So... anybody a fan of the heavy rain?

[Edgerock]

http://heavyrainps3.com/

Seeing how it's coming out so soon (February 23), and is to become one of the PS3's biggest exclusives this year, it be fair to discuss. A game where even the smallest decision will affect everything within with the four main characters. With so many different possible outcomes it seems to be looking to have a lot of potential. Accompanied by a big budget and a depressing tone, this will be sure to be unique. With the demo now out on PS3 it seems to be a good time to try.

[Segaholic2]

I am anticipating it greatly, but I'm putting myself on media blackout until it's out. No previews, no reviews, no demo, no nothing. I don't want to be spoiled.

[Sniffnoy]

"Heavy rain"? What, like deuterium rain?

[Esrever]

There was this one fight sequence in Indigo Prophecy where, after completing a two-minute chain of quick timer events, you had to mash the triggers rapidly to outrun a helicopter. If you failed, you had to start over from the very beginning of the fight.

I never got past that sequence. No matter how many times I tried, I just could not mash those xbox triggers fast enough to get away from the helicopter. I don't know why... maybe I just didn't have the dexterity, or maybe my xbox controller triggers were particularly stiff because I never really used that console much. But either way, after the ninth or tenth attempt it really started to get to me. 'This is so stupid!' I thought. 'I can't get BETTER at trigger mashing! Just let me see the rest of the story! Why does this stupid sequence even have to be here?'

But of course, it didn't have to be there. And neither did any of the other quick timer sequences. They added absolutely nothing to the game whatsoever. Blech! Cut scenes you can fail... what a waste of a good adventure game.

[Senbei]

I am anticipating it greatly, but I'm putting myself on media blackout until it's out. No previews, no reviews, no demo, no nothing. I don't want to be spoiled.

Ditto. I absolutely loved the first three quarters of Indigo Prophecy, so this is an instant buy.

[Green Gibbon!]

I never played Indigo Prophecy (I understand the American version was censored?), but I had it sitting unopened on my shelf for a while.

I've been eyeing Heavy Rain, but just looking at it, my feelings are pretty ambivalent. I'm open to the idea of a game that's not really a game so much as an interactive movie - a real one, I mean, it really does look like the crystallization of all those naive ideas from the early 90's that went nowhere (at least nowhere good) - but if I'm going to sit down to play a movie, is it a movie I want to see? If Heavy Rain were a film, I don't think I'd give it a second glance.

So, I don't know. I'm looking forward to hearing some impressions when it comes out.

[Segaholic2]

What the hell kind of movies do you even like, anyway?

[Crowbar]

I've been eyeing Heavy Rain, but just looking at it, my feelings are pretty ambivalent. I'm open to the idea of a game that's not really a game so much as an interactive movie

So like a visual novel with fancier graphics and more choices and without pornographic elements?

[j-man]

I loved the pornographic elements! I don't think I ever got past the bit in Fahrenheit where you shred on the guitar and them vigorously shag your ex-girlfriend. I just put the controller down with satisfaction and thought, "how can it get any better than this?".

But then I'm the kind of person who plays Fallout 3, makes a character that looks like Screech from Saved by the Bell, and goes around punching people in the nuts and stealing their food.

[Senbei]

Tunnel Snakes rule.

Gameplay aside, I love the mood it looks like the game will have. I haven't watched any videos or read up on the story, but stuff like this concept art has enraptured me.

[Crowbar]

It doesn't look anything like the concept art.

[Senbei]

Obviously those images shouldn't be taken literally. I'm more interested in the ambiance.

[Zeta]

It's Indigo Prophecy with the stupid plot removed and replaced with an equally stupid plot about a origami pedophile child killer.


Pass.

[gr4yJ4Y]

It looks interesting. I just don't know if I'll have time for it.

[Segaholic2]

It's Indigo Prophecy with the stupid plot removed and replaced with an equally stupid plot about a origami pedophile child killer.


Pass.

Maybe you'd be interested in it if the game required a special controller with even more buttons on it.

[Delphine]

This is the reason I'm finally putting aside the money for a PS3.

[Zeta]

It's Indigo Prophecy with the stupid plot removed and replaced with an equally stupid plot about a origami pedophile child killer.


Pass.

Maybe you'd be interested in it if the game required a special controller with even more buttons on it.

So I could play the game with my penis!

[Shadow Hog]

Heavy rain?

[Delphine]

BAAAANNNNNEEEEEDDDDDDD

[Yami CJMErl]

Heavy rain?

I was waiting for someone to use that joke.

[P.P.A.]

Ohohoh, that slaps me on the knee.

[Syntheticgerbil]

I never played Indigo Prophecy (I understand the American version was censored?), but I had it sitting unopened on my shelf for a while.

I've been eyeing Heavy Rain, but just looking at it, my feelings are pretty ambivalent. I'm open to the idea of a game that's not really a game so much as an interactive movie - a real one, I mean, it really does look like the crystallization of all those naive ideas from the early 90's that went nowhere (at least nowhere good) - but if I'm going to sit down to play a movie, is it a movie I want to see? If Heavy Rain were a film, I don't think I'd give it a second glance.

So, I don't know. I'm looking forward to hearing some impressions when it comes out.

Green Gibbon is my hero. He put everything I hate about this game into words.

David Cage is incredibly full of himself and always makes all of these promises that his next game will have extremely genre changing and innovative ideas. It never works out that way, and that's what happens when developers overhype themselves. To me, the guy's just a wannabe Molyneaux.

The guy writes like a pretentious douche who makes made for TV thrillers for the USA Network. Also none of the character designs or animation are realistic or revolutionary. In all of the gameplay videos, people just look like they came from Playstation home and move around and emote like they are cursed with down syndrome.

There's better things to waste $60 on.

[P.P.A.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRdbzqyWh9Q Trailer.
/me shrugs.

[gr4yJ4Y]

I just played the demo last night and it left me craving more. The only problem I had with it is I still have an SD TV, so it was kind of hard to tell shapes apart for some of the QTEs and when different choices are circling your character. They're all the same color and sometimes the camera is pretty far away.

There's diffidently something very Shenmue about walking slowly through a realistic setting by holding R.

[Esrever]

I played the demo, too! Man, I really want to like this game. The story seemed interesting, and it wonderfully presented. Aside from the faces, which veer into some pretty seriously horrifying uncanny valley territory at times, it is a pretty nice looking game. And I generally like the way you use joystick gestures and button pushes to interact with the environment and other characters.

But man, those neverending QTE action strings are still in there, and I still hate them. Honestly, guys, the adventure game elements are enough! Talking to people and looking at stuff... that is all the gameplay I need. When people gotta fight, just play me a flippin' cut scene. Sure, it's interesting to see how hitting/missing any one of the five million QTEs will subtly alter the way the fight unfolds... but it just isn't much fun to actually play.