Back in 2005 a game called "Heavy Rain" was announced by Quantic Dream. Although fans didn't know what Heavy Rain would be like (or even what consoles it would end up on), a lot of them already knew what to expect. Quantic Dream was already well known for blending both games and film together, and the result was always a unique game, with a great story that really pulled players in. Even though fans didn't know quite what to expect, everyone already was expecting Heavy Rain to be a great game.
Around five years later, Heavy Rain finally hit the shelves for the PlayStation 3. The game was a "dark noir" styled game which followed the life of four characters as they got wrapped up in a murder mystery. Throughout the area kids began to show up dead, drown by rain water. The killer behind these sick murders was known as the "origami killer," due to him leaving origami animals behind. Throughout the game you get to play as the father of a victim, a news reporter as she tries to crack the case, an FBI agent who joins the hunt for the killer after being called in to a crime scene, and a private detective who is simply trying to help out of the goodness of his heart. These four characters really helped you (the player) connect with the game's world, and while doing so they took you down an emotional roller coaster
Although the game was more along the lines of an "interactive movie," than a game, it was still fun. As you played as the characters you could walk around the world and interact with it, you could choose what they said to others, and you could even change the course of the story with them. Sometimes one action would cause another scene to be completely changed, while other times an action may actually get that character killed. If that is the case, the storyline would still continue on, but with a character missing, things would unfold differently. This type of gameplay really stood out over a lot of other games on the market, and it was more in line with the gameplay of a Japanese visual novel than anything else. It was a style which is rare to see in the west, and it was also one of the best crime dramas you may ever watch. Despite the game having some minor issues at times, it was still a must have for PlayStation 3 owners, and it is also one of the games that continues to shine on the platform. It's no wonder that Quantic Dream decided to continue this trend.
Just last month (11/8/2013) Quantic Dream released yet another game; a game called Beyond. Despite being near the end of its life, the PlayStation 3 continued to push on, and yet another must have title hit the shelves. Like the previous game, Beyond too was more of an interactive movie than a game, but that didn't matter. Just like with Heavy Rain, the game allowed you to live the life of another character, and once again it threw you into an emotional ride. The game followed the life of a young girl named Jodie from her childhood to her early twenties. Although on the surface Jodie appears to be a normal girl, the truth is; she is anything but. Her entire life she has had a link with an invisible entity, and that alone has made her life harder than it should have been. Like Heavy Rain, it was a unique story, but this time around it also had a supernatural twist (very much like Quantic Dream's older titles).
Overall, Quantic Dream is another company that helped make the PlayStation 3 worth owning. They managed to release two amazing games on the console, and they currently have another in the works for the upcoming PlayStation 4. Believe it or not, all of this could have been different though...
Back when Heavy Rain was first going into development, it actually wasn't going to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive. Quantic Dream originally approached a rival company first. The plan was to release this next generation game on their console, but in the end, they were turned down. Apparently the idea of the game being based on kids being kidnapped didn't settle well with them, and so Quantic Dream was turned away. Looking back on it now, it seems that was for the better. Truthfully, if it wasn't for the other company saying now, the PlayStation 3 may have lost two of the greatest exclusives it has ever had.
For more information concerning both Heavy Rain, and Beyond: Two Souls, feel free to check out our reviews here at Netto's Game Room. While the Heavy Rain review may be a bit outdated, considering it is one of our earliest reviews, it still will let you know what you need to know. If you haven't played them both, I recommend you do as soon as possible; if you like this sort of thing.
