Ben-DutkaPutting out a new IP is a risky business in an industry where sequels often rule the sales charts. But even if it's successful, Quantic Dream has no intention of turning Heavy Rain into a franchise.
In speaking to the Official PlayStation Magazine UK – the latest edition of which features the first review of the hotly anticipated game – Quantic Dream founder David Cage says that once the story in Heavy Rain is over, it's over . Quite frankly, he has "nothing else to say." This isn't exactly surprising, though, as this particular studio isn't in the business of pumping out title after title in an established series; as Cage said- "I believe that the value of my company lies in its ability to create new IPs." You may recall Indigo Prophecy from the last generation, which of course had no sequel, either. As for the upcoming DLC, known as the Heavy Rain Chronicles , this will certainly expand on the experience and provide the player with new information and angles in the complex storyline. However, don't think for a second the game itself isn't complete due to this DLC. Said Cage:
"The game tells a full story, nothing is missing from it. The approach to DLC was to say, let’s work on prequels. What led the characters to be who they are in Heavy Rain? What happened to them before?"
Well, downloadable mini-prequels are different from full-blown sequels, right? And by the way, that Heavy Rain review in the February issue of OPM UK awards the game a 9 out of 10, which is definitely a good sign. Expect to see more early reviews popping up over the next few weeks; some sources simply ignore embargo dates, so…
Related Game(s): Heavy Rain
well that sucks
From the sound of it, anything Cage wants to do is fine with me so far.
Hell, just look how good Cage did Indigo Prophesy/Fahrenheit on the PS2.
i wonder how long the whole story takes…anyone know?
apparently not overly long, probably like 8-10 hours, but that is because there are so many variations on how the story could go that you aren't exposed to everything in one playthrough.
Its probably 8-10 hours for just one path in the plot, i imagine it could take several weeks to see every possible outcome.
wow thats perfect im definitely gonna play more than one time thru
What is Heavy Rain about?
Murder? Kidnapping?
Life
Choice
The unfortunate happenings and mysteries around those involved in the murders done by the Origami Killer.
@ Snaaaake – Kidnapping and murder … and whether or not you'd cut your own finger off to get the one you love back.
Meteorologists. ;x
precipitation …jk
BTW, The HR Special Edition game for Europe is going to have a different cover art done for it than the first two. And I think it's the best one out of the three yet.
And the HR SE copy also comes with a stylish fold-out packaging covered in realistic, imprinted raindrops, also a DLC voucher, a page covered in helpful notes, and with some do-it-yourself origami too.
European Heavy Rain special edition looks wet & classy:
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/16/european-heavy-rain-special-edition-looks-wet-classy/
I like things that are wet and classy.
How refreshing that a dev wants to push themselves by following new ideas.
It may sound like an 'awww', but we all know it's better this way, now we have a whole story, beginning and end. They can just make a third game in the similar style, since it's proving to be a succes.
@ Snaaaake,
Director David Cage has stated that Heavy Rain would be "a very dark film noir thriller with mature themes", without any supernatural elements, and that "the real message [of the game] is about how far you're willing to go to save someone you love."
In an interview with Dutch magazine Chief in 2008, David Cage gave a brief overview of Heavy Rain's narrative and ambitions. A translation was then made on Kotaku's site, which read as follows:
"Heavy Rain is about normal people who have landed in extraordinary situations. I wanted a much more personal story. The first thing that came to my mind, as a father of two little boys, was that the main theme should simply be a father's love for his son. This is not a game about saving the princess or the world. It's purely about a father's love.
The main story will revolve around four different characters, and we're putting the spotlight on their perceptions. The question "what is good and what is evil" is the key here, that will be just a matter of viewpoint…I believe heavily in moral choices, I'm going to use them A LOT. They're not about being good or bad, but about finding the right balance."
In the same interview, Cage commented on the setting by saying, "I don't want to do a big free-roaming city like GTA, because the flow of the story will then be hard to control. Nevertheless, I do want to incorporate big sets, with a crowd, heavy populated areas like a mall and a subway are going to be in there. Of course, the gameplay has got to make use of that aspect too."
There are four playable characters confirmed— an FBI profiler named Norman Jayden, a retired private detective named Scott Shelby, an architect named Ethan Mars, and a journalist named Madison Paige. All playable characters are said to be looking for a serial killer known as "The Origami Killer".
According to a demonstration given to Edge magazine, the game will use a unique control scheme. A trigger button on the PlayStation 3 controller will move the character forward. It will take advantage of the button's analogue function, allowing the user to control the speed of the character's movement by pressing harder or softer on the button. The left analogue stick will control the movement of the character's head and the direction the character moves in relation to where the character is looking. David Cage explains that this frees the movement of the character from the perspective of the camera. The rest of the game is played using a series of context sensitive actions such as picking up a bottle in a grocery store and hitting a robber on the head with it, and quick time events, normally for chase and combat sequences. Players are able to bring up a selection of their character's current thoughts by holding the L1 button and pressing corresponding buttons to say or do what they're thinking. These thoughts will sometimes blur, and selecting them at the wrong time will affect the character's reaction, causing them to say or do something in the wrong way.
