Heavy Rain

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3314 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,533 out of 3314
  2. Mixed: 254 out of 3314
  3. Negative: 527 out of 3314
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  1. JDB4RDR
    Jan 18, 2011
    10
    There is a serial child killer known only as the Origami Killer who drowns his victimâ
  2. allystew
    Jan 13, 2011
    9
    Simply amazing game. If you like good movies and good story telling but done in a game this is for you. So different to anything else and a true look into the future of gaming. Gorgeous graphics and so easily playable. If you own a PS3 you have to play this and if you don't own a PS3 its worth getting just for this game.
  3. TheGamer24
    Jan 11, 2011
    10
    This game is simply amazing! I have never played anything like this before and was blown away. The storyline is very emotional. I have never been so emotional playing a game. Heavy Rain really makes you really think about the decisions you make in the game. There were times where I had to pause the game and wonder what would happen I chose to do this instead of that and vice versa. Don'tThis game is simply amazing! I have never played anything like this before and was blown away. The storyline is very emotional. I have never been so emotional playing a game. Heavy Rain really makes you really think about the decisions you make in the game. There were times where I had to pause the game and wonder what would happen I chose to do this instead of that and vice versa. Don't listen to the bad reviews of the game that you see here. If you are an action junkie then this game is simply not for you. If you are truly looking for a new game to try then I highly recommend playing this game. Kudos to you Quantic Dream for trying out something new and having great success with it!… Expand
  4. NoBS
    Dec 29, 2010
    10
    One of the best and most gripping stories I've ever played in a game. Best part of all, YOU make the decisions, and all your decisions have different outcomes. And so different endings. Also really original I must say.
  5. CoD4Killer
    Dec 20, 2010
    10
    One of my favorite games 2010. It's a brilliant game that every hardcore gamer should experience!
    If you don't have a ps3 this is a great reason to buy it!
  6. ArkonBlade
    Dec 15, 2010
    6
    i was really excited about this game when i first started reading about it . i heard so many comparisons to shenmue (which i loved) i couldnt wait to try it . i remember seeing the videos and just being blown away by the look of the game . every thing was so detailed and amazing looking . after playing the game im not that thrilled . first ill start with the story because this game isi was really excited about this game when i first started reading about it . i heard so many comparisons to shenmue (which i loved) i couldnt wait to try it . i remember seeing the videos and just being blown away by the look of the game . every thing was so detailed and amazing looking . after playing the game im not that thrilled . first ill start with the story because this game is driven on it and its not bad but not great eather . it is nice that you actions will dictate how the story unfolds but the story is very slow to take off and go any where for abit. this games gameplay is best summed up as Dragons lair if you remember that game its basicaly all QTE which im not a big fan of and thats just about all of what heavy rain is outside the fact you can move your charicter around so he or she can get to the next QTE event . with the addition of PS Move the game may be abit more fun to play i dont know i dont own one. the voice acting is very well done and the animations are great looking. you are also stuck on a path and have no say on where you wana go. i was really hoping like shenmue you could decide where you wanted to go and was open world . if they copied more of the shenmue model i would have loved this game but as is its just ok mainly because i do like the fact its trying to be abit innovative and the story is more adult orrrianted.… Expand
  7. Lykon
    Dec 13, 2010
    0
    hey , I know user reviews of exclusives are full of hilarious butt hurt fan boys illiterately stating that system x is better than system y.....I am not one of those. I just HATED this game, the most disappointed I have ever been by a game. IMO this game is appalling. so boring i was yawning with tears rolling down my face. the story is FULL of plot holes. OH I can't even be bothered to gohey , I know user reviews of exclusives are full of hilarious butt hurt fan boys illiterately stating that system x is better than system y.....I am not one of those. I just HATED this game, the most disappointed I have ever been by a game. IMO this game is appalling. so boring i was yawning with tears rolling down my face. the story is FULL of plot holes. OH I can't even be bothered to go into detail I just HATE it . utter utter ****… Expand
  8. liquidsnake
    Dec 9, 2010
    10
    what should i say epic game which have an amazing story line which will make you feel as if its a movie with no time to catch your breath every character will make interact with it with its unique adventure honestly its the best game i have ever played
  9. White
    Nov 19, 2010
    10
    The people that write bad reviews are FPS gamers that cant see further than their finger.
    A Unique game that you must play it an be a part of it, to feel it, to get the point and appreciate it.
    After a point you just cant stop paying it , you want to go further and further to see what is going on and "how" will go on, it challenges you and surprises you. One of the best games ever, one of    The people that write bad reviews are FPS gamers that cant see further than their finger.
    A Unique game that you must play it an be a part of it, to feel it, to get the point and appreciate it.
    After a point you just cant stop paying it , you want to go further and further to see what is going on and "how" will go on, it challenges you and surprises you.
    One of the best games ever, one of the most groundbreaking ideas in game history ever.
    The fear to loose a character is amazing!    … Expand
  10. pete409
    Nov 10, 2010
    10
    Fantastic game. I was a little skeptical at first, but once I started playing this I just couldn't put it down. I love the unique controls for this game, and the storyline sucked me in immediately. I'm not sure how anyone can give this game a negative review.
  11. Bruno_VASCO
    Nov 9, 2010
    10
    -Review BRAZIL- "Heavy Rain" é um thriller dramático centrado em torno de quatro protagonistas envolvidos no mistério do "Assassino do Origami", um serial killer que ataca em períodos de chuva intensa para afogar as suas vítimas. "Heavy Rain" é um título exclusivo de PS3 e sem dúvida um-Review BRAZIL- "Heavy Rain" é um thriller dramático centrado em torno de quatro protagonistas envolvidos no mistério do "Assassino do Origami", um serial killer que ataca em períodos de chuva intensa para afogar as suas vítimas. "Heavy Rain" é um título exclusivo de PS3 e sem dúvida um dos melhores jogos que já joguei, parece um filme em que você é o diretor e controla os personagens e faz os finais a sua maneira. Boa jogabilidade e um dos gráficos mais belos desta geração. NOTA 10.… Expand
  12. gamesGURUPRO
    Nov 9, 2010
    8
    I think that this game is not just a good she is gorgeous and David is greatman, but I dont understand why the critics have put such low scores. This is not a review.This is ****
  13. geo_thebest
    Nov 8, 2010
    10
    The proof that a combination of cinema and video-games can be outstanding! The plot can be an addiction! I really couldn't let down the controller until the very end! Graphics are also amazing even the slightest detail is well-developed!
  14. tom1980uk
    Nov 1, 2010
    10
    Great game although a little short, and even though you can replay to different outcomes it is annoying not being able to fast forward through cutscenes and dialogue you have already seen, as i lost my patience and only re-did certain points in the game.
  15. Tubie
    Oct 23, 2010
    10
    This is more than just a game, I view it as an interactive experience. If you come here expecting lots of engaging action you will be disappointed. If you come with an open mind and ready to see this game for what it tries to be, you will be incredibly satisfied. This is a movie that allows you to shape the plot in which ever way you want. You will play it over many times just to see howThis is more than just a game, I view it as an interactive experience. If you come here expecting lots of engaging action you will be disappointed. If you come with an open mind and ready to see this game for what it tries to be, you will be incredibly satisfied. This is a movie that allows you to shape the plot in which ever way you want. You will play it over many times just to see how things change based on your decisions.… Expand
  16. Sikoandr
    Oct 20, 2010
    8
    this game is Incredible i loved it that i played it twice to get a different ending... im buying the move so i can play it with motion tech i say in between Rent or Buy..
  17. Frostbite
    Oct 15, 2010
    10
    Nowadays, most of the games you find on the store shelves are standard-issue actionfests, with few moments of real storyline thrown into the mix. With Heavy Rain, however, the emphasis is more on the gripping plotline rather than the action itself, though there are many moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. In Heavy Rain, you play as four different characters, but the mainNowadays, most of the games you find on the store shelves are standard-issue actionfests, with few moments of real storyline thrown into the mix. With Heavy Rain, however, the emphasis is more on the gripping plotline rather than the action itself, though there are many moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. In Heavy Rain, you play as four different characters, but the main focus is on a grizzled, drunk mess of a father who had lost one of his two sons many years earlier. The story opens up as his other son is kidnapped by the Origami Killer, who tests parents to see how far they will go to save their children. If the parents don't complete the tests, the child ends up drowning in a well, or a trapped area of water. From there on, you play through multiple grueling, painful-looking tests while a journalist (Another played character.) is struggling to prove that the father isn't the Origami Killer, as everyone believes. The other two characters played are a drug-addicted FBI agent and a weary private detective. The game is controlled similar to Indigo Prophecy, an under-the-radar game that had great character development. You'll actually pick thoughts from floating words around your character's head, and they help in certain situations. For example, in one part as the FBI agent you and a corrupt agent break into a religious nut's house when he's gone. After searching around the place, the guy comes home and nabs the corrupt guy, who is your pal. From there, you can either choose to simply shoot the guy right then and there, or try to defuse the situation and get him to let the agent go and drop his weapon. The story is handled perfectly and it is backed by some serious graphics. If you haven't seen them in action, you must, they are simply gorgeous. But this game isn't for everyone- the focus on story and longevity of the game length might turn off some gamers looking for a quick action fix. But anyone with a PS3 should play this game, even if you are just going to rent it.… Expand
  18. mrbigshot
    Oct 10, 2010
    9
    A cinematic masterpiece, Heavy Rain is a game that deserves all the recognition and hype it received when it was first released in early 2010. Although the beginning of the title seems rather dull and slow, and the activities presented, such as the tedious and mundane task of brushing your teeth can be quite interesting and can leave the conventional video gamer turned off, Heavy Rain isA cinematic masterpiece, Heavy Rain is a game that deserves all the recognition and hype it received when it was first released in early 2010. Although the beginning of the title seems rather dull and slow, and the activities presented, such as the tedious and mundane task of brushing your teeth can be quite interesting and can leave the conventional video gamer turned off, Heavy Rain is a simply stunning game that will manage to captivate potential gamers who prefer a new taste of gaming with an innovative control scheme which delivers tremendously, with a incredible plot line and gripping characters which you take control of, ultimately having to decide the fate of the characters in the end. There are 19 endings, but a fairly short gameplay. overall, this game is fantastic. one of the most original and greatest games to hit the market. A must play.… Expand
  19. Jeinstein
    Oct 1, 2010
    9
    In my life, I have played a lot of AAA games. Some of them remain in my mind, and Heavy Rain is one of them. It an exquisite fruit of eden.

    Heavy Rain is one of these games you love, or hate. If someone wants a console to only play shooters... well, don´t play it. It is a game for those who love complex stories, those who like feelings, the cinema, those who want to be part    In my life, I have played a lot of AAA games. Some of them remain in my mind, and Heavy Rain is one of them. It an exquisite fruit of eden.

    Heavy Rain is one of these games you love, or hate. If someone wants a console to only play shooters... well, don´t play it. It is a game for those who love complex stories, those who like feelings, the cinema, those who want to be part of a story.

    It hasn´t got the best technology, but doesn´t need it. Heavy Rain has the technology that is needed.

    Good Bless David Cage    … Expand
  20. Cranger71
    Sep 29, 2010
    10
    I really wanted to hate this game so much. I think David Cage is hideously pretentious as a person, and I hated Farenheit, but the shere brilliance of Heavy rain has forced me to take a complete U turn! Not only did I enjoy playing it, I loved playing it. It's one of the first game's that I've found myself actually caring about in the same way that I'd care about the story in a film. TheI really wanted to hate this game so much. I think David Cage is hideously pretentious as a person, and I hated Farenheit, but the shere brilliance of Heavy rain has forced me to take a complete U turn! Not only did I enjoy playing it, I loved playing it. It's one of the first game's that I've found myself actually caring about in the same way that I'd care about the story in a film. The story itself is pretty good. There's a few plot holes and a few red herrings that you notice when you finish the game, but there are also a few moments of unbridled brilliance, and the influence you have over what happens really involves you. There were a few moments when I was faced with tough decisions that really blew my mind! Absoulatly blew me away. Buy it, NOW!!… Expand
  21. BlackFalcon
    Sep 23, 2010
    8
    A great game. First the bad: there were a few glitches and the sound bytes were a bit sparse in some sections (i.e. only a couple recorded bits of "Shawn!" when a panicked father will sound differently at least 7 or 8 times). Now the good: great graphics, compelling story with a messed up killer and outrageous tests for the father, and ways to get more than one ending!

    A couple of bits    A great game. First the bad: there were a few glitches and the sound bytes were a bit sparse in some sections (i.e. only a couple recorded bits of "Shawn!" when a panicked father will sound differently at least 7 or 8 times). Now the good: great graphics, compelling story with a messed up killer and outrageous tests for the father, and ways to get more than one ending!

    A couple of bits that I found with faults. Where was Madison's background? Why the troubled nightmares and insomnia? Also, the game was a bit linear in its directing the player to achieve each goal, like it's easy for the FBI agent to find the killer through simple trial and error in the ARI system.

    If they make another game like this, I would suggest a bit more conclusion-making on the player's part if it's a mystery-like story. A good puzzle or two would also put some extra gems on the product.

