The mystery behind Heavy Rain became a little clearer today after Quantic Dreams walked us through an incredible playable demo.
First up, the full name of the game is Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer. The title is important to the game's plot, but Quantic Dreams held back on why. Needless to say it's got something to do with paper folding and killing. Or has it? Yes, of course it has.
Anyway, the demo shown to us was a short level in which the lead character - a female newspaper journalist named Madison - goes to the house of a suspected serial killer to snoop around for info.
The Origami Killer?
You control the leading lady from a third-person perspective, with the camera taking up cinematic positions in the environment as you walk through it. Think Silent Hill and you'll get the idea.
It might sound odd but you walk forward by pulling the R2 trigger. Instead of directly controlling which direction she walks, the left analogue stick moves her head and she'll adjust herself to move in that direction in a natural way. It's not on rails - you can make her walk in any direction you want - you just control her head and that indirectly controls her direction.
The whole game places emphasis on choice and making true-to-life scenarios and decisions. For example, when you approach the house you get the choice of whether to knock or ring the doorbell. Speech appears around a SixAxis-shaped icon and you can choose to speak as you knock by tilting the pad in the direction of the phrase you want to say. Groovy stuff.
SixAxis control is also used in other contexts, such as shaking it up and down to open a stiff window or shoving the pad forwards to push a barrel so you can stand on it and peek through the window. Once inside the house we find out that everything is interactive. EVERYTHING. It's like a new-age Shenmue, giving you the investigative freedom to check out just about anything.
Later in the demo, we discover dead bodies upstairs, at which point the killer returns home. With the screen split down the middle, you can see him on the left as he enters the house and gets a beer from the fridge, while you're on the right.
Here's where the game's choice and open-ended nature is exposed. According to Quantic Dreams, at this point you could sneak out, attack and kill him or call the police and hide until they get there.
If he notices anything you moved or looked at, or hears a noise he'll get suspicious and look for you, at which point you can hide in any number of places in each of the rooms. Get caught and it activates a QTE-style chase scene, similar in ways to Shenmue, but you have more control over your character.
The real interesting thing is that Quantic Dreams promises that, no matter what happens, the story will progress, whether you kill him, escape or are killed yourself. Yes, even the main character can be killed and the story will continue, says Quantic.
The devs didn't go into too much detail about how that actually works, but it says the whole plot is effected by every scene that you play, and your actions have consequences on the entire story.
Graphically, it looks incredible, particularly in the cluttered interior of house. And a solemn piano background ambience really sets the tone of the mood.
The demo was short but detailed and gripping enough to get our Spidey sense buzzing. Quantic Dreams stressed that the events in the demo are entirely separate from the main story in the game. Which really does leave us wondering what we can expect from the final game.
Before that though, in fact way before that, we'll bring you more details on all of the clever control nuances and the events of what we have to call an incredible demo.
This sounds very promising. Maybe the title to buy a PS3 for. The demo for Fahrenheit was also very promising, the diner scene was full of possibilities but Quantic Dreams seemed to lose this depth with the rest of the game. Hopefully, they can manage to keep that depth throughout with Heavy Rain.
Funny how some more details on a game changes peoples opinions, on the demo thread people were saying how boring it would be now it's promising and people can't wait for it!
I didn't take to the farenheit demo at first but I picked the game up on the cheap about a year ago and it's one of the best original games in years. IF they expand on that theme with a better graphics and physics engine then it could without doubt be a great title.
i think im backwards, i was interested in this but now i am not so sure. if they pull it off it could be good but it could be hit and miss due to the nature of what they are implementing. also, the use of six axis sounds like a gimmick, i dont think shaking a controller will add to the experience or tipping it to choose dialogue, its just a substitute for using the analogue stick. at the end of the day the controller is just the link between your brain and the game, it doesn't matter how it works as long as its intuitive.
sorry to be so downbeat but i guess we shall wait and see how it turns out, i hope i am wrong.
This game really does sound ace, but I have a few concerns - mainly with the story rather than the control interface (which sounds fine to me). How does the story progress if the killer is killed, or worse, the protagonist?
Do you continue in the afterlife (heh)? Is there another protagonist waiting in the wings? I'm just not sure.
