Note: Here be Spoilers, not huge game destroying spoilers but you've been warned :)
Lemme explain. David Cage is a French game creator and founder of the game studio Quantic Dream. He has made three games to date, Omikron: The Nomad Soul (featuring David Bowie), Indigo Prophecy / Fahrenheit (with game play that could legit cripple you from its insane button mashing), and the more recent Heavy Rain.
Each game has a series of slayings by an apparent serial killer at its core, and, while the first two are clearly more SF/Supernatural than Heavy Rain they all have quite a few themes in common. Not least of which is sex, the last frontier of gaming.
I'm pretty amused by the attitude some media outlets *cough* Fox News *cough* and others take towards sex in video games in general. For instance the sex scene between two characters in the first Mass Effect. What these outlets seem to be ignorant of, or more likely, overlooking, (in that particular case at least) is that the game was rated Mature for a reason.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are cases of asinine exploitation type sexuality (bouncing volleyball boobs much?) but Mass Effect, Heavy Rain, and other Mature rated titles with plot driven sex scenes are no worse than most PG 13 / R movies and generally have more justification and less flesh on display.
So, Cage doesn't mind sex in his games and when its there he generally attempts to make it logical. The sex scene in Omikron is pretty cut and dried and rendered mildly hilarious by dated graphics. Further, in the U.S. version actually called Indigo Prophecy - everyone else in the world knows it as Fahrenheit- the sex scenes are heavily censored/edited. In Indigo Prophecy -if you get the European version there are at least two opportunities to shag, but again, - the limited graphics and tech render it more of an amusing diversion than a stimulating or titillating plot point. Not to mention that depending on plot points and decisions previously it's more like a creepy sort of necrophilia than sex. Which, one would think would be more controversial than a bunch of pixels embracing the joys of friction. Which brings us to the scene in Heavy Rain. It's clearly far more believable? Due to better graphics and, in my ever so humble opinion, better storytelling/justification. But, I have one major problem with it.
Basically, the scene comes about after Ethan, the main character, completes one of several trials assigned to him by a sadistic serial killer in order to save his son's life.
The trial he is required to attempt (not necessarily complete) prior to the sex scene is the killing of a drug dealer - that happens to have children of his own. Upon returning to his hotel room, a total wreck sporting numerous scars and wounds from previous trials, intrepid lady reporter Madison Paige arrives to put him back together.
Things gets heated and if you choose to reject her shmexy overtures (either because poor Ethan has been generally beaten the fuck up, or because he's savagely traumatized having just killed another human being) Madison basically fucks off. She still appears in the story but in a lesser role and the ending of the game changes.
Fair enough, no one appreciates having their HORRIBLY timed sexual advances spurned. And to be fair Cage sets Madison up as a bit of a headcase suffering from horrifyingly real night terrors involving a home invasion and all the good stuff that goes with that.
Still. Really?
The mechanics of the sex scene are pretty amusing as well, it basically amounts to hitting the right button at the right time and is moderately graphic in that you see some undies and there's some kissing and petting but that's it.
I haven't played through Heavy Rain with the Move system - ironically because this game is the reason I originally purchased said system - because it's so incredibly awkward to use the Move controllers with it that I've been left stymied by the 'tutorial' opening.
That said, I can't imagine the hilarity of standing in front of your TV waving your arms and hitting buttons when your room mate, SO, parent, mailman etc walks in and sees that your frantic gesticulating is meant to approximate the shmexytimes on the screen. Its bad enough with the controller.
Another thing about Cage's games that makes me bugfuck is his love or acceptance of HUGE FUCKING RED HERRINGS THAT ARE NEVER EXPLAINED.
Ahem.
In HR he goes to great strides to make sure the player has enough evidence to believe that basically any of the four main characters could be the Origami Killer.
Madison Paige: plucky reporter is, as outlines, unhinged.
Scott Shelby: Asthmatic P.I. seems to be pursuing the killer on his own but seems to know more than he should.
Norman Jayden: FBI agent has an addiction to a blue liquid drug called Triptocaine, which, paired with his VR investigative tech gives him hallucinations and hideous vision doubling migraines. Oh, and the shakes. (He also has a hilarious Boston accent, PAHK the CAHR NAHMAN seriously I think he's British or French and the resulting accent is BIZARRE)
Ethan Mars: the hero out to save his son suffers from blackouts, claims he's seen drowned bodies in his blackouts/dreams and once woke up with an origami figure in his hand crouched outside, in the city, in the rain.