    Overall: Definitely worth the rental as you can get through the game once within a couple days. Also, the game has a story and plays out like a movie enough that your spouse/friend/roommate would enjoy playing with you.    … Expand
  22. AngryEddy
    Sep 22, 2010
    10
    This game is emotions. I was crying through bloodied hands as I admired the beatyfull graphics. Although I didnt complete the game I think Jason is the Origami killer. Please message me if Im right I think I won a bet. I remember seeing that video of the white lady crying about ten years ago and I wonder why there wasnt enough crying. Anyone played Fahrenheit because I think this may beThis game is emotions. I was crying through bloodied hands as I admired the beatyfull graphics. Although I didnt complete the game I think Jason is the Origami killer. Please message me if Im right I think I won a bet. I remember seeing that video of the white lady crying about ten years ago and I wonder why there wasnt enough crying. Anyone played Fahrenheit because I think this may be similar or the same or whatever.… Expand
  23. M_Alex
    Sep 14, 2010
    10
    Heavy Rain is one of the most interesting games that I've played in quite a while. I had a general feeling of what to expect, as I have admired David Cage's work since Omikron, and I knew that the game is going to be more of an interactive movie. I found the characters interesting, the storytelling compelling, and the gameplay quite innovative, though, as I said, this one strongly focusesHeavy Rain is one of the most interesting games that I've played in quite a while. I had a general feeling of what to expect, as I have admired David Cage's work since Omikron, and I knew that the game is going to be more of an interactive movie. I found the characters interesting, the storytelling compelling, and the gameplay quite innovative, though, as I said, this one strongly focuses on the storyline, but I've always been a player for whom a good storyline is the driving force behind a game, though there have been exceptions. In terms of graphics and acting the game is stunning. However, as you can most likely see by the amount of negative opinions here, you're likely to dislike the game if you expect something else then watching, what somebody called, "a very long cutscene", as I think that if there is an exact opposite to sandbox games, this is it. Nonetheless, i consider it one of the best games I ever played.… Expand
  24. Shabran
    Aug 30, 2010
    9
    Heavy Rain is an amazing experience. It is the kind of game that you play to be engrossed into the story. The story is very good and really pushes you to complete the game to see what happens to the various characters that you take control of during the entire game. The game-play is like that of Fahrenheit and requires you to do movements on the controller depending on what you are doingHeavy Rain is an amazing experience. It is the kind of game that you play to be engrossed into the story. The story is very good and really pushes you to complete the game to see what happens to the various characters that you take control of during the entire game. The game-play is like that of Fahrenheit and requires you to do movements on the controller depending on what you are doing in the game. All the characters are 100% genuine and you feel that these people really could exist. The graphics for this game are some of the best I have seen and the entire package plays out in a unique way that you may have not experienced with other games. This really is a true masterpiece in storytelling.… Expand
  25. Motorizer17
    Aug 25, 2010
    9
    One of the most memorable single player campaigns on the Playstation 3, Heavy Rain isn't so much a game in parts but an 'Interactive film'. Nevertheless, it still delivers an experience which is actually very fun. The story is emotional, professional and if this were to be made into a film, it would be equally stunning. Everything from the voice acting to the real emotion of the charactersOne of the most memorable single player campaigns on the Playstation 3, Heavy Rain isn't so much a game in parts but an 'Interactive film'. Nevertheless, it still delivers an experience which is actually very fun. The story is emotional, professional and if this were to be made into a film, it would be equally stunning. Everything from the voice acting to the real emotion of the characters wouldn't look out of place in the cinema, that's how convincingly real this game is. There aren't a great deal of plot twists until the very end, but when it does come it is quite surprising. The sole complaint about this game is it's lack of 'lasting appeal'. All though you can go back to a few chapters before the end and replay the end a few times to unlock of the ending cutscenes, this won't be as enjoyable as your first playthrough when you'll be entirely immersed in the story. More than likely, you'll be trading this in a week or two after purchase, after finishing an immaculate story and completing a relatively easy trophy list. Also, added to that is the fact the 'choose who dies' emphasis on the story is pretty exaggerated. Likely on your second playthrough you'll realise your actions don't start taking huge effect until towards the end. But, there's no denying your first playthrough of the game will be more thrilling than almost any other.… Expand
  26. Flint
    Aug 20, 2010
    8
    It would be very easy not to 'get' Heavy Rain as it's the sort of game people call 'an experience' and you immediately stop listening to them. I have finished with the quotes now. Heavy Rain however shows how to do one thing better than any other game. Story. The slow start seems un-forgivable but the game soon puts you on a route where the wrong choice can be just as damaging as failure,It would be very easy not to 'get' Heavy Rain as it's the sort of game people call 'an experience' and you immediately stop listening to them. I have finished with the quotes now. Heavy Rain however shows how to do one thing better than any other game. Story. The slow start seems un-forgivable but the game soon puts you on a route where the wrong choice can be just as damaging as failure, and the unique part is that you actually care.… Expand
  27. JKBPP
    Aug 18, 2010
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Heavy Rain is an extremely unique game and one of the best games I've played so far. The game has the best story of all games out there and is full of surprises. I've really enjoyed playing the game and I'm so happy for winning it. It will have it's space forever on my shelf.… Expand
  28. RSKnight
    Aug 14, 2010
    7
    I'm surprised that this game got such a high score. This is one of those cases were good graphics take most or all the attention. I'm not saying this game is bad either, to me it was just OK. The good things besides fantastic graphics are the style of the game, I really liked the change from traditional games. Here you don't have to run, jump, shoot, etc. It's like a movie where you haveI'm surprised that this game got such a high score. This is one of those cases were good graphics take most or all the attention. I'm not saying this game is bad either, to me it was just OK. The good things besides fantastic graphics are the style of the game, I really liked the change from traditional games. Here you don't have to run, jump, shoot, etc. It's like a movie where you have some control, not too much, but just enough to keep things working, and there are some moral choices you'll have to make. Also the characters do a great job to transfer their feelings and emotions, this is not a game with generic, empty characters. One thing I feared before playing it was the quick time event sequences. I played Indigo Prophecy before, and I didn't like those at all, but in Heavy Rain they actually make sense, this was a great improvement from Quantic Dream.
    But then there are the bad things. Continuing on the control of the game, you use the left analog stick to move your character. Well, I can't believe that after all the thought and great implementation of the QTE controls, Quantic Dream forgot about something as simple as moving the character around. It is incredibly frustrating to do something so simple as walking, the character won't turn, or will turn too much, it will get stuck, etc. This is one of those problems that are simply not allowed to happen in a game. Fortunately, this game is more a "movie" than a game, so there is not that much walking around anyway and the game is at least playable.
    And the other big problem is the story. In general it is a good, original, interesting story, where you must find a killer and save his last victim before it's too late. The problem comes when the story tries to keep you confused about who the killer might be. I like that in a good story. I liked in Six Sense that I never suspected that Bruce Willis character was dead all the time. I like when a movie makes you to suspect about a character when in the end turns up to be innocent. But when this things happen in a movie/story there is always a good reason to justify the behavior of those characters, something that in the end will make you think "ahh, so that's why he/she did that, and I was thinking he/she was the bad guy, shame on me!". This is not the case in Heavy Rain. The story has so many holes, so many situations where a character just does something to make you suspect he is the killer, but this things they do go to the point of being just ridiculous and nonsense, and have nothing to do with the story. Don't expect that by the end of the game there will be some explanation or something that ties things up, there isn't. I imagine David Cage (game writer and director) saying something like "lets make this character do this so gamers will think that's the killer. Oh! and lets make this other character do that so gamers will then think that one might be the killer too, it doesn't make sense but who cares, is just a game".
    Yep, some times the story is just that bad, this speaks a lot about the lack of writing abilities of David Cage.
    So for a game that is focused in telling a story, I can't believe it got such high scores from most of the critics when the story is full of holes. I see most of them only rate a game based on graphics, too bad.    … Expand
  29. BarryH.
    May 17, 2010
    10
    The best story driven game ever made. Any review by anyone claiming different just doesnt enjoy story as much as the point and shoot games EVERYWHERE. With an industry full of just shoot em in the head games I cant be the only one sick of just shooting things. any reviews below a 7 are made by people who just want another shooter to blast through and move on and dont understand a need for The best story driven game ever made. Any review by anyone claiming different just doesnt enjoy story as much as the point and shoot games EVERYWHERE. With an industry full of just shoot em in the head games I cant be the only one sick of just shooting things. any reviews below a 7 are made by people who just want another shooter to blast through and move on and dont understand a need for story and meaning. This game is better then all the God of Wars, Call of Duty's, and Assassins Creeds put together and I have payed them all.… Expand
  30. AlexP.
    May 15, 2010
    10
    This is a love it or hate it game. It is so far outside what most (video) gamers consider "gaming" that for some it is impossible to understand. There is a genre of video game that strives to become interactive television. Some JRPGs have pushed these boundaries (Final Fantasy), but Heavy Rain brings you much closer to that experience. While QTEs feel out of place in most games (Resident This is a love it or hate it game. It is so far outside what most (video) gamers consider "gaming" that for some it is impossible to understand. There is a genre of video game that strives to become interactive television. Some JRPGs have pushed these boundaries (Final Fantasy), but Heavy Rain brings you much closer to that experience. While QTEs feel out of place in most games (Resident Evil), or simply artificial in others (Arkham Asylum), they are perfect in/for this slow paced thriller. If in the proper mindset, this game grabs you an puts in in the story more than any other video game EVER.… Expand
  31. JustinJ
    May 14, 2010
    3
    As an avid Adventurer gamer since the time of the early Zork text-only games, I came to Heavy Rain desperately wanting to believe the hype. I had hoped that it could be the shot of adrenaline the entire genre needs to be taken seriously again by developers and consumers alike. Sadly, after playing, I am left at nearly a loss for words as to how this game has done so well for itself with As an avid Adventurer gamer since the time of the early Zork text-only games, I came to Heavy Rain desperately wanting to believe the hype. I had hoped that it could be the shot of adrenaline the entire genre needs to be taken seriously again by developers and consumers alike. Sadly, after playing, I am left at nearly a loss for words as to how this game has done so well for itself with the critics. Perhaps they, like myself, are nostalgic for the return of the "Adventure" genre in its pure form, and hope that by praising a game that attempts to bring back and evolve that experience, however flawed, the industry might be nudged toward producing more games with higher production values in the genre. At least, that's the only explanation I can come up with that makes the slightest sense. As for the gameplay itself; the brutal fact is, there essentially is none. It is indeed an "Interactive Movie," and you CAN make choices which impact the outcome. More often than not these choices simply devolve into allowing your character to fail a particular "Quick-Time" event, rather than offering actual, branching options within the context of the individual scene. Yes, the much lauded choices in Heavy Rain essentially come down to selective failure. Further added to the problem, on your first playthrough, it is unlikely you will even realize you are being given a choice in many situations. Not until successive attempts will the differences be recognized. That would be acceptable, save that the game is simply not sufficient to hold this reviewers attention for anywhere near the time it would require to complete it twice, much less more than that. And that leads directly into the final, and most egregious, of Heavy Rain's many flaws - the story is simply slow, boring, and poorly executed. As someone who has no problem admiting that I shed a tear or two during emotional scenes, especially those involving children or the reactions of adults to the loss of children, I was astonished when Heavy Rain failed to move me in the slightest. Never did I feel any significant attachment to any character, due to the poor dialogue, poor voice acting, and incredibly shallow character development, which seems to assume that you will grow attached to the protagonists without ever giving you any real reason to do so. While their problems are many, and in the hands of a more skilled writer and creative team, sufficient to create the type of emotional intensity that Heavy Rain strove for, here they are presented with so little context or development that it was nearly impossible for me to care. This is a game that makes many assumptions about the mindset and emotional state of the viewer/player, and fails to create that state in any significant way. Most of your average Made-for-TV or Serial dramas have significantly greater depth and emotional attachment, and certainly possess superior acting and dialogue. Overall, while I desperately wished that this game would be able to re-invigorate the genre, or even stand on its own as the forerunner of a new genre entirely, it falls completely flat, owing almost entirely to what appears to be a basic lack of understanding of human emotion and psychology on the part of the writers. Not only are there far, far better movies available, but there are no small number of games which will move you a good deal more than Heavy Rain.… Expand
  32. AndyS.
    May 2, 2010
    8
    I have played through this game, and while the plot is wonky (characters following leads I don't remember them coming across), the ending a bit weak and the controls sometimes frustrating, I also am happy I purchased it, and glad that I own it. Heavy Rain is a pleasure to look at, and despite its faults, it's quite engrossing. I'm not a fan of titles like God of War, Final I have played through this game, and while the plot is wonky (characters following leads I don't remember them coming across), the ending a bit weak and the controls sometimes frustrating, I also am happy I purchased it, and glad that I own it. Heavy Rain is a pleasure to look at, and despite its faults, it's quite engrossing. I'm not a fan of titles like God of War, Final Fantasy, etc... it's this kind of game that I enjoy spending time with. Games that attempt to be different. Though they didn't knock this one *quite* out of the park, there is more to like than hate. I look forward to the next Quantic Dream title.… Expand
  33. TateO
    Apr 26, 2010
    9
    The only reason I didn't give this game a 10 is for one reason only (read to learn why). I read most of the reviews posted and I decided to treat this "game" like a choose your own adventure movie. I absolutely loved it. It was like a good book that I couldn't put down and finished it in two days time probably around 20 to 25 hours. The graphics are great...so why not a ten. The The only reason I didn't give this game a 10 is for one reason only (read to learn why). I read most of the reviews posted and I decided to treat this "game" like a choose your own adventure movie. I absolutely loved it. It was like a good book that I couldn't put down and finished it in two days time probably around 20 to 25 hours. The graphics are great...so why not a ten. The controls for the most part are intuitive and work well...most of the time. There are a few places in the game where the timing is hard and although I wanted my character to do one thing (in my mind) I could not get him or her to do it and it changed the dynamic of the outcome. Without giving away a spoiler lets just say one of my characters died because I couldn't push the buttons correctly and that's not how I wanted my "movie" to go. I will go back and do the movie over in a couple of months and reload from save when I fail to achieve the desired outcome but the first time through I went with the flow of my inadequacy in button timing which frustrated me but didn't detract from the overall movie like experience.… Expand