That said, Fahranheit went all over the place and that was top, so I have faith. Some of it's set peices were awesome.
Funny how some more details on a game changes peoples opinions, on the demo thread people were saying how boring it would be now it's promising and people can't wait for it!
What's funny on that? That's how it works. How can you get interested in something when you know basically nothing about it?
I'm still not so sure about the gameplay, will have to see it in action to make up my mind, but it got me definitely more interested than that video yesterday
Sounds fantastic, no doubt about it. I was initially worried about using R2 to walk forward as it sounded like movement was on-rails. Now I discover that it naturaly changes your direction as you turn your head! Awesome...
Sounds fantastic, no doubt about it. I was initially worried about using R2 to walk forward as it sounded like movement was on-rails. Now I discover that it naturaly changes your direction as you turn your head! Awesome...
I thought that too, then I thought about Killer 7 and really, my worries disappeared.
However, I did suspect they would add free movement in there, why would they not? Kinda odd that its not 1st person though, seeing as you control her head with the left stick. Seems kind natural *shrug* Ultimately, I suppose that doesn't matter much.
Funny how some more details on a game changes peoples opinions, on the demo thread people were saying how boring it would be now it's promising and people can't wait for it!
I didn't take to the farenheit demo at first but I picked the game up on the cheap about a year ago and it's one of the best original games in years. IF they expand on that theme with a better graphics and physics engine then it could without doubt be a great title.
After reading about the demo yesterday, I download Farenheit from marketplace. I think it is absloutely brilliant. Me and my partner we are really loving it - particularly we think the way conversation is rushed kind of gives a real life awkwardness to the whole thing. Indeed its the first adventure game I've played that has some level of realism in the dialogue - if you say the wrong thing or your tone is rude there is no going back, the event is over. Works for me anyway.
First game in years that I'm really looking forward to (with perhaps the exception of Alan Wake).
Kinda odd that its not 1st person though, seeing as you control her head with the left stick. Seems kind natural *shrug* Ultimately, I suppose that doesn't matter much.
Well that way, they wouldn't be able to work with the dramatic camera angles to achieve better atmosphere and mood. Just like with movies, you don't see 1st person movies.
Kinda odd that its not 1st person though, seeing as you control her head with the left stick. Seems kind natural *shrug* Ultimately, I suppose that doesn't matter much.
Well that way, they wouldn't be able to work with the dramatic camera angles to achieve better atmosphere and mood. Just like with movies, you don't see 1st person movies.
Yeah, fair point - but it makes the stick turning head control a bit less helpful. Though I guess the camera moves with you so... Actually, I bet it works pretty well to be honest. I wonder if an action game would suit this method too - left trigger moves forward, left stick turns head/turns. Right trigger shoots, and right stick aims weapon. Hmm...
Kinda odd that its not 1st person though, seeing as you control her head with the left stick. Seems kind natural *shrug* Ultimately, I suppose that doesn't matter much.
Well that way, they wouldn't be able to work with the dramatic camera angles to achieve better atmosphere and mood. Just like with movies, you don't see 1st person movies.
Yeah, fair point - but it makes the stick turning head control a bit less helpful. Though I guess the camera moves with you so... Actually, I bet it works pretty well to be honest. I wonder if an action game would suit this method too - left trigger moves forward, left stick turns head/turns. Right trigger shoots, and right stick aims weapon. Hmm...
I haven't played a game with similar controls so I'm also pretty curious how it'll work. But I'm not sure these controls would work in action game, they seem a bit complicated for fast paced games. In the IGN preview I read a while ago, they said that even the guy who was presenting the demo had few problems with the turning at the beginning and was turning around few times. They need to make the demo available asap so I can see for myself how it works.
Sounds fantastic, no doubt about it. I was initially worried about using R2 to walk forward as it sounded like movement was on-rails. Now I discover that it naturaly changes your direction as you turn your head! Awesome...
But what happens when you want to move in a certain direction but physically look in another?...ie to plan your escape route.
Sounds fantastic, no doubt about it. I was initially worried about using R2 to walk forward as it sounded like movement was on-rails. Now I discover that it naturaly changes your direction as you turn your head! Awesome...
But what happens when you want to move in a certain direction but physically look in another?...ie to plan your escape route.
