Heavy Rain

GAME OF THE WEEK:So here it is, covered by an umbrella of hype and hyperbole. Mixing elements of a role-playing game and film noir, Heavy Rainis a strange animal, best described as an interactive drama.

You play Ethan, a young man who seems to have it all: two cute sons, a good job and a pretty wife. However, almost as soon as the game sets up this suburban existence, one of Ethan's sons is killed in a car accident. Not long afterwards, his other son goes missing. Could this be the work of the Origami Killer, a serial murderer who's still at large?

Controlling Ethan, as well as an FBI agent, a Good Samaritan photographer and a private investigator, you must shepherd the characters of Heavy Rainto its conclusion.

The game is nothing if not atmospheric. The pleasant, almost Sims-like opening scenes, bursting with primary colours, are satirically upbeat, but soon give way to rain-drenched urban noir. Ethan et al are dragged into a dark odyssey of ugly confrontations and difficult moral decisions. Ethan is forced to decide how much he can ethically and physically compromise himself for the sake of his son.

The strongest aspect of Heavy Rain, apart from its fabulous music score, is this moral complexity. Unlike most games, players are asked to ponder the repercussions of their actions and are urged to fire their guns only as a last resort.

The acting is well above average and the storyline is compelling. However, the controls leave a bit to be desired. While they can make mundane tasks, such as brushing your teeth, rather fun, other simple actions such as walking around a room are needlessly pernickety.

Heavy Rainuses a comforting, almost quaint set of film clichés, including the suave-but-troubled FBI agent and the crumpled PI. Using such recognisable archetypes is a bonus, not a flaw, because it's fun to be able to control the outcome of such a familiar milieu.

Heavy Rainoften feels truly immersive, with shot compositions and an appearance that could stand shoulder to shoulder with nearly any beloved film noir. There are fabulous visual flourishes: a rainbow appears briefly during a hopeful moment; light struggles to break through monsoons and clouds when characters are confused; sometimes a split screen shows multiple camera angles.

The developers have worked in some imaginative little taunts for the player as well. One scene, for example, has an exit door sprayed with the word "coward" for those who want to avoid one unsavoury task. In fact, Heavy Rainis almost sadistic to its characters, including one poor soul who is blackmailed into self-mutilation.

Though some dialogue and gameplay kinks might have been ironed out, Heavy Rainis addictive and utterly distinct from just about every other game preceding it. Draw the curtains, dim the lights, and enjoy.