David Cage, Sony and Quantic Dream have been trying their best to get the Heavy Rain hype train full steam on course, and they've accomplished exactly that. For years now Quantic Dream has left gamers awestruck with the title's realistic visuals that promises to bring out emotions of in-game characters like we've never seen done before. The developer is promising a mature experience that will be something new to the gaming world; so obviously expectations are through the roof. But since the game is bringing so many new and unfamiliar experiences in an industry that has gotten used to 'more of the same', the question remains: will Heavy Rain fail hard, or might it be one of the biggest success stories in gaming history?
Founder and CEO of Quantic Dream, David Cage, has been making the rounds on various gaming websites and other media outlets promoting the game to the max. But it's not your conventional marketing strategy, in fact the path they're taking with advertising is one most developers dare not venture. In a recent interview with GameInformer, Cage was asked whether Heavy Rain was an adventure game and how did he feel about said genre being applied to the title. He gave the definition for what exactly an adventure game is and then uttered, "Based on this definition, Heavy Rain is NOT an adventure game," he told the website. "There is no inventory in the game, no objective to combine or examine, no puzzle, the game does not rely on everlasting dialogues. The story is through players actions and not through cutscenes and players actions have significant consequences on the narrative."
As it stands now according the Mr. Cage, the game can't be tagged under any genre, apparently it's not even a game anymore. That's what he told D'toid in a recent interiview adding even more hype, mystery and of course high anticipation if for nothing else, to see how the effort turns out.
"Heavy Rain is not a videogame anymore in my mind, because it breaks most of the traditional paradigms, but it's fully interactive," he told D'toid. "If the format becomes successful, we will probably have to find a different name for this type of experience," he concluded.
One of two things can happen, either Heavy Rain defy all odds and be successful at creating a new genre, or the game will fail miserably. I see no middle ground. But at least Sony and Quantic Dream must be respected for taking risks in an industry that offers no second chances.
Will you purchase Heavy Rain on day one, or are you staring away all together? Share your thoughts below.
12/22/09 Ernice Gilbert
If there is a demo i'll download it and purchase if I like that! On the other hand if there isn't one it will need to grab my attention ALOT more than it has so far to persuade me toward a purchase!
ReplyDeleteGood point liquid, a lot of people have been worried about the game, some wonder if David is talking too much and hence alienating people even more.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'll get this. And what's with Cage saying that it's no longer a "video game"? What his effort is too good for the medium now? Whatever. He needs to shut up.
Yea, I mean how DARE he try to expand the medium and do something different and more engrossing *rolls eye* /sarcasm. Aside from GT5 this is easily my most anticipated title of 2010. I can't wait for it to come out. It is the absolute epitome of the word "replayability". Just from the 2 short demos that have been shown, they each can play out well over a dozen different ways! That's amazing! I can't even imagine how the full game's going to be. Every single playthrough I have is going to be as completely different as I want it to be. I just can't wait. It's going to be so awesome actually playing a different kind of video game for once, which I havn't done since Shadow of the Colossus. How any real gamer could bash Heavy Rain is beyond me, but I guess that's just how gamers are now-a-days, particularly the ones who post on forums and blogs.
ReplyDeleteI have already preordered and fully paid for Heavy Rain. From the videos and still shots I've seen of the "non-game", I have to say it is exactly what someone who is a fan of mystery games would want from a next-gen title. Let's hope I'm not eating my words in February...
ReplyDeleteDay 1 is inevitable for me. I've been waiting since 2006, and the wait just got even sweeter.
ReplyDeleteDay one for me!
ReplyDeleteTerrible points to both liquid and anonymous above me.
ReplyDeleteThe two of you are examples of why no one can take videogames as a form of media seriously. You can't appreciate a new artistic effort. You're philistines.
