Heavy Rain – MMOMFG Demo Impressions

Heavy Rain

Set to be released to the masses today, the Heavy Rain demo has been available to those able to unlock the clues on ARG website Precinct 52 (or just cheat and find the answers online) for a few days now. For those that haven’t experienced it yet, the demo features a tutorial and two scenes lasting about five to ten minutes a piece.  One scene involves private detective Scott Shelby, while the other features FBI agent Norman Jayden. Both are looking for the origami killer and both are going about it in their own unique way. Though the demo doesn’t feature any major plot spoilers or huge insight into the characters, it does give you a good idea of what to expect when the full product hits shelves in a few weeks.

Maybe QTEs aren’t so bad - It was one of our fears when we first highlighted Heavy Rain back in December, but after playing the demo I feel like the game’s Quick Time Events work hand in hand with the game’s mechanics. Quantic Dream has found a way to blend interactivity and controls on a whole new level. Simple gestures like reaching for your inhaler or opening a car door are done with a press of a button here or a movement of the analogue stick there. It might seem odd to some people or even unnecessary, but for whatever reason I felt much more involved during the demo; especially during an “altercation” I had with an angry bald man. There’s a small learning curve to hurdle over but nothing that a veteran gamer needs to worry about.

Rainman - The title is called Heavy Rain simply because it’s raining all the damn time. Fans of the Max Payne series will recall how weather played a part in the story. During the entire game a snowstorm ravaged New York City. It help create a dark atmosphere that the Payne series has been known for. Fans of the film noir genre should be deeply interested in checking out Heavy Rain for this exact reason. This game is aimed at being deep and mature: the constant sound of rain hitting the wet garbage, having your character slosh through mud, or the overall darkness it creates sets the perfect mode for this adult title. The look and feel seem to be so dead on you might want to put on a pair of galoshes while playing.

Multiple choices, multiple play-throughs - I’m already in my second play through of Mass Effect 2 and it’s just as good as the first. Not many games make me want to come back for more, especially when it demands 20-25 hours of game time. Heavy Rain might be one of those games. After that “altercation” I mentioned above I went back and changed a few of my choices. Without spoiling the entire scene, it can play out in two ways. In the first you can kick some ass, while the second involves you recieving the beating of a lifetime. While this doesn’t change the end result, it was still an entertaining five minutes. Even though I’m not sure if this alters the direction of the character for events later on in the game, I still had the urge to go back and see how differently it can be played. Even though the demo offered only a glimpse of this, I’m eager to see how many more circumstances can be played out differently. With the knowledge of persistent character death, Heavy Rain might be one of those rare titles that keeps finding its way into our PS3.

The FBI has nice toys - Norman Jayden has a cool pair of shades and what can only be described as a small, snug power glove. These toys allow him to analyze the environment, look for clues, study blood samples, footprints, and even pollen in the air. Though the “detective” portion of the demo isn’t exactly complicated forensics, I’m hoping it paints the way for more interactive evidence searching.

Heavy Rain hits the stores everywhere in two weeks. After playing the demo my fears of the QTE overkill have been somewhat laid to rest. I won’t know until I play the full title to see if they reach redundant status but I’m more hopeful now than when I was before the demo. With only two scenes to look at, the graphics of Heavy Rain haven’t wowed me, but they are impressive nonetheless. I still have my questions about how powerful the story will be and what type of characters will be thrown at me, but needless to say, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the real deal.

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