This review contains spoilers
This game is entirely centered around its narrative, so reviewing it requires full spoilers. I’m not going to hold back any details, especially because I think the story in this game is so terrible that I want to ensure no one wastes their time.
Heavy Rain is about a father whose son has been kidnapped by a serial murderer called the Origami Killer. Their method is to abduct children, then blackmail the father into a series of deadly trials to prove their dedication, and killing the child if they refuse. The narrative is divided into the perspectives of four characters, with the first being the aforementioned father, Ethan. Next, you have an investigative reporter, Madison. Then, there’s the FBI agent tasked with the investigation, Norman, and a private eye named Scott. Ethan’s chapters are him going through the killer’s trials to earn his son’s freedom. Madison’s chapters are about her independent investigation into the murders, Norman’s chapters are about his independent investigation into the murders, and Scott’s chapters are about his independent investigation into the murders.
If you’re sharp, you may have noticed some redundancy there, and that brings me to the game’s other hook, where the decisions you make can lead to the deaths of the main characters. So weirdly enough, this redundancy is fully intentional, it’s just a bizarre way to provide 1-ups in a cinematic game and ensure the plot can move on even if Ethan fails. If he doesn’t though, this means that ~44% of the game is pointless. If you’re even more sharp than before, you may have noticed that this number is closer to 50% than 75%, the number you would expect if three out of four characters are totally useless. This is because of the game’s big twist, that the investigator Scott is actually the killer. You may wonder how this is possible, since you’re the one controlling him and listening to his inner thoughts. Wouldn’t the only way for him to be the killer is for him to know when the audience is listening to his thoughts, and mentally lie to conceal his intent? Well, yes. That part just makes no sense, so in addition to 44% of the chapters being about characters who may have no bearing on the plot, an additional 24% is spent with a character so committed to providing a twist that his thoughts and actions make no sense.
So, Ethan’s fraction is the only hope left for the game, and it’s the only time Heavy Rain shows even the slightest glimpse of a decent plot. Most people will have Ethan brave the initial trials, but as the danger escalates, you have to make some hard calls on how much you’re willing to risk life and limb, and how much you’re willing to trust in the success of the other characters. However, mixed in with that good concept is a lot of random nonsense that goes nowhere. The best example is how Ethan will randomly have blackouts, wake up somewhere else, and have no idea what he did in the meantime. This is never explained. I wish I had more to say about that, especially when it’s a major plot point early in the game, but it doesn’t go anywhere. He also finds origami figures in his pockets after these blackouts, similar to the kind the killer is named after. This is also never explained. It’s just a pointless red herring to make Ethan seem like the killer. However, the truth is that these weird plot threads were the result of cut content, where Ethan had a psychic link with the killer and would be mentally transported to a flooded world whenever they made another kill. Ethan would have to search for an origami figure to escape, which he would then find nearby once he awoke. The removal of these sections came late in development, so a lot of time is spent on establishing scenes that no longer exist, for a subplot that never should have gotten past the concept stage.
In any case, the reason Ethan and the killer are linked, and why Ethan was chosen as a victim, is because the killer saw Ethan put his life on the line in an attempt to save his other son from a car accident many years ago. Since the killer’s twisted motivation is finding a father who would lay down his life for his child, he… wait a second, didn’t this plot just accidentally resolve itself before it started? Was Ethan chosen to prove he would give his life for his son because he had proven he would give his life for his son? If we take a moment to add up the damages right now, we have:
Ethan’s story, full of nonsensical or incomplete plot threads, almost entirely pointless if Madison or Norman succeed
Madison’s story, entirely redundant if Ethan or Norman succeed
Norman’s story, entirely redundant if Ethan or Madison succeed
Scott’s story, with nonsensical motivations and a presentation that relies on him knowing people are listening to his thoughts
I normally try to end reviews on some positive note, or how to enjoy even a flawed game, or giving some sort of design takeaway, but I just can’t for this one. Nothing makes sense. It’s not fun, the drama is false, it isn’t enhanced by interactivity, nothing that makes me love video games as an artistic medium is here. It might be my least favorite game of all time.
