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108 of 116 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A landmark in video games, 27 Feb 2010
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
This review is from: Heavy Rain (PS3) (Video Game)
"Heavy Rain" is by far the most innovative game I have played for quite some time. No other title has immersed me so deeply and made me feel so much a part of a story. Although it does have a couple of minor faults, this is likely to be a contender for Game of the Year (and we're only in February!).
In a city on the East coast of America, a murderer known as "The Origami Killer" is on the loose and taking the lives of innocent children. You, the player, are drawn into this terrifying tale by playing four different characters in an attempt to bring the killer to justice.
What makes "Heavy Rain" so great is the fact that it is utterly unique. Every action you take, every word you say, has a consequence. The way in which you react to any given situation has an effect on how events unfold later in the game. Sure, there have been games before in which a player's actions determine which variant of a path they travel down (RPGs such as "Fallout 3" come to mind, for example), but not on the scale that "Heavy Rain" does. If a character dies, there is no returning to a previously saved game - the story progresses without them and the way it pans-out is affected by such events. The developers claim that there is an exceptionally large number of ways in which this game can conclude, and this means that everyone who plays it will have a different experience. In short, "Heavy Rain" delivers a level of interactivity heretofore unseen in video games.
The story is immersive, gripping, and full of suspense. The characters have a lot of depth to them, and offer enough variety between one another to keep things interesting. One of this game's strongest points is also its soundtrack - the music constantly shifts to reflect the tone of each scene, and at times the orchestral score is utterly chilling. It really does add to the atmosphere tremendously. Gameplay-wise, some people have criticised "Heavy Rain" for merely consisting of a series of "quicktime" events. However, it is so much more. Although it is scripted and you do follow one main storyline, the outcome of your actions cannot be broken-down to a mere "pass/fail" format - they instead trigger different events in which you can complete a scene. These actions vary from life or death situations to the simple activity of brushing a character's teeth - either way, you can't help but feel as if you are a part of this game.
However, "Heavy Rain" is not without some minor flaws. At times, the voice acting isn't quite up to scratch. Lip-syncing seems a bit off and character's facial expressions appear slightly wooden. Furthermore, the graphics aren't exactly groundbreaking. Don't get me wrong, this game looks fantastic, but there are a couple of moments when the visuals are questionable. At one point, my character was having a conversation in a busy police station and all of the CPU "background" characters were passing through him as if they were ghosts - this is fine in a game such as Warcraft, where constantly bumping into other people is a hindrance. But in the case of "Heavy Rain" it serves to undermine the realism that the story has so delicately created. In addition, the controls could perhaps have been improved upon - they often feel a little bit clunky and unresponsive. One such instance occurred when I had to guide my character through a series of small, dark tunnels - the constantly changing camera angle appeared to confuse the system as to which direction I wanted to go in and as such I was left constantly going back and forth. But these small problems really are infrequent gripes with what is quite simply, a spectacular game.
"Heavy Rain" won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you're after a gung-ho, mindless action game then this is not it. If however, you are looking for something unique, something that requires you to weigh-up every consequence of an action and something that will immerse you into a story like nothing else, then you must play this game. It is utterly unique and completely engrossing.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heavy Rain, 6 Sep 2010
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
This review is from: Heavy Rain (PS3) (Video Game)
Okay, it is guaranteed that this game is a completely unique experience so any kind of comparison is out of the question. I agree with many other reviews that this is not a game for everyone, if you are looking for an action packed, explosive megafest of blood, gore and violence look elsewhere.
Indeed, I think this is best described as a movie game in which the player is the director. You choose what to say, how to act and what choices to make - all of which effect the outcome of the story. Please don't think this is slow paced as there are many times when you need to think fast and move quickly. On a technical level the gameplay is extremely simple (everything you need to know is surmised on one page in the instruction manual!), players simply have to follow onscreen prompts. Overall this style of gameplay works well, I was never frustrated by its responsiveness which is great. Having said that the movement was at times a little too slow and clunky, I get a enjoyment out of exploring environments, something I was put off by because walking around was more like driving a truck that was too big to get round corners.
The graphics are good, again I agree with previous reviews that at times they seemed a little passe, certainly not the best by PS3 standards but nonetheless good and, considering the style of game, more the adequate.
Thank God it had a great story as this experience is entirely dependent on there being a great storyline. Had the makers got this wrong the whole thing would have fallen into the doldrums. Plot, characterization and development are all good drawing you back into the adventure and keeping you stuck in. To like Heavy Rain you have got to be patient, in many ways its a bit like reading a book, so not for people looking for instant gratification.
So how do I rate Heavy Rain? Well,I loved playing it, I'm a fan of everything that has a great story to tell. The freedom to essentially decide the the story yourself is fantastic and intriguing and it is this aspect that gives it its replay value. I would be excited by the prospect of another installment. Though I would make it more scary, gritty and dark. So if you are looking for something with a mature edge, something completely different which is fun and enjoyable its definitely worth a look!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Masterpiece of a Game, 27 Aug 2010
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
This review is from: Heavy Rain (PS3) (Video Game)
I loved this game to bits, it makes you feel so emphatic towards each of the four characters you play and I found it to be an emotional experience throughout. It's a nice change to have a video game which actually has an amazing storyline with it, it's very rare these days.
As for the gameplay aspects of it, given the style game is I don't think it could have been any better personally. If the controls were overhauled the game would need to be overhauled, and some amazing things about the game would need to be sacrificed.
This is a very brief review because I don't want to give anything away from the storyline, but I will say that this game just simply magnificent, you will want to play over and over and you won't forget the experience afterwards.
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Suitable for 15 years and over. Not for sale to persons under age 15. By placing an order for this product, you declare that you are 15 years of age or over.
The combat sequences are as intense as any action game
Like Fahrenheit and 24 this often uses split screen views
The characters in Heavy Rain are the most realistic yet
