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Impressions: Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain is not your typical game -- the experience promises to change and morph throughout the different scenes. While the Taxidermist and Mad Jack scenes are reasonably similar, with our protagonists infiltrating areas for clues and then making their escape after being discovered, the new scene shown off at E3 by Quantic Dream's David Cage illustrated how situations and gameplay styles will differ throughout. This new scene does exactly what it says on the tin. Named "Madison At The Blue Lagoon," it follows the exploits of our female protagonist, Madison -- who you may recognise from the Taxidermist scene -- at a busy club called the Blue Lagoon. Madison has gone in search of the club's owner, Paco, in order to get new information regarding something. As usual, Quantic Dream's David Cage is appropriately cagey about giving away too much of the story. In contrast to the other scenes we've been shown, which have involved only a couple of characters at a time, the Blue Lagoon is packed full of people. Madison weaves through them naturally and realistically as she makes her way through the dancing throng towards the bar. This game's graphical fidelity tends to range from "incredible" to "a bit iffy," but this scene looked great, despite the relatively large number of characters on screen. With a Q1 2010 release date and with the game 70% done, there's still time to iron out any graphical kinks. %Gallery-30067%
Overheard@E3: We're here to learn
"We're not here to have sex. We're here to learn something." -- Quantic Dream's David Cage on the objective in a new Heavy Rain scene debuted during a breakout session today.We quietly chanted the mantra as the character, Madison, was forced (by consequences in the game demo) to strip down to her bra and thong, bend over, and shake it, shattering the fourth wall and our tolerance for dark rooms packed with strangers.
Interview: David Cage of Quantic Dream and Heavy Rain
We recently had our precipitation-sodden paws all over Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer, and then chatted with David Cage, a man who wears plenty of hats at developer Quantic Dream. In addition to founding the studio, he's also the head game developer, writer, co-CEO, director, and chief bottle washer. So, who better to walk us through the trippy thriller that goes where Indigo Prophecy feared to tread? Read on to find out some new tidbits about the game, how Fight Club inspired the interface system and why his favorite ending to the game is when all four characters die. Plus why, like Guillermo del Toro, he believes that the interactive entertainment industry is long overdue for a Citizen Kane (or in Cage's case, a Slumdog Millionaire) of games. %Gallery-30067%
Heavy Rain footage surprisingly light on precipitation
The fine folks at 1UP managed to secure some face time with Heavy Rain game director David Cage and picked his brain on the upcoming title from Quantic Dream. Cage talked about the game's four main characters, and how they can each actually die in the game, and how such a catastrophe would affect the other playable characters. They talk about other things as well, but the thing to point out here is the plethora of gameplay footage, which we know is really what you're after. It's okay, feel free to use us for our embedded video past the break. We'll just be in the corner, crying, while you enjoy the gameplay. %Gallery-30067%
Indigo Prophecy sequel ain't gonna happen
"After Indigo, I wanted to work on something different because I thought [a sequel] would be a commercial disaster," said David Cage, co-founder of Quantic Dream, on moving forward towards work on Heavy Rain and away from a sequel to his 2005 hit, Indigo Prophecy. "I quickly realized I had nothing more to say on this story and these characters," he said in an interview with 1UP, smashing the hopes of fans for an IP2.Though there was plenty of publisher interest in pushing out a second Indigo Prophecy, Cage said he "had moved on," wanting to write something "more personal, deeper, more adult with no world to save and no supernatural powers." To us, it seems our loss of IP2 is one big gain in Heavy Rain.
Heavy Rain will use SIXAXIS to 'push, hit, or kick'
Quantic Dream's David Cage sat down with 1UP to talk about their upcoming PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain. From our impressions, you already know the game will utilize SIXAXIS controls, mainly to interact with the environment or selecting an option during a conversation. Cage expands upon this, stating that SIXAXIS will be used "for violent actions requiring you to push, hit, or kick in general." However, the face buttons will only be used during PAR (what Cage calls QTE sequences), but not outside of them.As many have deduced, the plot-heavy and emotionally engaging Heavy Rain will primarily be an offline, single-player title. Cage confirms this, but again mentions some form of DLC could be in the works: "The game will support the Trophy system and may offer some kind of extra content online, but Heavy Rain is a single-player experience."The director also gave a number of insights into the upcoming genre-defying title, such as how he incorporated user feedback from his previous game, Indigo Prophecy. Read the full interview here.
Watch over 20 minutes of Heavy Rain
Gamekyo recently got a second helping of Heavy Rain at the Micromania Games Show 2008 in Paris. At the show, David Cage showed off the same level seen in the debut Leipzig trailer earlier this year. This time, Cage took the MGS crowd through the level, showing them Heavy Rain's Sixaxis controls, fully interactive environments, multiple story paths and no load screens. Gamekyo recorded over 20 minutes of the demonstration, which you can watch right after the break. While Cage may be explaining everything in French in the video, it's not too difficult to figure out what's going on. Besides, the in-game dialogue is in English. [Thanks Andy and SolidOtacon!]
David Cage doesn't want you to use checkpoints in Heavy Rain
Earlier in the month David Cage told us it is possible to continue playing Heavy Rain even after the main character dies. Now he's speaking again, this time with CVG, about checkpoints in the game. Apparently, they will be present in Heavy Rain, but the Quantic Dream founder doesn't want us to use them. "Yes, there will be the opportunity for players to reply [sic] as much as they want from where they want, but we would really like to encourage them not to do so -- to continue to play with one story bearing with the consequences of their actions."Cage further explains that by avoiding the use of checkpoints, this will result a "pretty unique" story. To us, Heavy Rain is sounding more and more like a modern-day Choose Your Own Adventure book -- what do our dear readers think about this? Does this sound like it will result in a more dynamic narrative and increase replay value or will it be more like a gimmick that will get old too quickly?
