Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer Hands-On
We finally get our chance to play with Quantic Dream's highly anticipated PlayStation 3-exclusive thriller.
Heavy Rain's tagline--"How far are you prepared to go to save someone you love?"--is the real message behind this upcoming story-driven thriller, according to writer and director David Cage. We've been eagerly waiting for a chance to see the game when it was announced in 2006, but all we saw at the time was an intriguing tech demo called "The Casting," in which a virtual actress delivered an emotionally charged monologue as part of an audition. Last year, behind closed doors at E3, we sat through a demo of a scenario created specifically to demonstrate the gameplay, but its story had nothing to do with the actual game itself. Finally, at a Sony-hosted PlayStation Gamers' Day event in April, we had a chance to play one scene taken from the game's side story. Cage told us that it wouldn't spoil the main story, and it doesn't represent Heavy Rain as a whole. He explained that each scene is supposed to be unique, with different ways of interacting, so this was just one of the many interactions that you'll experience in the game.
The only details we have regarding the story of Heavy Rain is that there is a deranged serial killer, labeled the "origami killer" by the media because the victims are always found with a piece of origami placed in their hand. Considering that the game is focused primarily on its powerful cinematic storytelling, Quantic Dream is keeping the story tightly under wraps. But what they did divulge is that there are four main characters in the game, and you'll take turns controlling them from one scene to another. Each character has their own detailed history and individual destiny, but their respective stories will be intertwined.
Our time with Heavy Rain began with an engaging presentation in which Cage and his colleague walked through one possible scenario in a scene titled "Mad Jack." Cage described this scene as a "classic dark thriller" and then introduced us to one of the main stars, Norman Jayden, a young FBI agent who has been called in to investigate the case of this peculiar murderer. Jayden is described as an organized and methodical man, with degrees in psychology and forensics. His particular background is most likely the reason that he has been asked to look into the case, given that he spent the last two years talking to serial killers in prison. Although he may look like a stellar candidate on paper, what the FBI doesn't know is that he has a substance-abuse problem. Regardless, they've armed him with an ARI (added reality interface) prototype, which consists of a pair of Matrix-like glasses and a black glove that can detect and analyze DNA, footprints, and pheromones in the environment--enhancing his CSI skills considerably.
The scene takes place in a typical crummy junkyard that Jayden decides to scope out because the man running it, Mad Jack, might have ties to the killer. As the rain poured down, we watched as our main character pulled up in the dismal-looking place, opened the car door, and stepped outside. The suspenseful atmosphere is what stands out the most in Heavy Rain, and it's enhanced by the details in the environment, such as the dreary weather, eerie music and a gloomy color palette. Everything was happening in real time, and we were struck by the actor's motion-captured face, specifically his incredibly lifelike eyes and subtle movements. But before he stepped out of the car, we noticed that the interface had changed. Last year, when an action was available, icons would appear at the bottom right corner of the screen. Now, a box with a small white arrow was prominently displayed on the side of the car to indicate that you could open the door by pressing the right analog stick. Symbols will appear onscreen when there is an action available, so it's worthwhile to carefully explore your surroundings. Our rain-drenched FBI agent then walked over to a mean-looking, burly man, presumably Mad Jack, who was operating a junkyard crane and seemed to have no interest in having a meaningful conversation. After a brief and unhelpful exchange, Jayden headed toward the hangar to inspect things more closely.
This was when we got to see the ARI in action. A curved arrow by Jayden's shoulder indicated that he could put his special specs on by pushing the right analog stick in a half-circle motion. Once he donned the slick shades, color faded from his vision until everything was tinged with a greenish hue. Data will appear onscreen by pressing the R1 button to indicate points of interest such as footprints, blood, and even orchid pollen. This handy gadget also spits out pertinent information after an area has been examined with the glove. Scattered clues eventually led Jayden to an acid bath with a human skull in it, but before he could get a closer look, Mad Jack appeared out of nowhere with a gun pressed to the back of his head. Through a series of intense quick-time events, we watched as Jayden deftly dodged out of harm's way and used his surroundings to distract Mad Jack long enough to disarm him. A series of well-choreographed punches were exchanged, and while the fast-paced action unfolded onscreen, the demonstrator was mashing the buttons that appeared as quickly as he could. There are three difficulty levels in the game, and it adjusts according to your performance. You generally have a few chances before you lose, which most likely results in death, but there are several ways to escape as well. Heavy Rain's appeal is that there are many ways in which a particular scene can play out; this demo was just one of them.
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