Heavy Rain - the art of video games becomes even more cinematic

It's fair to say that the video game industry is completely different, in 2010, to the way it started out in the late seventies and early eighties. However, the fundamental difference is not in terms of technology, although, of course, video games technology has improved exponentially over the years. The biggest difference between then and now is how developers are using that technology; as opposed to the earliest hit video games, such as the iconic Space Invaders, modern video games developers are using the technology (and, of course, the vastly more powerful technology) to tell stories. The biggest development in the art of video games, according to many people, is the art of storytelling, as seen in such blockbuster titles as Bioware's Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises, and the upcoming Alan Wake for Xbox 360.

Heavy Rain, a new cinematic experience developed by Quantic Dreams for the PlayStation 3, takes that art of interactive storytelling to completely new heights.

Heavy Rain is quite unlike any video games that have come before it; whereas something like the Mass Effect series ties in more traditional gameplay (in this case, cover-based, third person shooting) to an overarching, well written story, Heavy Rain puts the story foremost in the experience, and crafts the gameplay around that, making it more like an interactive movie than a traditional video game. As such, playing Heavy Rain is an unusual experience, especially for players more used to traditional gameplay mechanics. The gameplay itself is split into two distinct types, with some sections employing third person exploration, and others using interactive cut-scenes utilising quick-time events.

The narrative of Heavy Rain is what clearly matters most to the developers, and even in this respect, it differs from traditional gaming fare. The story conceived by Quantic Dreams is considerably more low-key and less fantastical than other games on the market. Once again, compare it to the Mass Effect franchise: with Mass Effect, Bioware delivered a vast, well written space opera, set in a universe that will instantly feel like home to science fiction fans, with the story set amongst alien worlds and exotic races. With Heavy Rain, the plot is more akin to a gritty thriller, set in low-key locations, and focusing on the personal stories of four people trying to discover the secret behind the 'Origami Killer'. While Mass Effect focuses on alien worlds, Heavy Rain is unequivocally meant to represent our world, in a story that feels like its transcribing real world events.

Heavy Rain, therefore, isn't relying on fantastic locations, or grand, mythical story arcs, but instead focuses right in on the emotions of the characters it portrays. This is possibly the most important development in the games industry, as a subset of that enhanced storytelling technique: the ability to portray (in its characters) and provoke (in the player) emotions. This is why the upcoming thriller Alan Wake is said to work so well: it taps into people's innate fear of the dark and the unknown, to provide a genuinely scary gaming experience. Heavy Rain, on the other hand, taps into a different set of emotions, focusing on loss, loneliness and grief, as well as very hard moral choices.

However, the story mechanics do make it hard to recommend Heavy Rain on its gameplay. It's such a quirky and unusual game, that it may well prove to be a tough sell to traditional gamers. So, as a game, it does fall down on occasion. However, as a rounded cinematic experience, it is a triumph, with a compelling (if pessimistic) story, and characters who will drag you into their world. How well it will sell, though, depends on how easy it is for gamers to get used to the unusual gameplay, but it would be a shame to miss out, because as an experience, Heavy Rain is second to none.