Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain is an interactive drama video game for the Playstation 3 developed by Quantic Dream. It was released in North America on February 24, 2010. The story is centered around four playable characters; Ethan Mars, Norman Jayden, Madison Paige, and Scott Shelby as the four of them try to find clues as to who the Origami Killer is as well as find Ethan's son before he becomes the Origami Killer's next victim. The player's decisions can affect how the story goes; main characters can die and the game will still keep going, but their death will affect the final outcome.


Altogether, I liked the storyline. I've never been a fan of detective games or detective books, but this game has made me think otherwise. I actually enjoyed switching between characters, unlike in Final Fantasy XIII. The storyline can change in many ways, taking the storyline into a different path. What was cool about the first time you play through it is that you never expect what will happen next, it's your own story. It's unique to you.


The graphics were amazing, but sometimes lacked potential at some points, such as a bottle of alcohol not having any liquid in it. To the upside, the characters looked awesome. The rain was very cool. It was almost as if you were watching a movie at most points. The only problem I had was that the text was sometimes hard to read. Maybe it was my TV, but it annoyed me for about 1/4 of the game.


Heavy Rain has a unique control system which I haven't encountered in the past, making it a new and enjoyable experience even for the most avid gamers. You'll have to tap the "X" button to call a character's name or hit the "UP" button to hit a robber with a glass bottle. You'll also have to hit the buttons and directional pads for quick time events, mainly fights and chase scenes. Players can also bring up the character's thoughts by holding the "L2" button.

Action sequences, like when your player is attacked, will be quick time events. The player will be given buttons to press, move the analog stick in a certain way, or shake or tilt the controller. Missing these buttons takes the story down a different path, with certain mistakes leading to a character's death. In certain action sequences, the screen will show a couple different camera angles, which act as a timer. For example, Norman Jayden will be handcuffed to his steering wheel and has to escape the car before his car is dropped into a Crusher, killing him. The screen shows two different camera angles, one showing Jayden and his actions, and the other showing how close his car is to the Crusher.


The music to Heavy Rain was very dark and fitting, almost like it's a movie. Whether the scene is dramatic, dark, happy, or just normal, the music fits the scene almost all the time. It's a great soundtrack composed by Normand Corbeil.


The voice acting was amazing at most points, but at some points, it was just terrible. For example, when Norman Jayden is interrogating a man known as "Mad Jack," Jayden begins to talk about the gasoline making a nice explosion. He sounds like he's talking to a child, which made me laugh. Other than that, I think the voice acting was amazing.


The characters were a pretty good mix, my favorite being Norman Jayden. I like how they didn't try to make the characters "fearless and tough." They gave the characters weaknesses and made them more human than any other character in a video game. Basically, they were made vulnerable, instead of the no weakness characters we see in a "Resident Evil" or "God of War" game. Also, I like how all the characters had their own personal problems they had to deal with, like a drug addiction or depression.


The dialogue in this game was what anybody would expect in a game like this; dark. The dialogue fits the scenes and the tone very well at most points, but sometimes, the dialogue seems to be random, mainly when you listen to a character's thoughts. Their thoughts sometimes don't fit the situation they're in. Also, the subtitles are pretty fast. It's not a huge problem, they just change before the characters are finished talking.


Aside from that, Heavy Rain is an amazing game with very real characters and a believable storyline. It's the perfect game for any Playstation 3 owner. I recommend this game for anybody who is ready for something new.