GameSpot: Heavy Rain Review

Though it suffers from its share of plot and technical problems, Heavy Rain is nonetheless a bold and visionary step forward in the medium of interactive storytelling. Part adventure game and part psychological thriller, Heavy Rain is far from the quick-time-event-powered movie that it may appear to be at first glance. Every action you perform or decision you make--from the simple and mundane to the dark and disturbing--brings you closer to the flawed but realistic characters you manipulate.

Their stories become your story, and their hardships become obstacles that you feel compelled to overcome with them. No matter how your adventure plays out, Heavy Rain is a profoundly personal experience that should not be missed.

[Karooo]

cant wait to experience the awesome story.

[Michael Scott]

Except there are gonna be those people who cannot accept below a 9, and will add GameSpot back to the "reviewers that suck" list.

[Karooo]

than EDGE who should be blacklisted. Gamespot usually hits the nail on the head. But yeah heavy rain is a 9/10 game since it mostly has 9 scores.

The Good

* Powerful and emotionally engaging narrative
* Story continually adapts to your actions
* Unique controls convey drama and tension
* Highly detailed characters and environments
* Stirring soundtrack.

[Cyrax_87]

Just 5 days left for us Aussies!

[-Alpha]

Yeah, how dare they rate it 8.5!

GS's reviews are for the most part pretty good. Unfortunately conspiracy nuts are always going to exist even when a game gets great scores.

[meepmoopmeep]

they were paid by the evil empire!

(google)

:)

[deadreckoning666]

"Yeah, how dare they rate it 8.5!"

LOL. Its sometimes hard to believe that there are people out there who believe that there is a REAL difference in quality in a "9" game as opposed to an "8.5" game. I don't understand why people believe that anythg that scores 9+ means its AAA, but something that doesn't score 9+ ISN'T AAA. People who do this aren't gamers IMO, they just REALLY like numbers.

[Saaking]

Good score. This will hold me over till GOWIII.

You know, I honstly don't know why people get mad over a score lower than 8. That applies to ANY game. Remember guys, games are normally scored on a 10 point scale. An 8 is very good as well.

[Karooo]

what the hell ????

[Darkstorn]

Very good score for a very good game.
And for the record, Gamespot's reviews are generally very right-on. I trust their judgment.

[Lifendz]

I would've been really surprised if GS gave it more than a 9. An 8.5 is a really good score. I'm getting it day one. Loved every second of the demo. Can't wait to experience the full game.

[leila01]

Gamesbot strikes again.
/jk

[stb]

jajaja that made my laugh of tonight boy...+ b.

[Michael-Jackson]

Great Score, Kinda expected a 8.5 from GameSpot.

[table]

My sentiments on a game usually echo that of gamespot so in my opinion they are the best reviewers out there. They are probably the most fair minded site and are more professional with their reviews as they don't rush to review a game before everyone else(think MAG which is obviously a game that some sites didn't take their time over). I think some ps3 fanboys round here are still bitter over their ratchet and clank review, but that's fanboys for you.

[Jinxstar]

Gamespot is blacklisted to me. Not because of this though. Ever since the whole jeff gertsman issue I have blacklisted the site... I don't trust anything they write after what he went through...

[badz149]

we must admit that the game is not for everybody! it's a niche game and it's hard to attract people into it! but for those who are willing to try something new, I think HR is doing a mighty fine job giving what they are looking for in such a game!

[DeZv3]

I'd just like to point out you'd make a great Pro-Bono lawyers. Jeez you are CONSTANTLY defending the 'poor and helpless 360' fans and attacking the 'mean and opressive' PS3 fans even when its got NOTHING to do with the topic at hand.

Its quite disturbing actually how you feel the need to act that way in every comment you make.

You do know people can defend themselves right?

Grow the F up.

(sorry for the off-topic)

[xTruthx]

Alpha-Male22 there's a lot of mistrust because when ps3 fans said at the beginning that they where switching ps3 shots with 360 and switching videos too, people laugh their ass off. What sites where the ones doing it ? GT and IGN, major gaming sites and now even SE got caught. SO its only reasonable to believe their is a lot of bias when it comes to the ps3. Then when they get caught no one had nothing to say and when you see game sites giving banjo kazooie 8 and killzone 2 7 you only wonder whats wrong, or when they give halo, gears, bayonetta, cod and etc, higher graphic reviews than killzone 2 or heavy rain. That's pretty sad if you ask me.

You always focus on ps3 fans but never 360 fans, hypocrisy much ? I believe its safe to say your a hidden fb ?

