This game will take you to hell and back... but its well worth the ride How far will you go to save someo

User Rating: 9.5 | Heavy Rain PS3
In a world where shooter/action games rule the market (Modern Warfare 2, Bad Company 2, Halo 3, etc.), its hard to imagine a game that is different from that to really grab your attention. For what its worth, Heavy Rain is so unlike anything you've ever played before. Think of the movies Ransom, Saw and the Butterfly Effect all rolled up into one. That's sort of what this game is like. It will not only grab your attention, but will drag your mind into the game -- literally. Simply put; how the game plays out is all up to you.

How far will you go to save someone you love? That's the central question that drives this game, and its up to you to answer it. The main protagonist, Ethan Mars -- at first -- appears to be living the good life; great job, great house, great wife, great kids, all the stuff a normal parent would want. Unfortunately, like in real life, something bad has to happen. It just does. That's life. On Jason's birthday, he wanders off into the street outside the mall where you were at. As you go along and look for him, you'll probably feel like Ethan does; panicked, wondering where Jason is, how irresponsible you feel, etc. That's what makes this game so unreal, in how it the situations not only put strain on the in-game character's emotions, but on your own as well. Anyways, in the end, Jason dies and Ethan's world gets turned upside down.

Fast forward 2 years later. Ethan is deeply depressed, seperated from his wife and distant from his other son, Shaun. And of course, as fate has it on Ethan, Shaun gets taken from him. So now Ethan has to find him. But it won't be easy. Now you play the part of 3 other characters as well as Ethan. Scott Shelby, Private Detective. Norman Jayden, FBI agent. And Madison Paige, photographer. You'll play one part as one of the characters, and the choices you make have effects for the future, whether its choosing to help a woman dealing with one of her clients, stopping a robbery from happening or choosing to help a man escape from the police station. There is no wrong way to play the game -- unless all the characters die, of course. Its all up to your morals, and how far you're willing to go to save someone you love. Basically, you make the choice, but you'll have to face the consequences. It's like life, isn't it?

All in all, I had no idea Heavy Rain was even a game until about a month ago. And I'm so lucky to be able to play this wonderful game. Whether it brings you to tears or infuriates you, Heavy Rain is one of the most extraordianry games on the market, and it wouldn't be smart to just pass this game up if you have a PS3.
This game will take you to hell and back... but its well worth the ride