D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die (for Xbox One)

Bizarre Noir
An amalgam of Philip K. Dick's druggy metaphysics, David Lynch's surrealist antics, and LucasArts' point-and-click adventures, D4 is a far cry from the usual AAA offerings. Using Kinect, or an old-fashioned controller, you inhabit Boston detective David Young. And I mean inhabit. D4 does a great job of making you feel like you're in the melancholy ex-cop's shoes.
You clothe David, feed him, keep him from getting thirsty, and have him ask questions to get closer to the truth about the death of his wife and the grotesque deaths caused by the deadly drug known as Substance D. To do this, David dives into the past by touching evidence from a crime scene and then transporting himself via his bathroom (yes, his bathroom) to investigate a mysterious disappearance on an airplane. To say too much more than that could spoil an intriguing plot that is well worth experiencing, despite an excruciating cliffhanger ending.
The World of D4
D4's absurd world is split into two separate, navigable areas: the airplane, where the bulk of the investigation takes place, and David's apartment. You're free to phase back and forth between the two places at any time via the start menu, which is good because you must feed David food items (baked beans, donuts, hamburgers, etc.) to keep his Stamina strong. Stamina lets David check things around the plane's cabin and ask questions. Fail to feed David and he passes out, resulting in a game over.
While you can find food around the plane, you will want to return home to share a meal with David's retired cop friend and mentor, who eats food in all sorts of novel ways (lobster tails on each finger is a favorite). Sharing a meal during these cut scenes serves two useful purposes: It replenishes David's health and gives you a chance to gather a bit of background information on the characters.
You can also buy in-game items, including costumes and music tracks, from a scantily-clad lady in the apartment who either believes she is a cat or is a cat that happens to be represented as a crazy person that only David sees. D4 has no easy answers.

She's not the only oddball character you meet; others will go out of their ways to send you on quick side quests and mini-games (like an aeronautical quiz game) to obstruct your inspection. They're all pretty fantastic personalities brought to life with charming cel-shaded graphics, well-written and funny dialogue, and surprisingly competent voice acting. David's goofy in-and-out Boston accent, while jarring at first, grew on me. Another slow-speaking creepy guy brings that extra Lynchian vibe of which Swery is so fond. Talking to these kooks and interacting with the world grants David credits, which you use to buy food and other items.
You'll want to make sure that David gets his liquids, too, as they replenish his Vision, an extra-sensory ability that highlights all the specific clues and items you can interact within the environment. I rarely used this ability as it felt too much like a cheat. Where's the fun in clicking glowing yellow objects? Sure, it cuts to the chase, but I much prefer the trial-and-error of poking around and hovering the cursor to see what you can interact with.
D4 is playable with the Kinect. Theoretically, it would be the perfect way to control the game, since you spend the whole game grabbing items, but the Kinect lagged and made every movement sluggish. There's a lot of pushing and pulling involved, as well as a couple fantastic Quick Time Event action segments that play out like the slapstick antics found in an episode of The Three Stooges episode or a Jackie Chan flick. D4's much more comfortable to play using a controller than waving your arms about manically—unless you want a good workout.
Eager for More
Besides the memorable cast, the intrigue, and the ridiculous tone, the best thing about D4 is its attention to detail. Swery has filled the game with all his interests: 1980s pop culture, film trivia, rotoscoped animation, hockey, and Japanese history. You can read all about this stuff in magazines found on David's bookshelf or listen to a stewardess pontificate about them and her love for James Bond.
D4 is a very personal game; one of the weirdest and best games I've played all year. I hope Season 2 gets announced soon, because three short episodes are not enough D4 for my taste. I need more crazy cat ladies and time-warping detectives in my life, and if you're looking for something unusual, you do too.