For the people saying "I don't see y people get mad for this rating" its because reviewers need to give credit where is due, you just have to see how they give 10's and 9's to games that aren't in the same quality as others. When you give 10 to cod mw2 and you see all the online glitches, all the patches they have released not fixing it all but some making it worst, you know something doesn't seem right.

Bayonetta is another example, Sony had to make the patch to make the game playable and they didn't even make the game. This is y people get mad, because many reviewers give credit where is not due. But yeah apparently after all of what we've seen, there is still no bias right ?

[darthv72]

Well, I dont know if you are being serious or not but there are some who think the first poster in a big hyped game review has to be a troll. You may actually be serious and for that I will accept your comments and other are just reacting opposite.

If you are a troll then GTFO but I will give you benefit of the doubt. Seems that the poster by the name bungie has a habit of trying to come off positive in the game zone and then right away negative in the open zone. So far I have only seen you post in the game zone.

The hardcore fans are not one to be tricked so easily which is why they react with heavy disagrees when it comes to the possibility of a troll on the first post.

As to your first comment, yes the score is good and the game will be a hit to those with this sort of interest. Even hardcore fans must agree that while the game is great, it will not be for everybody. I for one am glad a demo was made available as it let me decide for myself instead of buying into the hype of others.

Great game indeed.

[cmrbe]

This is a great score from Gamespot. Its a great review from them as well.

[ico92]

This was a very good review, i trust GS reviews the most they usually nail it , unlike ign which is inconsistent and gametrailers which is contradictory , gamespot is my favourite reviewer.

[otherZinc]

Another high score given to a game that's going to sell 5 copies. And, the media will say we're immature & dont understand what its about, whatever.

And stop saying it isn't a QTE because it is!

[Myst]

*crosses a day off of the calender*

One day closer :)

[patb]

I don't need a bunch of people with different tastes in games than me to tell me if this game is good or bad. It's a unique, fun, interesting experience and if everybody gave it a 0 I would still buy it and pay $60. I like to support developers that push the industry in new, innovative ways.

[commodore64]

@ patb

I applaud your steadfast resilience to the outside influence of detractors and naysayers.
If Heavy Rain is what you like, regardless of all other opinions, then good for you, friend.

However, reviews provide a vital yardstick to all of us gamers who are unable to buy/rent/try-out all games. Reviews definitely have their place and especially an aggregate score site, like metacritic, is an invaluable guide to the collective opinions of a great many people.
Generally, I have found that niche games, such as x3 reunion, which I have enjoyed immensely, have scored less favourably, on average, as they simply are not mainstream.
Is Heavy Rain mainstream?
I have heard it said that one either loves or hates Heavy Rain - it seems to polarise people.

Having said that, 8.5 for heavy rain is a very good score, from IGN.
I note that the inclusion of this score has reduced the metacritic average to 88.
http://www.metacritic.com/g...

Ultimately, a very good AA game, by average of all opinions.

[UP]

This is about Gamespot. IGN gave the game a 9.0 not a 8.5
and 2 points do not make or break a AAA game to normal gamers.

[commodore64]

Gamespot. yes, you are right there.

However, 88 on metacritic is most definitely not AAA.
Don't fret, though, AA is still very good!

[Superduper09]

I kinda expected that HR would get 8.5 from Gamespot.

[evrfighter]

well it does seem like a 8.5 kinda game

[ALFAxD_CENTAURO]

@evrfighter

Is not a Videogame, David Cage already said that.

[Nathan Drake2]

eurogamer,gamespot,EDGE,kotaku ,
gametrailers and IGN hate PS3.

[Darkstorn]

IGN isn't as biased as most people think it is, Eurogamer is the most in-depth out of all the big reviewers, and Gamespot is extremely reliable. What gives?

I for one am greatly looking forward to playing Heavy Rain, and while it may not be a day one purchase for me, I'm rooting for it nonetheless.

8.5 is a great score, friend.

[Bigpappy]

@ Nathan Drake2. You need to stay off the internet until mom and dad get home. Thats my observation based on all your comments.

[RagTagBnd445]

Oh yeas, Gamespot hates PS3, that is why they gave Demon Souls game of the year, because that game is a ....... PS3 exclusive.

Come on kid, Gamespot are not really biased, they care more about that game than which platform it is on.

Also 8.5 is not a bad score, because Gamespot doesn't give out that many high scores. People needs to learn that the scores range from 0-10 and not 5-10. To many sites rate games 10 these days.

[infamousinfolite]

Where are the bots at hahaha

[SKUD]

On the phone with support. Requesting cardboard coffins.

[deadreckoning666]

Maybe the bots are ACTUALLY playing games instead of talking about them or hyping them up.

