Heavy Rain - review

Even lead developer David Cage has preferred to refer to it as an "interactive drama." Lacking in car chases, explosions and shoot-outs (although there are a few), Heavy Rain may not appeal to the typical 13 year-old shoot-em-up fan, but is an experience more mature gamers will relish.

Heavy Rain tells the story of four characters connected by the hunt for a serial killer. It begins with architect Ethan Mars, waking up on a sunny morning, and going about some chores and work as he waits for his wife and children to get home.

This is an interesting way for players to get to grips with the unique control scheme. Characters are controlled with a combination of manual control and quick-time events during cutscenes.

This is highlighted well in a sequence where Ethan draws up a diagram for his job, with the player inputting button presses, flicks of the analog stick, or movements of the motion-sensitive controller when prompted to successfully complete the drawing.

Or, alternatively, the player can mess up, which causes Ethan to fail in turn. The story continues regardless, and this is an interesting facet to Heavy Rain which becomes much more important as the stakes are raised.

Without spoiling much, Ethan's ideal life is soon ruined by the accidental death of one of his sons, and the game rejoins him two years later, separated from his wife and struggling to connect with his surviving son, Shaun.

The act of playing as a broken man as he tries to find solace with his distant son is not a particularly fun one, but it is not meant to be. Heavy Rain is special amongst games in the way it actually evokes emotions amongst players, and few of them are happy ones. This is a dark, brooding game. After all, it was made in France.

Shaun is soon kidnapped by serial child-murderer the Origami Killer, and the story begins to get rolling. Introduced are the other three playable characters, private investigator Scott Shelby, FBI agent Norman Jayden, and freelance journalist Madison Paige. The four characters' paths all converge and weave together as the mission to save Ethan's son kicks into gear.

The story presented in Heavy Rain is dark, atmospheric and extremely involving. This is especially important in a game which is sparse on actual, traditional gameplay, in many ways more similar to a film.

The fact that the story manages to maintain its intensity when one considers the multiple ways it can diverge is praiseworthy indeed.

As mentioned, choice is a big theme in Heavy Rain. Depending on how players act the story can take one of many different forms. Between choosing their characters actions, and how players perform throughout the game, they essentially create their own, personal tale.

Even a playable character dying does not end the story, and they definitely can die if one is not careful. Achieving a happy ending in this world of constant downpours (hence the title) and overcast skies is not an easy task. Some of the choices to be made are truly excruciating, due to the emotional involvement the game has already stirred up within the player.

Without giving too much away, Ethan is forced to undergo specific trials to prove how much he loves his son (an aspect of the game clearly influenced by the Saw films), some of which are almost painful to "play" through. Of course, the player can always refuse, but then what of Shaun's eventual fate?

So, the story is magnificent, and the graphics compliment it wonderfully. These characters genuinely look like real people, and the way they move and interact just seems natural. The environment is suitably drab and depressing, reflecting what seems to be the general mood. But a few flaws stop the game from fully realising its vision.

One in particular is glaring. This is a game made in France, and as such, the voice actors are mainly British and French. Unfortunately, this is a game set in America. Most of the voice actors have a gallant attempt at an authentic American accent, and to their credit, most get it. Voices that sound a little off will have ceased to be noticeable by the end.

However, there are some that are simply so bad they threaten to overturn the whole experience, putting immersion at risk. This is never worse than in scenes with children. A French child imitating an American accent is something that, as I have now learned, does not sound convincing. Or human.

Considering the large budget the game had to work with, would some voice actors of the correct nationality been out of the question?

Annoying bugs and glitches also pop up slightly too often. From minor things, like background characters walking through each other, to major ones like all sound cutting out for a few seconds, all can take the player away from the all-important story. Apparently a patch is on the way to fix the majority of these, but traditionally, games were tested before release.

But these are small annoyances that can be overlooked when the sheer intensity of the experience is taken into account. Heavy Rain is a game that can leave you depressed, disturbed, or, perhaps, relieved. With a story that rivals the best that novels and film can offer, and far more immersion than any other media can deliver, Heavy Rain is an experience that a discerning gamer will devour.

9/10

Heavy Rain

Age restriction: 15+

PS3 - 37.99 (Buy it at www.game.co.uk)