Heavy Rain confirmed for late 2009

by Andrew Yoon { Aug 20th 2008 at 11:45AM }

At the end of the new Heavy Rain trailer, a vague (but nonetheless reassuring) release date was mentioned: 2009. Slowly, but surely, Sony's 2009 killer apps are being revealed. With MAG, Killzone 2, inFAMOUS and now Heavy Rain, gamers will have a lot to look forward to in 2009.

Heavy Rain is a "dark, immersive and emotionally-engaging experience" expanding upon the ideas of Quantic Dream's previous adventure game, Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy). Once again, the promise is that "every action has a consequence" with a constantly evolving story based on the way you interact with others and the choices you make. SCEE is promising it will talk about topics unheard of in gaming, "making it a genuinely mature game for a new world of adult gamers."

Gallery: Heavy Rain

Tags: heavy-rain, leipzig, lgc08, quantic-dream

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Jerses @ Aug 20th 2008 11:51AM

so... 2009 is the real year of the ps3? this year we only got getal gear solid, lbp...and what else? i see 2009 more bigger than 2008

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:03PM

Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2 and Motorstorm 2 are not to be sniffed at. 2008 has (and will be) and excellent year for the PS3.

Just because 2009 is shaping up to be even better doesn't mean 2008 was bad. ;)

vask @ Aug 20th 2008 12:10PM

resistance 2, valkyria chronicles, disgaia 3, Motorstorm 2, naruto, socom all the 3rd party multi-platform games and psn games as well. i think 08 is a huge year from where we stand.

Devin @ Aug 20th 2008 12:15PM

Don't forget about SOCOM, Singstar Vol. 2, or even Home (possibly making its debut this Fall). Also, if Sony gets FW 2.50 out w/ x-game support, 2008 will definitely be its "coming out" year.....

Kxpuc @ Aug 20th 2008 12:37PM

and if you want to count it dispite it seems Bethesda is 360 inclined, Fallout 3, but i think 2007 was the year of the PSN download games and if Wipeout HD ever gets out this year it'll be a decent follow up PSN game wise

Albanian_Killa @ Aug 20th 2008 4:59PM

@vask: SOCOM isn't third-party. SOCOM is first party. Slant Six is owned by Sony, unlike Insomniac Games. The Resistance name is owned by Sony, and so is MotorStorm. They're not classified Third-Party. Either Second-Party or first.

leiwei @ Aug 20th 2008 5:01PM

^ eh... you might want to re-read Vask's comment.

SuperGayParade @ Aug 20th 2008 11:52AM

I'm diggin the mini-posts.

koehler83 @ Aug 20th 2008 11:53AM

Seems like we have a lot of shooters to look forward to. Thank God. Wouldnt want the shooter well to dry up on us. Whatever would we do?

Have fun? Enjoy ourselves?... Dreadful thought.

Araskaz @ Aug 20th 2008 12:07PM

What? Only 2 of the 4 are shooters.

Bishop99999999 @ Aug 20th 2008 11:57AM

Okay, soooooo...

2009 is the year of the ps3?

hurlyburlycurly @ Aug 20th 2008 11:58AM

sounds good, cant wait!

strike @ Aug 20th 2008 12:00PM

But wat bout the game the bbc reporter was talkin bout?

Sauvage @ Aug 20th 2008 12:19PM

I believe that games was Heavy Rain, unless someone knows something else.

Devin @ Aug 20th 2008 12:16PM

Heavy Rain would be my guess, but who knows....

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:23PM

The reporter's confirmed it wasn't Heavy Rain.

benny boy @ Aug 20th 2008 12:30PM

He's already said at least twice that the game he saw was NOT Heavy Rain.

KarlW @ Aug 20th 2008 12:02PM

2008 was a great year, and it looks like 09 will be just as good, if not better.

2008:
GTA4
Metal Gear Solid 4, Metal Gear Online
LittleBigPlanet
Resistance 2
Gran Turismo 5: Prologue
2.40 Firmware (in-game XMB, trophies)
Video store (US)

2009:
KillZone 2
Final Fantasy 13
MAG
inFamous
Heavy Rain
SOCOM: Confrontation

and, God willing:
Home
Gran Turismo 5

strike @ Aug 20th 2008 12:04PM

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Gran Turismo 5 is releasing in 2010, I think. Still a great year tho

KarlW @ Aug 20th 2008 12:11PM

add

Bioshock
MotoStorm 2
Fallout 3
SOCOM: Confrontation (not 2009 :S)

to the 2008 list. That 160GB SKU isn't too shabby either.

The_Punisher @ Aug 20th 2008 3:08PM

Why does nobody include Valkyria Chronicles and White Knight Story? :(

John-Paul-Jones @ Aug 20th 2008 4:58PM

I hope you didn't forget about God of War III for 2009!

flynn110 @ Aug 20th 2008 12:06PM

my bet is LATE december 2009. i mean we haven't even seen any gameplay footage for this title yet. to me it is like judging a final fantasy title based on the cutscenes (fmv's).