[damnightmare]

What are you talking about, there are no bots on this website.

Only one extreme idiot with dozens of multiple accounts, Bungie.

[Michael-Jackson]

Some bot revealed a BIG spoiler below as a username...might be true.

[redsquad]

Resorting to the internet equivalent of throwing their teddy out of the pram, to judge by the tw@t below it seems.

[ps3hasonlyflopgames]

flop incoming for flopstation 3.

mark my words people.

[darthv72]

it happens. Whoever this bot was that decided to make that point known is no better than the droids who made a point of spoiling gears 2 with the whole dom and maria thing.

Anybody remember that time when there were countless posts about that? Not saying this is deserved as nothing like spoiling a game is deserved but you know it is likely to happen with a highly hyped title.

I guarantee it will happen for gow 3, alan wake and every other super hyped game on ps3/360.

[infamousinfolite]

Yes great score, great game. Oh man, the time of release is upon us.

[Seraphemz]

Yeah I cannot wait for this game to come out....

[Snert]

F!ck you booty hole but bots who say Heavy Rain is just a QTE.

[mightydog01]

Thats a No1 no no puting spoilers in comments and user name And the mods should ban your ip....Your not a gamer but a spoilt brat...You dont deserve to be a member on n4g

[jalen247]

Good score.

[PimpHandHappy]

but im kinda broke

so this will not be a day 1 buy but first couple weeks for sure

[Nathan Drake2]

so gamespot thinks that halo:ODLC deserves 9/10,but heavy rain(ps3 exclusive) 8,5?
and then darkstorn is telling me that gamespot is extremely reliable.smart man.

[XDF]

Hey, they gave Demon's Soul GOTY last year. A little easy on the bias stuff.

They gave Uncharted 2 a 9.5.

They gave Mass Effect 2 a 9.0 while it is avg 96 on meta.

Heavy Rain is currently at 88 on Meta so a 8.5 seems fair.

Stop crying.

[KidMakeshift]

I still don't get what people are raving about when it comes to Demon's Souls.

I imported the Japanese version the day it came out and while I initially enjoyed it I felt that it was kinda hollow and systematic like every other From Software game. I don't think it's all that hard. Tedious more than anything.

Is the North American version different?

[RagTagBnd445]

Writing the same thing over again, really listen to what XDF said. Yes they gave ODST (laughed at ODLC :P) a 9. But they also gave MGS4 a 10, and generally don't score one platform higher than the other.

[Noob]

I'm surprised at the good scores this game has been receiving. I loved the demo and I'm really looking forward to buying and playing this game in a couple of days, but I wasn't expecting these types of high scores from review sites like GameSpot.

[Loudninja]

They are posting major spoilers,so be careful.

[Kakihara]

I'm not gonna look but if that's true that pisses me off so goddamn bad. It's depressing how many severely stupid people there are in the world today. The worst are those that post threads on forums that give away a major spoiler then put (spoilers) after it. I mean.... how fuc... how stupid do you have to.... little retar.... bastar.... okay, I'll calm down but I'm not checking any forums or comment sections for Heavy rain from this moment on until the game comes out. I suggest you do the same.

[kingdavid]

Yeah. Its spoilt for me now. Fk there are some real losers on the internet.

[kingdavid]

@kakihari

I would strongly suggest you dont visit this site until u finish heavy rain. The actual names of them contain spoilers....

[Kerrby]

I read the spoilers and I don't actually believe that's how the game ends ;).

Just from what someone else has told me. So don't get turned off the game okay? Since when do bots know what they're talking about anyway?

[Marojado]

Yep, spoiled for me too. I stumbled across one of their deleted posts by accident, completely unaware this was going on. Unfortunately, the spoiler is in their username so it was still there.

Really pathetic, it hardly even seems worth buying the game now considering how much emphasis is on finding the killer.

@Kakihara I'd stay away from this site in general, it wasn't in a comment section for Heavy Rain that I had it ruined, it was just some generic N4G article.

[AyeKay47]

Not a AAA game but good

[Cyrax_87]

It is a AAA game. You must be using the fanboy definition.

[UP]

like i said earlier 2 points on metacritc do not make or break a AAA game to normal people.

[bjornbear]

who decides its not AAA? you? what a joke

to me and everyone else interested this AAA

according to metacritic and gamerankings its "AAA"

so who wins? You? or reality?

[PinkFunk]

I'm really curious to see the impact of some of these technical glitches are on the overall experience. Seems to be the general consensus that there are some kinks in the programming, though the visual design of the entire thing is supposedly breathtaking. Personally i'm more interested in the visual design aspect, as well as impressive animation (and I hear that there are occasional kinks in the animation). What I've seen so far in the demo and video reviews, I'm liking the look of the whole thing.