  34. NeT.
    Apr 25, 2010
    9
    I just beat the game a couple of minutes ago, and although I didn't like who they set up as the origami killer, I loved the game! It was gripping and the story kept me hooked all the way through! This game started off really slow, but once the action started, I couldn't wait to see what happened in the next chapter... and then the next, and then the next! I can understand why I just beat the game a couple of minutes ago, and although I didn't like who they set up as the origami killer, I loved the game! It was gripping and the story kept me hooked all the way through! This game started off really slow, but once the action started, I couldn't wait to see what happened in the next chapter... and then the next, and then the next! I can understand why this is a love/hate game for a lot of people- but if you love great characters, an interesting mystery plot, and adrenaline pumping action, you should give this game a try. It truly was a great game and it was unlike anything I've ever played before!… Expand
  35. ClintF
    Apr 20, 2010
    6
    This game was a very interesting experiment in interactive storytelling. I hope to see future attempts at this type of experience with good controls, meaningful interactivity, and original, well told stories. Heavy Rain itself lacks all of these. Despite my appreciation of what it was attempting, I was frustrated by the possibilities it flushed down the drain in a deluge of meaningless This game was a very interesting experiment in interactive storytelling. I hope to see future attempts at this type of experience with good controls, meaningful interactivity, and original, well told stories. Heavy Rain itself lacks all of these. Despite my appreciation of what it was attempting, I was frustrated by the possibilities it flushed down the drain in a deluge of meaningless choices, bad controls, and a derivative mess of a story. In spite of all that, it could be exciting at times, and overall it felt new and fascinating, and I was left thinking this type of game has serious potential. If the player approaches Heavy Rain as an experiment, not as anything even remotely approaching a masterpiece of design or storytelling, then it can be appreciated as a precursor for hopefully better games to come. Worth a rent only, as the replay value you might expect from a story changing because of your choices is simply not achieved here.… Expand
  36. JeremyC
    Apr 15, 2010
    9
    Lots of people complain about the plot, the voice acting, the graphics, continuity, etc. All of these are minor problems in the game, small glitches and distractions. Most of them are easily excused while you are playing the game. I've played lots of video games: RPGs, RTS, FPS, Puzzle games, Point/Click, Adventure, etc. The persistent problem in most is that the moment anything goes Lots of people complain about the plot, the voice acting, the graphics, continuity, etc. All of these are minor problems in the game, small glitches and distractions. Most of them are easily excused while you are playing the game. I've played lots of video games: RPGs, RTS, FPS, Puzzle games, Point/Click, Adventure, etc. The persistent problem in most is that the moment anything goes wrong, you hit esc and reload your game. In an absolute worst case scenario you start from the beginning of the level. These are true because to replay through an RTS campaign or a early FPS levels again after dying would suck. Heavy Rain is different, and not just because it doesn't let you reload at will. The intuitive control system immerses you into the game in a way that few others can. In most games a single button performs an action or to perform a combo multiple buttons must be pressed in sequence while the character then performs the move. In Heavy Rain you start to feel the emotion and the angst and the anger of the characters. I found myself swinging the controller around the room trying to evade a car, at one point I jumped when my character was supposed to jump, I found my hands contorted to mash multiple buttons in an awkward fashion as my character climbed through electrical wires. My experience with Heavy Rain was one of the most involved emotional experiences I've had with any form of media. Never before have I had a visceral reaction to the actions on screen.… Expand
  37. pongsifu
    Apr 7, 2010
    5
    + One of the few games where it actually feels like the choices you make have weight, and may be the game with the most real consequences. + A genuine sense of "this character can die at any moment" when you are trying to get out of whatever situation you are in. + Maybe it is the part of me that likes B-movies but I liked the overall story. + The different characters all felt actually + One of the few games where it actually feels like the choices you make have weight, and may be the game with the most real consequences. + A genuine sense of "this character can die at any moment" when you are trying to get out of whatever situation you are in. + Maybe it is the part of me that likes B-movies but I liked the overall story. + The different characters all felt actually different even though you make all their decisions - Some of the worst walking controls I have ever used and sometimes the QTE don't respond correctly, especially the ones where you have to shake the controller. You have to hold the controller in just the right way and can't be, say, laying down. - The first 2-3 hours of the game are mind numbingly boring. - The floating text is too small, I had to struggle to read the text and could barely tell circle from square, I have an average sized wide screen and even with the screen zoomed in to the point that it was cut off on all sides I still could barely read it, which often lead to choosing the wrong text. - Some of the mundane things the game asks you to do well after the "tutorial" is over. Changing and feeding a crying virtual baby is about as fun as changing a real baby. Overall the game was enjoyable, especially at the end but the crippling controls persisted throughout and the small text was very detrimental. But the biggest flaw of the game by far is the incredibly boring opening few hours, I almost gave up on the game. I can't even remember the last time I was that bored playing a game. If they make a sequel or a game in a similar fashion, they need to redo the walking controls and they really, really need to cut down the tutorial to 15 minutes or at the very least make it optional. 3 hours in, the player should not be asking themselves "ok...when is this game going to actually start?"… Expand
  38. DaveS.
    Apr 6, 2010
    6
    I was worried about gameplay mechanics and I was excited about story and characters. Unfortunately - gameplay is quite good, but story and characters are crazy. Main heroes are acting like stupid kids, theyre not believeable at all. I was dissapointed about whole "drama", which make no sense. Somone says to me "don't play it, feel it". But I don't like to feel stupid. Sorry I was worried about gameplay mechanics and I was excited about story and characters. Unfortunately - gameplay is quite good, but story and characters are crazy. Main heroes are acting like stupid kids, theyre not believeable at all. I was dissapointed about whole "drama", which make no sense. Somone says to me "don't play it, feel it". But I don't like to feel stupid. Sorry Quantic Dreams, after passable Omikron and horrible Fahrenheit - this is nice try, by try to force Cage to quit, get a real script editor, use Google to get knowledge, how things REALLY works and try it again. Maybe your next game will be good. And please send me $60 back, this 8 hours of B movie is not worth it.… Expand
  39. EvelynC
    Apr 5, 2010
    10
    I completed this game over the course of two days....some might think this is a bit short for a game you have to pay £40+ on. But as soon as I completed it I started it again. It's that good. This second play through has been completely different so far, decisions I have been making completely reshaping the story. I expect the end result will also be different. I can honestly I completed this game over the course of two days....some might think this is a bit short for a game you have to pay £40+ on. But as soon as I completed it I started it again. It's that good. This second play through has been completely different so far, decisions I have been making completely reshaping the story. I expect the end result will also be different. I can honestly say I haven't been as gripped by a game in a long time. I thought the story (well the one I saw on the first time round) was excellent. It kept me guessing (I was completely wrong in my guess as to who the killer was btw). I actually cared about my decisions. It builds atmosphere and sucks you in like nothing else you will play. It is a different experience and I suppose interactive drama is the best way of describing it - not everyone will enjoy it, but I for one did.… Expand
  40. GeoW
    Apr 4, 2010
    3
    A really dreadful "game." And I'm being pretty charitable calling this a game in the first place. It's really more of an interactive cgi film. I thought at first to call it a "choose your own adventure" novel, but it's not even that interesting. The narrative chugs along more-or-less regardless of what "choices" you make or how you "play." At some point, it becomes clear A really dreadful "game." And I'm being pretty charitable calling this a game in the first place. It's really more of an interactive cgi film. I thought at first to call it a "choose your own adventure" novel, but it's not even that interesting. The narrative chugs along more-or-less regardless of what "choices" you make or how you "play." At some point, it becomes clear that if you choose to simply watch and not mash buttons and the game encourages you to do, it will more or less roll along and accomplish what it wants. It's a game for people who'd really rather see a movie, and frankly, it's not even a very good movie. Easily the dreariest most depressing story I've ever been subjected to--luckily, you can finish it in a weekend.… Expand
  41. brettl
    Apr 4, 2010
    10
    In all reality i want to give this game an 8, but since i see that most ppl are hating on it for little or stupid reason ill just go with a 10. very different from most game out there, but more importantly, they do it well. the quick time events are actually involving. what i mean by that is when you swipe to the left to block, you actually feel like your swiping to the left. at time (not In all reality i want to give this game an 8, but since i see that most ppl are hating on it for little or stupid reason ill just go with a 10. very different from most game out there, but more importantly, they do it well. the quick time events are actually involving. what i mean by that is when you swipe to the left to block, you actually feel like your swiping to the left. at time (not many to be fair, but there is a good amount of them) i just guessed at what the input should be and got it right, it was that inutitive. i love my gow, my ninja gaiden, even dynasty warriors, but in a way this is the best action game ive ever played. but heres the thing, you cant take it as an action game. this is not gona be everyones taste so try the demo first. if you like it get the game, just remember that its a very slow start, seriously, one of the slowest starts ive ever experienced, but get threw that and its fun.… Expand
  42. JohnA
    Mar 28, 2010
    3
    It suffers from some serious technical flaws, the likes of which I have not previously witnessed on a console - audio glitches, landscapes disappearing, freezes, crashes, etc. It kind of took me back to my pentium 2 and direct X days, performance-wise. The plot has too many holes to be perceived as anything other than a amateur's first go at scripting a plot. I completely agree with It suffers from some serious technical flaws, the likes of which I have not previously witnessed on a console - audio glitches, landscapes disappearing, freezes, crashes, etc. It kind of took me back to my pentium 2 and direct X days, performance-wise. The plot has too many holes to be perceived as anything other than a amateur's first go at scripting a plot. I completely agree with James S, as to what message we're sending by praising such mediocrity. I finished the game and I am still none the wiser as to the significance of origami, why Shelby killed 10 year old boys, whatever the hell happened to the cop who let Ethan escape (how did he get away with it?), and so many other questions that the more I think about it, the more let down I feel. The ending was laughable. Buy at your own risk.… Expand
  43. MiguelZ
    Mar 23, 2010
    5
    Nothing else needs to be said that hasn't been said already about the graphics in this game, the story, the innovation, etc. etc. I really want to give this game a 10, but I can't. This game is poorly programmed and suffers from massive glitches. For many users, these glitches render the game almost unplayable. It has really ruined what should have been a great game. The Nothing else needs to be said that hasn't been said already about the graphics in this game, the story, the innovation, etc. etc. I really want to give this game a 10, but I can't. This game is poorly programmed and suffers from massive glitches. For many users, these glitches render the game almost unplayable. It has really ruined what should have been a great game. The developers should have held this one back to test it for an extra month. The other issue that I have with this game is the voice acting. Children growing up in the United States simply should not have French accents. If they do, there should be some explanation for it. I know the developers are french, but you'd think they could have found voice actors with proper accents.… Expand
  44. lucas
    Mar 18, 2010
    10
    The way I see it, even the electric light garnered negative reviews when it was introduced and so it goes that a few negative reviews by a bunch of lemmings will not change the fact that Heavy Rain is a milestone in video game entertainment! The game is a journey in the truest sense of the word; a path one takes is truly different and has various emotional effect depending on the The way I see it, even the electric light garnered negative reviews when it was introduced and so it goes that a few negative reviews by a bunch of lemmings will not change the fact that Heavy Rain is a milestone in video game entertainment! The game is a journey in the truest sense of the word; a path one takes is truly different and has various emotional effect depending on the player's choices. Guys, if you want a game your girlfriends can and will get into this is absolutely a winner. I was impressed by how the changes in story came to pass when my girlfriend played. There where many "oh! That is so different from when I played" moments! Now nay-sayers may comment: "so what? Mass Effect and many games have plot changes based on what you choose as well", and I would agree. However the overall emotional attachment in those games vary from slight to none at all. Actually, the last time I experienced this level of emotional connection was when I played Crimson Butterfly. In short, this is a fantastic title, one you will be haunted by long after you set the controller down!… Expand
  45. NathanB
    Mar 16, 2010
    0