Heavy Rain can continue after the main character dies
David Cage, director of Heavy Rain, disclosed an interesting tidbit of info back at LGC: the main character of the game, as seen above, can be killed and the player will still be able to continue the game. "I can't really tell you too much about what the story's about or how it's going to work with the characters, all I can tell you that your character -- the main character -- can die, and the story will continue," Cage told VG247. "You can continue to play, without this character, of course." He was asked to elaborate on whether the player will continue on in a side-story instead. "No, no. It's one big story." We knew Heavy Rain was going to be innovative, but this is something we've yet to see in a big-budget title. We can't wait to see how this exotic mechanic will be utilized when the game comes out next year.
GC 2008: Pour over this in-game Heavy Rain footage
take a look at these screenshots Well, consider us intrigued. From the creators of Indigo Prophecy (aka Fahrenheit) comes Heavy Rain, an atmospheric new adventure exclusively for the PlayStation 3. This in-game footage, first unveiled at Leipzig's Games Convention, depicts our finely rendered female protagonist investigating a distinctly unsettling house. Be sure to keep watching until the stunning scene at the end, where she bursts out the door and screams to the heavens, "Gotcha, suckas!" We're sure to learn much, much more as we draw closer to Heavy Rain's forecast 2009 release. %Gallery-30067%
Would emotional value improve the leveling experience in MMOGs?
Grats on your ding, wait, why are you crying? Not again. That last level really hurt your feelings didn't it. Well, some game developers like Indigo Prophecy creator, David Cage believe there is a missing component in the MMOG leveling experience. Cage's own feeling on the matter is that the interconnection is lacking when it comes to invoking a broader reaction from the player. "What's the real narrative or emotional value? Sometimes it's really interesting when you're in the guild in a massively multiplayer game and you attack the fortress or whatever. Some great things can be told, but it's not guaranteed. The value is not always there."Wow, that's deep but in all seriousness there is a certain truth to his sentiment. Leveling can be a painfully dull experience and usually MMOG use the same formula and mimic the same rags-to-riches journey. While there is nothing wrong with that, it can become tiresome and insipid if you no longer care for the redundant leveling experience. So maybe developers do need to instill a sense of danger, a sense of importance and meaning to the leveling experience. Fun is most important, and MMOGs should be enjoyed and not an emotional rollercoaster into dystopia.
Heavy Rain's David Cage has strong faith in PS3
David Cage likes to talk a lot -- especially when 'Uncanny Valleys' are involved. So, it shouldn't come as surprise to see a seven page discussion with the Heavy Rain developer over at Gamasutra. Cutting down to the most relevant bits, Cage solidified Quantic Dream's decision to develop solely for PS3: "Honestly, working on one platform is the best thing we could dream of, and it's a choice." This little bit of news is a nice reassurance that Heavy Rain will remain a PS3 exclusive, as recent mentions of other 3rd party exclusives have been found to have their exclusivity in question, or outright gone. Further backing up his adherence to PS3, Cage had this to say: "You say it's a limited audience -- yeah, it's true at the moment, but by the end of the PlayStation 2, I think there are 120 million units in the world, so I don't call that a limited market. There's no reason why the PlayStation 3 can't reach these numbers."In other news, the rest of the interview is a good read if you want to get a piece of Cage's mind. Here's one interesting quote where he praises Uncharted but also criticizes game development structure: "[Uncharted] gives you a bit of story, then action, then a bit of story, then action -- like porn movies, when you think about it. Porn movies are structured in exactly the same way, except that the action is not the same (laughter), but it's the same structure. Most video games are done like that." Read the rest of it here.
Sony partners with Quantic Dream on exclusive PS3 title
Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios today announced a collaboration with Paris-based developer Quantic Dream, one which promises to "redefine cinematic real-time entertainment" with a new PlayStation-exclusive title. Judging by Quantic Dream's past efforts in David Bowie dystopia sim, Omikron: The Nomad Soul, or the multi-angle murder mystery Fahrenheit (dubbed Indigo Prophecy in America), cinematic presentation and integral narratives seem du jour on the developer's list of goals. Quantic Dream President and CEO, David Cage commented on the choice of console and the sheer pleasantness of the folks at Sony. "We always believed that "next generation" meant more meaningful content based on players' emotional involvement. To us, PS3 is the only platform that can truly deliver on this promise, and SCE WWS is a group that is both inspiring and pleasant to work with." Though the name of the upcoming PS3 game isn't specified and could very well be an entirely new game, Quantic Dream's website currently lists Heavy Rain as a "confidential next generation console game." The film-like poster above, which bears the subtitle "The Origami Killer," certainly seems to highlight the title's cinematic aspirations, if not the question of why anybody would want to murder folded pieces of paper. What did they ever do to you?Venture into the Uncanny Valley after the break to see Heavy Rain's impressive and quietly disturbing E3 2006 Virtual Actor demonstration. If the announced collaboration turns out to be a different game entirely, we fully encourage the parties involved to step into the rain and scream, "Gotcha, suckas!"[Via Sony press release]
