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Shippin' Out: February 21-27: Heavy Rain

Quantic Dream's PS3-exclusive thriller leads slate of new releases including Endless Ocean: Blue World, Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing, Napoleon: Total War.

103 Comments

This week's release forecast calls for Heavy Rain, as developer Quantic Dream launches its long-awaited PlayStation 3-exclusive adventure game. Set in a modern-day metropolis, Heavy Rain is a noir-tinged thriller that puts players in control of a handful of characters involved in the search for a serial killer with a penchant for origami.

This panicked father is just one of a handful of characters around whom Heavy Rain revolves.
This panicked father is just one of a handful of characters around whom Heavy Rain revolves.

The M-rated adventure isn't the only notable new release of the week. In more family-friendly fare, Nintendo has the follow-up to its Wii deep-sea exploration game with Endless Ocean: Blue World, while Sega puts the mascot pedal to the metal with Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing.

Over on the PC, The Creative Assembly will launch the latest installment in its signature real-time strategy series with Napoleon: Total War. As its name suggests, Napoleon: Total War follows legendary French general and (later) Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, illustrating his ascent and fall from power through the battles he waged on the battlefield.

There are still a few more frontline releases hitting shelves this week. NIS America's Hit Maker-developed role-playing game Last Rebellion arrives in stores, as does Atlus' Metal Slug XX, the latest in SNK Playmore's long line of 2D arcade action games. Finally, Deep Silver is set to bring out (albeit belatedly) the Xbox 360 edition of its medieval RPG Risen. The game first debuted on the PC in October.

For further details on the week's games, visit GameSpot's New Releases page. The full list of downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and the Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later this week. Release dates are based on retailer listings and are subject to change.

FEBRUARY 22, 2010
Endless Ocean Blue World--WII--Nintendo

FEBRUARY 23, 2010
Hello Kitty: Birthday Adventures--DS--Atari
Metal Slug XX--PSP--Atlus Co.
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing--PS3, X360, DS, WII--Sega
Napoleon: Total War--PC--Sega
Heavy Rain--PS3--SCEA
Pony Friends 2--WII, DS--Square Enix
Risen--X360--Deep Silver
Lovely Lisa and Friends--DS--Tomy Corporation
Last Rebellion--PS3--NIS America
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia--DS--Konami
Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny--PC--City Interactive
Winter Blast: Snow and Ice Games--WII--Destineer
Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team--WII--SouthPeak Games
Super Speed Machines--DS--Majesco Games

FEBRUARY 24, 2010
Lazy Raiders--X360--Sarbakan Inc.

FEBRUARY 25, 2010
Age of Zombies--PSP--Halfbrick Studios
Hyperballoid HD--PS3--Alawar Entertainment, Inc

FEBRUARY 26, 2010
Deca Sports DS--DS--Konami

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Rand401

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I'll definitely get this game. I'm always willing to try a new experience.

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DanC1989

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After trying the demo I was suitably surprised. Shame I can't really afford it at the moment..

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Rylone

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@maverick_76 same for me with movies. It's all about downloading here man

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JodyR

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[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

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maverick_76

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@BigBigR I never said that a game has to have MP. All I'm saying is a game that costs me, with my limited resources, $60 and only gives me realistically maybe 25 hours of enjoyment, that I'll just rent it. So not only do I save money I still get to experience the game if I want to at a much lower price. A perfect example you brought up was GOW. That is a game i will purchase because I know that I'm getting a huge SP experience for that $60. A game that will take probably 20 hours for just one playthrough, not to mention another. I just find it hard to buy a full priced game that only takes half that time to play. Oh and I almost never buy movies either, again waste of money.

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maverick_76

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@thanatospiercin I agree that there are many people that only play SP. I used to be one of those people but that is because I used to only have dial-up. I understand that people also put different values on what a game has to offer. For me, with my limited budget, I look for the games that can give me the most bang for my buck. That usually means games with a hefty SP and MP mode. I just can't spend $60 for a game that will only give me 10-20 hours of enjoyment.

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jl0pez

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All the fanboys keep giving everyone negatives. This is getting annoying, as long as you're playing games what does it matter what platform it's on. Everyone on here likes games so I don't see what the problem is.

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wildantixcharly

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got heavy rain, and wanted to get sonic also , but gamestop said they didnt have it in and wouldnt have it til wednesday. played heavy rain, huge disappointment. one of worst games ive ever played

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Avatar image for djpetitte
djpetitte

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Heavy Rain takes the cake.

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lazycomplife

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I think Quantic Dream and Bioware need to produce a child together.

