Heavy Rain - Demo

I got a chance today, thanks to my friend Toby (who's also choosing the next four weeks Icon Themes), to play the Heavy Rain Demo on my PS3 courtesy of CVG, who had a nice easy explanation of how to get hold of it three days early on their website.

So what did I make of it?

Well it's intriguing that's for sure although I'm as certain as ever that this is going to divide opinion on release.  The demo lets you play through two scenes one as a Private Investigator visiting a prostitute to ask her questions about her sons death at the hands of the 'Origami Killer' and one as an FBI agent investigating a crime scene.

The first scene is the better of the two on the demo, eventually ending in a fight but it's the gameplay that is new here.

All the controls are spelt out for you on screen and you are essentially playing out a QTE (Quick Time Event) all the time.  Miss time hitting X and your character won't connect with his punch, time Square better and he dodges the incoming blow.  Does it work?  Honestly it's too early to tell, what is interesting and is obviously the games hook, is that just because you lose the fight doesn't mean you lose the game.  Whatever happens the game keeps rolling.

This will be getting purchased at the beginning of March because it's the one title that's really trying to innovate.

Looks?  Stunning.  Sound?  Amazing.  Gameplay?  Jury is out.

Full review next month.