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Molyneux says Heavy Rain offers the 'first glimpses of the future' of games
If only Sony had waited until after the South by Southwest festival to release Heavy Rain, the publisher could have printed several glowing quotes from a known Xbox consorter on the back of the PS3-exclusive's game box. Oh, well -- there's always the "Game of the Year" edition. During a a one-on-one conversation with writer Frank Rose at SXSW this week, Fabled designer Peter Molyneux heaped praise on Heavy Rain, calling it "absolutely brilliant." "I recommend anyone who wants to start to see the first glimpses of the future of video games to go out and buy it," Molyneux advocated, before exposing his softer side to the audience. "But, personally, I could not bring myself to play more than 90 minutes, because the world that was there was so dark and so emotionally involving I felt emotionally beaten up." Aww, Mr. Molyneux. "But there's no question in my mind that games like Heavy Rain -- games that have a new fidelity in the way that they present their experiences; obviously made with cinematography and motion capture in mind -- can really show the way forward to a new form of entertainment, which is evolving the story and choices and consequences." Molyneux steadfastly declared, having apparently recovered from painful memories of the game (perhaps cries of Jason? Jason? Jason! still faintly echoing in his head). Molyneux also commended developer Quantic Dream's design choices, observing that the QTE interface "really meant that you had to pay attention all the time because you didn't know whether these quick-time events were going to come up"; though he noted that such gameplay mechanics "may be a little bit tired after a while." Still, he said, "I have to take my hat off to [Quantic Dream] ... There's a couple of things they do in that game which were really revolutionary, and what they do with quick-time is fantastic." "Us designers were just laughing because we thought quick-time was dead, but that really was part of the drama of Heavy Rain."
GDC: How Sucker Punch built inFamous' big city with a small team
Last year's shockingly awesome superhero title inFamous boasted a massive sandbox world known as Empire City -- a playground full of climbable, grindable, shootable objects. It was an impressive environment, made all the more impressive by a startling piece of information revealed by Sucker Punch's Nate Fox during a recent GDC panel: The whole city was created by a team of just 12 artists. Fox explained that this feat was accomplished with the liberal reusing of the game's catalog of environmental assets. For example, there were only two types of cars in the game, differentiated by hue shifts and decals. The map was partitioned into a hexagonal grid -- the inspiration for which came from the popular board game Carcassonne, Fox explained. Edges of each hex were designed to effortlessly fit together, allowing designers to make minor changes to each compartment, and paste the location into another chunk of the city. This might sound like a cheap tactic for a developer to employ, but Fox explained that a developer's time and resources are limited. By swiftly executing the creation of a game's setting, the developers are given more of an opportunity to focus on designing "evil lairs" and other memorable landmarks. Oh, and according to Fox, the industry term for these outstanding structures is "Weenies." Yes, for that reason. Yes, that is wonderful. %Gallery-26262%
inFamous is temporarily inExpensive, $27 on Amazon
Did you miss out on Sucker Punch's shockingly awesome superhero simulator, inFamous? Today's the perfect day to rectify your oversight -- Amazon's offering the title for just $26.99 until the end of the day. If you're wondering whether or not it's worth this price, we'd remind you that this is a game where you can electrocute large groups of innocent civilians with a single, errant bolt, provided they're standing in a large enough puddle. Of course it's worth it.
Interview: John Hight, God of War III director of product development
John Hight runs Sony's Santa Monica studio and oversees the entire God of War 3 team. He makes sure that everyone is happy, that the game is going to ship on time, and that it's going to be something you'll want to play. Read on to learn more from him about the the future of the franchise, the possibility of multiplayer, the God of War movie and why he hasn't played Dante's Inferno (yet).