The controls (QTEs): I really don't understand what some people find so appalling. I suppose it's just a matter of preference - but I believe controls serve mostly to: a) give the player options in order to change the direction of the course of events, and b) to immerse the player in the experience by giving those options - whether the change in cause & effect sequences lies in controlling the character within a free, open-world environment using a joystick or in controlling the character through an order of buttons, it's all just moving your thumb (or your entire arm via sixaxis)...

Anyway, really stoked for Heavy Rain yoooo. Three cheers for PS3 exclusives yah?

[KidMakeshift]

I hope they patch the screen tearing.

Also, I hope there's a grain filter and language dub option. I like the French voice acting better.

[Bumpmapping]

They deleted his post but his name still gives it away what a f!cking loser!

[Cernunnos]

Even if you hate it or not, everyone should be happy about this game. Games like this put stories in the center of the experience, and the overall story quality in games are quite low to this date. Games like HR will make other devs see that story is also important! A much needed evolution of the medium.

[Kerrby]

IP ban the f*ckers.

Who the f*ck ruins games for people, honestly!

[Madeline12]

This happened also in the Gamespot forums .... some funny person decided to post the name of the killer in one of the threads tittle...

ya... sigh lol

[RedDragan]

Typical!!!!

360 fanboys are so petty that they would ruin a game for the rest of the gaming audience!!!!

It's not like we have told them Master Chief dies in Reach yet!

Besides, it is not who he says it is... the 360 fanboy is just being the jealous jerk we know him to be. Think about it, how does a spoilt little brat who sleeps with his 360 know the plot when nobody else does?

[DigitalAnalog]

Didn't he say he'll be expecting reviews going 50/50... I say it's a very EXCELLENT achievement for him. And now, future games will be able to be more confident when they want to try something new. GO DAVID CAGE, GO GO GO GO GO!

-PRESSES "END STATEMENT" INTERFACE!!

[Wii360BeatsPS3]

flop, flop,flop,flop,flop. That's the sound of Heavy Rain as the rain hits the floor. Flop,flop,flop,flop,flop,flop.

[tigertron]

A good score, can't wait to get this on friday. ;)

[Denethor_II]

got the limited edition of this bad boy pre orderd

[sikbeta]

Amazing Game

[mcnablejr]

even if the plot is spoiled

[Madeline12]

Well at least you will rent it.

Tell us later what you thought of the game.

[DigitalHorror81]

All you've been doing as of late is trolling, McNable. Quit fooling yourself. Or maybe it's you, Jason 360 and Bungie who have conspired to spoil the plot for people.

[newflesh]

best vid review I've seen of this game. I really like his voice, lol.

And yes, Heavy rain is No Shenmue. but it's still Good and refreshing

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Dude...Shenmue may have been first...but Heavy Rain is a lot better.

Trust me.

[newflesh]

Assuming you have played heavy rain already? If not then we'll have to wait till we get our hands on the final product to see if it's any better. I'm not quite sure yet.

[amiga-man]

Heavy rain is a game i have been looking forward to for some time, a refreshing change of pace and something a little different in a world full of shooters, not for everyone but a first day purchase for me.

[nemrawy]

Gamespot gave Shenmue a 6.8/10 , and gave Heavy Rain 8.5/10 , looks like in their point of view Heavy Rain is a way better Experience than Shenmue!! Which is ofcourse an amazing thing .

[THE_GLOW]

it's a pity QD havent been able to sort out the screen tear and pop in issues GS have mentioned. I hate screen tear, i could accept it on earlier games, such as uncharted and Heavenly sword, but nowadays i just dont think it's acceptable.

Alan Wake and BF2 also seem to have noticable screen tear.

Sort it out devs!!!!!!

HR is still a day one buy for me though.

[Gimped Hardware]

Alan Wake - GOTY confirmed

[badbond1]

everyone knows that god of war III or Last guardian will get GOTY! DON'T CONTINUE TO BE BUTT HURT WITH UNCHARTED 2 - GOTY - STILL BEING THE BEST GAME ON ALL PLATFORMS PUNK AZZ!

[weazel]

Wow, and your mom let you make that avatar all by yourself? There's impressive.
I hope safety scissors were used though, as I imagine that with anything sharper than a sheet of paper, you'd castrate yourself within seconds, and try and stuff the tiny bloody meat scraps into your x-boxs disc drive slot, so that you and it could become 'one'. (Whilst rubbing your own excrement over your bedsheets) That's the only thing that I could imagine provokes you to consistently achieving such 'odd' levels of fanboy-ism.
(Really though-too much effort twat!)

