watch the video
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=228556
and a fantastic article
http://www.incgamers.com/Columns/31/Why-Im-Backing-Heavy-Rain
some excerpts;
For example, in one early scene featuring PI Scott Shelby, he visits a prostitute who lost her son to the Origami Killer and the way he conducts himself in conversation can influence the outcome of the scene in a number of ways. Basically, without giving too much away, he can leave with information or without it and at the end of the scene you'll be presented with a choice to defend the woman against an attacker or simply walk away. If you choose the latter, you'll feel discomfort and guilt - it's this kind of evocative plotting that makes Heavy Rain stand out from the crowd. As does the fact that there are four main characters which gives the game an immediate dramatic advantage over most story-driven title. This allows QD to show events from four different angles, adding more depth and dramatic tension. Now, I won't lie to you; all of my doubts about Heavy Rain lie in the narrative too. What I've seen so far is very well handled, but I do fear a grand apocalyptic conspiracy coming on. Hopefully, Cage and QD will stay true to their word and make a game about relationships, not sub-Dan Brown conspiracy fodder.
Atmosphere:The tone of Heavy Rain is Quantic Dream's greatest achievement. Again it's rare for games to convey mood amid all the action, but this is something that Heavy Rain delivers in spades. Yes, it's bleak. But, it's intriguingly bleak, in a David Fincher kind of way. The game is littered with mood moments, like when you play as Ethan and sit down to watch TV with your still-traumatised son. The camera shifts to show Ethan's desire to have his son back as melancholic piano music begins. The game is so brilliantly soundtracked that you actually find yourself becoming nervous when the mood music begins. At one point Ethan was given the relatively simple task of retrieving a teddy bear for his son so he could go to sleep. After collecting it from downstairs, the piano music began and I became convinced he would be gone by the time I got back to his room (there's a killer about after all). He wasn't, of course, but that's the genius of the atmosphere – it makes you uncomfortable, and it's brilliantly judged. Some will call it pretentious, I'm sure, especially in light of the news that the game will delay trophy announcements in order to preserve the atmosphere. According to some writers, this is more of an affront to gaming than Rogue Warrior but I think it's a perfectly reasonable and intelligent move by the developer. I wonder how the critics would feel if they were watching a film and were interrupted by a knock at the door and someone shouting "Congratulations, you've made it an hour into Requiem For A Dream!" Probably thankful for a break from the relentless misery, I suppose. OK, bad example
What surprises me most about Heavy Rain is that I'm intrigued by it despite the fact I'm not a fan of quick time events. Hate 'em, in fact - generally, they're a cheap excuse for real gameplay. But, in Heavy Rain, they don't bother me because I'm gripped by the story, characters and atmosphere. The QTEs are my opportunity to change things and, as such, feel more natural and relevant than they do in most titles.
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its games like this that prove videogames to be a unique form of expression. its games like this that push the inustry forward. Dont miss out on this one, games like this come out once a generation
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