Heavy Rain [PS3]

[JP]

Pfft, I've not enjoyed Resident Evil since the 2nd game on the PS1!!

I'm really looking forward to this after my initial scepticism due to the original videos. Many of the previews from people who have played it have been very positive about the game and some have even commented that although it does give the appearance of being just QTEs, there's no feeling of that when you actually play it as you have full control over your character.

Showing the action tags on screen is needed as the controls are context sensitive throughout so pressing circle doesn't just do something as simple as taking your gun out of your holster.

A lot of the videos showing conversations look like they work really well and remind of more interesting & subtle version of what is done so well in Mass Effect.

I'm really looking forward to the game but I do feel that it's really going to be something that needs to played for some time to be judged properly as it just seems so different to so much of what's out there at the moment so there isn't an easy comparison like you'd be able to make with many other games. I'm not even sure if a demo would really benefit the game as it looks like it's something that will need to have some serious time spent on it to really the get the most out of it.

It's certainly not going to be something that everybody will like but most of my favourite games are like that too. Some people will like it and some people won't but it doesn't really make any difference to me whether other people do or don't although. I do hope that people don't instantly dismiss it though as there's a chance that there's something really good happening in this game.

[dvdmike]

For anyone not sure abou the way it plays, listen to this weeks listen up

[Eight Rooks]

I certainly haven't dismissed it - looking forward to this a very great deal. My biggest fear would be Cage has found a new way to screw things up after Fahrenheit's third act; the Edge preview when they mentioned (s'pose I should spoil it)

->Open Spoiler<-

the player controlling Madison being forced to strip at gunpoint

made me think this seemed to be walking a horribly fine line between bold new avenues of interactive storytelling and reprehensible trash. Again, not dismissing it out of hand! I certainly don't think games should always be fun, kittens and rainbows, Sega blue skies and so on... I just could see Cage getting shot down in flames from so high up they'll never dig him out of the ground. Fingers crossed I'm wrong.

[saturn-gamer]

My interest was lowered after the kind of disappointing E3 showing but I think they did a good job at GC.

Another preview:

http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/211726/heavy-rain-the-first-interactive-movie/

It's like watching a movie, but you're in control of what the actors do. For example, we watched in awe as Ethan noticed Shaun was sneezing, a sign that a cold might be coming on. He went upstairs, grabbed medicine from the bathroom cabinet, and gave it to Shaun. You don't have to do this. You don't have to do anything at all if you choose. Shaun can be forced to finish his homework and go straight to bed without being rewarded with more TV, but he will hate you for it. Oppositely, Ethan will kiss Shaun goodnight if you help him with homework, cook dinner, and let him watch a little more TV. What's more are how many options you have at all times. Another example is leaving Shaun to fall asleep in front of the couch and you can carry him to bed. The choice is yours as you command the actors of Heavy Rain, the closest thing to an interactive movie we've ever seen.

You can guess that this will be a tearjerker.

[Ajay1986]

See below

[Ajay1986]

New long dev walkthrough with all new footage and more explanation of how the game is going to work.

http://gamersyde.com/stream_heavy_rain_psn_dev_walkthrough-13359_en.html

Personally I think the game is looking more and more amazing, its sounding really ambitious and its really good to see a developer doing something so different.

[ezee ryder]

Awesome, brilliant, superb and fantastic.....just some of the words I would use to describe this game. Played it today (the shop scene and the junkyard scene) and well I cannot wait to get my hands on the full game.

The best thing about it was my mates were playing it at the same time and we all had different "stories" to tell about our experience. We were actually astounded as to how different our playthroughs of each scenario were. Amazing depth!

The QTE mechanic is woven into the game superbly, it actually feels quite natural. The only minor niggle would be the moving around of the character but you get used to that after about 2 or 3 minutes of play.

[Mr M0by]

The preview embargo date was today and so Eurogamer, Kotaku and a host of other sites have lengthy articles about their recent time with the game. As much as I want to read them, I don't want to know too much about it for when I first sit down with it, so i've just read the opening and closing paragraphs:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/heavy-rain-dec-hands-on

http://kotaku.com/5425776/heavy-rain-impressions-an-ambitious-sorrow?skyline=true&s=x

[Family Fry]

Can't read ANY of it, I'm staying well clear
Really hope the Feb release date that was listed for the Japanese release is a worldwide date.
Has it been dated in the articles officially?

[saturn-gamer]

'early 2010' is all they provide.

Which could very well be Feb.

[Barla Von]

Reading from various sources it seems the media have got it in for this game before it's even released.

Critics and gamers alike need to chill the f*ck out and wait until the game is released before throwing criticism out willy-nilly.

Some of the critics are sounding like the wee dicks that post on Eurogamer, Joystiq, Gametrailers and even Edge.

I'll personally reserve judgement on the game until i've played it. The full version at that...

[gaz@manc]

As much as I'm looking forward to this, I kind of hope it gets pushed back to Q2 2010 - Q1 is packed enough already.

[Number45]

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Trophy-Alerts-for-Heavy-Rain-Will-Be-Delayed-130182.shtml

Guillaume de Fondaumiere, who is one of the co-leaders of Quantic Dream, has told Kotaku that they have worked with Sony to find a way of actually delaying the pop ups, which inform the player about a new Trophy to the loading screen of the game, making sure that they are not appearing in the middle of gameplay as an intrusion that telegraphs the idea this is still a videogame. The dramatic element of the game will thereby be preserved while the player will still have access to their Trophies.

Great idea, I hope more games use this. I'm thinking The Last Guardian specifically.

EDIT: Also DLC and special edition infos.

[saturn-gamer]

Awesome, the taxidermist scene.

[Number45]

LE is HMV exclusive (This is one I certainly will pay for), and game has been classified as a 15.