I can't really answer that question because I haven't played the game. I would imagine that the pace of the game saves any need to worry about such a thing. It isn't a shooter or manic action game, so you will probably have ample time to look around as you move.
has anyone else downloaded the trailer on psn and watched it on a big hd screen?
the close ups on the characters are good, not jaw droping, but the outside scenery was rough as a ducks @rse, no better than that of silent hill on ps2, other than that looks like a refreshing game
Sounds fantastic, no doubt about it. I was initially worried about using R2 to walk forward as it sounded like movement was on-rails. Now I discover that it naturaly changes your direction as you turn your head! Awesome...
But what happens when you want to move in a certain direction but physically look in another?...ie to plan your escape route.
Aye, it doesn't exactly sound like you'd be able to do it in a hurry...
Hopefully it'll be a bit more 'user-friendly' than it sounds.
Must say this game has quickly risen to fame and for little reason really. PS3 is dying for an amazing AAA game that can shift consoles but this isn't it. People are judging the game on the graphics, which look great of the character model's but the enovironment's are pretty poor. This game will also rely heavily on the storyline, which could make or break this game. Also, due to the type of game this is, it won't appeal to the masses. If anyone has played Fahrenheit or any other QTE style of game, they'll know what I mean. Basically interactive cut-scene which makes it feel like you have very little involvement.
Just thought I'd throw this negativity out there with all the praise. Don't get me wrong though, this is one of the very few PS3 games that actually has me interested and it'll be very interesting to see how it actually plays.
LoL...dying? Seriously? Are you absolutely kidding me? Outselling the 360 consistently in NA, and has regained it's lead over the 360 in Japan, yet again...how's it dying for a AAA game? The MGS4 bundles, have been, and continue to be in Amazon's Top 10, if not top 3. Not to mention that it consistently holds a sold-out status at Wal-mart and BB. Better rethink that observation bud, cause you're definitely not seeing things through the eyes of reality.
LoL...dying? Seriously? Are you absolutely kidding me? Outselling the 360 consistently in NA, and has regained it's lead over the 360 in Japan, yet again...how's it dying for a AAA game? The MGS4 bundles, have been, and continue to be in Amazon's Top 10, if not top 3. Not to mention that it consistently holds a sold-out status at Wal-mart and BB. Better rethink that observation bud, cause you're definitely not seeing things through the eyes of reality.
Morne
Do you think these guys have a keyboard shortcut for the whole "how could you possibly consider my console isn't any good" drivel? He was so desperate to unflaggingly defend his faith he forgot to post his opinion
Sounds interesting. Can't say I played Farenheit but having read people's comments it sounds interesting. I hope the protagonist dying stuff isn't just some sort of gimmick... or a retarded Assassin's Creed futuristic twist. The sixaxis stuff already sounds a bit pointless to me. It's not gonna make me any more immersed in a game if I have to shake the controller to do stuff. I suppose that's acceptable in a Wii minigames title to compensate for the lack of any other depth but in a game specifically meant to engross me with cinematic gameplay, waving the controller around is gonna break the mood.
It's funny how many people have totally rejected this game before they really know anything about it and how some of the same people go into a frenzy about Alan Wake being one of the most anticipated games on the 360, a game they know little about.
It's funny how many people have totally rejected this game before they really know anything about it and how some of the same people go into a frenzy about Alan Wake being one of the most anticipated games on the 360, a game they know little about.
You have a valid point there Voodoo. I am hyped for Alan Wake and I was really hyped for Heavy Rain (I've said it on here many times) but after seeing the trailer I dont have that same anticipation. The controls and interactive side of it dont sit well with me, however, I am more than happy to be proven wrong if when the game comes out it turns out to be a classic.
Good games are good games and we Gamers should be happy to see them coming out no matter what platform it comes out on.
Both Heavy Rain and Alan Wake seem to have a more mature approach to gaming (which I think could be taking a risk but could also be amazing if they pull it off) if Alan Wake has the same gameplay style and control layout though, I may have to change my Avatar.
Looks very Interesting. It might just sell me a Ps3. Will have to wait and see how the reviews are after release. Not getting excited though. I know very little. Just like the rest of you.. How can you say that it is "railed" when You havent played it, Or how can you say It "WILL" buy me a new PS3.
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