Heavy Rain

System: PS3
IGN Score: 9.0
Year Released: 2010

I had been waiting since last fall to play this game and had some free time over the weekend so I finally got the opportunity to play it. It's a game that had a lot of press and hype so I was really looking forward to playing it and it did not disappoint. Don't worry - there won't be any spoilers here.

The story focuses on main protagonist Ethan Mars as he hunts for his missing son. Ethan has suffered from numerous psychological issues from when his other son was killed after being hit by a car. The psychological issues separated him from his wife and distanced him from his other son, Shaun. Just when things are starting to look like they are improving between Shaun and his father, Ethan has one of his "attacks." When he awakens, Shaun is gone, and you spend the rest of the game searching for Shaun. This is where the game really takes off.

The disappointing thing is up to this point, Heavy Rain is kind of slow. OK, it's very slow. The time from inserting the disc into my PS3 to playing the game was 30 minutes. It had 280 Mb of stuff to download and install, then it had to install the game to the system. This delay is one of my biggest complaints about the PS3 and it seemed a little excessive with Heavy Rain. Once the game started, the first few hours are a bit painful, but necessary I think. They are spent teaching you the unusual control scheme and forcing you to establish an emotional bond with Ethan. It seems to drag on a little long, and at first the game plays like a detailed Sims game that isn't too fun. You begin to feel like the only thing you are going to get to do is shake the controller to brush Ethan's teeth. However, once you get to the point where Shaun goes missing, the game really takes off on a wonderful roller coaster ride that you simply don't want to quit.

The Origami killer is loose in the city. He is famous for kidnapping pre-teen boys and keeping them hostage in drains. He gives the parents a list of things to do, testing to see how far people will go to save the ones they love. The kidnappings always happen during times of heavy rain, and if the parents don't complete the tasks within a certain amount of time the boys drown in the drain. The rest of the game is spent with Ethan doing all of these ridiculous tasks in order to save his son. Along the way you meet three other main characters: Scott Shelby, a private detective interested in solving the identity of the Origami killer. Madison Paige, a journalist who meets Ethan and is trying to get a great story. And Norman Jayden, a FBI agent working with the local authorities who has fancy high-tech sun glasses used to collect evidence. Not only do you meet these characters, but you get to play them as well. The paths of all four intertwine as Ethan gets closer to saving his son and the police get closer to identifying the killer. This is where those first two hours really pay off because the game does a great job of making you like the characters and making you care. Also the game presents you with a lot of choices to make, a lot of them moral choices, and you are constantly having to decide what to do and how it will affect everyone involved. For instance, Ethan never has to do any of the things the killer requests, you have to choose if you want to do them. The story is very well written and the game really makes you think about the consequences of your choices. Unfortunately it is really difficult to say much more without spoiling some of the game's great plot surprises.

I mentioned earlier about the controls: they are unique. Basically as you walk by objects instruction boxes will pop up and you just press what button appears in the box. The game really plays more like an interactive movie where you make the decisions for the characters than a traditional game. I know it sounds kind of dull to just follow on-screen instructions for an entire game, but it does a pretty good job of progressing the story. My only complaint is that sometimes it is difficult to read what they want you to do. I accidentally shot someone in one of the scenes because I pressed a wrong button cause I couldn't read what it said. Also, sometimes the player movements can be a bit awkward in tight spaces. But overall it isn't a big deal as the story and characters steal the show in this game more than the actual game play.

The graphics overall are very good, and the game features some of the best facial animations of any game I've ever played.

Overall this game is very good and worth all of the hype that it received I think. Anyone who likes psychological thrillers and murder mysteries such as The Silence of the Lambs or The Fugitive will like this game. My only complaint about the game besides the slow start is the total length, which is only about 10 hours. I had no problems finishing the game in just a few days. The one saving grace is that because of all the decisions you are forced to make, you can actually change how the game ends and what happens to the main characters. I would highly recommend Heavy Rain to any PS3 user.