I don't know about you, but there is only one REAL endurance run for me, and that is the times spent with good ol' Charlie, Chie, Brosukei, Teddie and chillin'with Vinny and Jeff.
 
This summer was full of chill for me, so I went back to Giantbomb's very own Endurance Run again. Good times. And a topic worth discussing after decades and century, a superhuman feat and achievement. It also represents a hope for the newesst ER based on the fans' favourite game.

Back when the Deadly Premonition ER started, there was a rather hot discussion on the direction an ER based off DP would be going. They both are set to uncover a mystery, but other than that, Persona 4 and DP are vERy different games. The reason why the Persona 4 ER has a special place in my heart is because we all love Chie, and the VJ duo is pretty invested in the high school setting and its many lovable characters. Quirky moments aren't awkward, and they always make a good laugh and crack their own inside-jokes. The frustration in the combat system is eased simply by the two's will to see to the end of the story and peak into the next social linking time. It is an epic tale about two men enduring an unforgiving dungeon crawler, but at the same time enjoying their time training their endurance with Chie (Jeff even admitted he has "personal feelings" for Chie when Ryan was on, but then say it's creepy to like game characters...)
 
I don't want to comment on why I DIDN'T like the DP ER, because I know there are quite a lot of you Giantbombers who LOOOOOVE THEM some DP ER. All I would say is that I don't feel as immersed, if not outright feel ingindifferent about DP.
 
So what's your opinion, fellow Giantbombers? Which ER did you like more? What does ER mean to you? What should the next ER game be like, or should there even be a guideline for choosing the right ER game? Tell me more!
 
 
 
btw, I really want to see a Vampires the Masquerade: Bloodlines ER since it's another cult classic which flew under most people's radars at the time. Just wanted to bring it up ;D excuse my fanboyism... for one of the best rpgs evaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I agree. 
The P4 Endurance felt more "ER'ish". I think part of the reason was that it was so long, so felt like they endured something with no apparent end in sight..  
Also, if you rewatch some of the first episodes you realize how much they (Vinny and Jeff) actually changed during that ER, especially in their opinions towards characters and their investment in the entire thing. 
That Jeff sometimes spends whole weekends thinking about that one game and listening to the soundtrack says it all, I think.

" I agree. The P4 Endurance felt more "ER'ish". I think part of the reason was that it was so long, so felt like they endured something with no apparent end in sight..  Also, if you rewatch some of the first episodes you realize how much they (Vinny and Jeff) actually changed during that ER, especially in their opinions towards characters and their investment in the entire thing. That Jeff sometimes spends whole weekends thinking about that one game and listening to the soundtrack says it all, I think. "

I think the big thing is that the Persona 4 Endurance Run is good to watch because it's a video game, and Deadly Premonition is fun to watch because it's like Twin Peaks developed by crazy people.  The game parts of Persona; choosing what you're going to do with your day, fusing and cracking on Persona names and designs, fighting and cracking on monster names and designs, and even the cutscenes work in the way that video games are unique.  Deadly Premonition on the other hand, is just about insufferable when no one is talking.  All the game features; driving around Greenvale, side quests, and fighting the same three zombies, these are what brings that game down.
 
I also think the obstructive length of most JRPGs, while completely unnecessary in most cases, actually does something for those who finish it.  Through some human trait of attachment, people grow to like characters and music from long ass RPGs more than maybe they deserve.  Favorite character lists are dominated by RPG characters rather than action games, even in action games where the characters are as fleshed out or more.
 
Also, Rise's dungeon theme is Goddamn sexy sounding.

Man, I need to play P4 again. Got 18 hours in the week it shipped in europe and havent played it since

P4 for life!

I'm astonished there was a second endurance run. Deadly premonition deffinately needed a lot more enduring from me. it's been many years since i was pent up enough at something to yell at my computer (god damn you brad!). 
 
I won't hold out for a third. i don't see how the have the time as it is! haha. 
 
That said, i adore the P4 endurance run and i think it was very instrumental in the success of Giantbomb.

I definitely like the P4 Endurance Run better... the DP ER was kind of just, lacking...
it was good, but it was just lacking some of the charm that Vinny & Jeff got from P4...
 
I'm hoping we'll see a third endurance run when P5 comes out.

