"Heavy Rain" and Free-Choice in Games

[Blind0bserver]

After reading an article in my local newspaper of all places, I learned about the existence of Heavy Rain, an adventure-esque game scheduled to come out for the PS3 next year. After E3 '06 the game was only really known for an impressive tech demo that showed off it's realistic "digital actors", but recently another big aspect of the game has been let out: how easily the game adapts to player choice.

From what I can tell, the player can basically influence what direction the story takes without ever being, well, "wrong". In a nutshell, you can't lose the game, no matter what you do. Granted, there are certain parts of the plot that will stay the same no matter what, but the player is free to change and influence every detail and nuance of the story. There is no "Game Over" in Heavy Rain, even if you get one of the characters killed. The game simply continues on without them. It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

So, fellow Escapees, what do you think about this? Do you think Heavy Rain could really provide the kind of free choice in games that we've been looking for? Will this game raise the bar in the way that games tell a story? If it works, how will the game impact the rest of the industry?

 

[Johnn Johnston]

I doubt it will be the Holy Grail of Free Choice, but I think it'll give adventure games a good point in the right direction.

 

[The Wooster]

They said this about Farenheit as well. It wasn't the holy grail of player choice and the ending blew. I'm still looking forward to HR though.

 

[black lincon]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

 

[mjhhiv]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

Fable isn't the first franchise to ever try and implement free-choice, buddy.

 

[Blind0bserver]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

I seriously doubt that one. I can't really comment on Fable 2 because I haven't had a chance to play it, but the big thing about "free choice" in the first Fable was that every choice shifted you either towards good and evil. From what I've heard about Heavy Rain, most choices you can make, if not all of them (which, we agree, sounds like a very complicated thing for a developer to pull off) nudge the story along in a slightly different direction.

 

[DirkGently]

I honestly haven't heard about this. It does sound interesting though. But, as Black Lincon as making a game that would allow the player to influence an extreme amount of the story is extremely hard. Typically we're left with a fork in the road. Good and Evil, please pick one (1). Ocassionally you get the the fork in the road that also lets you pick your motivation. One of the final decisions of Mass Effect comes to mind where you have the choice of "Evil action" "Good Action" "Evil Action but for a Good Reason". I'd like to see more of that, albeit deeper choices and explanations.

 

[black lincon]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

Fable isn't the first franchise to ever try and implement free-choice, buddy.

i know it isn't but its the newest and most hyped one so heavy rain will inevitable get compared to fable. its kind of like how for awhile a lot of games where called GTA clones. was GTA the first to implement sandbox style game play? no but it was the most hyped at the time so games similar to it got compared to it.

 

[mjhhiv]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

Fable isn't the first franchise to ever try and implement free-choice, buddy.

i know it isn't but its the newest and most hyped one so heavy rain will inevitable get compared to fable. its kind of like how for awhile a lot of games where called GTA clones. was GTA the first to implement sandbox style game play? no but it was the most hyped at the time so games similar to it got compared to it.

The big key here:

GTA was successful in implementing sand-box play.

Fable, in terms of free-choice, not so much...

 

[Blind0bserver]

i know it isn't but its the newest and most hyped one so heavy rain will inevitable get compared to fable. its kind of like how for awhile a lot of games where called GTA clones. was GTA the first to implement sandbox style game play? no but it was the most hyped at the time so games similar to it got compared to it.

Good point, but Heavy Rain appears to be a different genre of game from Fable. Heavy Rain is suppose to end up being an adventure-type game, like Sam and Max, The Longest Journey, and so on. The fact that Fable 2 is a cross between Action and an RPG should negate any comparisons between them because they share next to nothing in common.

 

[Russia208]

eh, i don't really dig the whole free choice thing, i want to be told a story rather than making it.

 

[black lincon]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

Fable isn't the first franchise to ever try and implement free-choice, buddy.

i know it isn't but its the newest and most hyped one so heavy rain will inevitable get compared to fable. its kind of like how for awhile a lot of games where called GTA clones. was GTA the first to implement sandbox style game play? no but it was the most hyped at the time so games similar to it got compared to it.

The big key here:

GTA was successful in implementing sand-box play.

