Hands on impressions from the Heavy Rain Demo that was playable at Eurogamer Expo 2009

Heavy Rain was a completely unique experience to me this weekend. I haven't played Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) so i was completely new to the Quantic Dream gaming experience. And what an experience it turned out to be.

The demo i played consisted of 2 levels, "Hassan's Shop" and "Mad Jack". The first level starts with Detective Scott Shelby entering the shop. The graphics are really impressive. When I first gained control of Scott I wasn't fully aware that the previous small cutscene had infact finished. You need to walk up to the counter to start a conversation with Hassan.

Heavy Rain's control scheme is just as unique as the rest of the game seems to be. To walk forward youhusa karlos arguinano hold R2. Depending on how much force you use, your character will walk slow or fast. To direct yourself you move the left stick in whatever direction you wish to go. It was pretty weird at first to play, but it was simple enough and I got used to it rather quickly. The camera angle also seemed a little weird, but I hear you can change through several angles at the press of a button (which I never knew at the time I played it).

The scene that follows is simply Scott asking Hassan a few questions about the Origami Killer, and Hassan's murdered son, Resa. You get to choose what you say to Hassan with multiple choices all floating around the screen, each choice is distinguished with one of the buttons
on the PlayStation pad. Eventually he asks you to leave if you aren't buying anything, but you need a new inhaler, so you head to the back of the shop to grab one.

Things go from bad to worse here when the shop starts to get robbed. You can decide to help Hassan out, or just leave him to his fate, which is yet another possible game changing choice you have to make. Needless to say, I'm a hero, so I decided to go help Hassan. I started sneaking down one of the aisle's behind the criminal only to meet what I thought would be my downfall. Crisps.

I missed the sudden Quick Time Event and Scott let his foot drop down with a pretty loud crunch, i was caught. The unknown robber now had me at gunpoint... What followed was another playable dialogue scene. This time i was being held up at gunpoint. I had to hold L1 and R1 to keep my hands in the air, or risk being shot. At the same time as this there are severa speaking options floating around the screen, not calm and clear like when talking to Hassan, this time they were shaking around the screen and were pretty blurry too. It's a pretty nice touch
to be honest with you, it gives you a sense of urgency about the situation and actually made me panic a little and really think about what option would get me the best outcome. Remember, the next move could prove to be Scott's last in the game.

Visuals? Heavy Rain is without doubt a beautiful looking game. The textures and the detail on the characters and scenery is enough to match any other game I've played, and that includes the previously released Uncharted 2: Among Theives. Theapple laptop computer voice acting is also superb, I heard only a small part of the 2000+ page script, and I have no complaints at all. Everything just feels so real, which i believe is what Quantic Dream want for one particular reason.

They want you to feel attached to the game and characters and actually feel joy or remorse for whatever decision you make. With how real the characters sound and look, it is pretty easy to forget you are playing a videogame and to imagine that these people are just as real as you or I

Heavy Rain. “An ambitious project” is the label that many have applied to this title. Many others have asked “what the hell is this about?”. I was one of the latter, not understanding the big deal, until I saw it this past weekend at the Eurogamer Expo in London. Wow is all I have to say. At first I walked by it as people played the demo, it looked amazing graphically and many people were glued to their screens, with many more equal entranced looking on over the players shoulder. Then I went to the Quantic Dream developer presentation lead by David Cage, which sent me from interested into wanting intensely. Finally, I got my hands on it. You ready for mewirless security systemrgb management to tell you about it?

Heavy Rain is graphically outstanding. No doubt about it, the game looks beautiful. The loading screen alone had people inspecting the screen as to if it's a picture or computer generated. In game the standard is the same fluid, smooth, and natural imagery. I loved it. The sound is quality, something that shined through even on the loud exhibition floor. The characters voices carry inflection, the environment echo's sounds of the real world and together it feels like are watching a movie, everything deliberate, everything there to bring you closer in. But what exactly are you getting closer to?

The premise of the game is a simple question. How far are you prepared to go to save someone you love? The player controls four different characters through a plot of hunting down a serial killed named “The Origami Killer”. The storyline is not fixed, as you play each action you make impacts the story and how it plays out. In the demo you are playing as a private detective trying to obtain information from a convenience store clerk. Needless to say shit goes sideways and the place is getting robbed, what you do impacts how the game plays out. You can help save the clerk or let crook run out with thecredit card billing address generator cvv2 software register. If you help the clerk you get information from him, if not, oh well figure it out yourself. If you get into a fight with a large black man with a gun and you lose guess what, the game isn't over. The story just continues without that character. Shocking to the video game world but I hate to break it you, when you die the world keeps on turning without you.

The controls are like the game, different than most others you have experienced, but it works extremely well once you get acquainted with them. Forward motion is controlled by R2, pressure sensitive to determine your speed. Direction is controlled by the Left stick, which controls your head and in turn your body. The camera is fixed in one of several positions which you can cycle through. Interactions are primarily through the Right stick at various prompts. Occasionally you will encounter sequences similar to quick time events requiring use of the gamepad face buttons, failure to properly execute changes the outcome which changes the story. If you get lost click the Left stick to hear the characters thoughts and inner monologue which helps point you in the right direction.

The gameplay is 100% story driven. Think of a quick on the fly choose your own adventure book, but in video game format. You control your characters movement, actions, and dialogue. When in conversation your dialogue options are presented as single phrases moving around the screen. The more frantic or tense the situation the quicker the options move about, blurring and making it difficult to select. Time is of the essence when selecting as the demo will choose for you. The demo was two scenes, each with a different lead character. One of which as an drug addicted FBI Agent using ARI, an augmented reality interface to spot DNA traces and other clues similar to the Batvision in Batman: Arkham Asylum. I won't go into any more of a walkthrough because it will be different for everyone.

This game is something very different. I see this as becoming a main stream story driven title, people will play together or separately but it will be discussed extensively. Character driven, highly engaging, something original, and presenting many different experiences in one title. I eagerly await Heavy Rain. This is only my impressions, but as you can tell I was extremely impressed.

Heavy Rain really is shaping up to be something special. Possibly the most character and story driven game ever released. Filled with emotion. Love, hate, fear, anxiety, hope. It really is like playing abanking job florida movie that you yourself are a part of. While Heavy Rain wasn't my favourite game of the show, it was certainly the most intriguing and has shot right up my most wanted list.

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