Heavy Rain is one of the most engaging video games I’ve ever played. To call it a video game doesn’t really do it justice. Heavy Rain is about the story, first and foremost. And the story is compelling. Unlike so many titles where the story is an afterthought that seems tacked on to the game (Gears of War, anyone?); Heavy Rain feels like a rich, character driven story with a game added to it.
The game is not perfect, don’t get me wrong. I’ll try and do this without spoilers, so feel safe to read on if you haven’t played it yet. Heavy Rain is about a series of murders completed by the “Origami Killer”. Named so because he leaves an origami figure with his victims. You play as one of four characters, rotating between them as they all travel along separate – yet sometimes intermingling -paths to try and stop the killer. There’s the good samaritan, the private investigator, the FBI agent, and the father trying to save his son. Each one with their own vested interest in finding the murderer. The story is well done, just what you would expect from a good mystery. It starts off slow, and depressing (make sure you play the first couple hours on a sunny day). Even with the slow start, the emotions that the main character was going through were palpable. I was immersed and emotionally affected very early on in the story. It picks up nicely a few hours in however, gradually building to the eventual set piece finale where the murderer is revealed.
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