Heavy Rain Message Board older than one year ago

Quantic Dream's serial-killer-suspense-meets-family-drama adventure title, Heavy Rain, received the official Joystiq Seal of Approval[TM], but how did our peers in the world of gaming journalism feel about the title? Let's see what some other critics had to say about the interactive romp through rainy Frenchadelphia:

• GamePro (5/5): "Put simply, Heavy Rain is a gaming experience that took huge risks in design, narrative, and game mechanics, and executed on its ideas to masterful effect. You will care, in the end, about the decisions you made to shape the fates of your characters, and wonder long after it's over if you made the right choices."
• 1UP (A-): "Though shorter than other epic, multi-disc titles, there's more than enough content in Heavy Rain to warrant a purchase. At the end of my first playthrough I was left utterly satisfied with the conclusion of the story and wanting more titles of this caliber."
• Eurogamer (9/10): "A thrilling mystery, cleverly composed, and unlike anything else you will play this year. It may also be the only game you play this year where pulling the trigger makes you really feel something, and I can think of no greater compliment."
• Giant Bomb (4/5): "Interactive storytelling might not yet be able to evoke the same degree of raw human emotion as more traditional art forms, but this is a big step in the right direction."

Is Quantic Dream's latest the dramatic, must-buy experience you've been waiting for?

After years of development, this thriller is ready for the public's eye.

Over the weekend, French football powerhouse Olympique Lyon gave opponents Sochaux a serve, whupping them 4-0. And they did so with a little help from a certain PlayStation 3 exclusive. The latest...

In case you didn’t know, Heavy Rain is out today!

For those of your who haven’t picked up your copy yet, we definitely recommend rushing to your favorite retailer (or mailbox) to get your hands on one of the most anticipated titles of 2010. If you’re still on the fence, be sure to download one of the hottest demos available on the PlayStation Store and see what everyone’s been talking about. Still not sure? Check out the reviews and you’ll see that it’s well worth it!

If you find yourself playing the game and tapping your toes to the music, you can head over to iTunes today to download your copy of the soundtrack, which will also become available for download from the PlayStation Store on March 18.

And we haven’t forgotten our promise to you, the fans. For those of you who prefer it, just follow the link below to download the European packfront image that you can print out and slide into your game case. I’d recommend printing it on an 11 x 17 and cutting along the lines so it fits just right.

Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as well as we unveil additional content through the PlayStation Store for Heavy Rain fans.

Happy gaming!

Whether it's through its potent pixel combinations or the fact that the game regularly gives you purple nurples (not really ... we hope), Heavy Rain is bound to make you cry. Don't believe us? Well, would you believe the talented and scholarly chaps at Mega64? Yeah, we thought so!

The troupe's latest contribution posits that Heavy Rain is so sad, you won't even crack a smile if you go to Disneyland after playing it. Certainly, one must keep in mind that this is simply one man's experience, but it doesn't necessarily rule out Heavy Rain as a tear-inducing descent into a bottomless well of sadness. Figure out the case of The Crying Amusement Park Attendee for yourself by watching the video past the break.

How far would you go ... to have better box art for Heavy Rain? Thankfully, you won't have to go much farther than a color printer. The "wet t-shirt" Heavy Rain box art shipped to North American retailers today can now be replaced by the much classier -- and far more representative -- European box art. Make sure you use high quality paper and ink. "I'd recommend printing it on an 11 x 17 and cutting along the lines so it fits just right," SCEA's Cristian Cardona advises.

If you haven't picked up Heavy Rain yet, you may want to check out our review. Then, check out a new trailer after the break.

PlayStation Blog has dropped the European advertisement for Heavy Rain. The ad, which you can watch after the break, places a heavy emphasis (geddit?) on the various choices that players make throughout the game. Specifically, it asks players to "start a journey that changes with every single decision." The PS Blog post notes that different versions of the ad will be airing in several countries over the next few weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.

If there's any justice in the universe, the US version will feature Kevin Butler.

Innovative features and Hollywood-style cinematics combine to bring a unique experience where player decisions shape the story.

First chapter needed additional testing and development.

State of Play: The game is the story and the story is the game.

We show you how every action leads to a different reaction.

Though we're pretty eager to explore the back stories of Heavy Rain's quartet of protagonists and even step into the shoes of the Origami Killer, it seems those of us in North America will have to wait an extra week to get started on the prologuing. GameStop, which, among other retailers, is offering a code for the first Heavy Rain Chronicles DLC episode as a pre-order bonus with the game, recently updated the title's listing on its site, stating, "due to a delay by the publisher, this content will not be available for download until Thursday, March 4, 2010."