    While Heavy Rain's novel methods of conveying a story through the gaming medium are effective, the actual story Heavy Rain aims to tell is garbage. How can a serious, dramatic story be considered good when it's riddled with plot holes you could sail a boat through? The characters presented in the game are as much of a failure as the plot. The characters in Heavy Rain are only While Heavy Rain's novel methods of conveying a story through the gaming medium are effective, the actual story Heavy Rain aims to tell is garbage. How can a serious, dramatic story be considered good when it's riddled with plot holes you could sail a boat through? The characters presented in the game are as much of a failure as the plot. The characters in Heavy Rain are only fleshed out briefly when they are introduced, then fail to grow or change throughout the rest of the story. They often act with little to no motivation other than forwarding the game's senseless, hackneyed plot and consistently spout awkward lines covered in bad American accents. As a plot-driven game, these are all fatal flaws. I'm left wondering if those lauding Heavy Rain are just lying to themselves, have lower standards for what is considered "good" for a video game, or are just too ignorant to know any better.… Expand
  46. AlanA
    Mar 15, 2010
    10
    9.6 Heavy Rain Provides an intense cinematic experience but not perfect. ***SPOILERS***** yes, the killer was stupid and i would have much ratherd an NPC, but seeing its not, David Cage did a poor job of a twist. To many plot holes makes it a mess. They should have scrapped Ethans Blackouts, cuz NO ONE was convinced he was the killer. Instead they should have given the killer a split 9.6 Heavy Rain Provides an intense cinematic experience but not perfect. ***SPOILERS***** yes, the killer was stupid and i would have much ratherd an NPC, but seeing its not, David Cage did a poor job of a twist. To many plot holes makes it a mess. They should have scrapped Ethans Blackouts, cuz NO ONE was convinced he was the killer. Instead they should have given the killer a split personality, that would at least help the whole mind reading thing, but still, i would have rathered an NPC, if ur gonna go this route Do it properly! Shelby should have had a split personality, then all of his thoughts WOULD be genuine. and then fix the other minor problems, this twist could have worked, im a little disapointed that they didnt think. ***SPOILERS END**** I love Heavy Rain, but i ignolede it flaws. It was a great experience. I HIGHLY recomend it, i would have given it a ten if it werent for those plot holes, Amazing game though! 9.6… Expand
  47. JustinD
    Mar 14, 2010
    10
    I enjoyed this game immensely, I had to keep playing it until the climax/conclusion. It really had me guessing "who is the origami killer?" I will admit, this game is not for everyone. I am the typical "shooter" gamer, so I was quite hesitate prior to making the purchase. Quite frankly, I was satisfied. Though, the replay value of it in my opinion is the not the greatest. Like stated I enjoyed this game immensely, I had to keep playing it until the climax/conclusion. It really had me guessing "who is the origami killer?" I will admit, this game is not for everyone. I am the typical "shooter" gamer, so I was quite hesitate prior to making the purchase. Quite frankly, I was satisfied. Though, the replay value of it in my opinion is the not the greatest. Like stated prior, I am a "shooter" gamer, so after learning who is the origami killer, my interest subsided. I rated this game as a 10 because I believe it deserves it, but if I could rate the replay value separately, that would be rated about a 4. Anyone whom owns a PS3 should definitely try this title regardless of the type of gamer you are.… Expand
  48. Aegisa
    Mar 13, 2010
    7
    Overall I thought it was an alright game. Nothing groundbreaking, especially if you played Indigo Prophecy. On that note, this game feels like what Indigo Prophecy should have been like in terms of plot instead of the mess it became about half way through. I enjoyed the story and being able to shape it based on my actions, but what held the game back for me was the simply massive amount Overall I thought it was an alright game. Nothing groundbreaking, especially if you played Indigo Prophecy. On that note, this game feels like what Indigo Prophecy should have been like in terms of plot instead of the mess it became about half way through. I enjoyed the story and being able to shape it based on my actions, but what held the game back for me was the simply massive amount of quick-time events. Not because I can't handle them; I can pull them off perfectly at the hardest difficulty until the sun dies. Difficult, they are not. My problem with them is that when they're happening, you're immersed more in watching for the next prompt than the action. For example, in that real tense part near the beginning of the game where you drive against traffic, I can't remember 90% of that other than X, right, right, square, right, etc. Was it tense? I don't know, maybe? I wasn't truly paying attention. Essentially it's like trying to do sudoku to continue an action scene in a film. I know why David Cage did it, but I'm just not sure it was necessary. It's not all bad though, and I really did enjoy a lot of it, but it just wasn't as fun as other story driven games I've played lately like Uncharted 2 or Mass Effect 2. Definitely worth a rental; buy at your own discretion.… Expand
  49. JonC
    Mar 12, 2010
    9
    One of the best games I've ever played and definitely one of the most intense. The graphics are uneven in some parts, but as a whole it's a amazing looking game. It is a bit slow going at first, though once it picks up I really couldn't stop playing. Only complaints would be the walking controls are a bit clunky, and some of the voice acting could be better. Other than One of the best games I've ever played and definitely one of the most intense. The graphics are uneven in some parts, but as a whole it's a amazing looking game. It is a bit slow going at first, though once it picks up I really couldn't stop playing. Only complaints would be the walking controls are a bit clunky, and some of the voice acting could be better. Other than that, It's one of the best experiences I've ever had playing a game.… Expand
  50. MaxL
    Mar 11, 2010
    10
    This game is one of the best experiences ever and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Sure, it's not really a game, it's more of a player-directer story. Sure, it has issues - I didn't really dig the way you move the characters around. And sure, there are some (very) minor inconsistencies in the story. But overall, it's an awesome experience. Me and my two This game is one of the best experiences ever and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Sure, it's not really a game, it's more of a player-directer story. Sure, it has issues - I didn't really dig the way you move the characters around. And sure, there are some (very) minor inconsistencies in the story. But overall, it's an awesome experience. Me and my two roommates were practically glued to my PS3 until the minute I finished the game. It's a thrill ride from start to finish. The characters are great, they feel like humans and you feel sympathy for ALL of them. The graphics are mindblowing, the music is fantastic... the voice acting has some issues, but that doesn't make Heavy Rain a bad game. It's a great game. I bought a PS3 + HR bundle and I don't regret doing it.… Expand
  51. RobC
    Mar 10, 2010
    9
    The beauty of Heavy Rain is that it is one of the few games where you can truly FEEL the emotions of the characters, which range from agony, to desperation, to complete and utter fear. The moments are extremely tense; success is extremely rewarding, while failure leaves you breathless and emotionally drained. And no game will let you feel the true consequences of your actions. It's a The beauty of Heavy Rain is that it is one of the few games where you can truly FEEL the emotions of the characters, which range from agony, to desperation, to complete and utter fear. The moments are extremely tense; success is extremely rewarding, while failure leaves you breathless and emotionally drained. And no game will let you feel the true consequences of your actions. It's a great reprieve from the traditional video game; the first-person shooter where you kill solider after solider without a second thought. If you're willing to submit yourself to the characters' emotions in these tense situations, you'll be pausing the game often - for example, to take time to decide whether you'll kill a villain or negotiate with them - to make sure your actions don't come back to haunt you. You'll care so much for your characters, that any wrong move can be emotionally devastating. This is not an interactive movie with quick-time-events, as some people would suggest. It's not perfect, but it is different than any game you've ever played before. It is definitely less interactive than most games - but the impact of your choices will be felt like no game you've ever played before.… Expand
  52. Daniel.
    Mar 10, 2010
    6
    I really wanted to love Heavy Rain, I really did. I liked Fahrenheit a lot, it had its flaws, but it was unique. With Heavy Rain, it could only get better now, couldn't it? Unfortunately, no. Heavy Rain sounds so good in theory, but when I played it it just didn't work. That is thanks to the lackluster voice acting, the unconvincing storyline, the lack of any dynamics in the I really wanted to love Heavy Rain, I really did. I liked Fahrenheit a lot, it had its flaws, but it was unique. With Heavy Rain, it could only get better now, couldn't it? Unfortunately, no. Heavy Rain sounds so good in theory, but when I played it it just didn't work. That is thanks to the lackluster voice acting, the unconvincing storyline, the lack of any dynamics in the cinematic action scenes and poor direction. This was marketed as a game for adults, but apart from the theme of the story, it isn't. It just doesn't really come together. When you focus so much on story and emotions, you better make damn sure your story is cohesive and you got the best voice actors there are. I partly blame David Cage for hyping this game so much, maybe my expectations were too high for it. Since he wrote and directed it I say most of the game's fault are his, because I was expecting an experience unlike anything else. With better writing and directing (somehow, Quentin Tarantino always comes to my mind) this could have been a milestone for gaming. Unfortunately the specks of brilliance are overshadowed by mediocrity. I won't even comment on the technical issues, as these have been convered in enough detail. All in all I am saddened by the whole affair. I really wanted it to be great.… Expand
  53. criticA.
    Mar 10, 2010
    2
    Awful. Just pure and simple. I can't seem to find any reason to justify this games existance. It's pretty er... pretty... But thats it. Okay, imagine playing one long ass cutscene, and being able to kind-of-sort-of direct what a character does. Not that fufilling. Now alot of people are gonna call me an Xbot ebcause I don't like paying $60 for a shit movie. But I don't Awful. Just pure and simple. I can't seem to find any reason to justify this games existance. It's pretty er... pretty... But thats it. Okay, imagine playing one long ass cutscene, and being able to kind-of-sort-of direct what a character does. Not that fufilling. Now alot of people are gonna call me an Xbot ebcause I don't like paying $60 for a shit movie. But I don't own an Xbox and I don't care to spend $250 to get another few game options. I've played this game twice to the ending and I still haven't enjoyed it. Okay, let's compare it to other, better games. In terms of CSI type gameplay. Phoenix Wright has better writing and cases. When it comes to what you may call "gameplay" just play the knife scene from resident evil 4 4-5 times. This game was just not good. Bad game, bad movie, just bad.… Expand
  54. Beguiler
    Mar 9, 2010
    8
    If there was a game I really wanted to give a perfect 10.0 on, Heavy Rain was it. Unfortunately, there was enough sloppiness in execution that I had to pull it down to a decent, yet disappointing, 8.0 The Good: I found Heavy Rain to be a very original, engaging, and mostly enjoyable gaming experience. It was very cool to have a player
  55. AlexC
    Mar 8, 2010
    6
    I want to start off by saying that I proudly support PS3 exclusives, so my opinion would, if anything, be biased in favour of the game. Everything about this game screams atmosphere and for that I give it credit. The graphics are quite beautiful and the music/sound effects are superb. The story isn't necessarily predictable, but it feels familiar. That said, I found this game to be I want to start off by saying that I proudly support PS3 exclusives, so my opinion would, if anything, be biased in favour of the game. Everything about this game screams atmosphere and for that I give it credit. The graphics are quite beautiful and the music/sound effects are superb. The story isn't necessarily predictable, but it feels familiar. That said, I found this game to be extremely buggy and awkward. There were times when I needed to reboot the game because the character wouldn't register my prompts. As well, the characters would get caught up on pieces of furniture and would bring me to frustration. This game is more of an interactive movie than a game, as I'm sure you've read/heard. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but you should be aware of that heading into it. This game requires at least a rental; however, buyers beware: this game isn't worth the $60-70 price tag! 6/10.… Expand
  56. CraigH
    Mar 8, 2010
    10
    Given my voted score and that this is the best game I've played in a very long time I'm disappointed with the extreme low ratings on this review. There's only one rating that I appreciated, which was the very first one that gave it a 3, by James S - at least he gave some solid reasons to rate it low, and actually made some good points. The plot hole of why Ethan has the Given my voted score and that this is the best game I've played in a very long time I'm disappointed with the extreme low ratings on this review. There's only one rating that I appreciated, which was the very first one that gave it a 3, by James S - at least he gave some solid reasons to rate it low, and actually made some good points. The plot hole of why Ethan has the blackouts that's never explained is admittedly one that I wish they had explained properly, as it would've given the whole story a much more rounded and intriguing memory to it, so leaving the explanation of that out was a mistake. I'll also admit there's a few othe mistakes and problems with the game, but my rating would already be so far ABOVE 10 that these few things really just bring it back down to a 12 or 13 out of 10. Rating it so low for these few things as many people here have done is a TOTAL INJUSTICE to this game. The amount of effort put into creating this is beyond imagination, it's not like throwing a few actors in front of a camera, creating it virtually, and still making it look and SOUND so movie-esque professional is a feat in its own right. The music is fantastic, deeply moving, the story is extremely engaging, and the graphics - especially the close ups of the faces are to be truly admired. I hope in time this one looks like a poor cousin to what may be to come in the future, but for now this is the most amazing game that's ever been created, and the low rating people are really having themselves on and expecting far too much in terms of technology advancement in too short a time. Excellent, amazing, truly entertaining and a fantastic experience to be remembered for a long time to come!… Expand
  57. TimJ
    Mar 8, 2010
    10
