You may be thinking to yourself, “Hold on a moment, there’s already plenty of Mature rated games on the market,” and you would be correct in that line of thought. However, up until Heavy Rain‘s release, a mature and dramatic plot line based heavily on decision driven gameplay was quite rare, if not virtually non-existent. David Cage thinks his successful game has opened the path way for more of its kind to have a place in the industry.
Heavy Rain is an unusual game, and upon its release many were skeptical about whether or not it would be successful. It involved an unusual game mechanic by using context sensitive QTEs for all interactions within the game world, and based progress on the player making decisions which effected the characters and outcome of the events around them. The result was a surprisingly engaging experience, which draws the player in through emotional attachment to the character’s lives and a dramatic mystery plot line. When speaking to CVG, David Cage commented on his game and the barriers it has broken down within the industry:
If I may, I would like to add a message for all the people who supported us and bought Heavy Rain, and to all my colleagues in the industry who voted to give awards to Heavy Rain. I would sincerely like to thank everybody for their trust and support, and for having made Heavy Rain a real success.
This game granted credibility and respect for the ideas that we believe in, and I am convinced that Heavy Rain has and will open doors to others to approach interactivity in different and more mature ways.
I always said that the success or the failure of the game would send a strong message to the industry. This is now done. Thank you to all the people who believed in us and gave Heavy Rain a chance.
It looks like Mr. Cage isn’t done busting down barriers yet either. While he stated previously that a direct sequel to Heavy Rain is unlikely, his development team is currently working on another IP. Details on Quantic Dream’s upcoming new IP are scarce, but Mr. Cage stated:
We are working hard to invent the next revolution after Heavy Rain, and to surprise all the people who believe in our vision and to convince the others that games can become a more meaningful medium.
If you enjoyed playing Heavy Rain then this should sound like fantastic news. One can only speculate on where Quantic Dream will take us next with their unique development direction. If you haven’t tried out their hit title, check out our review to see why you should pick up a copy and experience it for yourself. If you have, then what else do you think they have in store for us in “the next revolution”?
