David Cage doesn't want you to use checkpoints in Heavy Rain

by Alan Tsang { Sep 22nd 2008 at 6:35PM }

Earlier in the month David Cage told us it is possible to continue playing Heavy Rain even after the main character dies. Now he's speaking again, this time with CVG, about checkpoints in the game. Apparently, they will be present in Heavy Rain, but the Quantic Dream founder doesn't want us to use them. "Yes, there will be the opportunity for players to reply [sic] as much as they want from where they want, but we would really like to encourage them not to do so -- to continue to play with one story bearing with the consequences of their actions."

Cage further explains that by avoiding the use of checkpoints, this will result a "pretty unique" story. To us, Heavy Rain is sounding more and more like a modern-day Choose Your Own Adventure book -- what do our dear readers think about this? Does this sound like it will result in a more dynamic narrative and increase replay value or will it be more like a gimmick that will get old too quickly?

Tags: david-cage, heavy-rain, quantic-dream

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Juthan @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:42PM

But I don't wanna continue on without her! *sniff*

Alun @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:42PM

im really looking forward to this game! hope it comes out soon in UK!!

Morpheus @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:49AM

You might have to wait a while mate. I think it was on PSFanboy saying that it probably will be late 2009.

lee @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:42PM

what to see proberbly the best and cool ending we have to sit down for 12 hours and play the game from start to finnish, without stoping?

some people do have a life you no.....

lee @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:43PM

doh misread it completely ignore my first post :|

tariq @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:42PM

wow. reading that just made me want the game even more

iamkid @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:45PM

i think that sounds awesome, i always liked those kind of choose your path things. i could really use a release date for the game right about now..

HeavyRaines @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:51PM

As long as it actually affects the story-line, then Yes, this will be a good thing. If it is something like GTA4 where you can just pick certain people to associate with but it doesn't change the outcome of the game, then it will be gimmicky.

I have high hopes for this game and can't wait to hear more about it as the release date gets closer.

tom @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:52AM

sounds good to me

mezzanine @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:04PM

It sounds awesome and I am happy to have a PS3.

DeathroW @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:07PM

In theory is sounds good, however - i can't see this being really popular.

farfisa @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:37PM

I know what you mean--I can see people playing this and wondering "wait a minute... can I win?"
Doesn't sound promising for Trophy support, except for the "didn't use checkpoints trophy" which will probably be an orchid and incompatible with the trophy system ;)

Metal_Gear @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:10PM

Epic, I'm loving Heavy Rain ^_^
I may have to go replay Farenheit...

Jerses @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:17PM

so this means i can kill all of the main characters or...playable characters and they story will continue? but im guessing without me lol so it will be short :P... This one will be hard on trophies...
bronze - kill your character in the first cutscene
bronze - use a secondary character and find the 7 dragon balls
bronze - use the dragon balls to revive you dead character so you can continue playing

TheWakeUpCall @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:35PM

Oh common, we've seen the trailers for this, you can't tell us any longer that the graphics are anything like that. In fact, you can't even say the graphics for this game are good...

Gambit07 @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:28PM

Yes I can, the graphics are damn good.

Rottentomato @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:23PM

Uh, yes it is. All of the screens and footage we've seen of this game is in game and real time. And yes, you can say it looks damn good. Probably one of the best graphics this generation in terms of character models and realism. You're either blind, a fanboy, or both.

anthonyjh @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:30PM

Where the hell did that come from?

TheWakeUpCall @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:56PM

I saw a video of this a couple of weeks ago, and it was awful... The screen shots and videos that they used to show were all prerendered!

You can't jump to pixar graphics from metal gear solid graphics.

Alun @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:13PM

whaat?! the graphics for this game look stunning!! altho i do agree on the whole "once you've played it once will you play it again" theory.

Riley Freeman @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:32PM

i am interested in this game but this sounds dumb. people have lives u cant sit around and play a game without interruptions. so if u save in a checkpoint ur going to change the story? very stupid

El_Vega @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:29PM

I think what he meant was going back to a previous checkpoint to change the story line in a different direction then you originally took. Like you saved, then chose option A but went back to the save to choose option B instead.

SG @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:50PM

Yeah... it's a gimmick. Unless they've created some unbelievably incredible technology (AI, game engine) (hint: they haven't), it's just a glorified choose your own adventure. I'm sure it's just one basic premise with a bunch of branch points.

Still looks cool though.

Dahk @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:15PM

Lol from Kylie's last article, anyone who is also a fanatic at completing games to the utmost proportions... is gonna die trying to complete this thing.

Actually, Fallout 3 with 200+ endings might also do it.

digiboy @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:47AM

I agree - Open World beats alternate ending any day. Now if only Bethesda would make a game that is as challenging after completing the mainline quest as before.

bluefrog @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:31PM

I *think* what he's saying is that he'd rather the player not go back and use a checkpoint if he/she doesn't like the outcome in a choice they made in the game. He's not saying he doesn't want us to save the game and come back, he just wants us to continue with the game we've started, no matter what the outcome is, and play it through to the end.

