [[spoiler:in the PC versions, the IOU owed to Joey Siegel and other evidence is genuine and Ace really did intend to act as a go-between for Joey (the kidnapper) and Sternwood (the ransom victim) in exchange for the debts being forgiven.]]
** [[spoiler:Actually, the NES version sort of hints at this in the ending. Ace says "Siegel lost his life over a mere 20 grand; so I'm in the clear" or something to that effect. It sounds like he's saying he's in the clear ''because'' Siegel is dead.]]

* EveryoneSmokes: Averted for the most part with alot of the NPCs in the sequel. Offering the pack of cigarettes to other people will cause them to mention how they don't smoke, and/or how someone will find out that smoking will kill you. Smoking in the original game will have the narration mention how you will probably get cancer.

* NakedOnArrival: Sort of -- in the second game, you begin with naught but your purple underwear. Fortunately your clothes are on the bathroom door at the start.

* DeadpanSnarker: The game's narrator gives you a lot of snarky shit if you try to do unusual actions, like eating non-food items, or using objects in a strange way.

A sister game to ''{{Shadowgate}}'' and ''{{Uninvited}}'' just instead of taking place in a castle, it's in 40s film noir, starring amnesiac detective [[spoiler:Ace Harding]]. Lighter on the NightmareFuel. Also spawned a less well known, but nice in its own right sequel.

* {{Flashback}}: Ace is plagued with them.
* GoodOldFisticuffs: Ace's weapon of choice is a punch to the face. Justified, in that he used to be a boxer, prior to the detective gig.

* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Ace's big difficulty in life.

* PrivateDetective: That'd be you, Ace.

A sister game to ''{{Shadowgate}}'' just instead of taking place in a castle, it's in 40s film noir, starring amnesiac detective Ace Harding. Lighter on the NightmareFuel. Also spawned a less well known, but nice in its own right sequel.

** If Sternwood was supposed to kill his wife, why is she still alive, albeit unconscious, in the trunk?