Interview: Adam Puhl, God of War III's combat designer
As lead combat designer of God of War III, Adam Puhl has the enviable position of creating an arsenal of weapons and abilities fit to take down the gods. I recently spoke with Adam about the design process for such a titanic task and the pressures of surpassing the first two God of War games. Additionally, Adam offered his gameplay reactions to Dante's Inferno and Darksiders, two recent action-adventures that owe a lot to the God of War series. Read on after the break for the full interview. %Gallery-44594%
Hands-on: God of War III (well, the first boss battle at least)
A common refrain from many (including us!) about God of War III is: "It's God of War ... in HD." And, as our last preview attested, that's not such a bad thing. In fact, while the demo was impressive in its own right, the game's director tells us they've added depth of field, motion blur, and high dynamic range lighting to the finished product. Too technical, right? We'll just use our fallback word: awesome. For this hands-on, we went all the way up to the first boss and beat him ... err, after several tries. It's none other than a certain God of the Sea, and he's pretty moody on account of Kratos and a bunch of Titans trying to scale Mount Olympus. In fact, there's a gathering of the gods up there and they're all pretty miffed: Zeus, Helios, Hermes, Poseidon, Hades, and a mysterious someone else. Based on this preview, they're going to do everything they can to try and make sure Kratos doesn't play king of the hill on their precious mountain. Read on for our experience with the opening of God of War III up to, and including, the first boss battle. If you're hoping to go into this game spoiler-free next month, you might want to stop here; otherwise, press on! %Gallery-44594%
Heavy Rain buoyed to top of UK sales charts
Consumers in the UK poured out the pounds for PS3's Heavy Rain last week, according to Chart-Track's all-formats chart. The adventure game took the hill from Aliens vs. Predator, which slipped down one spot. Meanwhile, Just Dance kept doing its cha-cha of endurance and took third. Nintendo's Wii Fit Plus got a second wind (or a big shipment to the region) and overtook Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 after moving up five spots and into fourth. Finally, Napoleon: Total War marched in at #12 while White Knight Chronicles began its quest at #35. Source – Heavy Rain storms the charts [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
New Line Cinema options rights for film adaptation of Heavy Rain
What if Heavy Rain, which is so often heralded by creator David Cage as "interactive fiction," was just a bit less interactive? Is the game's story and cast of vaguely-French-sounding characters strong enough to carry a feature-length film? We might just find out, some day -- internet super-sleuth superannuation recently uncovered copyright documents which reveal that New Line Productions optioned the rights to turn Heavy Rain into a movie on May 15, 2006 -- just a few days after "The Casting" trailer (NSFW) was revealed at E3. This doesn't ensure the development of a Heavy Rain movie, of course; it only means if any film studio makes the film, it's going to be New Line Cinema. We think the rights are in good hands -- New Line did some great work on the film adaptations of those Lord of the Rings games.
RE5 Gold tops Japanese charts; Heavy Rain floods top ten
Even without the PlayStation Motion Controller to back it up, Resident Evil 5 has struck gold for a second time. The PS3 version of Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition (Alternative Edition in Japan) hit the top of the Media Create sales chart in Japan following its February 18 release, selling 143,339 copies. God Eater continues to gobble up attention, taking the #2 spot with 64,192 units sold (while passing 500k units sold to date). Another big PS3 game also debuted in the top ten this week: Heavy Rain, which fell in at #6, selling 26,775 copies. In a way, the Japanese version is the superior release, because the voice acting doesn't seem to have been performed by French people faking Japanese accents. See the full top ten after the break.
Heavy Rain Special Edition soundtrack suffers 'technical delay'
Expressing their concerns on the PlayStation forums, several owners of the Euro-exclusive Special Edition of Heavy Rain have been unable to solve one of the game's most sinister enigmas: "Where is the soundtrack that was supposed to be included with this thing?" Heavy Rain product manager for the region Alex Pavey has provided an answer on PlayStation Blog post, saying, "I'm sorry to say that there has been a last-minute technical delay with the Official Soundtrack, meaning that if you redeem your voucher code before 4th March, you will be able to download Chronicle 1 and the Dynamic Theme, but not the Official Soundtrack." Should players redeem the voucher after March 4th, they'll gain access to all three pieces of Special Edition content: a dynamic theme; the first prequel Chronicle; and the game's orchestral soundtrack (though it's still unclear what format it will take). If the code has already been redeemed (the theme and DLC are already available for download), Pavel asks that players contact their "local customer service teams," which should be listed on the packaging. To pick up the phone or send an email, do a semi-circle with the right analog stick, hold R1 and Triangle and tap Circle. [Thanks, Josh]
Metareview: Heavy Rain
Quantic Dream's serial-killer-suspense-meets-family-drama adventure title, Heavy Rain, received the official Joystiq Seal of Approval™, but how did our peers in the world of gaming journalism feel about the title? Let's see what some other critics had to say about the interactive romp through rainy Frenchadelphia: GamePro (5/5): "Put simply, Heavy Rain is a gaming experience that took huge risks in design, narrative, and game mechanics, and executed on its ideas to masterful effect. You will care, in the end, about the decisions you made to shape the fates of your characters, and wonder long after it's over if you made the right choices." 1UP (A-): "Though shorter than other epic, multi-disc titles, there's more than enough content in Heavy Rain to warrant a purchase. At the end of my first playthrough I was left utterly satisfied with the conclusion of the story and wanting more titles of this caliber." Eurogamer (9/10): "A thrilling mystery, cleverly composed, and unlike anything else you will play this year. It may also be the only game you play this year where pulling the trigger makes you really feel something, and I can think of no greater compliment." Giant Bomb (4/5): "Interactive storytelling might not yet be able to evoke the same degree of raw human emotion as more traditional art forms, but this is a big step in the right direction."