    I remember way back in 2006 when Heavy Rain was first shown off, with tears running down the girl's face as she pointed the gun at me; I was in shock by how picture perfect this tech demo looked. Four years later, I finally have my hands on a copy of this game, and I am very glad that Quantic Dream took their time with this game, considering the lack-luster visual performance they I remember way back in 2006 when Heavy Rain was first shown off, with tears running down the girl's face as she pointed the gun at me; I was in shock by how picture perfect this tech demo looked. Four years later, I finally have my hands on a copy of this game, and I am very glad that Quantic Dream took their time with this game, considering the lack-luster visual performance they delivered with amazing Indigo Prophecy ('Fahrenheit' for you Brits). Not knowing this, you wouldn't believe that these two games came from the same development team, judging by the visual performance alone. Delving into the story, you can see that Heavy Rain is a spiritual successor to Indigo Prophecy. The interaction with the environment and the vast amounts of directions the game can take you. Halfway through the game, I felt that if I opened the wrong cabinet door, or turned a door knob the wrong way, it would set forth a Butterfly Effect that has yet to be seen. However, I do not say that in spite of the team, oh lord no. I wish there was more of this kind of interaction with the characters and environment in other games. I have never seen story telling in such a way until now that made me care for the characters. I wanted Madison to hook up with Ethan. I wanted Jayden to beat the crap out of Blake. I choked up at the beginning when Ethan's son died (how, I will never know, as Ethan was hit by the car). I actually felt for the characters and their possible outcomes. At the beginning before I even started the game, I was under the impression that the game would guide my actions to an ending that the developers wanted. Quite the contraire: my actions would influence even the most minute details of this amazing story. Heavy Rain is a visually stunning, story driven, user oriented drama that is required playing for anyone that I know, that is reading this, or that owns a PS3. Hell, even if you don't own a PS3, break into your friend's house that has one and play it there (they'll understand, trust me). If my mother can become intrigued by this game, sit down, and ask questions about it - something that she has never done - then Quantic Dream, you win.… Expand
  58. JimR
    Mar 8, 2010
    5
    Well I started off enjoying this game for the forst couple of 'scenes' but as the hours bore on it bacame clear that there is actually very little control , and decision making largley depends on if you can get to grips with some very random and sometimes utterly confusing controls. There are moments of brilliance here but I really felt let down in terms of gamplay and value for Well I started off enjoying this game for the forst couple of 'scenes' but as the hours bore on it bacame clear that there is actually very little control , and decision making largley depends on if you can get to grips with some very random and sometimes utterly confusing controls. There are moments of brilliance here but I really felt let down in terms of gamplay and value for money. my advice is to rent this or buy it when it's about 1/4 of the price. As for my score of 5/10 , at times i utterly hated this game and would have given it 1/10 , at it's best i felt it was worth 8/10 so i've been generous and settled for 5.… Expand
  59. WagnerPaiva
    Mar 8, 2010
    10
    Heavy Rain is not just an amazing game, it is, like MGS4, such a unique game that it can justify the purchase of a PS3 only to play it. It is a book in form of a game, a relaxing and also exciting experience like with no equal in today´s gamming scene (althought Farenheit on the PS2 had a similar felling). The graphics are superb and so is the actors and music. You can play Heavy Heavy Rain is not just an amazing game, it is, like MGS4, such a unique game that it can justify the purchase of a PS3 only to play it. It is a book in form of a game, a relaxing and also exciting experience like with no equal in today´s gamming scene (althought Farenheit on the PS2 had a similar felling). The graphics are superb and so is the actors and music. You can play Heavy Rain dozens of times giving it a replay value with no match or rival. It is just a must have game for gamers that want more than shotting friends on the head in online multiplayer generic FPSs. 10/10.… Expand
  60. VixR
    Mar 7, 2010
    7
    So it's different - something we're not quite used to. Obvious flaws are what others have said...being really nothing more than a collection of clips with a few control points and heavily driven by quick time events...but interesting enough to play through the first time however playing a second, third, etc. time will only start to bore you as you're forced to watch 95% of So it's different - something we're not quite used to. Obvious flaws are what others have said...being really nothing more than a collection of clips with a few control points and heavily driven by quick time events...but interesting enough to play through the first time however playing a second, third, etc. time will only start to bore you as you're forced to watch 95% of the same thing over and over again. Sadly not worth the asking price - this should have come in at a lower price point since it's not really much of a game than it is a slightly interactive movie (your choices don't really affect that much).… Expand
  61. BrianL
    Mar 7, 2010
    2
    I was very open minded about this game as being something different and fresh in the world of games that has become so filled with shooters and sandbox titles and looked very much forward to playing it. But it is awful. I think the first thing that the developers should have gotten right in a game they describe as an "interactive" drama, would be the story. The story in this game, while I was very open minded about this game as being something different and fresh in the world of games that has become so filled with shooters and sandbox titles and looked very much forward to playing it. But it is awful. I think the first thing that the developers should have gotten right in a game they describe as an "interactive" drama, would be the story. The story in this game, while initially interesting, has more holes in it that a swiss cheese. Characters who don't know each other at all suddenly have one another's phone numbers to contact in emergencies and some plot threads lead absolutely nowhere. The case does have a definitive ending but it is hammed up in garish Hollywood finale style that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Truly awful storytelling. The game's mechanics of QTEs and dodgy motion controls, coupled with a ludicrous movement system that requires holding R2 to move forward as the camera shifts about changing your control direction is so shabby it defies reason that it was kept after playtesting. Some of the game's visuals are marvellous while others are PS2 quality. Some of the characters work, some don't. The inconsistency kills this title dead and it is a shame as it had potential. Avoid at all costs.… Expand
  62. ChristopherY
    Mar 6, 2010
    10
    The most emotional and thrilling game I have ever played, hooked me right in. Artistically helped you build care and trust for the characters and the relationship between parents and children. Very unseemly made you feel as your life was threatened through innovative controls and fairly open ended results, building a bond to some characters that you knew you could lose and could never The most emotional and thrilling game I have ever played, hooked me right in. Artistically helped you build care and trust for the characters and the relationship between parents and children. Very unseemly made you feel as your life was threatened through innovative controls and fairly open ended results, building a bond to some characters that you knew you could lose and could never just reload the game to when they were alive. For me, I can say that my experience was more intense, investing and emotional then any movie I've watched too. On to the cons, walking is hard to get used to, but I got used to it, pulling the analogue stick all the way out when rotating made it a lot easier to make slower turns (walking didn't break immersion for me, but sometimes a little annoyance). Other con, plot twist.. it's unfortunate up until the big reveal I was so impressed with the game. But couldn't help but be disappointed, by that specific choice alone, with seemingly little explanation. But even so, Heavy Rain has a superb game design to create emotional responses and a keen sense of immersion. I really hope there's more, with a little happier endings I guess. I assume I'd knock off a point for the latter con, but: One, I still had an amazing experience; and Two, I really don't understand all these 0/10 scores... the reasoning behind a majority of them boggle me.… Expand
  63. MikeS
    Mar 6, 2010
    2
    i really wanted to like this game. i really wanted to care about the characters. but i didn't and i couldn't. the characters are very two dimensional as other reviewers have commented on. i could live with that, but that's actually the game's smallest flaw. the controls are just plain horrible. it's extremely difficult to control the character and the system i really wanted to like this game. i really wanted to care about the characters. but i didn't and i couldn't. the characters are very two dimensional as other reviewers have commented on. i could live with that, but that's actually the game's smallest flaw. the controls are just plain horrible. it's extremely difficult to control the character and the system doesn't register when you press a button half the time. considering the game is entirely QTE button presses, that's a serious problem. i missed a lot of opportunities to expand the story because of that. in addition it's nearly impossible to see the on-screen prompts, and i'm playing on a 37" HDTV. they're like a quarter inch tall. that only added to the frustration. the final nail in the coffin was the story/dialog. atrocious. in a game that's supposed to suck you in with its story that's a fatal flaw. ever wanted to spend 10 minutes brushing your teeth and shaving in a video game? yea, me neither but heavy rain forces you to. some will like this game. if it were released in the mid-90s heyday of FMV games i would have too. but in the ADD, over-caffeinated world of 2010 it commits the most egregious of errors: it's boring.… Expand
  64. RubenK
    Mar 6, 2010
    8
    Er werd aan dit spel toch heel wat ruchtbaarheid gegeven en Sony zelf beweert dat dit hun beste spel ooit is. Eerlijk gezegd kan ik dit slechts tot op een bepaald hoogte volgen. Grafisch en game-technisch gesproken is dit inderdaad een game van de bovenste plank en boeit de story line tot op de laatste seconde. Bovendien wordt er toch op de emoties van de gamer gespeeld. Ik heb zelf het Er werd aan dit spel toch heel wat ruchtbaarheid gegeven en Sony zelf beweert dat dit hun beste spel ooit is. Eerlijk gezegd kan ik dit slechts tot op een bepaald hoogte volgen. Grafisch en game-technisch gesproken is dit inderdaad een game van de bovenste plank en boeit de story line tot op de laatste seconde. Bovendien wordt er toch op de emoties van de gamer gespeeld. Ik heb zelf het spel 2 keer gespeeld om even te testen of de intelligente story line ook werkt en inderdaad de tweede keer lag de uitkomst van het verhaal toch helemaal anders. Naargelang je keuzes speel je ook meer of minder verschillende scènes. Los van dit alles zijn er toch een aantal minpunten die het vermelden waard zijn. De game komt in het begin nogal verwarrend over, het verhaal op zich is niet helemaal duidelijk en het helpt dus zeker niet dat je met 4 totaal onafhankelijke personages speelt. Verder duurt de overgang van één speldeel naar een ander (lees van één spelkarakter naar een ander) toch wel soms tot 1 à 2 minuten wat een beetje de atmosfeer breekt. Ook werd er reeds bij andere gamers vastgesteld dat het spel crasht, iets wat toch niet zou mogen bij dit soort hoogstandjes. Persoonlijk heb ik dit een 4-tal keer voorgehad, niet zo leuk dus als je net midden in een spannende scène zit. Ook de manier hoe de controller gebruikt moet worden in deze game, bracht hier en daar wel wat ergernis. De manier hoe je je personages moet laten lopen is verre van handig. Ook het feit dat je hele toetsencombinaties moet gaan gebruiken (al dan niet vasthoudend) om je personage bepaalde activiteiten te laten uitvoeren maken deze game niet erg gebruiksvriendelijk. Als laatste punt toch ook even aanhalen dat indien je een paar foute beslissingen maakt of één van je personages sterft, tja dan heb je echt wel pech want dan speel je dit speel op een regenachtige namiddag in één ruk uit. Je kan er natuurlijk voor opteren om het spel opnieuw te spelen en proberen beter te doen of andere beslissingen te nemen, maar dan nog speel je het spel in een mum van tijd uit. Ik had toch verwacht dat dit spel langer zou meegaan, zeker voor het prijskaartje wat er aan vasthangt. Besluit: al bij al zeker geen slechte game als je van adventures houdt, maar toch nog heel wat ruimte voor verbetering.… Expand
  65. JasonT
    Mar 6, 2010
    9
    I'm sorry to see the low user score for this game. I just finished my first play through, and I'm deeply impressed with what has been accomplished here. I think if you judge this game as a movie, or as a video game, it fails. This is what many people have done. I think it's a new thing, with nuances and new ideas, and you need a new system to judge it. Quantic Dream wants I'm sorry to see the low user score for this game. I just finished my first play through, and I'm deeply impressed with what has been accomplished here. I think if you judge this game as a movie, or as a video game, it fails. This is what many people have done. I think it's a new thing, with nuances and new ideas, and you need a new system to judge it. Quantic Dream wants to show you something new, they take risks that don't always pay off, but if that appeals to you, don't waste your money on the Nth FPS game this year, play this game. QD and others will undoubtedly improve on this foundation, but someone has to start. You should get in and support what they're doing. I'd like to get one kind of dumb thing out of the way now. People have complained about the voice acting... this blows my mind. The voice acting is not universally good, but the leads are extremely strong. Really only the child actors sound unpolished, but Heavy Rain plays like "The Piano" compared to any of the new Star Wars movies. And who cares if some of them sound a little French-affected? I'm charmed whenever somebody is willing to learn my wacko language to get through to me. Pretend the game takes place in Paris if that helps you get past it. The first thing to discuss is the idea of plot. The game does not have a linear story, or "wow! four different endings". It's a giant branching tree enclosing a large number of stories and tones, and the sum of the whole things is what the game offers. I think you must play through more than once to get the big picture. You cannot save at some point and keep replaying a scene until you get the outcome you desire. This alone was a bold choice and drastically changes your relationship with the game, and it will certainly alienate a lot of perfectionist gamers. In fact, the extent to which you can screw something up, and the narrative just folds seemlessly around your errors like a wound closing, is a major technical accomplishment. The rest of the review contains *** MAJOR SPOILERS *** For example, I played all of the characters fairly well to a point about halfway into the game, where I see my FBI agent Jayden killed