I never exceeded my bandwidth limits and got Internet access cut off due to watching the P4 Endurance Run. So I have a certain preference for that one, naturally. But the Deadly Premonition Endurance Runs gave a brand new gaming experience that I hadn't seen before. And then gave it to me twice.
What makes an Endurance Run an Endurance Run? Persona 4 ER was the first, so that sets the expectations for what an Endurance Run should be like. The Deadly Premonition Endurance Run at least demonstrates that not every Endurance Run is going to be the same as the Persona 4 Endurance Run. That said, if they do want to return to Persona again in the future, I wouldn't be totally opposed to that.

" I think the big thing is that the Persona 4 Endurance Run is good to watch because it's a video game, and Deadly Premonition is fun to watch because it's like Twin Peaks developed by crazy people.  The game parts of Persona; choosing what you're going to do with your day, fusing and cracking on Persona names and designs, fighting and cracking on monster names and designs, and even the cutscenes work in the way that video games are unique.  Deadly Premonition on the other hand, is just about insufferable when no one is talking.  All the game features; driving around Greenvale, side quests, and fighting the same three zombies, these are what brings that game down.  I also think the obstructive length of most JRPGs, while completely unnecessary in most cases, actually does something for those who finish it.  Through some human trait of attachment, people grow to like characters and music from long ass RPGs more than maybe they deserve.  Favorite character lists are dominated by RPG characters rather than action games, even in action games where the characters are as fleshed out or more.  Also, Rise's dungeon theme is Goddamn sexy sounding. "

Depends on the game. For Persona 4, Endurance Run meant that they were enduring a very, very long game. For Deadly Premonition, Endurance Run meant they were enduring a very, very not so well made game.

I love both Deadly Premonition and Persona 4 quite a bit, but you can't say that Persona didn't have tedious bits. Head back to some of the dungeon episodes and scroll down to see groans of them grinding through another dungeon so they can see the story - and that was with Jeff and Vinny commenting on it. When I played through those dungeons myself, it was excruciating.

That's not to say the combat is bad, it's simply mediocre and repetitive - or in other words: a JRPG. What kills the game for me is actually running through the dungeon, searching for monsters, stairs, and chests. It was interesting for the first floor of the first dungeon - but then you do the same thing a few dozen times, fighting pretty much the same monsters in the same way (what're they weak to now? Let's go through the motions to find out,) and searching for the stairs to get out. That's fine, it's meant to be that way.. but that doesn't make it any more exciting then driving in Deadly Premonition, the difference being that DP gives you the ability to skip it.

That's the point where I'd like to take the whole thing. Jeff and Vinny decided to embrace a boring aspect of Persona 4 (the fusing) and it greatly improved their ability to slog through the worst parts of the game. Deadly Premonition offers a wealth of these types of mechanics (making York a super-powered bad-ass halfway through the game) but the teams only skimmed the surface of this and the audience was left watching some excruciating episodes because of it.

In closing, both Persona 4 and Deadly Premonition are games with interesting stories, characters, and quirky humor surrounded by mediocre-to-bad actual gameplay that you have to slog through to get back to the good bits. Both games offer extraordinary power for the gameplay / combat if the player is willing to head off the beaten path. Persona 4 had more good and bad bits than Deadly Premonition (I bet they were in the dungeon longer than they played the entirety of DP,) only because of it being such a longer game. Deadly Premonition has worse gameplay by far, but it also offers much more rewarding gifts for players who embrace it.

In my opinion, the Deadly Premonition run shouldn't have existed. Neither team seemed willing to actually embrace it, and you will simply despise the game with that attitude. I mean, imagine them playing through Persona 4 and not maxing social links, obtaining special weapons, or exploring the fusing possibilities. It still would have been funny at parts, but even DP haters have to admit that ER was fun sometimes.. but it felt soulless.

That's not to say Deadly Premonition is a good game. It's just not that bad. Just know that if you only watched the Endurance Run, you only saw half of what's there. For someone like me who was trapped the moment the first side quest was done, the game was a 20 hour joyride of which I feel no regret for my purchase or time spent.

Deadly Premonition is some of the most fun I've had with a game in a long time. It may be absolutely insane, but it's just a ton of fun to play.  I'll probably watch the ER after beating it.

I just hope you guys realize that they aren't going to do an ER of Persona 5

Personally I had good times with what I've seen of the DP ED. Jeff and Vinnie where kinda burnt out with Persona 4 and I totally understood their position. With that in mind DP was actually a good choice since it was shorter yet still had a concept of endurance, they also made up for the length by adding Brad and Ryan. 

It's a mix of Endurance, and Running.