And I'm cool with that, it's a great way to maintain tension etc.
The problem is that a lot of it is never explained or wrapped up at all once the killer is revealed (and unfortunately the identity of the killer doesn't change on additional playthroughs which would've been awesome). And indeed on a second playthrough some aspects of the game (internal thoughts, statements, the blatant deus ex machina and some super lazy red herrings) start to grate and annoy.
For a more intense and thorough not to mention spoilery rundown go here.
Another thing that makes me crazy about Heavy Rain is that it's set in a nameless large American city that looks like it's supposed to be on the East Coast somewhere but there are tons of little clues (not least of which are the voice actors which do a decent job but are clearly not American with the possible exception of Scott Shelby) that indicate that, no, this is not a U.S. city.
The Machinist managed to do something similar, the city still felt slightly off and foreign, although the creators did a helluva job with set pieces etc to avoid any blatant indicators, but that fed into the story as the narrator/pov character was an insomniac skeleton having hallucinations.
If Cage and Quantic Dream were trying something similar with Heavy Rain they failed. I mean, what's wrong with setting the game in a European city in the first place? If they were worried about language then stick it in a fictional big ass city in the UK.
That said I still really enjoy HR and Omikron, even Indigo Prophecy though I've never had hand cramps like that before or since. One of the redeeming aspects of HR and the others are the soundtracks. Omikron featured several unique and exclusive tracks by David Bowie, Indigo Prophecy introduce me to Martina-Topley Bird - so thanks for that- and the score for HR is excellent.
Cage and Quantic Dream's biggest weaknesses seem to be in creating truly solid and tight storylines (there are issues with Omikron and Indigo Prophecy too), believable human actions (I seriously get skeeved by Madison on playthroughs) and technology.
Indigo Prophecy and to an extent Omikron were both borderline playable due to the defects or archaic nature of the platforms they were built for. Indigo's controls scheme was tortuous, a sadistic riff on Simon Says with early onset arthritis and dead characters to attest to failure while Omikron had a reputation for crashing PCs. Heavy Rain's main drawback was, oddly, the late introduction of the Move system. It's a pity Quantic Dream wasn't able to develop the game in tandem with the Move system, if ever two were meant to be together... but for whatever reason it didn't happen. Which is a pity since, as I've noted, the HR Move version is hugely awkward.
It would be nice if Quantic Dream and Cage could get their shit together for their next creation. Stop creating serial killer centered games with awkwardly inhuman characters and stories holier than my cheese grater, manage to integrate their gameplay with technology in a far more feasible manner, and basically step up their game to the next level. Clearly, they're visionaries which is great but creating a functional product with an amazing, coherent, intact plot with solid characters would be fantastic.
I'll still probably get their next game. If nothing else they're really good at creating games that aren't really games and since I'm contrary that's my bag baby.
 |
| Sexy Times! Omikron style |
Each game has a series of slayings by an apparent serial killer at its core, and, while the first two are clearly more SF/Supernatural than Heavy Rain they all have quite a few themes in common. Not least of which is sex, the last frontier of gaming.
I'm pretty amused by the attitude some media outlets *cough* Fox News *cough* and others take towards sex in video games in general. For instance the sex scene between two characters in the first Mass Effect. What these outlets seem to be ignorant of, or more likely, overlooking, (in that particular case at least) is that the game was rated Mature for a reason.
 |
| Behold, the wildly uncensored sex scene late in Indigo Prophecy |
So, Cage doesn't mind sex in his games and when its there he generally attempts to make it logical. The sex scene in Omikron is pretty cut and dried and rendered mildly hilarious by dated graphics. Further, in the U.S. version actually called Indigo Prophecy - everyone else in the world knows it as Fahrenheit- the sex scenes are heavily censored/edited. In Indigo Prophecy -if you get the European version there are at least two opportunities to shag, but again, - the limited graphics and tech render it more of an amusing diversion than a stimulating or titillating plot point. Not to mention that depending on plot points and decisions previously it's more like a creepy sort of necrophilia than sex. Which, one would think would be more controversial than a bunch of pixels embracing the joys of friction. Which brings us to the scene in Heavy Rain. It's clearly far more believable? Due to better graphics and, in my ever so humble opinion, better storytelling/justification. But, I have one major problem with it.
| Ha ha button mashing =/= sexy times |
The trial he is required to attempt (not necessarily complete) prior to the sex scene is the killing of a drug dealer - that happens to have children of his own. Upon returning to his hotel room, a total wreck sporting numerous scars and wounds from previous trials, intrepid lady reporter Madison Paige arrives to put him back together.
