Tailgate Blogs
March 10th, 2010 9:07pm PST
March 8th, 2010 11:07pm PST

So I was thinking it would be nice to finally review a new game, so Ipicked up Heavy Rain for the PS3 over the weekend and gave it a go.
One problem, after playing through it I am not sure if its a game I can review, not because its a bad game or that I am a moron, its simply after spending maybe 9 hours on it, I am still not sure if it is fair to call it a video game.
I mean, you use a controller, you push some buttons, but you don't really play it. This is something more, possibly the start of a new age in digital entertainment. Or its the newest incarnation of a choose your own adventure built for the 21st century.
Anyone looking for something along the lines of Condemned: Criminal Origins is going to be dissapointed. Anyone looking to be scared by a game in the way you were with Dead Space is also going to be dissapointed.
That being said, let me say this is a very slow paced game with individual moments of edge of the seat excitment.
The premise is that as one of the main charactes by the name of Ethan Mars, you son is kidnapped by the origami killer. A serial killer that only targets children, he kidnaps them and they are found 3-5 days later in a abandoned area drowned in rain water. Ethan's child is kidnapped and his entire world begins to unravel as he plunges into despair and anxiety.
This titles does wonder in this aspect, making the controlling player feeling the main character's angst and turmoil.
In the game you are in control of four central characters, the afor mentioned Ethan Mars, a female reported named Madison, a private investigator named Scott Shelby and a FBI agent called in by the name of Jayden Norman.
Through these characters you explore a very strict set of circumstances in order to hopefully save the mission child of Ethan Mars.
Now let's get down to the nitty gritty. This is a awesome looking titles, something that is truly HD and exploits all of the potential of a system as advanced as the Playstation 3. That being said, here's is my one complaint. The makers of this title seemed to take immense pleasure if doing things simply to let you know how great things are. How awesome it is to control things down to the littlest detail. But seriously, there is no way that brushing somone's teeth ( I kid you not) or properly making scrambled eggs can be considered essential in advancing the story line of the game.
Let's talk about the controls and how you play the game shall we? So you can walk your character around, I personally did find it annoying that all you could do in the game was a very measured and might I add a very posture perfect walk around the game. The last time I saw peopel climb stairs with such ramrod straight backs they were wearing back braces. Basically that's it, you walk around and as you get near things you are given onscreen prompts on what buttun to push or what way to manipulate the control sticks. That's it. Its a button pusing prompt game at its very core. There is really no room for exploration other than walking around the different rooms of various apartments, you can't really go off pattern because there are no options in that manner.
That being said, if you don't press the buttons soon enough, it will alter the way the game progresses. One particularly entertaining fight seen I was a little slow on my buttons and I ended up getting one of the main characters ground up into paste......my bad.
The game is rife with options and depending on what you choose and how fast you choose them I suppose directly alters the ultimate ending of the game. And I'm still having a hard time calling it a game, it was entertaining and fun, but it wasn't gaming. It felt more like I was being allowed to participate in a made for HBO movie.
Side observations: I find it kinda gross that the female character does not wipe or was her hands after peeing, and yes, you can make her use the toilet, it is not watersports by any means, but seriously, how does this help the game. The female character has a nice body as well, yes...you can make her take a shower and it shows off her assets. But you also have to see Ethan's but as well, so its a win win all around :) hmmm....anyways. You also can get two of the characters to interact in a soft-core sex scene......
Yeah, its basically not a game for kids. It's also not a game for those who are looking for a repeat of previous methods of gaming. There isn't alot of shoot em up action, or alot of blood. Asides from injuries there isn't alot of blood period.
I personally think the title is fantastic, but its not for everyone, and that could be its downfall, by creating something so unique, they may have marketed themselve out of alot of sales.
Overall, I give it 4 out 5 drowned tweens.
Baine
February 23rd, 2010 11:07pm PST
February 22nd, 2010 9:37pm PST
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