David Cage of Quantic Dream wants to change the way we think about gaming. So he challenged gamers with a question: Can video games bring a person to tears? Having only played the demo, that is now available on Playstation Network, I’m not fit to answer that questions just yet. Though I can say that after playing the demo I can tell what Cage was going for. Many films over the years have proven to be able to evoke emotion in the viewers and that’s exactly what the french developer is aiming to do with Heavy Rain. In a number of interviews in the past he equates the experience one would have with the title to an “interactive drama”, and that’s exactly what it is.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":697641,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"gbunfiltered,","session":"B"}']
Fans of Indigo Prophecy (otherwise known as ‘Fahrenheit’ overseas) will be more in tune with what the game tries to do and what the gameplay is all about. In Heavy Rain you are given control over the lives of four different characters– the catch? All four of these character can die and the story will go on without them. When knowing that you can die at any moment and not be able to redeem yourself; only to continue with another character carrying along with you the onus of what had just happened– I would imagine it would only add even more stress when playing this game. Having said that I haven’t been interested in how a game can move me emotionally since the announcement of Sadness (which may never actually release).
The Heavy Rain demo opens up with you playing as Private Detective Scott Shelby (not pictured above) and it ends with you playing as Norman Jayden. Both characters are set out to complete the same objective: Find and neutralize the Origami Killer. You begin this chapter as Shelby enters a sleazy motel looking for a call-girl that goes by the name of Lauren; her son was a victim of the Origami serial killer. After a quick exchange of words she beings to open up to you about her son and his final days with her. In short she ends up knowing nothing and kicks you out. With a final decision to leave your business card or not you can choose to leave her alone. Only moments after leaving while your character is having an asthma attack (which prompts a series of buttons on screen for a quick time event to get your inhaler out) a man charges in her room and begins to sexually attack her. In my first play through I instinctively went into the room, but then after doing so I realized I could have just as easily walked away as her screams bellowed through the motel corridor. It’s moments like this in the game that makes me realize how different my play through can be from anyone else.
Unbeknown to the store thief Scott Shelby happened to be shopping when he came in. What happens next is all up to you.
The second half of the demo is Norman Jayden approaching a crime scene investigation of a victim who was murdered by the Origami Killer. It’s your job to look for clues around the field and to retrieve information from colleagues around you. How much information you get all depends on how meticulous you can be. I realized how much the developers poured into this game when I noticed that many clues you can find in this scene have absolutely nothing to do with the actual crime. You can find hair that had come from a dog that someone was walking days ago or just a foot print a clumsy officer left around the body moments before you came by. The only problem I had with this game, and many others will probably have is the control scheme. By no means are the controls for this game at all traditional. To walk around you hold down the R2 button and all you can do is change directions. The best part of the game are the quick time events that can actually be fun, and the decisions you can make which can change the outcome of the game. The game ships on the 23rd of February and I can’t wait to get my copy so I can find out for myself how well each of the characters and stories will intertwine and what will happen to them, because after playing the demo and reading about the game — I already care.