Arik

Never before have I played a game like this. Never before have I played a game that was such a...life changing event that...

God. I can't do it.

To call Heavy Rain a game is like calling Star Trek a religion. Just because some people think it is, doesn't make it true. The "game" has two distinct modes of gameplay:

1. Press the random buttons they display on the screen to get your character to do something as they appear.

2. Press the random buttons they display on the screen in a timed fashion to get your character to do something.

Method 1 is for all the nauseatingly dull things that your character does in the course of their life. Toweling off after a shower. Washing hands. Cooking eggs. Drinking. These are all tasks that you tell your character to do over the course of the game.

Method 2 is where things get interesting. And, by interesting I mean that there's actually an element of risk. Failing to hit enough of the buttons they display in the time that you need to means failure. Failure can mean taking an alternate path. Or death.

But, despite the micro-management of the characters, you really don't have any control over them. You don't decide what they do (except in a few rare instances). You control them in the manner the game tells you to control them. It says press the triangle button repeatedly. You press the triangle button repeatedly, and your character throws a boomerang.

Not like you have a choice. The character decided to throw the boomerang. You just happened to be there to get him to do it.

Okay, so there's a story behind the game. It's the game's strongest point. For the past few years, a serial killer has been abducting young boys. Their bodies have been found days later, holding a orchid and a origami figure. You play four characters. A father (no points in guessing what happens to him). A detective. An FBI agent. And a sexy reporter (whose only real reason for being there is to get naked later in the game). Your control jumps between the four people as the game progresses.

Yes, Heavy Rain has a great story. But, it needs the gameplay to back up the story (some might argue that gameplay is MORE important than story in a game), and Heavy Rain dropped the ball there. My sister played through this game by watching someone else do it on Youtube. And, she enjoyed it as much as I did.

The story is fascinating. It has its moments. I'd definitely recommend people play it. But, it's a rental. Kinda wish I hadn't spent money on this one.

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Cymro

I do like that they're trying harder with the stories these days though. They used to be something a ten year old would write, now they're getting a bit more sophisticated.

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"Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They're a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working.

"But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty klingon."

Arik

PlayStation Move patch for Heavy Rain coming this fall | Joystiq

And they're patching it for Playstation Move.

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Brikar

I hate to give the suXBox any credit, since it is an unbridled piece of shit... but "Kinect" looks like it pwns "Move".

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Bean

Yes well, the issue is that neither of them have been released yet, so as far as I'm concerned, they're both pipe dreams at the moment.

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"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

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Bean

Yes well, the issue is that neither of them have been released yet, so as far as I'm concerned, they're both pipe dreams at the moment.

__________________
"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

--James T. Kirk

Brikar

yes, apparently Kinect can't detect people who are sitting down.

Now, I'm not into motion control for games. Like, at all. The Wii is an obnoxious toy. I only stand up when playing Rock Band because it's not very comfortable sitting and playing with that guitar.

What I did like about Kinect was the ability to control the media (watch movies, listen to music, etc) with gestures and voice commands. That looks awesome.

__________________
"A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown."

http://olympusmans.blogspot.com
http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

Arik

It needs to be done better. Right now, it's just a gimmick. I'm interested to see how it'd work with Heavy Rain, given the gameplay style. If it's just shaking your arm instead of repeatedly pressing the square button, it's a no-go. If it tracks your movement to the characters, then that might be something cool.

But, as well as the Wii has sold, there are very few games that integrate the motion control well. Wii Sports Resort is great as a date game (well, for most women I go out with), so for that, my Wii has paid for itself.

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The writers of this post apologize for you being too stupid to understand it.

Cymro

I concur.

__________________
"Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They're a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working.

"But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty klingon."