horribly in a scrapyard. At this point I sacrificed any hope of seeing him through to the end; I have no idea what his story was like, all of the time I invested with him played out to nothing. I really felt like I had let him down, I worried that other characters would have to make serious sacrifices to make up for his loss, and I was right on both counts. I had to stop playing for the night, which you know doesn't happen too often :). Quantic Dream has also given you the ability to play a character "a certain way", which may not have anything to do with the ending, but affects the way the drama unfolds. For example, many people have complained about "the big twist", being Scott Shelby as the origami killer. The point of this twist is not to startle you cheaply. The point is that it's easy to like this guy; and because you like him, you play him like he's nice, expecting the game to reward you for being nice; and you work hard to make him nice, and then the game betrays you. And it makes you mad... you want him to succeed, but all of the help you've given him turns out to be help covering his tracks as the killer, working against what you're doing with the other characters. When you play it the next time, will you make him a jerk because you know what else he does? Do you think he gets away with it *because* he's nice? The truth is, it's easy to see it coming, but they don't point big fingers at it. Shelby talks down strong leads provided by Lauren. The question of who hired Shelby, and how long it goes unanswered, should have been burning in everyone's mind by the time the killer's identity is revealed. And the ease and directness with which he murders more than a dozen security guards gave me some serious pause when it happened. Similarly, you can play Ethan as a kind man or as a jerk. Do you overpower your kids playing with them in the backyard? Do you sit on your ass while your wife cleans the kitchen? Do you regard Madison with suspicion, take her help but keep her out or your life? Ethan is innocent, but maybe he's a jerk anyway. I intend to play the game through again this way, just to see how it affects the narrative. I suspect many people will not explore your ability to control the game's tone through character judgment, but it's a huge part of the game's offering and your experience is weaker if you don't take advantage of it. Frequently you have to make hard choices, and sometimes the outcome is not what you expect. Sometimes you're rewarded for chickening out. Sometimes you think you're making a sacrifice but you aren't. Late in the game, you have to really think about what you're doing, and because I couldn't reliably predict what the outcome of my actions would be, I'd instead think "what would Ethan do?" And even if I thought it was a dumb thing to do, or it conflicted with information that other characters had (but ethan didn't), I'd go ahead and do it, for Ethan, and feel some kind of satisfaction for helping this character do what he had to do. Even if I thought it would take me further from the best ending. That is a new thing for me in a video game, or really any kind of media or art. So I feel real gratitude for having this game now; that's a new thing too.… Expand
  66. JohnnyS
    Mar 5, 2010
    10
    This game has a ton of mixed reviews. By reading a lot of comments, it's clear that this game is either hated or loved. James S., why on earth would you call this game predictable? This is the more unpredictable than any game or movie I've ever seen. It literally has the biggest and best twist I've ever seen. It fits in perfectly with the game after you find out more This game has a ton of mixed reviews. By reading a lot of comments, it's clear that this game is either hated or loved. James S., why on earth would you call this game predictable? This is the more unpredictable than any game or movie I've ever seen. It literally has the biggest and best twist I've ever seen. It fits in perfectly with the game after you find out more information. And for the people saying it lacks game play - that's because this is a special type of game. It's not Modern Warfare 2. You're not running around, picking fights. This is a story-surrounded game. You're supposed to be focused on the story where you make changes to it as you go along. The gameplay is made how it is so that it doesn't distract from the story. Know what a game is about before you judge.… Expand
  67. ParkerJ
    Mar 5, 2010
    10
    Heavy Rain is literally the greatest game I have ever played. I have never been addicted to a game like I have Heavy Rain. The story was phenomenal. The characters were incredible. I can't fit my emotions towards this game in a comment. It has to be experienced hands-on. No one will fail to thoroughly enjoy this game, and if you do, you need to rethink entertainment. I was in awe and Heavy Rain is literally the greatest game I have ever played. I have never been addicted to a game like I have Heavy Rain. The story was phenomenal. The characters were incredible. I can't fit my emotions towards this game in a comment. It has to be experienced hands-on. No one will fail to thoroughly enjoy this game, and if you do, you need to rethink entertainment. I was in awe and shock at the ending. You will not be let down or regret buying this game. It's worth much more than its current price.… Expand
  68. MarcosV
    Mar 5, 2010
    10
    Masterpiece. The game is absolutely incredible. From the first scene it got me totally absorved into the story and the ambience. The beginning is slow but the game gets to a point where you cant stop playing no matter what and you have to make decisions that really really matter. I felt a lot of emotion while playing most of the scenes and that has been very difficult for me this last Masterpiece. The game is absolutely incredible. From the first scene it got me totally absorved into the story and the ambience. The beginning is slow but the game gets to a point where you cant stop playing no matter what and you have to make decisions that really really matter. I felt a lot of emotion while playing most of the scenes and that has been very difficult for me this last yars. I've been really bored of videogames lately and couldnt find any that i liked really. But this game is so entertaining for me i cant even explain. Hope they continue making games as wonderfull and absorving as this one, so they will have me still interested in videogame industry for the years to come. 10 for me!! absolute masterpiece!!… Expand
  69. MB
    Mar 5, 2010
    8
    A technical marvel, and a riveting experience that is made imperfect due to a simple contradiction: The style of game is designed to bring the story to the forefront of the experience, which puts an already flawed story under even heavier scrutiny. A few patches over a plot-hole filled, mashed together endgame would have elevated Heavy Rain into the pantheon of adventure gaming. Sadly, we A technical marvel, and a riveting experience that is made imperfect due to a simple contradiction: The style of game is designed to bring the story to the forefront of the experience, which puts an already flawed story under even heavier scrutiny. A few patches over a plot-hole filled, mashed together endgame would have elevated Heavy Rain into the pantheon of adventure gaming. Sadly, we must be content with the game merely being "good".… Expand
  70. AlexM
    Mar 5, 2010
    10
    Truly stellar. A compelling narrative that, while it may suffer from some presentational flaws, reveals something different and exciting with each subsequent playthrough. Heavy Rain is an example of cliches done right, with characters that the player truly feels for. A well done endeavor and worth the purchase, if you think the departure from normal gameplay conventions is something that Truly stellar. A compelling narrative that, while it may suffer from some presentational flaws, reveals something different and exciting with each subsequent playthrough. Heavy Rain is an example of cliches done right, with characters that the player truly feels for. A well done endeavor and worth the purchase, if you think the departure from normal gameplay conventions is something that you might be able to tolerate. This is certainly a love it or hate it affair but those willing to detach a bit from previous notions will be rewarded with a well crafted story.… Expand
  71. StevenA
    Mar 4, 2010
    10
    One reason why I love Heavy Rain is because its one of the very few games out there that actually made afraid to die in the game. Also, because its one of the first games to have my heart beat fast with fright at some points. Also, because I can tell that a lot of heart was put into the development of this game. Thats very important and Heavy Rain will not be forgotten anytime soon. I One reason why I love Heavy Rain is because its one of the very few games out there that actually made afraid to die in the game. Also, because its one of the first games to have my heart beat fast with fright at some points. Also, because I can tell that a lot of heart was put into the development of this game. Thats very important and Heavy Rain will not be forgotten anytime soon. I went straight to buy this game, because my mission is to collect a series of hardcore PS3 exclusives. Such titles include Uncharted 2, Infamous and God of War III. But Heavy Rain is not a game for everyone. And its definitely not the kind of game you pop up at a gaming party or something. Its too slow-paced for some, but being a multi-genre gamer, I see the good in games. I recommend a rental, in case you don't like the gameplay. But if you want to see everything 100%, its worth it to buy it. Excellent game. 10/10. For this being the start of a new popular genre in gaming.… Expand
  72. ColinB
    Mar 4, 2010
    7
    I was absolutely enjoying this game all the way through. Sure it had it's issues (voice acting, unconvincing characters, character movement), but I had a great time with my first playthrough. That is, until I reached the end. The ending almost made me upset that I played it all the way through. I understand that they wanted to throw in a huge twist, but come on now with the origami I was absolutely enjoying this game all the way through. Sure it had it's issues (voice acting, unconvincing characters, character movement), but I had a great time with my first playthrough. That is, until I reached the end. The ending almost made me upset that I played it all the way through. I understand that they wanted to throw in a huge twist, but come on now with the origami killer's identity. This part of the game was absolutely ridiculous, you have a guy searching for the killer and helping the entire game, only to find out that HE is the killer. Just plain horrible writing. If this was a movie it never would have seen the light of day. All that said I thoroughly enjoyed most of the game and if the story was a little better, I'd say it deserves a 9 or 10. Still, it is worth a playthrough. And I may play it though again, at least to make the killer do bad things in the story, to make the ending plausible.… Expand
  73. BrentJ
    Mar 4, 2010
    10
    First I have new reviewed a game before even though i consider myself a regular gamer. When i saw the user score of a 6.3 I was so pissed i decided to write a review. First the game starts off slow and im sure these idiots that gave the game a 5 or lower gave up after the intro. This is by far the prettiest game i have ever played on the ps3.It did freeze my system twice but that was no First I have new reviewed a game before even though i consider myself a regular gamer. When i saw the user score of a 6.3 I was so pissed i decided to write a review. First the game starts off slow and im sure these idiots that gave the game a 5 or lower gave up after the intro. This is by far the prettiest game i have ever played on the ps3.It did freeze my system twice but that was no big deal because it autosaves frequently. The story is brilliant and after the first hour the game gets going to the point you will not put it down. All the way to the end the story continues to improve and your decisions throughout the game really change the ending. I found myself putting myself in the characters shoes and sometimes standing really close to the TV getting into the game without knowing. The best part about this game is that my fiancee would beg for me to play HEAVY RAIN because she loved helping and watch the story unfold. Please do not be mislead by the user reviews. I promise that this is a 90+ game. Just get through the first hour because that is kind of like the games training. After that you better just hold on for the ride!!!… Expand
  74. JacobN
    Mar 4, 2010
    2
    This game is not only disappointing, but one of the most overrated game of the year! Cons Story/Dialogue: One word: Horrible. One would think a game that depends so strongly on story, characters and dialogue, that it would be good. I'm not expecting Kafka, Dostoevsky or Camus quality here, but this is not even "Silent Hill :Shattered Memories","Uncharted 2", "Bioshock" or "Mass This game is not only disappointing, but one of the most overrated game of the year! Cons Story/Dialogue: One word: Horrible. One would think a game that depends so strongly on story, characters and dialogue, that it would be good. I'm not expecting Kafka, Dostoevsky or Camus quality here, but this is not even "Silent Hill :Shattered Memories","Uncharted 2", "Bioshock" or "Mass Effect" quality. Think of every cliché found in shows like: "Law and Order" or "CSI", It has them all and more. For example, there is a scene where the father is looking for his son, he finally realizes he can't find him. So, he walks to the middle of the streets, gets down on his knees and raises his arms out and screams his name while the rain is dripping down his face. This was a very lol moment. The story really is bad, and I am astonished at gamers reaction to it. Anyone who thinks this game has a deep, emotional and intellectual story really have to go out and get a book because this is laughably bad, Cringe worthy actually. Video game stories have been improving in the last ten years, and this game sets it back to 1999. This game is for people who think they are "intellectual" or "mature", but in all reality, if anybody have some braincells they can see the mess the story, dialogue and characters are. It fails as a movie and fails as a game, and most importantly it fails in trying to be artistic. Voice Acting: It's all over the place. sometimes the voice acting is so bad it's distracting, it really pulls you out of the immersion the game offers. Again, why would a game that depends on story have bad voice acting? I tried switching the language track. I get the same results in French and Spanish. Control: Control? The few times you get to "control" your character is horrible. Everyone moves like a tank, and one would think the developers wanted good controls to keep you immersed in the game. Once you start walking straight into a wall for the tenth time, you tend to get out of the immersion this game is trying to achieve, and no you do not get use to it. Pros Music: Very good. Dark, moody and atmospheric. Perfect for the game subject matter. Don't want a shooter or another FPS game? Support real games with great controls and a great story that's original and fun! get "Silent Hill: Shattered Memories" I am not a "fanboy" of any company. I love and respect all, but I love and respect games even more, Please support great games that do something different...That's actually good. I'm assuming people who purchase "Heavy Rain" are for something different, but I hope gamers will realize what is hype and what is good. "Shattered Memories" is ART, not "Heavy Rain"… Expand
