Heavy Rain Reviews

It's actually incredible that this game came out at the same time as games like Mass Effect 2 and Red Dead Redemption 1 and got the scores that it go. Every character did not behave like real people and I'm very convinced that the story is told the way it is told because if we follow one or two characters, it would've so easy to predict who the origami killer was. It's a lot of fun to play with someone who also thinks the story and characters are morons and I am convinced that this is the only way to enjoy this game if you never experienced playing or watching a good story.

Wanted to play it for so long. Played some, haven't returned. Waiting makes the experience so much better. Will wait a bit longer....7/10

Terrible controls but fire game. Never considered the killer to be the killer. Screamed "that's my man!" minutes before the reveal. Not my man anymore... Everyone's simping for Madison but Lauren can get it

Heavy Rain is a QTE-based, story-driven game, with little room for gameplay freedom. It’s a very specific kind of experience and one that not everyone will enjoy, but if you are open to a more narrative-focused format where your choices shape key events, it still has a lot to offer. However, keep in mind that this is a PC port of a 15-year-old game, and it shows. The graphics are obviously dated, the facial animations are often stiff, and the voice acting can be awkward and uneven at times. Still, none of these issues really ruin the experience, but rather give a kind of nostalgic, old-school charm that actually fits the tone and atmosphere of the story. What really doesn't work, though, are the controls. The movement system is clunky and unresponsive, often making your character get stuck or face the wrong way with no fault of your own. It rarely affects key moments but it’s still quite annoying. The QTEs are also needlessly complex at times and, along with the poor porting, make certain inputs impossible to perform on controller, which is unfortunate since this genre is best played that way. Thankfully, everything worked fine on mouse and keyboard. If you can look past these problems, what the game does let you control is genuinely engaging. You can make a wide variety of choices throughout the story; most don’t really alter the overall plot, but some of them can lead to major consequences, including the life or death of several main and side characters. You also get to shape small, personal moments, like the development of a relationship or how a character copes with grief, which truly makes you feel like you're living your own version of the experience. The story itself is where Heavy Rain shines most. The setting is bleak and rainy but varied, with a good range of locations and an ensemble of diverse and interesting characters, each dealing with their own personal struggles, which makes them more relatable and human. The central mystery is compelling and keeps you guessing until the very end, and the game does a great job mixing tense, high-stakes scenes with quiet, emotional chapters that add depth and heart to the story. It’s not the best narrative I’ve ever experienced in a game, but it’s comfortably above average and strong enough to carry you through the technical rough edges. Despite that, I’d probably recommend Heavy Rain only if you’re already a fan of QTE-heavy games, or if you’re curious to explore Quantic Dream’s roots. Otherwise, their later titles improve on this formula in almost every way and are a better starting point.

love this game except for the only portrayals or inclusions of women being majorly sexualised, having nothing essentially to do with the plot, and merely there to serve the male character's agenda or character development. do better.

Not terrible, but far from good. The controls are infuriating (both for character movement and the quicktime events). The "intro" is already awfully long with nothing really happening. Basically a boring tutorial. Once you get past that, then the story feels like it might go somewhere interesting. As the story progressed, I kept getting less invested by each chapter and just wanted to see where it ends. Every other new plot point just made me groan like I had been handed extra work, instead of "oh my this is an exciting new development". The twists in the story don't feel like cleverly planned events, but instead as if the previous plot point was finished and someone rolled the dice to select something random for the next one just to keep things moving forward. Felt like a lot of elements were taken over from "Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy", but with less sci-fi. Some scenes have a time limit, but good luck figuring out which ones. Scene giving a sense of urgency does not mean you have a time limit. Aside from that, characters are not shy about reminding you to do something that you are actively trying to figure out how to do. But, you know, just in case you forgot your goal during the last 5 seconds, better to remind you again, just to be sure. Wish the QTEs gave a heads-up when popping up in the middle of a cutscene. The visibility of those also was often poor. More consistent placement and contrasting backgrounds would have helped. There is saw-like gore in the story. Won't bother replaying for the alternative endings. Maybe could have worked out better if it was presented as a movie, not a game.

This game probably had two writers. One was a (below)average writer with some good ideas here or there. The other was an incompetent moron who seemed to use a closed-alpha version of his Alexa speakers to write the story for him. The story is full of inconsistencies. It constantly shifts the narrative just to push its own agenda about who [i]you[/i] should suspect, rather than letting the mystery unfold naturally. You are playing as a character, making decisions, and see events through their eyes. But then the game is like “Nope, that’s not what happened.” That’s not how you write a story, David! Maybe next time, between touching your coworkers and photoshopping their faces onto nude images, you could spare a moment to actually learn how storytelling works. It has banger scenes like [b]pressing X to Jason[/b], which was brilliant. But between those highlights, you spend half the game doing chores: washing your a$s in the shower, changing some random kid’s diaper, and cleaning the house. I’m giving it a positive rating solely for [b]Jason[/b]. It was fun while it lasted.

If you like interactive storytelling and crime/mystery, you will like Heavy Rain. I see a lot of people commenting on the controls, but they didn't bother me. I played with xbox controller and everything worked perfectly fine. The only thing that bothered me, was the fact that you couldn't skip the cutscenes. I finished my first playthrough, and after that I decided this was a game I wanted to finish 100%. To achieve all endings you will have to play a lot of chapters multiple times, and without being able to skip the cutscenes it A: takes a long time, and B: is boring as hell...

Heavy Rain delivers a level of immersion that few games manage to achieve, thanks to its intense plot, memorable characters, and an ever-present sense of urgency. If you’re into interactive stories that hold your attention until the very end, this one is a must-play. The port is solid as well, though it has a minor issue with the controllers. There seems to be a problem with the analog stick deadzone, but you can easily fix it by changing the controller layout on Steam. And, sadly, the DLC will remain locked on the PS Move for all eternity.

A bit clunky gameplay-wise — yeah, it shows its age. Some camera angles feel awkward and dated. But the story? It delivered. Full of tension, twists, and raw emotion. Sure, there are a few plot holes here and there, but it still hits hard. Felt like being inside a dark, gripping thriller where every choice mattered. If you're into cinematic experiences and don't mind slower-paced storytelling — Heavy Rain is absolutely worth it. A flawed gem, but a memorable one. I definitely recommend it.