Comments on: Review: Heavy Rain http://thisismyjoystick.com/reviews/review-heavy-rain/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:40:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: SG Xibalba http://thisismyjoystick.com/reviews/review-heavy-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-1200 SG Xibalba Mon, 17 May 2010 18:17:20 +0000 http://thisismyjoystick.com/?p=5112#comment-1200 Loved it. I was truly moved by the interaction with his kids, and felt a real sense of family closeness there - When I had tears in my eyes before the opening titles had even started, I knew I was in for an enjoyable experience - because thast is what it is, I don't class this as a game, and I don't think David Cage would either. I am no fan at all of QTEs - in fact, I detest them with a passion, they hardly engage you, and for me a good game HAS to be immersive in some way shape or form. Heavy Rain certainly manages to do that and then some. Sure, it's not for everyone, but it certainly shouldn't be discounted. Whilst I agree with Xussia that the Paco character's v.o. was laughably cheesy, I did think they pulled off the sleaze factor with him, even if it was stereotypical. The kids were amazing, and I was truly moved at a number of points thru the game. Personally, I think this is a fantastic release, not perfect, but then again what is. But if you're looking for something that's going to draw you in and captivate you, as well as showing off the graphical capabilities of the PS3, this is a no-brainer in that respect. Loved it. I was truly moved by the interaction with his kids, and felt a real sense of family closeness there – When I had tears in my eyes before the opening titles had even started, I knew I was in for an enjoyable experience – because thast is what it is, I don’t class this as a game, and I don’t think David Cage would either.

I am no fan at all of QTEs – in fact, I detest them with a passion, they hardly engage you, and for me a good game HAS to be immersive in some way shape or form. Heavy Rain certainly manages to do that and then some.

Sure, it’s not for everyone, but it certainly shouldn’t be discounted. Whilst I agree with Xussia that the Paco character’s v.o. was laughably cheesy, I did think they pulled off the sleaze factor with him, even if it was stereotypical. The kids were amazing, and I was truly moved at a number of points thru the game.

Personally, I think this is a fantastic release, not perfect, but then again what is. But if you’re looking for something that’s going to draw you in and captivate you, as well as showing off the graphical capabilities of the PS3, this is a no-brainer in that respect.

]]> By: xussia http://thisismyjoystick.com/reviews/review-heavy-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-1001 xussia Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:56:22 +0000 http://thisismyjoystick.com/?p=5112#comment-1001 I performed my own little sociological experiment with this release. I had experienced all the hyperbole I could handle surrounding this game and after playing the demo at Eurogamer remained unimpressed. It was meant to be this great gaming revolution; an immersive and engaging experience like no other game before etc etc. I was distimctly meh about the whole thing. If this is the case, I thought, maybe my girlfriend who does not really play games to any great extent, might find this new revolutionary game something she could play and get into... So I bought it with this explicit intent - so that my girlfriend could play it from start to finish with no interuption and I could casually observe her experience. She played the game more or less continually for 4 days. In that time she pretty much mastered the controls of the PS3, had seen all the endings and - for want of a better term - cracked the case. What really surprised me was how deeply she got into the whole game and how the mechanics of the control system didn't bother her at all. She really paniced during some parts, was horrified by others and felt genuinly saddened by some of the endings. The narrative really engaged her in a way I didn't expect. In short she absolutely loved it and so I guess the result of the experiment was that given no pre-conceptions about the game and limited gaming experience, Heavy Rain is a successful, stunning looking (she kept saying 'The water looks soooo realllllllll') and rewarding game. For me, it felt sluggish in almost all exposition with unlikable characters and a frustratingly controlled narrative space. Graphically it went from amazing to quite terrible at times. The dialogue and some of the voice acting was laughable (the Paco character, or any of the kids voices throught the game). I felt the 6-axis use was stupid at times (brushing teeth, shaking orange juice). The whole experience left me thinking - so what WAS this gaming revelation? Choices that alter the narrative flow later on? Didn't Mass Effect among other have that? Fight sequences that require button accurate timing and stick movement - didn't the Dragon's Lair coin-op do this many moons ago amongst many others? Engaging stories, moody angst ridden characters... well you get my point. I remain unimpressed and while I see your points in this excellent review, my advice would be rent this rather than buy it. Once you have played through it a few times you will quickly get tired of its repative, choice laden structure... OR buy it for your girlfriend/significant other and let them play it through - providing they have no pre-conceptions about other games it will most likely be a wonderful experience for them and get you in the good books... if that is required... like trying to justify that buying Bayonetta was because she is a strong female character and in total control of her sexuality and not because she has a well rendered arse... Heavy Rain 2 - CSI/Se7en with controls for my girlfriend... Dragon's Lair with tits for me... I performed my own little sociological experiment with this release. I had experienced all the hyperbole I could handle surrounding this game and after playing the demo at Eurogamer remained unimpressed. It was meant to be this great gaming revolution; an immersive and engaging experience like no other game before etc etc. I was distimctly meh about the whole thing.
If this is the case, I thought, maybe my girlfriend who does not really play games to any great extent, might find this new revolutionary game something she could play and get into…
So I bought it with this explicit intent – so that my girlfriend could play it from start to finish with no interuption and I could casually observe her experience.
She played the game more or less continually for 4 days. In that time she pretty much mastered the controls of the PS3, had seen all the endings and – for want of a better term – cracked the case.
What really surprised me was how deeply she got into the whole game and how the mechanics of the control system didn’t bother her at all. She really paniced during some parts, was horrified by others and felt genuinly saddened by some of the endings. The narrative really engaged her in a way I didn’t expect. In short she absolutely loved it and so I guess the result of the experiment was that given no pre-conceptions about the game and limited gaming experience, Heavy Rain is a successful, stunning looking (she kept saying ‘The water looks soooo realllllllll’) and rewarding game.
For me, it felt sluggish in almost all exposition with unlikable characters and a frustratingly controlled narrative space. Graphically it went from amazing to quite terrible at times. The dialogue and some of the voice acting was laughable (the Paco character, or any of the kids voices throught the game). I felt the 6-axis use was stupid at times (brushing teeth, shaking orange juice).
The whole experience left me thinking – so what WAS this gaming revelation? Choices that alter the narrative flow later on? Didn’t Mass Effect among other have that? Fight sequences that require button accurate timing and stick movement – didn’t the Dragon’s Lair coin-op do this many moons ago amongst many others? Engaging stories, moody angst ridden characters… well you get my point.
I remain unimpressed and while I see your points in this excellent review, my advice would be rent this rather than buy it. Once you have played through it a few times you will quickly get tired of its repative, choice laden structure… OR buy it for your girlfriend/significant other and let them play it through – providing they have no pre-conceptions about other games it will most likely be a wonderful experience for them and get you in the good books… if that is required… like trying to justify that buying Bayonetta was because she is a strong female character and in total control of her sexuality and not because she has a well rendered arse…

Heavy Rain 2 – CSI/Se7en with controls for my girlfriend… Dragon’s Lair with tits for me…

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