Sony shuffles gaming organizations: so long, SCE, hello new SCE
We're not exactly sure what Sir Stringer is up to with this one, but Sony has now announced a reorganization plan for its gaming-related divisions that should make a few heads spin but ultimately end up with most employees staying where they are. The short of it is that Sony Computer Entertainment will be renamed the "SNE Platform" (or SNEP, for added hilarity), and that Sony's video game business (previously part of SCE) will be transferred to a new division called -- you guessed it -- Sony Computer Entertainment. SNEP will then be responsible for Sony's network business (including PSN, it seems), but only until April 1st, at which point SNEP will simply be dissolved into Sony. The goal of all this, according to Sony, is to "strengthen the network business within the Sony Group," but the company is otherwise staying pretty mum on specifics.
Sony reorganization shuffles names, but doesn't mess with the games
You ready? Okay -- follow along: Sony announced today that the Sony Computer Entertainment subsidiary will change its name to SNE Platform (or "SNEP"), and then transfer its video game operations to a new subsidiary, named -- surprise! -- Sony Computer Entertainment. On April 1, SNEP, which will be primarily operating Sony's network services and business as a wholly-owned subsidiary, will merge with Sony, and then promptly dissolve into the parent company. Since Sony already owns all shares of SNEP, there's not going to be any market action (issuance of new shares, share capital increases or cash payments) upon the merger. So, wait, what's happening? Essentially, Sony is moving its network business out from under the gaming wing and bringing it up to the parent company level. This is a different path than the one laid out a year ago, which suggested SCE, as then operator of the network business (think: PSN), would begin to play a larger role in the unification of the company as it pertains to an online strategy. Instead, the "new" Sony Computer Entertainment will have a slightly more narrow focus, "mainly consisting of the planning, development, manufacturing and sales of home-use/portable game consoles and software," according to the reorganization announcement; and Sony Online Service, including the proposed expansion of PSN IDs to non-gaming Sony devices, will seemingly be handled by a new division (but possibly the same personnel) within the Sony parent company. Though listed as the "Representative Director" of the short-lived SNEP subsidiary, Kaz Hirai will presumably remain in charge of the PlayStation division now and after the April 1 merger. Sub-divisions SCEA and SCEE are unaffected by the reorganziation.
Mega64: Heavy Rain makes you cry (a lot)
Whether it's through its potent pixel combinations or the fact that the game regularly gives you purple nurples (not really ... we hope), Heavy Rain is bound to make you cry. Don't believe us? Well, would you believe the talented and scholarly chaps at Mega64? Yeah, we thought so! The troupe's latest contribution posits that Heavy Rain is so sad, you won't even crack a smile if you go to Disneyland after playing it. Certainly, one must keep in mind that this is simply one man's experience, but it doesn't necessarily rule out Heavy Rain as a tear-inducing descent into a bottomless well of sadness. Figure out the case of The Crying Amusement Park Attendee for yourself by watching the video past the break.
PSA: Print some not-terrible Heavy Rain box art
How far would you go ... to have better box art for Heavy Rain? Thankfully, you won't have to go much farther than a color printer. The "wet t-shirt" Heavy Rain box art shipped to North American retailers today can now be replaced by the much classier -- and far more representative -- European box art. Make sure you use high quality paper and ink. "I'd recommend printing it on an 11 x 17 and cutting along the lines so it fits just right," SCEA's Cristian Cardona advises. If you haven't picked up Heavy Rain yet, you may want to check out our review. Then, check out a new trailer after the break.
