(Originally Posted on Crush! Frag! Destroy!)

Have you ever wished for a game that required very little player input, packed a heavy narrative, and was more of a CG movie than a video game? You’re in luck! Metal Gear Solid 4 is available now!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

This year, another PS3-exclusive game is following in those similar footsteps. I recently got the chance to try out the early demo of Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain. The spiritual successor to Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit, Heavy Rain is promised to be a narrative-driven interactive experience that tugs at your heartstrings and coaxes an emotional response unlike any you’ve ever had while playing a video game.

My reactionary self would normally call bollocks to such a claim, but the short while I spent with Heavy Rain has certainly peaked my interest. The demonstration version hands you the keys to ‘drive’ a private detective named Scott Shelby as he investigates a particular murder within the Origami serial killer’s rap-sheet. I say ‘drive’, because the character control is similar to that of a modern racing game, except the brakes apply when you let off the R2 button. Pushing on it will move him/her forwards, but steering is reliant on the left analog stick. It’s a strange concept in this day and age, but it wasn’t as difficult to get used to as I had expected.

After a short tutorial sequence, Shelby arrives in a dingy apartment building and questions the front desk attendant. Once a small transaction occurs, the bored man (and the game camera) point you in the right direction. The subject of your investigation is Lauren Winters, whose son was discovered dead in the neighborhood wasteland. Reluctantly, the woman issues detailed information about the circumstances surrounding her son’s death and Shelby seems satisfied by the results of his questioning. Most conversations in Heavy Rain progress with the selection of different topics that float about your character’s head, accompanied by a button icon. These words will move sporadically and often violently when the current character experiences a stressful situation. I pleasantly discovered the option to avoid or actually fail the conversation upon a second session, which bodes well for the impact of your choices during the remainder of the game.

On the way out the door, Shelby suffers a violent asthma attack. After a brief quick-time event section, an inhaler is produced and the situation is resolved. In the meantime, a meat-headed thug proceeds down the hall and assaults Lauren. Choosing to respond, I successfully complete several well-timed QTE responses and the man flees. During the fight I was pleased to note that I didn’t get distracted from the actions taking place to hunt for a button prompt on the screen. Thanks to well-placed symbols near the character animations, I was able to control the outcome of the fight while enjoying the cool camera angles that attentively followed the scuffle. Of course, the ability to determine my course of action allowed me to ignore the confrontation and leave the building during my second attempt. Either way, Shelby’s section comes to an end with a short walk down the hall and then downstairs.

After a brief loading screen, the demo next introduces FBI Detective Norman Jayden. Arriving on the scene of yet another Origami-related murder, a slight glimpse of his drug addiction is noticeable. His hands shake as he lets go of the steering wheel and he ponders a vial of ‘stuff’ just before leaving the vehicle. The level opens up from there and allows for some exploring on the crime scene, courtesy a super high-tech pair of sunglasses Jayden sports. Dousing the screen in blue and gray, the vision mode points out notable items and clues by popping icons up from the ground. Upon closer examination, Jayden will inform you whether you found part of the holy grail or simply a toothpick dropped by an officer on the scene. Can anyone say hidden items/collectables?

Detective Jayden’s section of the game presented, in full-force, my biggest fear regarding Heavy Rain: the voice acting. His Bostonian accent is dreadful and supporting characters in this scene provide nauseating line delivery, while Shelby’s part of the game boasted solid voice work. It’s especially jarring to experience such a visually striking game offer such wildly varying levels of quality in regards to the acting. Of course, the demo isn’t indicative of the final product, but my excitement level dropped after its conclusion. We’ll have to see how the game turns out later this month when Heavy Rain gets the Crush! Frag! Review! treatment. Stay tuned!