I purchased a Playstation 3 a few months ago for two reasons; the BluRay player and the exclusive games released for the Sony platform. So, I picked up Heavy Rain on Tuesday when it was released and so far I’m blown away. I should preface that this game will not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re one of those gamers who need instant gratification by beating a boss character or leveling up, then this game is not for you. For those that enjoy storytelling and like to get emotionally invested in characters then this is the bee’s knees.
The gameplay is context sensitive, a throw back to those “point and click” games of games past like Myst. But the playing style utilizes modern technology and creates a more in depth feel. The prologue puts you in the idyllic, happy life of one of the characters you’ll be playing and teaches you the mechanics of the game by allowing you to do ordinary tasks and interactions: shaving, helping with the groceries, setting the table.
But even the prologue sucks you into that emotional attachment to the characters. For example, I encountered a scene where the character has a mock swordfight with his son; a typical dad and son scene. In order to interact I had to hit timed button combinations, which I was doing well as the scene played out. My sword swipes were hitting with precision and the son couldn’t get an attack in. Then it dawned on me that this is not how a dad and son play. A dad always lets the son win in games like these. So, I began to back away and miss button prompts, which unfolded the scene more realistically. I was not only playing the character, but for a few seconds I was him and emotionally invested in the scene…. And this was only the Prologue. I’m not going to spoil anything but the next scene really toys with the gamer’s emotions.
But even the prologue sucks you into that emotional attachment to the characters. For example, I encountered a scene where the character has a mock swordfight with his son; a typical dad and son scene. In order to interact I had to hit timed button combinations, which I was doing well as the scene played out. My sword swipes were hitting with precision and the son couldn’t get an attack in. Then it dawned on me that this is not how a dad and son play. A dad always lets the son win in games like these. So, I began to back away and miss button prompts, which unfolded the scene more realistically. I was not only playing the character, but for a few seconds I was him and emotionally invested in the scene…. And this was only the Prologue. I’m not going to spoil anything but the next scene really toys with the gamer’s emotions.
Another thing that really is sticking out as I play is the freaking graphics! Each chapter is preceded with a close up shot of the character you’ll be playing… I have to tell you Quantic Dream, the game’s development team, has taken it to a whole new level. It’s almost eerie how lifelike pixels and code can be made to look like living things. I can only hope that Project Natal and Lionhead’s pet project Milo will be as visually engaging. The gameplay itself, though not as vivid as the cutscenes, is still above most current games now.
I’m on chapter 4 and already Heavy Rain has got me hooked. It managed to pull me away from my Xbox 360 and Modern Warfare 2, so that says a lot. I can’t wait to find out what happens next as this “choose your own adventure” unfolds.
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