Emotionally gripping and immersive, Heavy Rain is a masterpiece of presentation, despite its flaws.
Pros:
+Engrossing and exciting story
+Realistic and detailed environments
+Beautiful soundtrack fits the mood perfectly
+Much of the voice acting is very well-done
+The amount of branching paths in the game add much to the replay value
Cons:
-Unsightly visual and audio hiccups pop up at times
-Some of the voice-acting is surprisingly bad
-There are a few plot points that are left completely unexplained
-The controls are tough to get used to and are often imprecise
Heavy Rain's developer, Quantic Dream, is well-known for their surreal take on the video game industry. Scrapping conventional gameplay for complete narrative immersion, opinions are split on whether or not this styIe of game can survive as an ongoing sub-genre. Heavy Rain doesn't stray too far from the gameplay or feel of its spiritual predecessor, Indigo Prophecy, but it irons out a number of its problems while offering one of the most touching and powerful gaming narratives on the PS3. It isn't perfect, and it can often be confusing, but there is no game quite like HR on any modern platform.
The game's story focuses mainly on the search for the elusive Origami Killer. This terrifying serial killer's modus operandi is kidnapping young children and drowning them, then leaving an orchid on their chest and an origami figure in their lifeless hand. You play as four characters that are in some way connected to this enigmatic terror of society. Norman Jayden is an FBI profiler hired to catch the killer. Madison Paige is a journalist that finds herself thrust into the ugly matter unwittingly. Ethan Mars has his son kidnapped by the killer, and is tasked with finding him before he is drowned. Scott Shelby is a private eye that is hired by the families of former Origami Killer victims, and visits many sites related to the murders. These people all have their fate bound to this case, and it's up to you to decide how it will end.
The story in itself is very basic. It's the typical thriller with a mystery blended in for good measure. The tale is normally told very well, with good pacing and tense scenes of action and drama. The characters are incredibly realistic, reacting accordingly to every occasion. Every character has a unique and readable personality that stays consistent throughout. That's the game's biggest achievement. HR boasts some of the most realistic characters in gaming history. You'll genuinely care for them, identify with them and feel every emotion they feel. An important factor in this sense of reality is that these heroes aren't perfect. They each have their own individual problems that they have to deal with. Luckily, these problems aren't thrust into your face, just to announce that the characters have them. The game rather alludes to them more than anything else. The detail on every character's psyche and character manages to keep you completely immersed in the story.
That isn't to say it's flawless. There are special places in the story where the player will find it hard to understand what exactly is going on. Some aspects aren't explained, while others make little sense when put into context with the story as a whole. There aren't many instances where this happens, but when they do, it's quite glaring. However, unless you actively look for any plot hole or inconsistency, this won't affect the experience except in minimal ways.
What ultimately elevates the story above just another cliched thriller is the stunning presentation. The attention to detail is simply out of this world. Nothing seems out of place, and more importantly, everything is authentic. The game doesn't try to wow you with exotic locales or a large selection of colors. You'll see the world as it is. A good example is the opening sequence. You play as Ethan Mars, waking up in his house. He stands up, looks out the window, sees a peaceful garden and a small piece of modern-day suburbia. He turns, enters the bathroom, takes a shower, gets dressed and walks out of the bedroom. He walks down the stairs and is standing in the kitchen. Outside, the sun is shining, a car lazily drives by, you see someone taking a morning stroll in the distance. Looking to the walls, you see pictures of Ethan and his family. On the ground lies remnants of children's play, a toy car, some blocks. The surreal beauty of these first few minutes of the game is hard to describe. You'll find yourself staring for the longest time at every detail, every minuscule slice of personality that is presented.
You can pretty much describe every part of the game in this way, though in varying measures. The levels that occur indoors are noticeably more impressive in both detail and impact. When venturing outside, the world tends to get more brown and muddy. Though that is most likely the intention, it becomes a bit boring and bland. However, everything looks so good by default that even the most simple of places become simply incredible.
This is, of course, because of the amazing visuals. Seeing as the game is focused on environmental immersion, it's no surprise that the graphics are incredible. Everything is put together so well that at times, you could honestly think you're looking at a photograph. There is no visual pop-up to be seen, and frame rate is smooth throughout. The characters are motion captured, so the characters move realistically. The facial animations are incredibly well-done, especially on the main characters, and they are also great in conveying the emotions of every character. However, there are a number of disappointing visual blemishes. If the game is paused for a long time, the game tends to lag a bit, i.e. the motion on screen doesn't fit with the audio. The animation of extra characters can often seem unfocused and bland in comparison to the more pivotal characters in the game. Then there are the rare occasions where a hand will go through a table or wall. These, in themselves, aren't big problems, but considering how good the rest of the game looks, it becomes rather noticeable when something goes awry. However, HR still manages to look stunning despite these problems, and is a sight to see.
In the same aesthetic vein is the music and sound. The official soundtrack is brilliant, fitting the mood perfectly at any time. There isn't much variation in itself, there are only a few tracks that are used in the game, but it matters little when the brevity of the game is considered. Sadly, the voice-acting isn't as consistent. The four main characters are all voiced brilliantly, bringing their characters to life. There are also instances where the extra characters are well-voiced, but some are just ghastly. It's sad to say that the voices of the children in the game are just plain bad. You can hear the voice actors reading the script instead of acting it, and it puts a damper on the feeling of immersion built up by almost everything else. There are also a few other characters that sound atrocious compared to the better voice-acting in the game. This is severely disappointing, since the game is all about making you believe the performances of every character. Though it can be argued that the most important thing is that the main characters are voiced well, it still would have been far better to have the rest of the cast be equally as good.