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neonfrax2

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Though I herald companies making brave new choices like this game (instead of "Super Sport Shooting Racer 3", et al.), I'm not going to buy this title unseen. Companies still keep track of high renting titles, so I'll still be renting this one and supporting the publisher instead of (or BEFORE) buying. $60+ bucks a load is still too much for me to buy every game I want to play and I ain't dropping that cash until I'm sure the game has replay (or resale) value that is worth the investment.

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lazycomplife

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The reason for the control scheme is to make it more cinematic. Holding R2 to walk makes your character unable to spaz out when you rapidly tap the control stick, which makes the movie/game more lifelike. In the demo when you walk up steps, your feet don't hover, lol.

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lazycomplife

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Yay! Getting heavy rain today! Support the developer and purchase rather than rent this one, even though it's a short playthrough. There needs to be more original games like this.

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DaGamingDude

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a lot of good and semi-good games (: i like this week

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gaignyn

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For those of you who haven't played Heavy Rain, I recommend trying Indigo Prophecy (aka Farenheit), it's spiritual predecessor of the same game style and company. I believe it's on xbox market place as well. Well I'm off to go grab my copy of Heavy Rain... and I was so close to finishing my first playthrough of Demon's Souls.

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Zerosumgame

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@monson21502 : my exact feeling! Even the character is more life like in Silent hill 2 than in Heavy Rain, don't you find it a bit ironic? Just look at this picture and those eyes, you wanna vomit. << LINK REMOVED >>

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Ladiesman17

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I can't wait Quantic next project called "Omikron 2" with RPG element combined with Adventure (Multi-platform) this title "Heavy Rain" just copy-carbon from "Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy" with different graphic & story.

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GMC2002DUB

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hi

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flyingteddy

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controls are fine, not sure what your problem is.

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monson21502

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havey rain suffers from bad controls. i shut the demo off pretty quik. i just hated them. wont even rent this.... rather watch the heavey snow we been getting lol

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akiwak

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I played the demo a couple of times. The first time I was just getting use to the control scheme. The second time I actually got more information from the hooker and wanted to let the guy get beat up. Watching the character get beat was really fun but after a bit I HAD TO jump in and help him. I just could not let him go to see what would happen. The third time I tried just to speed through it. Each time I really felt excited and got my blood pumping. I can't wait to play this game and any other episodic content that comes out after. I have this game reserved.

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Nintendofreakx

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Sonic and sega allstar racing. Hmmm i'm interested in it now after reading the 8.0 it got in nintendo power for wii. Need a new racing game to play on wii.

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Doolz2024

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I wasn't exactly impressed with the Heavy Rain demo. The voice was surprisingly "meh" at times, and aside from the character models, I thought everything else just looked average. The animations were very impressive though.

I will definitely rent the "game" at some point. I refuse to spend $60 for an interactive movie, but I feel Heavy Rain is at least worth the $8 I'd have to pay to rent it.

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daabulls23

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Heavy Rain demo was awesome...can't wait to see what my outcome will be.

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Egotte

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Heavy Rain's getting solid reviews thus far, but it's going to take something far better to top the universal acclaim that's been received for Mass Effect 2 thus far.

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BigBigR

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@aGiantSquirrel I was being sarcastic... I said if he could find a way to make multi-player possible in a fun, entertaining and immersing way for Heavy Rain, he should contact the developers. Of course I didn't expect him to find a way in the first place.

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ItsEvolution

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Heaaaavyyyy Raaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnn

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Bigbudd0045

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@BigBigR I totally agree. 50 hours and multiplayer doesnt make a game. Uncharted 2 would have been epic even without multiplayer. and Batman Arkham Asylum had neither multiplayer or 50 hours of play (i dont count all the challenges). If every game had to be 50 hours plus i would get through maybe 2 or 3 a year...you know busy with things like school work, life, etc.

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taylormadederek

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This week is OK for me.....one game for each console..... \ \ Wii I get Endless Ocean, 360 I get Sonic Racing, PS3 I get Heavy Rain.....Heavy Rain is going to be good.......I think that it will be wayyy up there on my Game of the Year.

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aGiantSquirrel

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@BigBigr Why does there need to be multiplayer to Heavy Rain? Honestly, Not every game now days has to include multiplayer. Sometimes, I dont feel like gaming with anybody, and I just want to play a good single player story. What would you do with Heavy Rain anyway, have 1v1 qte battles...no, lets just keep Heavy Rain untouched by a crappy multiplayer and focus on its strengths that sets it apart from other games that do have multiplayer, and that is its realism and its ablity to reach gamers on an emotional level thats not acheived in many games. Instead of adding a crap multiplayer, a good idea may be to have DLC that includes additional chapters to the story, Kinda like Lord of the Rings. You have the regular movie, but there is an extended edition that adds more chapters and additional detail to the story. That will be 100x more successful than adding multiplayer to a game that should never have it!

