Heavy Rain

[De-Communizer]

My brother and I have both had separate playthroughs, and both come up with a different storyline all the way through - it's not just a matter of the endings changing!

Spoiler

I ended up getting Jayden killed in the junkyard - there's no quickload to bring him back from the dead, and felt like a much more tangible loss. Similarly, it felt a lot more like a horrific blunder when he shot the fanatic (I was confused, I tells ya!)

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Still, managed to get to the end. Now I'm going to see if I can do it without

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losing a finger.

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[deadsuperhero]

I first heard about this game through Ars Technica, and decided to take a look for myself when the demo came out.

Oh. My. God. 

The controls definitely take getting used to, and there were some parts where I felt that I hadn't quite gotten used to them. (Namely, the fight scene in the first part of the demo, climbing up a muddy hill in the second bit)

It has an absolutely fascinating setup though. Being able to walk around during the interrogation scene was fascinating. You could peer through the windows as you were talking, lean against the dresser and look at her, sit next to her on the bed, etc. It all feels oddly fluid.

The plot also seems fascinating, and I've heard some good things about it. I plan on getting the game with my next paycheck. In my opinion, this does seem to be a "revival" of sorts for the adventure game genre. It's just nice to see games that focus heavily on plot take the mainstream once more, rather than Call of Duty 37 and the like.

[i stole your car]

I won't sing it's praises despite the fact I think it's one of the best games I've played in a long time. It's really the kind of thing you have to experience and although I wouldn't tell anyone to go out and buy a PS3 just for this game, if you do own a PS3, don't disregard it until you've tried it. It's definitely a game that can be rented for cheap as you can pretty much complete it in one sitting. I think it probably took me about 8 hours of playtime and I was really going in depth exploring every area and most actions.

Despite the games countless flaws (It crashed for me repeatedly, I lost sound, I kept getting stuck in scenery, the movement controls felt awkward) I managed to overcome all of that because of the sheer level of depth that you feel you are experiencing. Knowing that every action will quite probably have a significant consequence that you can't foresee and must deal with at some point of the game. The character's and their facial emotions reminded me a lot of Foxy Roxxxy in the sense that they are not really very emotive and the voice acting was weak in a lot of places.

I think the story was definitely a fun one to participate in, knowing that you can complete the game regardless of whether you get your characters killed off, if you manage to even find out who the killer is or solve the crime. There was a point where I was too slow in one of the events and got caught and arrested. What happens if you instead manage to get away? There was a part (as shown in the trailer) where I decided to take a leap of faith from a building rather than get caught by my persuers, what happens instead in this situation should I get caught?

The replay value is definitely there, and now that I'm speaking of it I think I might go and start up a second game to see what different impacts I can make on the world should I choose to neglect my child, treat everyone with aggression and succumb to my drug urges.

[Grim]

I nearly completed it... and then my saved game got corrupted and I couldn't load it!

That didn't discourage me though and I'm on my second playthrough trying to do things the same way I did before. One thing really shocked me:

Spoiler

When at the gunpoint with the religious nut guy I nearly talked him into giving his gun away. Then he suddenly jumped and looked like he was going to pull another weapon to shoot Blake... so instinctively I pulled the trigger in a split of a second and killed him...just to find out he wasn't holding a gun but a...crucifix...  I honestly can't describe how i felt.

Does anyone know if you can drive the car in that first trial without crashing and landing upside down on the side of the road?

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[DazJ]

Game releases like this always make me laugh, simply because this type of game has been around for decades but because there's been a massive gap since the early 90's, Heavy Rain is hailed a ground-breaking experience. I'm still happy though, at least the genre's making a come back.

[veryweirdguy]

Finished the game.

It really cannot be judged unless you play it. Not sure it's a revolution, but it definitely feels like an evolution. At first I thought it might have adventure game elements but to be honest, it doesn't really. There is no inventory and very few "puzzles", rather a series of interactive scenes. The only relevance I can see to adventure games as a genre is that the popularity of a title like this may encourage other developers to try out different things with more of a "classic" adventure game mechanic.

This was thoroughly enjoyable though, I am looking forward to going back and seeing what other paths can be taken. The only problem I had with it was the identity of the killer, which I found a little contrived, but that may have been a personal preference.

[i stole your car]

The only problem I had with it was the identity of the killer, which I found a little contrived, but that may have been a personal preference.

Yeah this bugged me too...

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It was only because it was the only character who I actually really played "nicely." The only character who I played in a way that seemed to give him redeeming qualities. The other character's had those qualities built in some but this was the only character who I said "Okay... This guy is nice, no matter what despicable things the others do." and then BAM game over.

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PS if you intend to play this, please don't read any spoilers before you do so. I think it will be a much better experience without any knowledge and without the temptation to metagame.

[Technocrat]

Spoiler

Does anyone know if you can drive the car in that first trial without crashing and landing upside down on the side of the road?

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Spoiler

That always happens, but there's a difference between crashing successfully, and crashing failurely. Storywise, it gives an excuse for Madison to fix him up at the hotel!

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[Grim]

Spoiler

Does anyone know if you can drive the car in that first trial without crashing and landing upside down on the side of the road?

[close]

Spoiler

That always happens, but there's a difference between crashing successfully, and crashing failurely. Storywise, it gives an excuse for Madison to fix him up at the hotel!

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aaaaaaa..... I see...

Finished it now and all I can say is : wow. I think I'm gonna email David Cage....

Just to spoil things for everyone, Madison is the Ori....

[karacho]

I bought it, and always liking games that feel cinematic like the Kojima stuff, making Metal Gear (Solid) my favourite games of all time, and also including games that feel more like actionmovies like Uncharted - it was a really exciting experience for me.

But it is something you cant really judge from game standards. It could loose horrible from that point of view, but as an interactive movie experience - it is nothing less then awesome. I mean it gets really emotional some times, the music supports that in a good way, the story is emotional on itself, and you have to make difficult decisions, and the action sequences are exciting.
It is really like you are drawn into a movie that you can influence.

I have to say the story has some flaws in not explaining everything. Some of that is minor and takes a second to figure out, and some of that just isnt explained, but not completely illogical, so it still works.

But beside those flaws, it was the most emotional involving experience i ever had from a game or a movie. There is one specific scene, i still get wet eyes by just remembering it. I am not kidding. And i think i always will get wet eyes when i think back of that scene.

MAJOR SPOILERS!

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In my first playthrough, Ethan took the poison, he was a good guy, not killing the dealer, but doing everything to save his son. He then broke down because he couldnt find him - making the move of taking the poison useless. Madison then called with the adress. Ethan saved his son, told him that he loves him, ready to die, and then the music kicks in and he didnt die.

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I already played through it three times, and there are still some things i want to try out. But that is just me being a huge fan of such cinematic experiences.

[Domino]

I went and bought this game, even though I said I might not like it. Glad I did even though not far into it.

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The part in the mall when you are trying to find your son Jason after getting the red balloon and he runs off on you, i was really feeling some tension. Then to finally exit the mall and he runs across the street and gets killed, made me feel depressed. Now I am at the part where I lost Shaun after playing in the park. Ethan blacked out, and i came back to the park and to the apartment, and Shaun was nowhere to be found.

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I will play more tomorrow.