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:21PM

Video is up.

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:08PM

So, when is the trailer being stuck on the internets?

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:20PM

It's up! And it looks amazing, especially the graphics. It's nearing CGI quality.

The only thing putting me off is a fear that the game will over-rely on QTEs.

Kholar @ Aug 20th 2008 12:28PM

Well in the genre that the game seems to be in, QTE's play a huge part in the overall game. Kind of like Incredible Crisis.

KarlW @ Aug 20th 2008 12:34PM

Amazing? I don't think so. It looks great, that's for sure. But textures are a small part of making something look and feel real. Animations are the biggest things for making something immersive.

Animations on this, from the trailer, are pretty inconsistent - the walking animations are superb, but the rest of it seems blocky. Look at the facial animations when she's talking in to the dictophone. Look at when she's being chased, and collapses in to the wall - her body doesn't move realistically. She doesn't push off the wall to regain her momentum. The guy trying to stab her has his arms bent in an unrealistic way.

What's that guy trying to do, anyway? If he wants to stab her, he wants to lunge. That requires some distance. Yet he's moving the knife close to her. He looks like he just wants to touch her with the knife, not stab her.

Seriously, these guys should work on their animations a bit. Better graphics =/= more immersive.

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:39PM

I don't mind the QTEs, as long as they're implemented well enough.

ie. I don't want the entire game to be QTEs, only dramatic scenes, otherwise I may as well be playing Dance Dance Revolution.

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:46PM

KarlW: I'm afraid I'm gonna have to disagree with you. I've just rewatched the video, playing close attention to the parts you pointed out, and I don't see the problems you do.

To be honest, the fact that you claim the character don't move 'realistically' kind of discredits your entire argument:

These animations weren't drawn by animators, they were all motion captured. An actual actress fell against a wall and pushed herself off it, just as you see in the video. Claiming that she doesn't move realistically just isn't a valid argument, as clearly she is.

Popfrogs @ Aug 20th 2008 1:04PM

"The only thing putting me off is a fear that the game will over-rely on QTEs."

You know, at first I thought the same thing. Then I started thinking about it...

Imagine yourself actually in a situation like that. You're reacting to extreme danger, you have thoughts cross your mind instantly as to what you should do (reach for the knife hand, kick him in the junk, run like hell) and since the situation is real time, you have to think and react instantly. The fear, tension and anxiety is shifted to you as the player. It's a very immersive tactic in this clip.

I could see them overusing it, but I could also see it being a big win. The directors get to use plenty of framing (via locked camera angles) to get the emotional level where they want it to be and we as players still get to react to the scene.

leatherface @ Aug 20th 2008 4:38PM

@ karl w ,let's see you trying to get stabbed. i think you will move in a awkward motion trying to avoid being cut. as for the killers intension, he could do what ever he want's with that knife, he's in control. can't wait for this psycho game to come out. (2138213)

BBCorps @ Aug 20th 2008 8:27PM

i don t know why peoples get all down on good stuff like this. i played indego prophesy on the ps2 and it was kinda like this. i really enjoy these kinds of games like the old sierra games when i was young in the 90s. the grafx looks awsome and the gameplay type that this is gives a o-shit kinda feelin

for those who didtn play indego, i would suggest playin taht game 1st befoer jugin dis 1.

Metal_Gear @ Aug 20th 2008 8:30PM

@ KarlW

How DARE they have imperfect facial animations a year and a half away from release!

Kyuba08 @ Aug 20th 2008 12:12PM

"So... 2009 is the real year of the PS3?"

My sentiments exactly. I was saying this ever since E3. Killzone 2, Heavy Rain, FFXIII (Japan Release), God of War III, and more.

Jack lied, lol.

Kyuba08 @ Aug 20th 2008 12:14PM

"So... 2009 is the real year of the PS3?"

My sentiments exactly. Even though, I've been saying this ever since E3.

Killzone 2, Heavy Rain, FFXIII (Japan Release), God of War 3, infamous, and so much more.

Jack lied, lol.

Ty @ Aug 20th 2008 12:15PM

Can anyone tell me what Heavy Rain is about? Hard for me to call something a killer app when I know absolutely nothing about it.

Hyams @ Aug 20th 2008 12:17PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Rain

NotoriousJnX @ Aug 20th 2008 12:24PM

needs more helghast, laser guns, futuristic troop barges, and 'splosions...then you'll have E3 KillZone 2 from 2006!!

MetalGearsOfSolidWar @ Aug 20th 2008 12:28PM

PS3 FTW

j.howlett @ Aug 20th 2008 12:31PM

i like the look so far. kind of makes me want to dig out indigo prophecy.

frankym @ Aug 20th 2008 12:35PM

Well..looks pretty creepy....kinda like a psychological thriller. Looks like it focuses less on gameplay and more on sucking you into the story. Well wait to see if this is my kind of game.

Oh..HD version here:
http://gamersyde.com/stream_8318_en.html