From the two blockbuster games that Quantic Dream released on the PS3, Heavy Rain was my favorite and I am glad to see that finally, it has come to PS4. Compared to Beyond Two Souls, the latest title that Quantic Dream released, Heavy Rain has an emotional punch to its story and far more compelling characters. For those that have played the game before. it’s great to revisit it one more time.
For those who have never played the game before, Heavy Rain’s main character, Ethan Mars, is a responsible father who loves nothing in the world except for his two little boys. After a tragic accident that takes the life of one of his boys, he becomes depressed, and his other son, Shaun Mars, suffers from it. Two years after the death of his son, a serial killer known as the Origami Killer begins abducting young boys by drowning them. His only calling card is origami shapes. Shaun Mars is one of the victims and it is up for Ethan to do everything he must to save his son.
During the search for Ethan’s son you will come across three characters (Norman Jayden, a drug addict FBI agent who is assigned to solve the mystery of the Origami Killer; Madison Paige, a photographer who’s an insomniac and will be involved with Mars, and Scott Shelby, a private investigator hired by the families to search the Origami Killer). All four of them have the same goal: to catch the Origami Killer. Honestly, you won’t feel the tension of the game after the first few episodes. Despite taking a while to get into the action, once the pace starts to quicken you won’t be able to put the controller down until you find out who the Origami Killer is.
I must say that Heavy Rain is a game that has an extremely well thought out storyline that will keep you guessing until the very end. You will make many predictions as to who the Origami Killer is as soon you start playing, but as you are nearing the end, you will be shocked by the conclusion. “Expect the unexpected” would be a good tagline for this game. The twists and turns are a rare and welcome addition to a game market flooded with games lacking in unique storytelling.
In terms of gameplay, it’s quite unique and similar to games that many have probably played like The Walking Dead from Telltale Games. Compared to other interactive games, this one really gets players engaged throughout the eight to ten hour adventure. For those who dislike quick time events, there’s a chance you won’t like this game as there are plenty here. You will need to be attentive at all times as one wrong move can lead to deadly results and changes the story completely. When it comes to the controls, it’s pretty much the same as the PS3 version.
Playing Heavy Rain is one believable and realistic experience thanks to the wonderful musical score. Everything you look for in a great movie in terms of the musical score is found here. When the drama kicks in, a great emotional soundtrack kicks in that can make you cry. This holds true for the action, romantic moments and more! The music sets the tone of the game perfectly.
As for its visuals, don’t expect that this game to look much better than Beyond Two Souls. Since it’s been six years from the time the game was released, gamers should expect to see some stiffness and age to its visuals. Unfortunately, the PS4 version didn’t completely overhaul the graphics. What everyone saw from the PS3 version is somewhat identical to the PS4 version, except it’s much cleaner and sharper this time around.
In addition to the much cleaner graphics, the PS4 version of Heavy Rain is the complete edition of the game as it includes the Taxidermist DLC. The additional content included tells the sidestory of one of the characters in the game. It’s quite interesting and I highly recommend in playing it. Unfortunately, there’s only one DLC released for this game.
Verdict
While we eagerly await Quantic Dream’s next title, which is set to release later this year, Heavy Rain is an enjoyable retread. Despite not being as visual impressive or fluid as Beyond: Two Souls, Heavy Rain still has one of the best dramatic storylines in a game. For those who yet to played either of Quantic Dream interactive-dramas. Heavy Rain is a great introduction to their work. that is sure to impress anyone looking for an exciting/deep story.
[Editor’s Note: Heavy Rain was reviewed on PS4 platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]