SCEE confirmed to VG247 that the delay wouldn't affect the DLC's European availability on "day one," so it would appear that the delay is particular to North America. We've contacted Sony America to find out what we can about it -- we just can't wait to find out why Madison is such an exhibitionist.

Quantic Dream suffers the a punishment that programmers dread: user tests.

Does this whodunit bring the industry full circle?

This week's PSN update is highlighted by the sopping wet delight of the Heavy Rain demo. We liked the "interactive drama" in our review, but now's the time to try it out and decide if the gameplay is right for you. There's actually plenty going on in this week's update, but we can't seem to stop focusing on this Ditta Von Teese "premium" theme. See, there was a Dita theme back in November, but this latest one is a "premium" theme for the same price of $2. Is it Teese-ier? On PSP, try out the echoshift demo and check out all those comics. The games may not flow for the PSP Go, but at least there's plenty to read. Check out the full PSN update after the break.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

We're just weeks away from getting our hands on David Cage's uber-dramatic brainchild, Heavy Rain -- but as of today, European PSN surfers will be able to grab the demo for the cinematic title, free of charge (or download code). We're not sure why you'd want to do that, though. Isn't that kind of like watching a scene from the middle of the movie, turning the movie off, then coming back and watching the rest of it a couple weeks later?

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Quantic Dream chats about the creative process behind Heavy Rain.

IGN's first 'Choose Your Own Adventure' review.

With Heavy Rain, developer Quantic Dream set out to create what it calls an "interactive drama." The result is as entertaining as any good Hollywood thriller, but far more engrossing -- and thought provoking -- than one could ever hope to be.

It's the interweaving story of four very different characters (and a modestly-sized supporting cast) who all find themselves involved in one way or another with the case of the Origami Killer, a serial kidnapper and murderer of young boys. The story draws on elements of film noir and science fiction, movies like Se7en, Saw and The Big Sleep, to create a compelling mystery -- a book you can't put down, if you will.

The real magic of Heavy Rain -- a title which not only sounds cool, but is central to the plot -- is how it draws upon you, as the player, and your ability to make some very difficult decisions befitting of the game's tag line, "How far are you prepared to go to save someone you love?"

Moving pictures.

Quantic Dream's risky storytelling pays off with an experience that'll leave you begging for more.

Investigate a crime scene in the demo of Heavy Rain.

Visit a sleazy place in this gameplay from the Heavy Rain demo.

Quantic Dream chats about the considerable amount of work left before Heavy Rain is complete.

It may be the shortest month in terms of days, but February is no slouch when it comes to new releases. We've got plenty of heavy hitters including BioShock 2, Heavy Rain and Dante's Inferno. You know, we heard it a lot when games kept getting delayed out of fall of 2009, but we think the reality is finally dawning on us just now: There will never again not be new games. We're not sure we can handle it, frankly.

While Xbox 360 and PC players are gallivanting across the galaxy in BioWare's latest, single-player only adventure, the PlayStation 3 is preparing for its own solitary storytelling in down-to-earth thriller Heavy Rain. Speaking to CVG, Sony product manager Lucy Duncan offered some comforting words to those who'd rather traverse a dialogue tree than a multiplayer map. "... we strive to offer a broad set of experiences and a return to the single player 'adventure' format but with a state of the art graphical presentation, a terrific noir narrative and an hugely innovative interface seems like a compelling proposition for the discerning gamer," she explained. A lack of online play may strike some as an odd move -- even Rapture's making room for more residents -- but Duncan reckons a trust in developer Quantic Dream will pay off. Well, that and being a big player. "Being Sony, I suppose we have a little more luxury to take a gamble on more original and innovative IP -- and Heavy Rain definitely fits that category." With God of War 3, Alan Wake and Final Fantasy XIII also steeped in excitement, the "big single-player adventure" looks to be one of 2010's best bets.

Get an exclusive sneak peek at gameplay footage of the upcoming psychological thriller Heavy Rain!

Want to get an early taste of Heavy Rain? Understandably, many readers are still on the fence about Quantic Dream's latest adventure game. "Is it just a long QTE?" "Is it actually a game?" Hopefully, the demo will be able to answer your questions. A free demo will be available on the PlayStation Network on February 11th, in both Europe and North America. The demo will include two chapters: one featuring FBI agent Norman Jayden attempting to track down the Origami Killer, the other on Joystiq-favorite Scott Shelby, PI. Just in case news of a demo isn't enough, there's also a new trailer we've tucked away after the break. We do warn you though, it contains some potential spoilers that you may want to save for the final game.

How far will you go to catch the Origami Killer and save your loved ones?