'We really use the camera to reinforce emotions,' he said. The camera jumps between multiple angles, plays with depth of field and lingers in scenes, as if guided by a director of photography.ĭe Fondaumiere said the goal wasn't to mimic a movie but employ its best tools for the game. The plot follows four characters, hopping among them like a Quentin Tarantino film. It embraces cinematic tools and framing devices to help engross players in the kind of emotional journey usually found in a movie or book. Uses cinematic toolsīut the game doesn't just sidestep regular gaming mechanics. The player controls don't involve complex button presses or aiming, but are simpler motions that manipulate a surprising amount of actions, everything from lifting up a child to turning on a shower. Heavy Rain eschews those demands, building its drama from human emotions that play out through both mundane and manic moments.

The story gets subsumed by the relentless pursuit of action.

Many titles now feature sprawling plots, beautifully directed in-game movies, great dialogue and amazing visuals.īut in almost every case, the games settle into traditional rhythms, with players blasting away terrorists, fighting through obstacles or earning achievements while pushing the limits of plausibility. Heavy Rain is hardly the first game with movie aspirations. It also represents a potentially new category for gamemakers looking to expand sales. The game embodies the ambitions of an industry trying to evolve creatively and find more acceptance with mainstream audiences.

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