Heavy Rain and later Beyond Two Souls established the genre of video games that we now call "Interactive film". A genre in which the decisions made by the player have an impact on the development of the characters and the story. This genre combines an amazing narrative with a dose of action elements that often appear in the form of quick time events. But what makes these games so special that they manage to captivate the player throughout the entire story? Why would someone play them ten years after their release? Do they offer experiences to the player? Let's find out right away!
Heavy Rain
The game takes place in a US city. The player takes control of Ethan, a man who experiences a tragic event. Thus, he begins his investigation to find out who the "Origami Killer" is. Throughout the game, there is a switch between Ethan, an FBI agent named Jayden, a private detective named Shelby, and a journalist named Madison. Each character has their own dark past - and present - making the experience with each one unique and distinct. The story remains captivating from the first to the last minute with a lot of suspense!
The gameplay is quite relaxed as there is not much action. It revolves around quick time events, through which the story is determined to some extent. However, the strong point of the game is its high replayability. There are 17 different endings and many decisions that determine the evolution of the story. Personally, I often wondered "what would have happened if I had chosen this option?", which automatically creates the motivation for an additional playthrough.
As for the technical aspect, the game, thanks to its remastered version, remains satisfactory without being anything special. Especially in the loading screens or during the switch between characters, which are done in close-ups, the characters' faces look quite realistic. In terms of sound, there were moments when I didn't expect to hear the sound of rain or even the sound of weapons so clearly, with the exceptional, atmospheric soundtrack being the highlight. The only "problematic" aspect of the technical side is the camera, which sometimes makes navigation difficult.
Beyond Two Souls
Without wanting to underestimate Heavy Rain, personally, Beyond touched me more, having a darker theme, focusing on the possession of supernatural powers and the consequences of this event.
The main character is Jodie Holmes, a girl who was born with a special ability, telepathy. Any further information would be a spoiler. So you will have to discover for yourself what happens in the world of Beyond... The story unfolds through various flashbacks, a very clever idea from the creators to keep the player engaged, alert throughout the game, encountering countless twists and turns.
Undoubtedly, the story and the characters are the strength of the game. Both Jodie, who is the main protagonist of the game, and the other characters give exceptional performances, and some of them are portrayed by well-known actors. The secondary characters, although they do not appear frequently in the game (some of them), become particularly endearing to the player to the point where they care about their fate and their development in the game. This item is not ordinary, few games create this bond between player and character!
Beyond Two Souls, like Heavy Rain, reminds of movies, so the main mechanism of the game is the dialogue choices that affect the course of the story. However, in Beyond, there is an additional mechanism that gives the player the ability to interact with the world around them as well as with various characters. Its name is Aiden. More information will be revealed during the story.
Technically, the game reminds of the PS3 era, with the camera presenting some problems, while at the same time it does not allow full control, making handling difficult. A strong point of the game is some of the music and the main theme, which are memorable and leave a lasting impression on the player's conscience.
Each game lasts about 10 hours and the platinum trophy is quite demanding because it requires multiple endings and different choices in the story.
Overall, both Heavy Rain and Beyond Two Souls remain special choices for gamers looking for something unique and relaxing. Both are exceptional experiences with captivating storylines and are definitely worth the time of every fan of the genre and beyond. Invest fearlessly!