The gameplay itself compliments the narrative emphasis well. The first thing you need to know about the game is that it isn't a conventional adventure game. You move at a far more controlled pace, meaning that those seeking streamlined action might find their needs met better elsewhere. You move by pressing and holding in the R2 button, and then use the left analog stick to aim the direction your character moves in. This is an overly complex way to move about. It takes a long time to fully adjust to this unorthodox movement scheme, but thankfully, the game doesn't require quick and fluid motions. Maybe the only spot where you'll find the gameplay is a hindrance is in large crowds of people. Your character will constantly bump into characters, and the game doesn't handle it nearly as well as it could have done. However, you won't feel that you failed an objective because of the awkward controls, and that lessens the impact of the original complexity.
Everything else is handled with the right stick and various buttons of the PS3 controller. When you approach something you can interact with, an option pops up on the screen encouraging you to press a button or move the right analog stick in a specific way. This makes you feel like you're genuinely performing the action, since your input directly affects the action on-screen. This dynamic format offers a lot of moments where the player feels like a part of the game, adding to the already considerable immersion.
The game's cutscenes are handled in a similar fashion. There will be many instances where you will need to follow a number of cues to get out of a dangerous situation, and it feels in many ways like a sequence of quick-time events (QTEs). However, describing HR as a set of QTE cutscenes would be dramatically oversimplifying it. You will often have to act slowly, press the button like crazy or choose from a number of different options, so it goes far beyond the conventional "press this button, then this one" format which is present in many games that use QTEs. The cues appear close to the object you are reacting to, so it's never difficult to see what does what. What buttons you have to press also depends on what you are doing. If you are performing a relatively simple task, the input you have to make won't be very complex. However, if you are doing something that is physically taxing for the character, the button combinations you'll have to press can be incredibly tough. For instance, in one scene, you'll have to traverse a treacherous obstacle course, jumping over chasms and walking over narrow beams. These actions will often require you to press many buttons and hold them all at the same time. Thus, you'll often find yourself in dire straits at the same time as the character in the game. Once more, this adds to the immersion dripping from nearly every aspect of the game. The gameplay doesn't quite manage to stay fresh for the entire adventure, but it's a genuine blast whenever you get into an intense situation.
The stakes in these QTE moments are high as well, since if your character falls into harm's way and subsequently dies, then it's game over. Not only is it game over, it's also a permanent condition. That character is dead and the story moves on without him/her. This adds relative weight to every action you perform, and you'll often try much harder to keep the person alive than if you could retry as often as you liked.
The characters' possible death is only one of the things that can be caused by your actions. For instance, in a conversation, you will often be made to choose from a number of responses, many of which can directly affect the story to come. Granted, the game never gives you free reigns of the world around you, but the sheer amount of various decisions you can make adds an intriguing second life to the story. It's the sort of "what if" factor many wish they could have in their favorite books.
What is maybe the most prominent gameplay component is the difference between the characters. It goes without saying that every character experiences different things. Norman is the most radically different, using special technology to pick up various clues he finds at crime scenes, and then going back to his office to investigate the clues further. Scott's missions focus more on revealing the past acts of the dreaded Origami Killer, picking up evidence along the way. Madison's act in the story is a little more confusing. She decides to look for clues herself, and happens to get into a number of difficult spots on the way. Her motivations aren't always clear, and it can often seem weird that she's so interested in the case, but her sections are well-presented and fun to play. Ethan's levels are possibly the most emotional, since they focus on finding his son through the clues the Origami Killer has left for him. They are incredibly exciting and boast some of the most memorable scenes in gaming history, but they won't be explained here to avoid spoiling them. The player will surely choose one character over the others, and that's the best thing about it. It appeals to so many tastes that you're bound to find a scenario you'll like. Of course, it won't be so good if that character dies early on, but it just puts more focus on choosing the right things, and more importantly, trusting your instincts.
The branching paths in the game add greatly to the replay value, though repeat playthroughs will neither be as memorable or surprising as the first. You are given a choice to replay any chapter, so you can look into all the possibilities in every scenario. This can make the game last far longer than the standard 8 hours it takes to finish the main story.
The bottom line is that Heavy Rain is a very special game. It's both incredibly mature, dark and imposing, but never feels like a game that focuses on making you depressed. It's much like a good book. You sit down and just absorb the adventure. If you go pessimistic into the game , you'll probably find some of the game's flaws to be unbearable. However, it is important to go in with an open mind, because if you do, HR will offer one of the most unique and exciting experiences of this generation. It isn't just a pretty face; HR offers depth, emotion and complexity in equal doses, creating what is surely one of the most engrossing games on the PS3.
Story: 9.4/10.0
Gameplay: 8.5/10.0
Graphics: 9.5/10.0
Sound: 8.9/10.0
Replayability: 9.1/10.0
Final score: 8.6/10.0