Things gets heated and if you choose to reject her shmexy overtures (either because poor Ethan has been generally beaten the fuck up, or because he's savagely traumatized having just killed another human being) Madison basically fucks off. She still appears in the story but in a lesser role and the ending of the game changes.
Fair enough, no one appreciates having their HORRIBLY timed sexual advances spurned. And to be fair Cage sets Madison up as a bit of a headcase suffering from horrifyingly real night terrors involving a home invasion and all the good stuff that goes with that.
Still. Really?
The mechanics of the sex scene are pretty amusing as well, it basically amounts to hitting the right button at the right time and is moderately graphic in that you see some undies and there's some kissing and petting but that's it.
 |
| Nahman Jayden being all shouty |
That said, I can't imagine the hilarity of standing in front of your TV waving your arms and hitting buttons when your room mate, SO, parent, mailman etc walks in and sees that your frantic gesticulating is meant to approximate the shmexytimes on the screen. Its bad enough with the controller.
Another thing about Cage's games that makes me bugfuck is his love or acceptance of HUGE FUCKING RED HERRINGS THAT ARE NEVER EXPLAINED.
Ahem.
In HR he goes to great strides to make sure the player has enough evidence to believe that basically any of the four main characters could be the Origami Killer.
| Ethan holding his friend, the origami dog |
Scott Shelby: Asthmatic P.I. seems to be pursuing the killer on his own but seems to know more than he should.
Norman Jayden: FBI agent has an addiction to a blue liquid drug called Triptocaine, which, paired with his VR investigative tech gives him hallucinations and hideous vision doubling migraines. Oh, and the shakes. (He also has a hilarious Boston accent, PAHK the CAHR NAHMAN seriously I think he's British or French and the resulting accent is BIZARRE)
Ethan Mars: the hero out to save his son suffers from blackouts, claims he's seen drowned bodies in his blackouts/dreams and once woke up with an origami figure in his hand crouched outside, in the city, in the rain.
And I'm cool with that, it's a great way to maintain tension etc.
| Madison staring down at the soggy city post or peri-night terror |
For a more intense and thorough not to mention spoilery rundown go here.
Another thing that makes me crazy about Heavy Rain is that it's set in a nameless large American city that looks like it's supposed to be on the East Coast somewhere but there are tons of little clues (not least of which are the voice actors which do a decent job but are clearly not American with the possible exception of Scott Shelby) that indicate that, no, this is not a U.S. city.
 |
| Scott Shelby, teddy bear with a .45 |
If Cage and Quantic Dream were trying something similar with Heavy Rain they failed. I mean, what's wrong with setting the game in a European city in the first place? If they were worried about language then stick it in a fictional big ass city in the UK.
That said I still really enjoy HR and Omikron, even Indigo Prophecy though I've never had hand cramps like that before or since. One of the redeeming aspects of HR and the others are the soundtracks. Omikron featured several unique and exclusive tracks by David Bowie, Indigo Prophecy introduce me to Martina-Topley Bird - so thanks for that- and the score for HR is excellent.
Indigo Prophecy and to an extent Omikron were both borderline playable due to the defects or archaic nature of the platforms they were built for. Indigo's controls scheme was tortuous, a sadistic riff on Simon Says with early onset arthritis and dead characters to attest to failure while Omikron had a reputation for crashing PCs. Heavy Rain's main drawback was, oddly, the late introduction of the Move system. It's a pity Quantic Dream wasn't able to develop the game in tandem with the Move system, if ever two were meant to be together... but for whatever reason it didn't happen. Which is a pity since, as I've noted, the HR Move version is hugely awkward.
I'll still probably get their next game. If nothing else they're really good at creating games that aren't really games and since I'm contrary that's my bag baby.
