Heavy Rain (PlayStation 3) review "It was destined for debate the moment it hit shelves—or perhaps even prior. A game that isn’t a game at all, described by its own designers as “an interactive drama” where the player takes complete control, even over the most menial of tasks like drinking orange juice or shaving. Some may see it as brilliant, others may call it foolish but I don’t think any can argue that Heavy Rain was one of a kind. "

It was destined for debate the moment it hit shelves—or perhaps even prior. A game that isn’t a game at all, described by its own designers as “an interactive drama” where the player takes complete control, even over the most menial of tasks like drinking orange juice or shaving. Some may see it as brilliant, others may call it foolish but I don’t think any can argue that Heavy Rain was one of a kind.

Everything else about it is fair game.

And though I could easily tumble into the mainstream abyss, and point out what some may see as flaws I refuse. For as much as I may be ridiculed for saying it, Heavy Rain is verging on a work of art. Some connoisseurs may analyze every stroke, every inch, and pick it apart piece by piece, where as I chose to see it as a whole, compliment it for being brave and simply take a step back to marvel at it.

Perhaps the biggest “flaw” for many was the labor Heavy Rain asked gamers to put in to do the simplest of things. Walking required them to push more than one button, setting a plate down could only be done by twisting the analog stick a certain way and calculated moves were required to open a door. Many—perhaps only the lazy ones—hated that, but there’s a massive difference between watching something happen and making something happen. Initially, moving, opening doors, and handling simple objects was more cumbersome than anything I’ve ever endured. And if I could remember my infant years I probably would say the same thing about actually doing them. Yet after a while those things became second nature. I was committing them without actually thinking about them so I was still involved—still active—and my immersion into the characters became far more vivid.

When they panicked, I panicked. Reaching for my inhaler after an asthma attack became all the more frantic because I knew it was up to me to focus, enter the right combination and spare my character from passing out—or worse. When I was running after my son while he was lost in the mall, the chase was that much more intense because every little move counted, and any mistake would have cost me. And when I sat at that shoddy wooden table, knife in hand, hovering it over my own pinky, ready to either sever it or give up my son’s life, I became as anxious as the character it was actually happening to. The prompt on the screen to push the analog stick down shook and pulsed—as though breathing heavy—and only furthered my angst. The impact provided was deeper because I led myself to that point. Rather than making just one choice and watching it unfold, I did every little thing to make it culminate.

Whether I walked away from it or severed my digit, it would have stuck with me. No matter the choice, I would have been left wondering what would have happened if I decided differently. Although haunting, it was at the same time brilliant. Yet it’s another argument that many had, saying that even when you made a choice it did very little to impact the game’s overall structure. While that wasn’t always true, a good many instances that I thought would play out later never appeared. While several may ask what is the point of giving the gamer so many choices if they won’t make any significant change later I—under delusion perhaps—could not see the flaw.

Because I don’t truly believe that the magic lies in the consequence of your actions, rather in just having the freedom to make them. The drug dealer before me, staring helplessly at the barrel of my gun…do I shoot him, or let him live? Do I rush in to save the prostitute that withheld information from me, or ignore her cries for help?

Now, granted, at times it can be frustrating to see only a brief cut-scene play out depending on your choices only to vanish later as the game re-enters the broader story telling I can appreciate the attempt Quantic Dream made. A game like Heavy Rain gives you countless choices, and not all of them can shift the entire make-up. It would have to be huge; much bigger than even a blu-ray could handle. But it’s a start, and we may in fact see something that magnificent one day. Heavy Rain can only be applauded for making the attempt, and potentially paving the way.

It’s those choices and the interactivity that smoothes out some of the rougher edges. Though the controls are responsive with the quick inputs, sometimes the longer, more involved tasks show its flaws. Your characters stop walking even when nothing has changed; they turn too far or not at all, making it hard to lock on to an object that you’re trying to approach.

Although there is one heart-wrenching, extreme opening sequence the game tends to be sluggish for most of the middle. More time is spent introducing the characters and their background than there is actual progression. There are some entertaining highlights like the crime-scene investigation and the trials, but it’s lacking some real intense moments for three of the four protagonists. The depth is there, and I like that they’re trying to build the characters so you care about them, but they went a little too far.

Fortunately, the game’s style, involvement and willingness to take a risk absolves that. Even when you’re in a mediocre scene, it’s a step above a lot of other games with the same problem because Heavy Rain involves you further. Like any controversial work some ridicule it, bash it or negate it because they don’t feel it’s up to par with what came before it. Brilliance is often misunderstood for madness, however, and I don’t believe Quantic Dream set out to make a great game—even though in many ways they did that. They made a game to shatter the standards of interactive entertainment. One goal they accomplished—so well that few will ever live up to it.

Though I hope, at least, they try.

Community review by Nightmare (July 06, 2010) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.