Interactive storytelling was the goal developer Quantic Dream sought to create, and Heavy Rain is the product they and Sony have pushed oh so hard to make. Surprisingly, they fail in so many ways, while still making a unique and noteworthy title that many will undoubtedly enjoy, and many will definitely hate. (more...)

Sony confirmed this morning that Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain has been banned in the United Arab Emirates. MEGamers originally made the report, and Sony has sent Kotaku an official statement.

The UAE's National Media Council (NMC) has banned Heavy Rain on PlayStation3. Heavy Rain has an 18+ PEGI rating and has been conceived from the earliest stages as a genuinely adult experience. This means that it deals with strong content including blood and nudity, but treats this content in a mature and sensitive manner. The game is not intentionally controversial or sensationalist, and all the themes and content are consistent with what consumers would expect to see in a mainstream Hollywood thriller.

No specific reason was given, but it's obvious it was because of the game's "adult" nature.

While Heavy Rain is releasing stateside next week, its producer, David Cage, is already thinking about what's next, and he has "ideas that will be implemented in [Quantic Dream's] next game." Cage suggests that the studio's next title might support Sony's motion controller.

"You can always improve, and we have other ideas that will be implemented in the next game," Cage told the UK Official PlayStation Magazine. "And there are also other devices coming that we'd like to explore.

Cage has also expressed a lot of interest in Sony's "Arc" controller, which indicates the company might use it.

"You can always think of new ideas and new things especially with this format because it's so contextual. There are so many things you can do, just adding new words to the narrative language using the interface, and it's almost an endless thing."

[via CVG]

The Heavy Rain demo is on the Playstation Store now, it just needs to be activated by doing the 4-day challenge. Once completed and the evidence is all submitted, you’ll get a code to download the demo.

Head on over to http://www.precinct52.com/case1117_briefing and then choose 4 pieces of evidence, which are:
• Short cigarette (117b)
• Origami bird
• Coffee shop C (it says "diner")
• 117h (tyre tracks).

Heavy Rain is set to offer gamers a fresh new experience when it releases February 23, but Sony says it was a "gamble" to release such an IP. Anytime an original, unique IP is released, it's a risk for publishers. That said, Sony is confident the release of Heavy Rain will be a landmark moment in gaming.

"Being Sony, I suppose we have a little more luxury to take a gamble on more original and innovative IP -- and Heavy Rain definitely fits that category," Sony's product manager for Heavy Rain told CVG. "I suppose the risk is lessened if you have faith in the team behind the game and David and Guillaume and the guys at Quantic Dreams have really impressed, not just in terms of their back catalogue -- Farenheit -- but also in terms of the tech demos they showed in the run up to Heavy Rain.

"I really believe Heavy Rain has a great chance of breaking out," she added. "As well as the reviews, there also feels like there is a real groundswell of anticipation from gaming communities and trade alike -- so let's see how it goes."

If you're like us, you're probably looking forward to Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain, which is releasing stateside February 23.  But you'd better have some space clear on your PS3's hard drive because the game will require an install. You'll need a hefty 4.5GB of space cleared for it to install game data, but hey, I'm not complaining. If it means no disc swapping and my system will run smoother, fine by me.

[via Just Push Start]

Sony announced today that Heavy Rain has gone gold, meaning it's now entering manufacturing. It won't be long before it's in our grubby little hands. The US release date has been set for February 23, and a demo is coming a week and a half before on February 11.

Along with the news, Sony sent out a new trailer for Quantic Dream's PS3 exclusive via GameTrailers, seen above.

Those who pre-order Heavy Rain will receive the first DLC episode of The Heavy Rain Chronicles for free, a savings of $4.99.

Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain is promising to offer gamers "completely different experiences."

"Heavy Rain is a pretty unique concept in so far as it is a large departure from the norm," Sony product manager Lucy Duncan told CVG. "The range of actions that the player controls is extremely diverse. It throws down new gameplay challenges in that there are multiple plot paths to achieve the final outcome. In some situations you may actually lose one of the key characters.

(more...)

Heavy Rain isn't even out yet and people are wondering about DLC. Luckily, Quantic Dream's David Cage has attempted satiate our insatiable desire for news on their upcoming PS3 exclusive in the form of a few DLC tidbits.

The DLC for Heavy Rain will be called The Heavy Rain Chronicles. The DLC will provide backstories to the game's characters, fleshing out the plot even more. The Taxidermist level will be the first piece of content. Another episode will follow the FBI agent Norman Jayden. The DLC will eventually allow gamers to play as the Origami Killer himself.

No dates for the add-on content have been provided, but they are expected to release fairly soon after the game's launch.

[via GameBlog]

This month's issue of Official Playstation Magazine UK included an interview with Quantic Dream founder David Cage. Among other things, Cage spoke about the possibility, or lack thereof, of doing a sequel for Heavy Rain. According to him, there's no need to make a Heavy Rain 2.

"I don't want to do a sequel because I've said what I had to say about these characters and this story," he explains. "Honestly, I have nothing else to say." Cage further explains his reasoning by adding, "I believe that the value of my company lies in its ability to create new IP's."

That doesn't, however, rule out post-release DLC, which was recently announced as The Heavy Rain Chronicles. The Chronicles are in no way a necessary component to the story arc of Heavy Rain, but according to Cage, they act as a prequel, shedding light on the characters' backstories.

"The game tells a full story, nothing is missing from it," he says. "The approach to DLC was to say, let's work on prequels. What led the characters to be who they are in Heavy Rain? What happened to them before?"

Heavy Rain lands in North America February 23.

[via The Lost Gamer]