Fable, in terms of free-choice, not so much...

then you didnt play the same fable i did. i know it wasnt everything promised but it stilled offered a good amount of choice and implemented it well.

i know it isn't but its the newest and most hyped one so heavy rain will inevitable get compared to fable. its kind of like how for awhile a lot of games where called GTA clones. was GTA the first to implement sandbox style game play? no but it was the most hyped at the time so games similar to it got compared to it.

Good point, but Heavy Rain appears to be a different genre of game from Fable. Heavy Rain is suppose to end up being an adventure-type game, like Sam and Max, The Longest Journey, and so on. The fact that Fable 2 is a cross between Action and an RPG should negate any comparisons between them because they share next to nothing in common.

ill agree that if it ends up being solely an adventure game the it will not be compared to fable 2 at all. however like you said in the OP its adventure-esque. I'm betting they will mix in some action elements into it and it will bear a closer resemblance to fable 2 than you think.

 

[Corven]

I might pick it up when more details come out on it.

 

[Blind0bserver]

ill agree that if it ends up being solely an adventure game the it will not be compared to fable 2 at all. however like you said in the OP its adventure-esque. I'm betting they will mix in some action elements into it and it will bear a closer resemblance to fable 2 than you think.

Fairly good point, but I'm afraid that we aren't going to know what it'll be like exactly for some time, or at least until the developer lets loose some more info about it.

 

[Jumplion]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

Wait wait wait, what? I don't understand how having a choice system makes it seem like it's ripping off fable 2.

How exactly?

Fable 2 is a Western-RPG with magic and sword play and gun play and all these other things along with magic and wonder and light hearted humour.

Heavy Rain is sortof like a Point n' Click adventure only with more control with you and is extremely grounded in reality (so far atleast).

While I do agree, the morality aspect in Heavy Rain is similar to...well any game that has "morality choice", but how on earth did you get the idea that the game can be compared to Fable 2?

But as for me, I'm intruiged by it. Not entierly sure what my stance on it is though.

 

[black lincon]

It almost seems like Heavy Rain can deliver what games like Fable or Mass Effect claimed they could: allow player's choices to influence and change everything.

the reason they couldn't allow you to change ever aspect of the game is because doing that is very hard. I significantly doubt that this game will be seen as little more than an attempt to rip off fable 2.

Wait wait wait, what? I don't understand how having a choice system makes it seem like it's ripping off fable 2.

How exactly?

Fable 2 is a Western-RPG with magic and sword play and gun play and all these other things along with magic and wonder and light hearted humour.

Heavy Rain is sortof like a Point n' Click adventure only with more control with you and is extremely grounded in reality (so far atleast).

While I do agree, the morality aspect in Heavy Rain is similar to...well any game that has "morality choice", but how on earth did you get the idea that the game can be compared to Fable 2?

But as for me, I'm intruiged by it. Not entierly sure what my stance on it is though.

as pointed out by the OP its not entirely clear exactly how the game play will pan out. and your right if it is a point and click adventure it wont be seen this way, but believe me the second they add action elements and it begins to resemble fable the comparison will be made.

 

[Jumplion]

as pointed out by the OP its not entirely clear exactly how the game play will pan out. and your right if it is a point and click adventure it wont be seen this way, but believe me the second they add action elements and it begins to resemble fable the comparison will be made.

You see, I can understand you comparing Fable 2 and Heavy Rain's morality aspects together, or really any game with "morality choices".

But I don't understand how when they bring action it will be compared to Fable 2.

For one, we don't know much action except for moving around and stuff. Fable 2's combat is completely over the top, going crazy and effortlessly switching between combat styles.

I don't see how Heavy Rain's combat (if there is any) could ever be compared to Fable 2's combat.

Though, I'd like to bring up a part of the "choices" heavy rain can give you. Gotten from a magazine, not much spoilers since it's the first mission or whatever.

You enter the "oragami killer"'s house and are examining the people he's killed, some posed like Manequines. While you're in the house, the suspect comes in and you have a few choices.

Either hide and call the police,
Kill the man with a gun or,
Run away as fast as you can.

None of these choices are "wrong" per se, and like someone said earlier the character can die but you would still continue.

I don't see how this is similar to Fable 2 in any way.