[saimcheeda]

I expected a 9 from them!

[stuntman_mike]

this is getting better scores than anyone predicted. just waiting for the damn game is sending me nuts.

[Rageanitus]

Ive noticed a lot of games recently have been using the interactive pop up button mechanics since God of War. Which is quite cool.... but honestly Im really not sure about a game that does it as a main part of the game.

As long as it does not turn out to be like metal gear solid where 40 percent of the time your watching a movie Ill be fine with it.

[unknownhero1123]

If you're still on the fence about this game, play indigo prophecy/fahrenheit. the gameplay is very similar to that.

[stuntman_mike]

play the demo it might change your mind (one way or another)

[gamingisnotacrime]

Heavy Rain is about to fall (although the gamestop manager told me that they had the game already on the storage room and could not sell it due to street date rules, which sucks to know)

[ALFAxD_CENTAURO]

Kiddies whining because the Interactive movie have no guns, or zombies.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

I've decided to NEVER listen to any of the reviewers who gave this game less than a 100.

I'm not kidding.

Play it.

I cannot believe anyone would give this less than 100...other than to bring it down on Metacritic because they have some sort of bias against either Sony or the French.

It's a 100.

Screw reviewers!

[ReBurn]

I'm sure it's bias against the French. :P

[Domer25]

Good score. This game is a 9 all the way, and at the end of it all it will average that. Great video review btw.

[Dellis]

8.5 sounds about right

Save your money and watch the story on Youtube

a movie is not worth 59.99

just a rental or for free on Youtube

you choose.

[spunnups]

Awesome score. Anything over an 8 is a must buy as far as I'm concerned. AAA doesnt' mean much to me. Example = Warhawk, Uncharted:DF, and Ratchet and Clank all metacritic under 90 but over 80, but I still bought them all day 1 and love em.

[DigitalAnalog]

Looks like he'll be back with his *cough cough Bungie account.

Gamespot is pretty much out of my radar for a long time but still.... better than IGN I guess.

-End statement

[Odin777]

Good review...The only thing I don't agree with is their beef with the movement controls. It's seriously the same as any other game, you just hold R2. I don't get the problem here.

[AliTheBrit19]

OK I'm really p*ssed some twit just gave away a massive spoiler

FOR F*CK SAKE JUST DELETE HIS ACCOUNT.

[Figboy]

objectivity back when the PS3 first launched.

back then it was, "if this game doesn't justify the price of the PS3, we're going to give it a 6/10."

it wasn't even about the quality of the games back then, it was about why Resistance and Motorstorm aren't worth shelling out $600 for a PS3.

games like Folklore, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, even Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction were victims of a gaming press that were so nerdraged at Sony that they couldn't separate the software from the platform it was running on.

this score for Heavy Rain is good no matter how you spin it. hell, anything in the 7 range and up is a good score, truth told.

personally, i wish the gaming media would drop scores altogether, because it's just too subjective and arbitrary to be useful to anyone.

the TEXT of the review is always the part of the game that i find the most helpful.

there are some 7/10 and below scoring games that i absolutely LOVED.

if i actually based my purchasing decisions off of review scores, i would have missed:

Second Sight
Shadow of Destiny
Indigo Prophecy
Heavenly Sword
Folklore
Warhawk
Resistance
Mark of Kri
Primal
Ghosthunter

and a plethora of other games that didn't tickle the fancy of reviewers, and yet rank as some of the most fun i've had in gaming on my own personal taste scale.

it just annoys me that NOW, after 3 years of vitriol and spite, reviewers seem to be finally judging PS3 games based off of their own merits, and not based off of things like console price and how Sony was "teh arrogantzzz!" at the start of this generation.

judge the software for what it is, and not the hardware for what it isn't.

this goes for games released on the Wii, and 360 as well, not just the PS3

[hardcorez]

Just play the game for yourself. Stop relying on "reviewers" that a lot of times probably don't even play the entire game before posting their "review".

[jack who]

flop

[rich13er]

Not because of the score, because if it only good for a one time run through I'd rather rent it and spent money on games with a ton of replay value. It look like a awesome game though.

[divideby0]

i didnt see that many technical issues with the demo...the movement was not super fluid, but other than that didnt have big technical issues..wonder what GS is commenting about.
its just good to see a game which breaks the mold be accepted well by all the review sites

[PietroDimeglio]

Heavy Rain looks really good fun and i'm excited to play something new :)
Peace guys.