Heavy Rain

Preview - Bring on the storms, with David Cage's new opus

From the developer of Fahrenheit and Nomad Soul, we've been hearing tittle-tattle about Heavy Rain off-and-on for several months, ever since Quantic Dream launched a piece of concept footage (now downloaded a million times, apparently), and the project's title first showed-up teasingly on Sony's schedules.

Now, however, Quantic Dream CEO David Cage is in Germany to officially unveil the title for the first time, and my my if what we've been demonstrated today isn't pretty much the best looking game ever (oh just behave - Ed).

The Parisian developer have always focussed on story-driven experiences, but with Heavy Rain Cage clearly wants to try something even more cinematic and plot-focussed than what's gone before - could this be a risk for Sony, given Heavy Rain's prominence on their 2009 schedule?

Before we're shown the first in-game footage, Cage waxes lyrical on his desire to "create emotion in real-time 3D", speaking of an "adult experience" that he hopes will show that games can engage us on complex levels, while at the same time maintaining the sense of freedom and interactivity. This isn't a sandbox game, the executive is quick to point out, but he does believe the new experience positions players as "both the writer and the director".

Despite the focus on story this won't be game all about pre-rendered cut-sequences, rather, cut-scenes will take place in-game, Cage weaving the narrative into the experience; making it inseparable from the gameplay.

Heavy Rain is a third-person action-thriller at its heart, and Cage wants to "make us care" about what happens; about the characters. Despite the much talked-about complex and mature plot, Quantic Dream want to make this a game everyone can play. So the context-based controls are paired down to the basics, making extensive use of the Sixaxis tilt mechanism to deliver a control scheme which looks like a far cry from previous so-called third-person action-adventure titles.

Instead, the developer hope to focus the player challenge around the intrigue of the plot; the solutions to in-game problems, rather than on battling the complexities of a multi-button control scheme. Characterisation is key, and both Sony and Quantic Dream seem utterly convinced that this is a title that can broaden their market. Cage is unashamed about his desire to "change gaming".

We're also assured that interaction doesn't have to equal shooting, while puzzle elements will only be ways out of, or into, story situations. There certainly won't be any mini-games, or unrealistic blockades placed in the player's path. That said, the segment from the game we're shown is not - we're assured - from the main portion of the story. Rather it is described as a bonus scene; an example of the sixty of so that will be included in the final game.

You know a game has high-hopes when its creator talks-up the menu screen, and that's exactly what Cage does, drawing attention to the feminine eyes that flutter alluringly across the background. Not the video I thought it was, it is in fact a stunning slice of real-time visuals, the lighting and visage looking near-photo realistic, while the eyes themselves have reportedly been motion captured. This is a sign of the aesthetics to come.

And then the demo begins, and, for the record, I really don't think I've been so impressed by a game visually in a very long time. In the scene in question, you control Madison, a journalist investigating mysterious disappearances in a particular part of town. Madison is perfect. Almost unnervingly so, from her skin textures, to the way her clothes bend and the way she looks around as she walks, this is a very well-realised central character. The first surprise? The player doesn't directly control the camera, rather, this sweeps cinematically depending on where you go and what you do. Likewise, Cage explains that controlling Madison's movements is not about direction, but rather controlling the direction in which she 'looks'. This is how you move through the world, and interact with people and objects.

Arriving by bike at a suspect's house, our heroine begins making well-scripted and well-acted notes on her dictaphone, a function I can see serving a similar purpose in exposition terms to the tape recordings in BioShock. Controls are context sensitive, and while on-screen prompts remind you how to open doors or undertake certain actions, Sixaxis motions will be frequently employed. Gaining entry to the suspect's house, Madison rolls a trash can to the base of an ajar-window (by literally shunting the PS3 controller), before raising the window by gradually lifting the controller. It really is quite subtle; at least to watch.

In an interesting touch, from a narrative perspective, players will also be able gauge Madison's thoughts on a given situation by twists of the controller, this will help reveal the pros and cons of the game's many choices and decisions, as well as suggesting methods of progress to novices. There are multiple ways through each 'scene', and multiple ways of succeeding in your goals - hence Cage's talk of the player literally crafting their own story through the game. For example, if you die in the subject's house, the game won't simply end - rather we're told the story will progress sans Madison; presumably by placing you in the shoes of another character.

Exploring the suspect's house, we're treated to a visual and atmospheric tour de force, while Cage tells us that Heavy Rain will be all about small, highly detailed environments. The house is certainly incredibly well-realised, right down to the photos on the wall (nice lighting). And then we find a body in the bath. The mood quickens, stammered notes are made on the dictaphone, the music ups a gear and suddenly we find ourselves in the suspect's bedroom. I won't reveal the twist, suffice to say that his hobby seems to be taxidermy... like his occupation.

Inevitably, while we're snooping, the burly looking murderer himself returns unexpectedly, and we're forced to flee. Once again there are choices. Let the suspect enter, and sneak quietly out; engage him in combat; try to get past him and exit through the garage; or even inadvertently get Madison murdered - either way the story progresses based on your precise in-game actions. Interesting use of split-screen moments add to the tension here, although during the run-through in which we engage the maniac it is fascinating to note that combat takes place primarily through on-screen button prompts and occasional gestures. Could this leave the game feeling... detached?

Either way, the atmosphere is palpable, and given the level of intricacy involved (make too much noise on the squeaky floorboards and he'll hear you; trip on the stair and he'll catch you), we're certainly very interested in where Quantic Dream are taking what is obviously a real labour of love.

While using the Sixaxis will dictate what you say, and reveal the character's internal monolgue, it is in the game's moral decisions where harder choices will be required. Cage notes that the demo we've been offered is a simplistic slice of what's possible, promising much harder and more ambiguous decisions in the full game. While the core experience will last 8 to twelve hours, we're told there will be lashings of replayability via the multiple, branching story options, in addition to the variable ways of completing tasks, uncovering truths or moving through certain individual scenes.

Scenes is a key word, in fact, not just because of Heavy Rain's lofty cinematic pretensions, but also because, as Cage points out, "this is no GTA". There are options, of course, but in the main plot each route is being slickly produced by Quantic Dream as part of their focus on characterisation and emotional engagement. We've got our concerns over the control scheme still, and hope Heavy Rain won't feel restrictive or like its 'on rails' in some way, but given the developer's obviously noble attempts to try something new, and enchanted as we are by the visual beauty of the game's artistic direction, we're willing to suspend our disbelief and side with David Cage in being very excited about this PS3 exclusive.