Heavy rain isn't just a videogame, it's an interactive experience the likes of which has only been foreshadowed by cages previous work with games like Fahrenheit. This "game" stands to revolutionize the way people tell a story by allowing people to shape their own unique experience within a world of another persons crafting. Not only that, but the graphics are amazing. Its really the best way that I can imagine for conveying a really thrilling mystery. The reason why its not exactly a game is because its not about following a set of rules and honing a skill for the purposes of achieving a measurable goal. It's about uncovering a mystery and putting yourself in the shoes of those who are wrapped up in it. People who don't support this game because its not a traditional game are those who not only will be missing out on what should be a great experience, but are holding back the medium. You have a negative reaction to cages description because you fear the unknown, but an inquisitive mind should only be more enthralled by his claims. It's not a racer, it's not a shooter, it's not action adventure, it's not hack and slash, it's not an RPG, it's not a Platformer and it's not a sports sim. It's nothing all that familiar, and that's precisely what the industry needs.
If this "game" fails, its not because of the developer or the publisher, its because the consumers just aren't ready yet.
I can't understand how anyone expects anything from this game except for it to crash and burn in the uncanny valley.
ReplyDeleteI didn't much care for Fahrenheit, but there is certainly a lot of promise in such "interactive fiction" (for lack of a better term). The problem is that I believe they are shooting themselves in the foot with the ultra-realistic graphics. All the time and effort spent on the stunning animation engine and virtual acting just increases the emphasis on the "not quite" in the not quite photo-realistic people.
I have been waiting for this game ever since the the very first trailer was shown. Can't wait until the release.
ReplyDeleteStill skeptical about this game. I'll probabaly wait for reviews to start rolling in, then I'll rent. If I like it, I'll probably buy it. Right now, it doesn't look like a game I'd play, then again, neither was Infamous but after playing the demo I bought it. So ya never know...
ReplyDeleteI'll definetly be picking this game up. It looks fantastic. Heavy Rain and The Last Guardian are the 2 games for next year that have shown the most promise and ambition. I don't know how anyone can think this game will do anything except demonstrate even further the gulf between PS3 exclusives and those attempts on the 360.
ReplyDeleteIt's rather new and unique, plus these guys have proven themselves with Fahrenheit, so yeah, day one...but that goes for a lot of games in my book. Heavy Rain won't sell in the millions the first month, and will therefor be dismissed as a failure by certain members of the media. As a mature gamer I respect Sony's decission to allow the time & money to get this thing developed, and I wish it would get the support it probably deserves from the public, like so many halfbaked big franchise sequels are getting these days.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up QD.
ARE YOU KIDDIN ME?!?!
ReplyDeleteHeavy Rain ain't gunna fail!It's gunna fall into THE BEST GAME OF THE YEAR COMP.!!!!
Although this would piss David Cage off, as he keeps on sayin its not a game, lets all piss him off by givin him this award LOL! XD
Day one , past games from Quantic have been unmissable classics!
ReplyDeletei didnt like watching Metal Gear Solid 4 play itself, i wont like watching Heavy Rain play itself. will not buy. a whole game based around quicktime events does not appeal to me at all.
ReplyDeleteI will buy it because it has been in development for so long.
ReplyDeleteWell if it's anything like Fahrenheit only more advanced, than this will be one amazing game.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest,I think it is time for this website to require user to register and login to make a comment and other user could report comments that are spam or offensive other than giving user the ability to vote their comments.I saw many that are absolutely troll that can get away since they are 'Anonymous'.
ReplyDeleteOther than that,the CEO himself said that Heavy Rain is not a game.It is an experience.So how can it fail as a game is beyond me.
@ directly above me, Come January, we're moving to our new home: www.gamesthirst.com once there, users will need to register before posting a comment and yes, users will have the ability to reply and report.
ReplyDeleteJust two more weeks!
Day 1 purchase here!
ReplyDeleteI've been a gamer since I was 3 or 4 years old, and I've watched the industry grow up just as I have. There's no chance I'm not going to have a game like Heavy Rain ommited from my collection.
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ReplyDeleteFirst...Whether Heavy Rain will succeed or fail is not going to be based on these reposted interviews or turning other peoples work into an "article" titled with a ? mark.
ReplyDeleteAll this does is raise a question...that you never answer.
This does nothing for Heavy Rain, but accounting for inflation...does make you just another three-bit "journalist" adding question mark titles to legitimate interviews...with none of your own answers.
It's a journalists JOB to actually answer the questions they raise or at least research them...NOT just copy and paste two other sites work with some ? never answered.
Before you claim to be a journalist, Ernice, try to actually be one.