Tokume @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:36PM

Man, that must be one insanely epic story to have a multitude of different endings with different characters depending on what you do.

Makes me really want to get this game. For story and graphics.

jahd5000 @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:35PM

maaaan there is some stupid ppl here!!
not saying with checkpoint "dont save/load your game" he is just saying that if u for example fail to do this or that, then dont recap....

B0G @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:00PM

I don't quite understand the use of checkpoint being discouraged. Does that mean he wants us to start and finish the game in one sitting?

I know previously, it was stated that you can continue the game even when the main character dies. So, perhaps he's suggesting to continue without her and not go back to the checkpoint saved before the point
she died?

PC-Max @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:01PM

Well, it does allow one to play either way if that is possible. And in turn make the experience unique almost everytime.

I do not know how dynamic the story is, I mean you have to have linear aspect to the story, whatever it is, a beginning and end. If the choices in the game as split second choices or based on how quickly we respond to an event, then that is a game I would like to play without checkpoints.

That all said choice is what I think players like. And in the end if we can go back and try it a different way, wow.

Hope it is a good game.

Daniel @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:16PM

I'm not sure why, but the more I hear about this game, the more it makes me think of Shadow of Destiny...one of the most underrated PS2 games.

chimaera9 @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:12AM

Yeah! I was totally thinking of Shadow of Destiny! What a great, innovative, story-driven game! I played that through many times to get the different endings and to uncover the entire story. I am very psyched about Heavy Rain if it is anything like that, and it sounds far better!

lorddshadow @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:28PM

depends on the story. so basically at this point, yes i am excited. very much so.

Twinturbo120 @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:26PM

This might be one of those *throws controller against wall* game

screamwriter @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:37PM

Anybody who has played Indigo Prophecy (aka Farenheit) knows exactly what he is getting at. It's also the reason why I shelled out the extra cash for my PS3 to be backwards compatible, for games like this. One instance in Indigo Prophecy I walked over and found some pills. I took them. I then found some liquor in the kitchen and took it and then of course my poor Indigo man had a tragic ending and said he had decided to take his own life. I was amazed. Seconds later I walked to the window, stood on the balcony and then...jumped off. Lol, again my character said the story had came to a sad ending for him and he had decided it wasn't worth going on. Another part in the game your girlfriend asks you to stay with her when your work calls in the morning. If you stay, you're late to work. If you don't, she gets slightly upset with you. This game continued on with these little possibilities and also helped to raise and lower your mood. It was fun and showed the diversity of what games could be. Where am I going with this? Heavy Rain are the same creators as Indigo Prophecy, so I expect nothing but an engaging experience and was another reason I was excited that I have a PS3 when I found out it was an exclusive.

kentuckyfried @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:41AM

I think this is a rather unique way to play a game...consider that alot of us have been guilty of "micro-saving" every 2 minutes in order to prevent death, and trying to obtain the "best" ending the first time through. It really takes the fun out of a game, I find myself that it's a hard habit to break (this especially applies for games that have limited resources, I find this can make survival horror games unbearable b/c I become obsessive-compulsive about using the least amount of resources).

If this game rewards explanation and different outcomes based upon a seemingly infinite number of permutations of actions (well, maybe just alot instead of infinite), I think it'd be a fun experience to keep going along instead of being constrained against one single linear, "good" path.

kentuckyfried @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:42AM

Whoppy @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:50AM

With all the branching I can see this game being very short. I'm going to wait before getting excited about this, looks good but I can see it being heavenly sword like in length.

JakeDunn @ Sep 23rd 2008 4:26AM

I just hope there aren't too many quicktime events types of thing in the game, which kinda looks like it if you watch the trailer (press o, x, square or triangle bla bla).

Will probably get it regardless.

MRB1G @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:05PM

I used to "choose your own adventure" kind of games as it gave me reason to go back and continue playing. This is game is exactly what I need, as I am one of those gamers that once they have completed a game once, I cant go back and do the same thing again :-P

Gonzo @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:21PM

Everything I hear/see about this game is so cryptic. That's usually a bad sign.

I hear there's going to be a lot of quick time events: another bad sign. I HATE QTEs.

I'm glad that they're trying new kinds of games but this seems like something that would sell better on the wii.

Patrick @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:52PM

@Gonzo

I think your hitting the panic button alitte to soon on Heavy Rain. We have no freakin clue how many QTE's are going to be in the game, so even bringing that up as a negative is just silly. As far as them being kinda cryptic about the game. You do realize this game is what a year away from coming out. To me it doesn't make much since to completely spoil the game by letting all the secrets about it out.

It's not hard to understand the developers want to keep some things about Heavy Rain underwraps. So in my opinion slowly leaking out new info about the game is the smart way to go. As far as the Wii comment. I sure as hell hope your not trying to suggest that the Wii is the only place to have interesting and unique games of this calibur are you, because that would be just plain dumb. I have no reason to think that this game won't sell very well if it's a good as I think it will be on the PS3.