Heavy Rain is about a father whose son has been kidnapped by a serial murderer called the Origami Killer. Their method is to abduct children, then blackmail the father into a series of deadly trials to prove their dedication, and killing the child if they refuse. The narrative is divided into the perspectives of four characters, with the first being the aforementioned father, Ethan. Next, you have an investigative reporter, Madison. Then, there’s the FBI agent tasked with the investigation, Norman, and a private eye named Scott. Ethan’s chapters are him going through the killer’s trials to earn his son’s freedom. Madison’s chapters are about her independent investigation into the murders, Norman’s chapters are about his independent investigation into the murders, and Scott’s chapters are about his independent investigation into the murders.
If you’re sharp, you may have noticed some redundancy there, and that brings me to the game’s other hook, where the decisions you make can lead to the deaths of the main characters. So weirdly enough, this redundancy is fully intentional, it’s just a bizarre way to provide 1-ups in a cinematic game and ensure the plot can move on even if Ethan fails. If he doesn’t though, this means that ~44% of the game is pointless. If you’re even more sharp than before, you may have noticed that this number is closer to 50% than 75%, the number you would expect if three out of four characters are totally useless. This is because of the game’s big twist, that the investigator Scott is actually the killer. You may wonder how this is possible, since you’re the one controlling him and listening to his inner thoughts. Wouldn’t the only way for him to be the killer is for him to know when the audience is listening to his thoughts, and mentally lie to conceal his intent? Well, yes. That part just makes no sense, so in addition to 44% of the chapters being about characters who may have no bearing on the plot, an additional 24% is spent with a character so committed to providing a twist that his thoughts and actions make no sense.
So, Ethan’s fraction is the only hope left for the game, and it’s the only time Heavy Rain shows even the slightest glimpse of a decent plot. Most people will have Ethan brave the initial trials, but as the danger escalates, you have to make some hard calls on how much you’re willing to risk life and limb, and how much you’re willing to trust in the success of the other characters. However, mixed in with that good concept is a lot of random nonsense that goes nowhere. The best example is how Ethan will randomly have blackouts, wake up somewhere else, and have no idea what he did in the meantime. This is never explained. I wish I had more to say about that, especially when it’s a major plot point early in the game, but it doesn’t go anywhere. He also finds origami figures in his pockets after these blackouts, similar to the kind the killer is named after. This is also never explained. It’s just a pointless red herring to make Ethan seem like the killer. However, the truth is that these weird plot threads were the result of cut content, where Ethan had a psychic link with the killer and would be mentally transported to a flooded world whenever they made another kill. Ethan would have to search for an origami figure to escape, which he would then find nearby once he awoke. The removal of these sections came late in development, so a lot of time is spent on establishing scenes that no longer exist, for a subplot that never should have gotten past the concept stage.
In any case, the reason Ethan and the killer are linked, and why Ethan was chosen as a victim, is because the killer saw Ethan put his life on the line in an attempt to save his other son from a car accident many years ago. Since the killer’s twisted motivation is finding a father who would lay down his life for his child, he… wait a second, didn’t this plot just accidentally resolve itself before it started? Was Ethan chosen to prove he would give his life for his son because he had proven he would give his life for his son? If we take a moment to add up the damages right now, we have:
Ethan’s story, full of nonsensical or incomplete plot threads, almost entirely pointless if Madison or Norman succeed
Madison’s story, entirely redundant if Ethan or Norman succeed
Norman’s story, entirely redundant if Ethan or Madison succeed
Scott’s story, with nonsensical motivations and a presentation that relies on him knowing people are listening to his thoughts
I normally try to end reviews on some positive note, or how to enjoy even a flawed game, or giving some sort of design takeaway, but I just can’t for this one. Nothing makes sense. It’s not fun, the drama is false, it isn’t enhanced by interactivity, nothing that makes me love video games as an artistic medium is here. It might be my least favorite game of all time.