Heavy Rain

[NickSCFC]

In-game footage

http://www.gamekyo.com/video12723_heavy ... video.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The 1up preview confirms that you can move freely:

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3169463" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Movement in Heavy Rain doesn't come from the analog stick; it comes from holding down the right trigger (R2), "like in a racing game," says Cage. "Simple. You never get lost. Pressing the button always makes you move forward." The newly freed left analog stick, then, controls your character's head -- and serves as the steering wheel, essentially.

Those having Resident Evil tank-controls-nightmare flashbacks can relax. While button-movement seems strange at first, it solves one of Indigo Prophecy's key control issues. Because that game relied so heavily on cinematic camera angles, as the view changed players often found themselves turning around unintentionally; the camera would shift before they could orientate themselves to the new perspective. With button-movement, that problem disappears, though I'm curious to see how natural it feels to move quickly with this setup.

The rest of the controls have changed a decent bit as well. You still interact with the world around you using the right analog stick (to knock on a door, for instance), but now you make many choices with the Sixaxis' tilt sensor. Walk up to a door and the game will give you three dialogue choices, which you select by physically moving your controller toward them. "What is interesting in this interface is the fact that you are not stuck when you want to talk," says Cage. "In most games, when you want to talk, you enter a cut-scene with fixed cameras, and there's nothing you can do. But here we can move and talk and interact at the same time, like in real life." Using a similar interface, you can pull up a short list of your character's thoughts at any time by holding down L1 and moving the controller to select between them, the idea being that you can ask your character what they are thinking as a way to gain clues or extra information about what's occurring around them.

[Pattybean]

WOW
I was just looking at this on kotaku, I take it that its a survival horror? Very very impressive.

BOOOOOOOOOO! QTE!

[Christopher]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

[Sarge]

Few Images

[Pattybean]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

Yeah I just added a edit to my post, soon as I saw the QTE-esque elements it disheartend me.

[Christopher]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

Yeah I just added a edit to my post, soon as I saw the QTE-esque elements it disheartend me.

Same. I think it looks stunning but I enjoy to actually play a game rather the press the odd button whilst watching a movie. Oh well LBP it is then to save the PS3 as a games machine.

[NickSCFC]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

Seems to play like Shenmue.

Like the setting, more like a grown up movie than a game or OTT action thriller.

[Christopher]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

Seems to play like Shenmue.

Like the setting, more like a grown up movie than a game or OTT action thriller.

You don't move her around. You realise this right?

[NickSCFC]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

Seems to play like Shenmue.

Like the setting, more like a grown up movie than a game or OTT action thriller.

You don't move her around. You realise this right?

Since when?

[Christopher]

If its anything like Fahrenheit, it should have moving segments, and QTE bits like the one in the video.

Am i the only one not bothered by this.

No there will be loads that will think this is great. But for me a game without gameplay is like a pond without water.

[KK]

I really hope it doesn't turn into a horror (i.e those mannequins come to life) as that'd be bollocks.

[Sarge]

The visuals are great but not as good as the trailer they showed last year & it appears to be more of an interactive movie than a game. (way too many QTE for my liking, they had something 10+ in less than 30secs of footage)

[This is me breathing]

Looks like utter crap to me.

Reminds me of the way they hyped up The Bouncer for PS2 as a game that would push boundaries.

Is this supposed to be Sony's big hope? Oh dear.

[Thongings]

Looks absolutely terrific. How it will play is not exactly clear from that vid.

Obviously it looks like QTEs will play a large part, but I think it's a bit early to write it off as not having anything else. It's the very first video we've seen of it after all.

To be honest, if it plays like a slightly more advanced version of Fahrenheit I'd be pretty happy.

[NickSCFC]

How do people know this will just be a movie with QTE bits in?

[Thongings]

I really hope it doesn't turn into a horror (i.e those mannequins come to life) as that'd be bollocks.

Haven't they actually came out and said that there's nothing supernatural in this at all? Could be a red herring to throw people off the scent of course, but I'm sure they're fully aware of the reaction to Fahrenheit's denouement.

[satriales]

More info:

Before the demo began, we had a good look at the menu screen. The menu zoomed in on the eyes of a woman who resembled Mary Smith from "The Casting" demo. She filled the screen with her eyes as she glanced furtively left and right. It was a bit unsettling and rather hypnotic, but the detail was exquisite because the eyes looked so real. Cage explained that they created a technology to motion-capture the micromovement on the eyes of a real actress. The details on the skin and the shadows were also impressive because we saw the blemishes and inconsistencies of the skin, not an airbrushed close-up of an actress who no longer has pores. The graphics have improved significantly from the last demo, and by looking into Mary's eyes, it was as if you could see into her thoughts. The chilling piano theme playing in the background added to the mystery as we eagerly waited for the presentation to start.