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djpetitte

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I wish there was more games like Heavy Rain. It's an instant classic.

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DEATH775

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One Heavy Rain for me please.

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pstripl3

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I can't wait!!!! I will finally have this game tomorrow!! Yes yes yes!

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zeebenzene

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I looked at this game, and at first it looked nice and all, but the story is too darn lifelike and serious. I, personally, play games to have fun, and this didn't seem fun at all. In my opinion, games are to get away from life, not to emulate it.

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Zerosumgame

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One thing that is for sure heavy about heavy rain, is the rain. Nothing else. I am glad that It is finally out, I can't wait to get it over with and move on. gee...

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Egotte

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@Triton Ha! You're kinda right about the Heavy Rain story. It does look like some kind of Lifetime movie. It's not epic, it's just something different for the Playstation 3 crew to get into right now.

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Realacide

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@ejay_kainSonic doesn't need the car he WANTS the car. =)

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BigBigR

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@maverick_76 Forgot to address this earlier: A game does NOT need to be over 50 hours long (or have multi-player, for that matter) to be enjoyable. I feel sorry about anyone who skips a good game just because it doesn't have multi-player/over 50 hours.

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BigBigR

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@maverick_76 Like I said in my previous comment, I'm addressing that issue here. Heavy Rain is not a movie. The player can walk (and run) around as he wants, interacting with whatever he wants. When you start a cutscene, depending on how you play, said cutscene will play out differently. A good example of this is shown on IGN (its featured on the main PS3 page). Instead of a game where you go around jumping and killing only to advance to the next bit of pre-determined story, where it won't matter when you jumped, how you killed or where you died (and respawned), your character and others will act in a pre-determined way with a pre-determined speech, in Heavy Rain you get to make your own choices. You can actually control your character a lot better than in most games, even if it may look like a movie at first glance. The cut-scenes are NOT the entire game, though they are what makes the game so different from most others. Outside of those cut-scenes (which, unlike most games, you can actually control and do what you want instead of sitting around watching... a movie) you decide where to go and what to interact with. Gamespot's own review (and IGN's as well, for that matter) says very clearly it isn't a movie: "Heavy Rain is far from the quick-time-event-powered movie that it may appear to be at first glance." I bet you most other reviews share this view as well.

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djpetitte

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All I can say about Heavy Rain is WOW, amazing. I must have it.

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finalstar2007

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Last Rebellion and Heavy Rain for me

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BigBigR

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@maverick_76 No one is asking for a premium here. Standard launch game price. Yes, I'd prefer standard launch prices were cheaper. People get used to paying half the price or less for used copies or waiting for the price to go down, but compared to other PS3 games there's no premium, so it's pointless to compare it to Avatar. Also, if you have a feasible idea for adding multi-player to Heavy Rain, please contact Quantic Dreams, as I'm sure they would very much appreciate it. God of War does not have multi-player and it's one of the most expected games for early 2010 for the PS3, alongside Heavy Rain and Final Fantasy XIII (which also does not have multi-player, though being an RPG it has over 50 hours). I know its fun to play with others, and that multi-player adds many hours into a game (I'm still playing MOHAA:SH multi-player 8 years after release so I know what I'm talking about) but good games don't need to have it to be... well, good. Also, it has been said over and over and over, this is NOT a quick-time event movie, and your previous comment was down-ranked into oblivion because of that comparison you made. I'll address that matter in my following comment, due to Gamespot's comment size restrictions.

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Jhoalot

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Last Rebellion anybody?

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deactivated-5ae060efb3bf6

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I'll stick with Napoleon. What the heck is Heavy Rain...Looks like something my wife watches on Lifetime or WE.- I don't think so...

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damodar_thade

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Looking forward to Heavy Rain the demo was great fun.

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3D3

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Heavy Rain FTW

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ejay_kain

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why does sonic needs a car?

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jl0pez

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I'm not bashing the ps3 by choosing the 360 version of sonic, the 360 version lets you play with Banjo Kazooie and your avatar while the ps3 doesn't. If I'm gonna spend money, I want the most of it.

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WTFitsPauL

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Heavy Rain > Everything on the List :P

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UnknownForm

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Looking foward to Heavy Rain...but if only they adjusted the controls alittle...(you know what I mean, if you played the demo;))...

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