Watch Heavy Rain's European TV ad
PlayStation Blog has dropped the European advertisement for Heavy Rain. The ad, which you can watch after the break, places a heavy emphasis (geddit?) on the various choices that players make throughout the game. Specifically, it asks players to "start a journey that changes with every single decision." The PS Blog post notes that different versions of the ad will be airing in several countries over the next few weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out for it. If there's any justice in the universe, the US version will feature Kevin Butler.
Heavy Rain banned in United Arab Emirates
Heavy Rain has been officially banned in the United Arab Emirates. The news comes courtesy of Kotaku, which confirmed a report on the ban from website Middle East Gamers. In its official response, Sony confirmed that the game had been banned by the country's National Media Council. Sony's statement goes on to make note that the game received an 18+ rating from Europe's PEGI, given that it was crafted as a "a genuinely adult experience" and "deals with strong content including blood and nudity." The statement adds that the game is "not intentionally controversial or sensationalist" and its content is in line with "a mainstream Hollywood thriller." Sony's statement gives no official explanation of the ban, though the aforementioned adult content probably has something to do with it. If the NMC ban of Darksiders earlier this year is any indication, it seems likely that the game fell victim to the usual NMC criteria that the its contents "contradict with the UAE's customs and traditions."
GameStop says Heavy Rain pre-order DLC delayed
Though we're pretty eager to explore the back stories of Heavy Rain's quartet of protagonists and even take control of the nimble fingers of the Origami Killer, it seems those of us in North America will have to wait an extra week to get started on the prologuing. GameStop, which, among other retailers, is offering a code for the first Heavy Rain Chronicles DLC episode as a pre-order bonus with the game, recently updated the title's listing on its site, stating, "due to a delay by the publisher, this content will not be available for download until Thursday, March 4, 2010." SCEE confirmed to VG247 that the delay wouldn't affect the DLC's European availability on "day one," so it would appear that the delay is particular to North America. We've contacted Sony America to find out what we can about it -- we just can't wait to find out why Madison is such an exhibitionist.
Heavy Rain's David Cage done with his thriller 'trilogy'
Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain is hitting store shelves next week, and it may be the last game of its kind from director David Cage. Speaking with Eurogamer, Cage revealed "that Heavy Rain is the end of my personal trilogy trying to tell the same type of stories with serial killers and stuff, in the thriller genre." It does appear that Cage has had a certain fixation with the morbid, with his previous works -- Omikron: The Nomad Soul and Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) -- all centering around serial killers. So what's next for Cage and crew beyond Heavy Rain? Multiplayer seems to be one consideration, with Cage calling it "the next challenge." "I have an idea of what it's going to take to make a multiplayer [game]," Cage admitted, adding it would be "very exciting." Whatever Quantic Dream decides to pursue, it's likely to involve motion controls in some way. Considering Heavy Rain had motion controls in mind initially, it comes as no surprise that Cage continues to express his interest in PlayStation's upcoming peripheral. "We have a lot of interest in this motion controller, we start to play with it, and yeah, we definitely want to do something with it."
Cage initially wanted PlayStation Motion Controller for Heavy Rain
Just to prove we're willing to go the extra mile for you here at Joystiq, we taught ourselves Norwegian just to bring you the latest from David Cage's interview with Norwegian publication Dagbladet. Sadly, Mr. Cage's answers were not in Norwegian, meaning we wasted $8,000 and what our instructor Jokkum Frantzberg called "a very good ear for Norwegian." The entire project was not in vain, though, as we managed to find this quote from Cage regarding his upcoming Heavy Rain. "If you are talking about Motion Control, this is something we initially considered for Heavy Rain. The very first version of the game design was based on motion control, but it was not feasible at the time," he said. Dagbladet later helped us confirm via one of Cage's reps that he had hoped to design the game for the PlayStation Motion Controller originally, but felt the tech simply wasn't far enough along. Cage went on to add, "I have a lot of interest in Sony's motion device and there is a good chance that we announce something about it in the coming weeks." We don't know what he'll announce, but we certainly hope that it'll be in Norwegian.