  75. JamesS.
    Mar 3, 2010
    3
    [***SPOILERS***] Rather than deal with the two-dimensional characters, the rushed relationships between them, and the awkwardly forced way in which Origami Killer suspects are created, I want to focus instead on Heavy Rain's worst and most glaring fault -- the Origami Killer himself. This revelation, and all the problems it causes, absolutely wrecked the plot for me, and was easily [***SPOILERS***] Rather than deal with the two-dimensional characters, the rushed relationships between them, and the awkwardly forced way in which Origami Killer suspects are created, I want to focus instead on Heavy Rain's worst and most glaring fault -- the Origami Killer himself. This revelation, and all the problems it causes, absolutely wrecked the plot for me, and was easily the biggest reason that myself and many others refuse to hail it as a masterpiece. Obviously, huge spoilers are contained in the rest of my comment. If you have finished Heavy Rain, or don't intend to play it, feel free to read on. I enjoyed playing Heavy Rain. However, judged as a piece of fiction -- as a story -- Heavy Rain is awful. If it were the movie David Cage so desperately wishes it to be, it would be laughed out of a film festival and torn to shreds by critics who are used to far better. Hell, even as gamers, we are used to better stories than this. The game starts slow, begins to get quite interesting in the middle section, and very nearly achieves something special. However, just when things are really ramping up, Quantic Dream throws in one of the worst twists ever seen, pulled from the bowels of M. Night Shamalan's most convoluted nightmares. Scott Shelby is the Origami Killer. Wait, what? The overweight asthmatic in his fifties whom we play as for a majority of the game? WHAT A TWIST! Of course, that's the reaction Quantic Dream was hoping to achieve. The developers of Heavy Rain had attempted to pull the wool over our eyes and dazzle us with something we could not have predicted. For a few gullible people, it worked. They were so amazed at this highly innovative approach -- to make our very own hands guide the Origami Killer unwittingly -- that they failed to see not only how predictable such a move would be, but also ignored all the plot holes, red herrings and blatant lies that the game included up to that moment. First of all, let us tackle the idea of a player character being the killer. It was predictable. I called that the moment I started playing. The game even introduced the idea to us by unsubtly attempting to make players believe that Ethan Mars, another playable character, was the killer. Ethan's blackouts, and his outright statements that he was the killer, were not only part of a vary obvious and underhanded attempt to fool the player, but also helped to telegraph the "twist" of a player character being the shocktastic antagonist. Speaking of Ethan's blackouts, were they ever explained? Not during my playthrough, and not during the playthrough of anybody else I know. I mean, outside of an "oh he's got trauma which we'll mention in a brief aside to try and cover up this deus ex machina and then we'll never mention it again LOL!" Such an integral plot device ought to have been definitely addressed, cleared up, and had more of an impact on the story rather than be used as a cheap excuse to cover the game's own bullshit, should it not? Not in Heavy Rain, apparently. Not in this alleged tour de force of a videogame narrative. It was nothing but a flagrant deus ex machina, one that was then conveniently tossed out of the story once it became an inconvenience. Not only is this intellectually dishonest, it's downright insulting to assume that the audience would happily forget such a significant part of the plot in order to play along with Quantic's rather convoluted conclusion. Speaking of the game's dishonesty, let's get to the most duplicitous crime the game commits. While a player character being the killer is predictable, it could still have worked quite well and even been hailed as a masterpiece, were it not for one major problem: the game allows you to read player characters' thoughts. Throughout Heavy Rain, you are constantly able to press a shoulder button to read Shelby's mind, and not once does he EVER mention the fact that he's a child murderer, which you'd think would be a predominant thought in the mind of a child murderer who murders children. In fact, he thinks only like a detective trying to catch the Origami Killer. Yeah, that's what he's pretending to be, but why is he pretending it to himself? His actions and feelings don't seem to add up, either. He feels genuine sympathy for other characters, even though serial killers are not known for their ability to empathize with fellow humans. Just take his relationship with Lauren, the mother of one of his victims. His feelings toward her never indicate that he might be worried about, y'know, hanging out with the mother of a kid her killed. At worst, his feelings toward her are summed up with the thought, and I quote, "I don't do partners too well." There is one scene in particular where Shelby has a chance to get rid of Lauren, when she storms out of the car during an argument and says she'll find the killer on her own. Rather than let her go, Shelby feels bad for her, brings her back, and even gives her his coat to shield her from the rain in a touching scene that just wouldn't happen. Shelby seems to have a habit of doing this, too. In moments where he could get away with evidence, which is apparently his goal, he seems to dig himself into a deeper hole. There's a scene with Mrs. Bowles, another mother of a victim, who has attempted to commit suicide. When Shelby sees the suicide note, he laments and curses, and then hurries to save her. The Origami Killer would surely be elated and let her die, giving him full reign to search her trailer for evidence without fear of getting caught. Instead, he potentially incriminates himself by reviving a witness and risking not having an opportunity to search the house without raising suspicion. Going back to Shelby's thoughts, there are too many deliberate red herrings to name, but a few that I took note of are highly conspicuous in the fact that a serial killer would simply not think them. Here are a few prime examples: * "I need a rest, I haven't been sleeping since the murders started up again" -- would he really refer to his own work as "the murders," not only in such an incriminating tone (I've not heard of many serial killers so honest with themselves), but in a way that very clearly implies that they involved somebody else? * "All the newspapers are talking about Shaun Mars, the kid who disappeared" -- again, it's so impersonal. Why would he refer to Shaun as the kid who disappeared when he knows exactly where he is? * "Can't breathe with all this goddamn rain. I hope it stops soon" -- considering Scott uses rainwater to kill his kids, he obviously doesn't want the rain to stop soon. Why would he tell himself that he does? * "Maybe she knows something about the circumstances surrounding her son's death" -- nobody but a private detective thinks like this. If he were the killer, he would not, in such a roundabout way, reference the murder like this. Not unless he's trying to fool someone, and since this is an internal thought process, he can only be breaking the fourth wall and trying to fool the player. * "Said he didn't wanna talk. Might've known something" -- said of the father of one of his victims. Considering Shelby knows exactly what he's sent to the fathers, he knows exactly what he "might've" known. These are just some examples of the thoughts Shelby has, and none of them make sense. There are only two reasons for Shelby's thoughts to be so impersonal and staged. Either Quantic Dream knows nothing about how serial killers or even real people think, or Shelby knows he is in a videogame and is deliberately thinking things to throw us off the scent. Neither are really very good excuses, and one of them means the game is dishonest. The fact of the matter is, the whole mind-reading gimmick was clearly a bad idea because it completely undermined the big plot reveal. You can't delve into the thoughts of a serial killer who hasn't been revealed as a serial killer without those very thoughts making no sense whatsoever. You can't do it without simply ignoring common sense or outright distorting the truth. Then there are examples of evidence that don't work. The killer is determined by Madison and Ethan to be in his forties. Indeed, Scott Shelby was meant to be a child no older than ten in 1977. Why, then, is Scott Shelby clearly a man in his late fifties? Sorry, but don't try to tell me that the character model for Shelby is supposed to represent anybody below the age of fifty. If we're to believe that Scott Shelby isn't on the wrong side of fifty, then I'd say that's a stunning indictment on Quantic Dream's graphics department. No, they were able to construct the faces of the other characters perfectly well. The only explanation that makes sense is that it was another deliberate attempt to lazily hide the truth. Ultimately, Heavy Rain falls victim to its own ambition. It tried too hard to be clever and overshot. Not everything has to have a grand plot twist, and frankly I'd have preferred to see an NPC revealed as the killer. Sure, it may not have been as "shocking," but at least it would have been sensible, and that is more important to me than some gimmicky and hamfisted attempt to surprise. Perhaps something like this could have worked with more care and attention, but it seems that Heavy Rain favored quick fixes and discarded plot devices to actually dealing with any fallout from its plot twist, and anybody with a mind of their own ought to be smart enough to figure that out. If Heavy Rain is truly the pinnacle of video game narrative, then I fear our standards are horrifically low. Sending out the message to publishers that this is what we consider an artistic triumph is terrible. Games can do and have done better than this, but we've now set the bar incredibly low. The high praise for Heavy Rain has effectively sent the message that game writers don't have to try and create a tight, cohesive story. All they need to do is clumsily copy a bunch of classic movies with less than half the care and attention to detail in order to trick people into thinking their game is mature. The overall message seems to be this -- what would be unacceptable in a movie is okay for a video game, because gamers are effing stupid. That's really not the message I'd like to see gamers sending.… Expand
  76. AlexandreL
    Mar 3, 2010
    3
    For a game that want to take itself like a movie, they really miss they're shot. Voice acting is horrible, in English, or in French ( since I speak primarily French). Gameplay is non-existent; you walk and use QTEs. The worst part is the terrible incoherent story. Plus there is nothing new in this game but the lack of gameplay.
  77. KritU
    Mar 3, 2010
    10
    This is one of the BEST games I played so far this year. I understand many reviewers may not like it because of many reasons (I bet the paycheck from Microsoft is one of them). But I quote this from X-Play Morgan Webb "This game is not a game for everybody, but everybody should play". I think people should give it a try and see for themselves. I cannot promise that all of you will like This is one of the BEST games I played so far this year. I understand many reviewers may not like it because of many reasons (I bet the paycheck from Microsoft is one of them). But I quote this from X-Play Morgan Webb "This game is not a game for everybody, but everybody should play". I think people should give it a try and see for themselves. I cannot promise that all of you will like it. But I bet most of you out there will. Just set your mind straight before you play it, this is not a GAME. You will be watching a movie that your decision mean something in it.… Expand
  78. JanW.
    Mar 3, 2010
    5
    First of all, I've really liked Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, Quantic Dream's earlier game in the same style. Despite its story shortcomings, Fahrenheit still stands as THE most intense gaming experience I've ever had. Unfortunately, that includes having played Heavy Rain. After Fahrenheit I thought if they just fixed the mindless, over-the-top fantasy story it'd be First of all, I've really liked Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, Quantic Dream's earlier game in the same style. Despite its story shortcomings, Fahrenheit still stands as THE most intense gaming experience I've ever had. Unfortunately, that includes having played Heavy Rain. After Fahrenheit I thought if they just fixed the mindless, over-the-top fantasy story it'd be gold. I really like the QTE approach though, as I find it a very enjoyable way to "play" a movie. It really brings together the best of both worlds, movies and gaming. More interactivity isn't always the most entertaining, at least not for me. Now, what about Heavy Rain? While I still support its general approach to gaming and while I won't even bother to criticize the graphics, voice acting or stuff like that (let me just say, it's all at least "good enough"), the story is simply a disaster. OK, David Cage now got rid of (most of) the fantasy stuff, adhering to the Fahrenheit critics, and yet the story still stinks. It just contains a plethora of plot holes and inconsistencies, it sometimes leaps without enough explanation, and, worst of all, it's very predictable, yet trying to sell it's completely unsurprising revelation as a giant twist. Furthermore, but that is personal, I think it is also very boring, and that includes most of the uninspiring cast. In the end, I think Fahrenheit was actually the much better game. Granted, it was way too weird, but at least the story was much more thrilling, less predictable, and featured much better characters. Heavy Rain, though, is a failure. While everyone should applaud David Cage for actually inventing this type of video game, I think it's obvious by now that in terms of writing skill, he just isn't capable of taking it to the next level. Someone else please!… Expand
  79. TimM
    Mar 3, 2010
    10
    A superb title. QuanticDream succeeds in creating an intense and bleak atmosphere. Where a tiny bit of the acting can sometimes fall a little short(only for some of the characters, a lot of them were mostly well-done), this is one of the few games I can think of in recent history that makes you genuinely care if the characters live or die. A few of the characters weren't completely A superb title. QuanticDream succeeds in creating an intense and bleak atmosphere. Where a tiny bit of the acting can sometimes fall a little short(only for some of the characters, a lot of them were mostly well-done), this is one of the few games I can think of in recent history that makes you genuinely care if the characters live or die. A few of the characters weren't completely fleshed out as much as QuanticDream would have liked(a lot wasn't persay discussed about Madison or Norman, but they were still cool characters), but most characters seemed mostly developed. There are some critics that for some reason think the story is lackluster(such as Destructoid's own big fat guy, Jim Sterling), but obviously these kinds of critics come off as pretentious, as the story itself is mostly well-written. There are a few plot-holes, but that doesn't make the story bad in anyway, it just makes it not perfect. I personally thought the gameplay was really intriguing, as most of it is either walking around investigating the area or a series of action-packed quick-time-events...which I suppose wouldn't appeal to the "I LOVE CALL OF DUTY" twitch shooter guys, but that's OK because this game isn't for everyone. BUT, I can honestly say that this is a game like no other. Never before does a game pull you into the characters like this game does, nor can I think of too many games in recent history that give you the same kind of adrenaline rush that this game does. The game can be depressing, but in a very beautiful and artistic way. The game also LOOKS fantastic. One of the best looking console games so far. It has a few minor flaws, but for the most part it looks excellent. I've rambled on long enough. Anyone that is willing to look at games in a different light and aren't expecting a typical shooter or typical game really... should go and give this a try. I feel this is a game that should be played and discussed. At the very least, rent it. But if you want to support unique games that rely on more than what most games typically provide, I suggest you go out and buy a copy of Heavy Rain. How far would you go to save someone you love?… Expand
  80. Gary
    Mar 3, 2010
    5
    The game is fantastic and deserves a 9 or 10 out of 10. but it has one massive flaw: The game is broken. The game crashed and froze my PS3 at one point so I had to shut it down. Once i turned it back on, it will no longer load any of my autosaves, and I can't even load my game from an earlier chapter. A game has to be playable, and this is just not acceptable. Apart from that massive The game is fantastic and deserves a 9 or 10 out of 10. but it has one massive flaw: The game is broken. The game crashed and froze my PS3 at one point so I had to shut it down. Once i turned it back on, it will no longer load any of my autosaves, and I can't even load my game from an earlier chapter. A game has to be playable, and this is just not acceptable. Apart from that massive flaw, this is one of the most interesting and intense games I have played in a long time. It is a shame that I can no longer continue playing apart from starting a new save game. I hope they release a patch soon because this game deserves better.… Expand
  81. ValerianR.
    Mar 3, 2010
    9
    I´m playing video games for almost 18 years now. No matter if racing, shooting, horror, jump´n´run what so ever, I´ve played it all. I have never written any critics or have reviewed a game. This is the first one, ´cause I have never in my life played anything quite like Heavy Rain. I was hooked the moment it started. Of course I´ve heard all the hype I´m playing video games for almost 18 years now. No matter if racing, shooting, horror, jump´n´run what so ever, I´ve played it all. I have never written any critics or have reviewed a game. This is the first one, ´cause I have never in my life played anything quite like Heavy Rain. I was hooked the moment it started. Of course I´ve heard all the hype and normally I don´t believe "hype". For example imo Modern Warfare (2) plain out sucks (sorry guys). So please forget the "hype argument". I do understand that not everyone loves Heavy Rain the way I do, ´cause it surely isn´t a game for everyone. But it really is something absolutly new. So even if you don´t like it for God sake at least rent it, ´cause you really have to expirience something like this game. The only reason why I am not giving it a 10 is because I wasn´t able to do all the buttoncombinations while hanging relaxed on my couch. But normally this game is so full of drama, emotions and pretty intelligent stuff that you won´t be able to relax, because you can´t let it happen to not-witness even a slpit second. After the first 30 minutes of playing I couldn´t wait to get through the game only to start all over again to see the other possible ways to get to the end. A lot of the other points like gameplay, story, innovative fighting scence and so on would get a 15 out of 10 if that would be possible... Honestly guys, check this game out - even if you don´t love it you sure as hell will never forget this game. THIS is next gen the way I think it should be. THIS is the future.… Expand
  82. MinbadThefourth
    Mar 3, 2010
    9
    Not so many real choices, and one big disappointing fact imo, but I won't spoil it here. Overall the game is beautiful, the ideas are original, and most important of all, you feel emotions playing it. Fun, anxiety and suspense rise the player's levels to "very high"... If you're just not that open-minded, then walk away.
  83. RobertK.
    Mar 3, 2010
    10
    Storytelling at a new level, Heavy Rain puts the videogame as a medium to a new level. Poor people see only QTE's instead of the story mechanics and pissed off xbox fanboys will give it a 1/10 too.
  84. openminded
    Mar 2, 2010
    9
    Heavy Rain boldly goes where the vast majority of developers wouldn't dare tread, and does so with one hell of a kicker. Let's get this straight right off the bat.. This game is certainly not for everyone. FPS junkies with ADD beware, there is a ton of thought, consequence and emotion in this wonderful title so if you're looking for the a quick fix, I suggest you stay away. Heavy Rain boldly goes where the vast majority of developers wouldn't dare tread, and does so with one hell of a kicker. Let's get this straight right off the bat.. This game is certainly not for everyone. FPS junkies with ADD beware, there is a ton of thought, consequence and emotion in this wonderful title so if you're looking for the a quick fix, I suggest you stay away. To those with a little patience who want to experience something totally new and insightful, you owe it to yourself to pick this title up today. It is one that will be on your mind when you're not playing it and one that will make you press pause and ponder the right decision for some time. No, it isn't perfect (my only issue being that of french actors doing the voice overs) but in a venture that took massive courage, it is pretty close. Congratulations Quantic Dream, you hit this one out of the park.… Expand
  85. StephenN.
    Mar 2, 2010
    9
    This game is brave enough to be different and for me it works really well. I am enjoying my playthrough and even experimented with playing scenes again to work out if they turn out any different and to a degree they do. It's not perfect but I really hope that this sells well and pushes other developers to build titles like this. This game is a good place to start.
