Deadly Premonition is a third-person survival horror action game which puts the player in the role of FBI Agent Francis York Morgan. The game follows his investigation into the 'Red Seed Murders' in a remote rural town, where he must solve a series of interlocking mysteries and encounter complex characters. Both suspenseful action sequences and strategic movement are needed to survive, with options such as gliding by enemies or engaging them using long-range weapons or hand-to-hand combat. Throughout his investigation, Agent Morgan must face supernatural creatures and an elusive folklore killer while dealing with eccentric locals who may be hiding secrets of their own.