Action sequences, such as when the player is being attacked, play out as quick time events. Players will be presented with various symbols, requiring them to either press buttons, move the right analogue stick in a certain way, or shake or tilt the controller. Failure to execute these commands take the story along a different path, and certain mistakes will lead to a character's death.
For example, in one scene, Norman Jayden is interrogating a suspect named Mad Jack when he starts to suffer from withdrawal symptoms and button prompts will show up. If he fails to take his drugs, he will be taken to a scenario in which he will have to escape from a car before it is thrown into a crusher, killing him. In scenes like these, a 'timer' scene is shown at the bottom of the screen, indicating how long the player has to escape from his predicament.
If a character dies, the game does not end, and play control switches to another character, with the events of the previous character's death affecting the story.
In the event that all four characters die, there is a proper conclusion to the story and the game ends.
hmm, so in other word, the Origami Killer is the center of the plot?
Just because there will be no squeal does not mean there will not be another game with a similar structure.
Heavy Rain is a progression over Indigo Prophesy/Fahrenheit so there may well be another new IP that takes up the provocative and engrossing story telling to another level. I am sure people will be eager for more games of this ilk once they have played through Heavy Rain a couple of times.
hmm… "imagi"? Sounds suspicious, I think YOU are the Origami Killer!
No, he's just a laughing clown on teh interwebz.
Cool.
This means that they added EVERYTHING they wanted to add to this game (without holding back).
Unlike a certain other developer.
SQUEENIX!!
This is the way it's supposed to be done. 🙂
Quantic Dream > Squeamish Squeenix
I don't mind new IPs everything doesn't need a sequel, if the gameplay is solid with a good story that doesn't have holes in it then I say bring in the new IPs
Sounds good to me. Makes this title even more unique. If this is as good as everyone is hoping, then my all means. Make new IP's till your hearts content.
BTW, Europe & the US can sign up to do a 4 day hunt for the origami killer.
You'll share notes with others to help try solving the case
Europe will pick up a voucher for a free in-Home "Heavy Rain" t-shirt
All the info's here:
http://www.heavyrainps3.com/#/en_US/experience
Developers with ambitions, I like that, no, I RESPECT THAT TO THE MAX!!
Unlike some other developers.
Now let's just support this game & DLC, so that hopefully their third game, (whatever it'll be) will stay PS3 exclusive, in order to be as good as Heavy Rain potentially seems to be.
4th game
First Review of the game and it's an awesome sign, for more to come.
Hey World,
I dont remember Quantic Dream having already done 3 games, I can only remember 2 below so far(not counting the upcoming Heavy Rain).
If there is another by QD, I'd like to know about it & hunt it down for at least one of my collections.
1. Omikron: The Nomad Soul for the PC in 99, then over to the Dreamcast in 2000
2. Fahrenheit(called Indigo Prophecy in NA) done in 2005 on the PC, xbox, the 360, & the PS2
While i'm highly excited for HR i'm glad to hear this, i'd rather they move onto a new simular styled came, like Farenheit before it, I'd rather they work on another exciting game.
I hear it's pretty hard not to die by the end of the game so I'm sure very few characters would be left for the sequel anyways.
I dislike follow ups but at the same time…i could feel the opposite!
A hated follow up would be pointless ones like CoD, Guitar Hero and Resident Evil…just things that don't need sequels. Even MGS, as good as two sequels were, didn't need them.
Then there are the dilemma sequels. Do i go nuts for Demons Souls 2 or want it to remain a Vagrant Story, a Gem in the rough?
If a follow up is not actually a follow up, but more a new story i.e. FF, Dragon Quest etc, that's cool too but, FF is going a bit….
Dark Cloud 3…i'd want that!
But, things should aim for a single. It makes it feel tons more legendary and let's you know the exact intentions of the creators…to create art.
David Cage has spoke nothing but gold.
Last edited by Lotusflow3r on 1/18/2010 12:17:20 PM
Well this sounds like a fellow who understands grown up gamers. DLC that isn't a punch in the gut, a full engrossing story that begins and ends, something that blurs the lines between a game and an intellectual entertainment. I hope they are justly rewarded for their efforts. As soon as I find the money it must be in my collection.
I'm going to preorder this game. It looks so cool.
Preach!
Can't wait.
-y did i get 8 thumbs down on the first comment? i meant it sucks we wont see a sequel
-and ive noticed that if ben say's something, everybody automatically agrees, like the square-enix sukks thing. i thoroughly remember this site always PRAISING them before the xbox thing. this site isn't biased, its just full of kiss-asses.
@ Booze95 sometimes people misinturpete comments it happens take it with a grain of salt . Also not everyone agrees with Ben, and if people do it has nothing to do with being kiss-asses as you like to point out it's because for the majority of Ben's articles are well written and throughly researched if you read his articles carefully you'll see why people agree and sometimes people disagree with Ben but if you do you'd better have a damn good explanation. I've been on this website for a long time and I always read carefully and if I dont' agree I do my own research before agruing with the article writter. For the whole square enix you go on any other website and u'll have lots more upset fans it has nothing to do with porting to Xbox it has to do with loyal fans feeling left in the dark from the beginning of the series.
For this article, sometimes a series doesn't need a sequel but the DLC will be great.
still pissed JP gets this 20 days before me.
strap on the electric ball clamps why dont ya!