Heavy Rain

Game developers have recently started to capitalise on the realisation that gamers don’t like to be told what to do. We’ve seen it in RPGs without a particular order to them and with vast worlds to explore, and we’ve also seen it in games that offer choices that will alter the outcome of the game, such as the Mass Effect series. What we have never seen though, is a game that offers as many consequences to your actions as Heavy Rain. A game where everything that you say and do could dramatically change the way that the game plays out. A game with such emotional buy in to the characters that you will find your heart racing as the pressure builds to make decisions concerning them. It’s a game like no other, and with stunning facial graphics to boot, one that you will find incredibly difficult to put down.

Heavy Rain starts slowly. The first couple of hours will have you engaged in everything from cleaning your teeth to playing with the kids. This might seem somewhat unnecessary when you want to jump straight into the action, but as the game progresses you will realise that those initial couple of hours introduced you to the characters incredibly well. Don’t be put off by it, because as soon as you are through those couple of hours you will, without a doubt, be glued to the edge of your seat.

Unlike the majority of games where you’ll be able to jump to your last save point after death or simply failing a mission, there is no way to ‘lose’ within Heavy Rain. You won’t ever be presented with a Game Over message, or have to replay from your last checkpoint. The actions that you take will change how the game progresses as you move forward, for example if you are knocked to the floor in a fight sequence one too many times your bad guy might escape, not stopping the plot but changing how it plays out. Even the way that you converse with the world around you can and will alter the eventual outcome. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself pausing the game every so often as you consider the best course of action.

Everything within this title is targeted toward the story. You won’t find any action inserted simply for the sake of being there, or frivolous scenes that show off the graphical prowess of the console without being linked to anything else. Instead every scene and every sequence is tied together into one incredible experience. This would be impossible were it not for the absolutely incredible facial graphics of every character that you meet, as well as some phenomenal voice acting. Some of the other graphics might detract your attention from the plotline now and then, such as the cardboard-like clothing and low resolution background images found within some scenes, but it’s not enough of a distraction to reduce your enjoyment.

Although Heavy Rain is, in essence, a linear game, don’t be surprised to find yourself replaying it again and again, because each time you are likely to enjoy a different conclusion, and a different way to reach it. This is truly a title not to be missed; with impeccable character development and a story that will hold you to the very end of the very last sequence you will not be disappointed.