  86. EoinF.
    Mar 2, 2010
    10
    Fantastic, all the way through, fantastic. Now if your basing the option whether to buy this game or not on these reviews: DON'T. Mostly action junkies post reviews on this site. In my opinion, this is definetely one of the BEST games on PS3. Don't let the beginning put you off, get a bit into it and you'll see why!
  87. ChristopherS.
    Mar 2, 2010
    9
    What a great game! I am a large proponent of entertainment software as a legitimate art form -- just like literature, drama and films, so this game is a step in the right direction. It is also a gripping, entertaining and emotionally moving experience. There are, however, some serious flaws with this game. The most jarring to me as an American is that this game was clearly made by What a great game! I am a large proponent of entertainment software as a legitimate art form -- just like literature, drama and films, so this game is a step in the right direction. It is also a gripping, entertaining and emotionally moving experience. There are, however, some serious flaws with this game. The most jarring to me as an American is that this game was clearly made by foreigners who don't really understand the way things work over here. Someone from Europe or Asia might not pick this up, but if you're going to release a game in a market set in that market's culture -- GET IT RIGHT! The voice acting was not "bad" at all, but, as many pointed out, it is clear that many of the actors were foreigners trying with varying degrees of success to emulate an American accent. The private eye, Ethan, and Madison all have believable (or close enough) American accents but many of the other actors have jarringly affected accents (no Hugh Laurie's here). The second thing that stands out -- (and this is admittedly trifling, I suppose) is the U.S. Citizen ID Card. Such a thing is not only non-existent, but it sends shivers up my spine even contemplating the idea of such a thing! There are other little things that show lack of polish in getting the setting right -- I won't go into them. But, hey Quantic Dream, if you set a game in the States, make sure to hire a consultant expert in American culture so you get it right. I will mention that a legal expert might have been nice too -- the whole scene with the cop, fbi agent, and psychologist show a profound lack of understanding of the American legal system. (I don't think even a Cop like Blake would be THAT blatant in his disregard of the law especially with an educated citizen who could do something about it). I am totally willing to forgive these flaws because the overall theme, "How far would you go to save someone you love?" does not fail because of these flaws. They do make suspension of disbelief a tad more difficult for Americans, particularly educated ones. I'd imagine a Euro or Japan audience wouldn't even notice though. Finally, with Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy and Heavy Rain, has demonstrated the concept of the interactive drama as a medium of expression. My sincere hope is that rather than focusing on new engine's, better graphics for these type games, Quantic Dream and imitators will focus on maturing the NARRATIVE -- make more like this but don't expend so much effort on graphics, etc. Focus on maturing the narrative both the plot and technique. Don't let the technology tail wag the narrative dog. Because it's an incredible, rather unique and emotional experience that can pave the way for the maturation of entertainment software, the game deserves a 9.… Expand
  88. George
    Mar 2, 2010
    10
    Amazing! Absolutely Amazing. This is the second best game I have ever Played! (second only to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves). Every aspect of Heavy Rain is perfect, the story was engaging and thoroughly interesting, with the Origami killer's identity a must-know after about 3 hours of gameplay. The campaign itself will take about 8-10 hours to complete, and every minute is amazing. The Amazing! Absolutely Amazing. This is the second best game I have ever Played! (second only to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves). Every aspect of Heavy Rain is perfect, the story was engaging and thoroughly interesting, with the Origami killer's identity a must-know after about 3 hours of gameplay. The campaign itself will take about 8-10 hours to complete, and every minute is amazing. The only criticism would fall on the slow start, but, once the main plot focus begins, you will have to fight yourself away from the game, because its a true gaming revolution. Sure the interactive play isn't as interactive as you might want, but who cares. This game is as close to perfect as you can currently get (not forgetting Uncharted 2). Buy it! BUY IT NOW! It's money well spent! Can't wait for Heavy Rain 2 (and Uncharted 3)!… Expand
  89. CharlieF.
    Mar 2, 2010
    10
    This game is downright incredible. The bad reviews you see are...ridiculous. Any of the reviews that give this a 90 or lower I just cant respect. I know we're supposed to respect other people's decisions (and i normally do) but in this case, I simply can't respect anybody that reviews Heavy Rain and doesn't give it a "good" score. This game deserves all of the praise This game is downright incredible. The bad reviews you see are...ridiculous. Any of the reviews that give this a 90 or lower I just cant respect. I know we're supposed to respect other people's decisions (and i normally do) but in this case, I simply can't respect anybody that reviews Heavy Rain and doesn't give it a "good" score. This game deserves all of the praise it gets. Congratulations, Quantic Dream. You have made me feel more emotional about a video game than I ever have before.… Expand
  90. Brad
    Mar 2, 2010
    9
    This is one of my favorite games of all time. The story, themes and realistic tone are something we rarely see in video games. Those people who think that this game is linear haven't played through the whole. The first half is engaging but slow and fairly linear - it does have a bunch of scenes that can't really be "lost" because the game is getting the player used to the This is one of my favorite games of all time. The story, themes and realistic tone are something we rarely see in video games. Those people who think that this game is linear haven't played through the whole. The first half is engaging but slow and fairly linear - it does have a bunch of scenes that can't really be "lost" because the game is getting the player used to the controls, but in the second half of the game is incredibly intense and everything counts. I have played through the second half three times now and had things play out in wildly different ways each time. On my first playthrough two of the main characters died - one of them fairly early on. Heavy Rain isn't for people with an itchy trigger finger, but it is one of the great games of this console generation. And anyone who says bad things about the graphics must be high. The game looks stunning.… Expand
  91. Samson
    Mar 1, 2010
    6
    First, I play quite a few games and feel that I'm very objective when it comes to critiquing and reviewing a game. Being completely honest... I don't see how so many critics (and users) are giving this game 9 and 10 scores. I'll start with the good points. The graphics are pretty good, although I don't think they're as good as people proclaim. The gameplay is First, I play quite a few games and feel that I'm very objective when it comes to critiquing and reviewing a game. Being completely honest... I don't see how so many critics (and users) are giving this game 9 and 10 scores. I'll start with the good points. The graphics are pretty good, although I don't think they're as good as people proclaim. The gameplay is obviously what this game is built around, and is its strongest point. It does exactly what they intended, and makes for very fun action sequences. For the most part it does play like a movie and flows fairly well, although very poor movement controls can make it feel cumbersome in some areas. I think they should have done without the quick-time events in the slow scenes that aren't time-sensitive. Now for the bad points. I don't understand how anyone can overlook how terrible some of the animation, facial expression, voice acting, etc is. Also, the story is fairly entertaining and not too predictable, but is full of massive holes and is overall not that great. Uncharted 2 is cinematic and has a very very good story. That's what Heavy Rain needed to get a good score. If your game is centered around the movie-like story and gameplay, those should be your strong points. But alas, Heavy Rain isn't much more than a bad movie. I completely agree with other reviewers who say the characters look, act, and sound like robots, due to poor animation and voice acting. With all this taken into consideration, my only thought is that people must be falling for the hype machine, and rating this game high based off of a few intense / thrilling action sequences, rather than objectively looking at the quality of the different aspects of the game (compared to other titles with similar scores). For the people rating this a 10... Go play Uncharted 2, and then ask yourself if you really think Heavy Rain is as good (or even close). Uncharted 2 = close to perfection = 96% Heavy Rain = many flaws = ~65%… Expand
  92. WillC
    Mar 1, 2010
    5
    The story is very poor but as an interactive experience it's good. Other developers will improve on the mechanics in this game ten fold. If you want to experience something new then pick it up. If you want to experience something amazing, look elsewhere.
  93. SteveK
    Mar 1, 2010
    5
    Pretty graphics with a few glitches, very poor story with a few high points, this game is doomed to be divisive as all get out. It definietly could have used more pollish, better actors, and some more effort put into actually letting you effect the story. Average to Mediocre overall, but worth a rental.
  94. JCR.
    Mar 1, 2010
    9
    This game will make you feel intense emotion and engage you in feeling you are not used to be in in your everyday life on your first try. Some stuff are very low res in the environment but overall is a great leap in design. I suggest you give it a try.
  95. LachlanS
    Mar 1, 2010
    5
    Amazing game on the first playthrough(~10 hours), but subsequent playthroughs - one of the big selling points of the game - leave very little new content to be discovered. Perhaps if Quantic Dream focused less on using motion capture and making every minute detail perfect, and spent more time on the important parts of the game (writing, gameplay, length), Heavy Rain would be a lot more enjoyable.
  96. KeithR
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    Look, let me just say right off the bat that i'm a 360 fanboy.My cousin left town for a weekend and lent me her ps3, she had just gotton heavy rain. THE GAME IS AMAZING, this game alone made me want to get a ps3, i mean dude, this is one of, if not the best games of 2010, and i mean the entire year, unless the holy savior of games comes withen now and the end of the year, looks like Look, let me just say right off the bat that i'm a 360 fanboy.My cousin left town for a weekend and lent me her ps3, she had just gotton heavy rain. THE GAME IS AMAZING, this game alone made me want to get a ps3, i mean dude, this is one of, if not the best games of 2010, and i mean the entire year, unless the holy savior of games comes withen now and the end of the year, looks like ps3 will have the best game of the year title again.… Expand
  97. richardb
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    This is the game (or maybe it isn't even a game) that I have been looking for all my life. If you are an action junkie this isn't for you. Voice acting is tremendous for everyone. Can't wait for the secoond in the trilogy. Doesn't have a cliffhanger ending but great ending(s).
  98. LouisS
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    Heavy Rain is very much like fine art. Either you like it, or you hate it. It is a very polarizing "game." I say "game" because it is not a typical game. I must agree with the developer in calling it an Interactive Drama. There is no leveling system. There are no points.There is no "princess" to save in a far-away kingdom. There is the story and how you help mold it. The experience is the Heavy Rain is very much like fine art. Either you like it, or you hate it. It is a very polarizing "game." I say "game" because it is not a typical game. I must agree with the developer in calling it an Interactive Drama. There is no leveling system. There are no points.There is no "princess" to save in a far-away kingdom. There is the story and how you help mold it. The experience is the reward. Like a good book, suspend your disbelief while engaged with it. The characters lives, cares, worries, fears, accomplishments and joy become yours. The more seriously you take the experience, the more you get out of it. Heavy Rain is an extrapolation of the classic adventure games of bygone years. Story, art and music command a greater focus in the "gameplay" (for lack of a better word) than the mad smashing of buttons. Unlike most adventure games, both action and inaction cause change in the world. Also, unlike adventure games, the game doesn't necessarily wait for you. Time is always passing, things are always moving forward. The first "act" starts off slowly in order to get you accustomed to the interface. While this undoubtedly has turned some people off for being "slow" or "boring" it is necessary to build an emotional bond with the on-screen character. Like a fine wine, or piece of exquisite art, Heavy Rain is more suited to a more sophisticated palate.… Expand
  99. CubbyM
    Mar 1, 2010
    5
    A hollow game that only has its graphics going for it. The story is generic, the characters are unmemorable and the twist ill-conceived. As someone who was looking forward to the game for the better part of the year, I knew to expect passive gameplay and tedious tasks but didn't expect to be left with such a poorly written story and unmoving experience. Being teased with the promise A hollow game that only has its graphics going for it. The story is generic, the characters are unmemorable and the twist ill-conceived. As someone who was looking forward to the game for the better part of the year, I knew to expect passive gameplay and tedious tasks but didn't expect to be left with such a poorly written story and unmoving experience. Being teased with the promise of choice only to discover that most of the scenes will end with the same conclusion was perhaps the most upsetting aspect of the game. The unimaginative, average-at-best story was a close second.… Expand
  100. timw
    Mar 1, 2010
    6
    Imagine having cutscenes like these in games like uncharted2.. where u actualy have to interact with the scenes.. that would be amazing. Anyway. this game has way to many flaws. Voice acting, facial animation, some of the textures look like it came from a 1990's video game, some of the physics are covered up in smart ways which makes it even wors in my opinion, i had frame drops many Imagine having cutscenes like these in games like uncharted2.. where u actualy have to interact with the scenes.. that would be amazing. Anyway. this game has way to many flaws. Voice acting, facial animation, some of the textures look like it came from a 1990's video game, some of the physics are covered up in smart ways which makes it even wors in my opinion, i had frame drops many times(could be my ps3 i dunno and i dont care.. its no excuse since its a exclusive), hard to see if you have to press or hold a button at times, the story is made out of failure.. i gave it a 6.4/10 as a game. and a 0/10 as a interactive movie.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best PS3 Game of 2010
3
#3 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2010
4
#4 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 107 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 99 out of 107
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 107
  3. Negative: 3 out of 107
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    90
    Put gaming conventions aside, go in with no expectations other than this is something new and massively good-looking, and you'll be rewarded with a unique experience that lurches between genius and madness, manages to be genuinely emotional, and that you'll be bursting to talk about with your friends. [Feb 2010]
  2. GamingXP
    92
    For many people Heavy Rain won’t be more than a progression of quick-time-events, but for me this game has everything a great game needs. The thrilling story, the beautiful graphics and the innovative controls will let you play on and on, till you just can’t look any longer into your TV.
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  3. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    100
    We're enjoying it immensely... It is a game like none other. [Mar 2010, p.66]
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