We first saw a journalist named Madison as she rode a motorcycle in the rain, headed toward the house of a taxidermist. Several women have disappeared, and he has been linked as a possible suspect. Madison is only interested in getting the scoop on whether this man turns out to be the true origami killer or not. Once she arrived at the house, Madison stepped onto the sidewalk and we began to see how the controls work. Rather than using the analog sticks to maneuver her, the R2 trigger will let her move forward and the left analog can be used to move her head. It's difficult to think of this game within the traditional conventions. As the player, you are there to progress the story as you see fit, and options will be available to you as they come up. Similar to Indigo Prophecy, icons will appear in the lower right portion of the screen to indicate what you can do, whether it's moving the analog stick or tapping buttons. Madison moved forward to look in the mailbox, but whether she puts her hand in slowly or backs off is entirely up to you. You'll be in control of how the animation unfolds, and there is never any load time. The house appeared to be a more run-down version of a typical suburban home. The weather was dreary and Madison was wet from the rain. Her movements were realistic, and when left standing idle for a while, she fidgeted.

When Madison approached the door, she was prompted with options to either knock or ring the doorbell. Using the Sixaxis controller, you can also select what you want to say, given that Madison will have different thoughts come up. This thought interface will give you the pros and cons of the situation. It doesn't tell you what to do or not to do, and it's contextual, so it will change depending on where and when you are in the story.

Of course, that was the perfect time for the taxidermist to return, and the screen split to show the taxidermist on the left, headed into his home, and Madison on the right as she tried to figure out what to do. The music also picked up here to drive the gravity of the situation as Madison tiptoed slowly across the hall to try to sneak out through the garage. Staying quiet, Madison got out of the house by using the garage switch, and she quickly jumped onto her motorcycle, which took a bit of button mashing before it would start. She finally got her helmet on and sped away. After this scenario, Cage explained that this was only one possible story. Like it would in the actual game, the next scenario would take this information and continue to tell the story based on what had been done. Considering that this demo wasn't following the actual storyline of Heavy Rain, we were brought back to the scene in which the taxidermist returned to his house, but this time what followed was completely different. The taxidermist heard Madison upstairs and came looking for her. We were told that there are as many as 20 to 30 hiding places in the house. As Madison hid behind a door, a sequence of buttons appeared that needed to be held to simulate the same uncomfortable feeling of being stuck. She moved to another hiding spot, at which point she came face to face with the creep. He attacked, and Madison fought back with an object that she grabbed off of the nightstand. She ran downstairs and tripped, subsequently heading to the front door to find it locked. Then she ran to the kitchen window, which wouldn't open anymore. She finally made her way to the garage, flipped the switch, and ran to her bike with the murderer close behind. She frantically tried to start her motorcycle, and when it finally did, she took off and left her helmet behind.

This was a much more intense, action-filled scenario, the kind in which you feel like you're in serious danger, but these were only two of the possible scenarios that a player could have gone through. We were told that the player controlling Madison had messed up numerous times but still managed to escape. You could have killed the villain in various ways; you could have stayed hidden and called the police. Madison could also be killed, and the fascinating part is that the game would not be over. Events would merely continue with that information taken into account. Cage was tight-lipped about any further details as to how this would work or how things would continue, but we do know that there is no game over in Heavy Rain.

We also know that there are 60 scenes in Heavy Rain, and each one will have different gameplay and narrative. The overall theme will be dark, given that it's a thriller. Cage tells us that the game will be full of twists and turns and will include many surprises. He says that it will offer a new way of interacting with a new kind of storytelling that extends beyond the cutscenes and never-ending dialogue. In this new genre, it's not about your reaction and how you move the controller, but about what decisions you make as a player to make the story unfold. The experience will be different each time.

http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/adventure/heavyrain/news.html?sid=6196255

[Eighthours]

How do people know this will just be a movie with QTE bits in?

They don't. Though I'm a mite suspicious of Cage talking about how the casuals will be able to easily play it.

[satriales]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

Seems to play like Shenmue.

Like the setting, more like a grown up movie than a game or OTT action thriller.

You don't move her around. You realise this right?

You do move her around. You realise this right?

[Christopher]

Well the animation is simply breathtaking but the gameplay looks like something from the early 80's(Space Ace and Dragon's Lair).

Seems to play like Shenmue.

Like the setting, more like a grown up movie than a game or OTT action thriller.

You don't move her around. You realise this right?

You do move her around. You realise this right?

Barely. It's not a real game at all. Seriously how can people be excited by this? I know it looks pretty but come on.