David Cage Comments On Importance Of Heavy Rain Scores
Heavy RainIt's always interesting to hear how a creator responds to the responses. So what did Quantic Dream boss David Cage think about the reviews for Heavy Rain?
Well, you should read his lengthy blog post in regards to the game's launch; the previews, critical response, and how the game rolled out in Europe. Given the "non-consensus nature" of the game in question, Cage had been expecting a wide range of scores, but as we know by now, most all of the major sources really loved the experience. Said Cage:
"The scores are closer together than I expected. I was expecting a wide range of scores, given the "non-consensus" nature of Heavy Rain, but overall they turn out to be very good, like the first reviews. The articles vary in their content and are more or less interesting in their analyses, more or less superficial, but overall, they all say the same thing: Heavy Rain has met its target. The story holds together, the emotion is there, the interface is surprising but fits the format pretty well. Relief."
He went on to say he's received "an enormous amount of flack" over the past years and that if Heavy Rain didn't live up to expectations, he'd never be able to live it down. He makes an excellent point of adding that when you try to make something that's either "ambitious" or "atypical," credibility is absolutely crucial. But the critics really rewarded his efforts and when all is said and done, "the unpleasant articles can be counted on the fingers of one hand." Cage isn't about to ignore the reviews that did voice legitimate complaints but at the same time, he appreciates those of us who saw his game for what it was: a change.
"Of course there were also a few negative articles with reasoned arguments that defended a point of view in a coherent fashion, as there were positive articles without any real analysis, but overall, Heavy Rain enabled us to see where the last outposts of stubborn conservativism lie, the ones where they think that the last thing video games should do is try to change, just stay where they've been for the last twenty years while improving a little (though not too much). In the end of the day, this resistance is extremely marginal, much more so than I expected. The vast majority of the international press is avid for change."
Yeah, he waited on those first review scores "with a certain degree of nervousness," and that the very survival of Quantic Dream depended on those scores. He said that; not us. This wasn't a sequel in an established franchise; this was a brand new IP featuring a concept that may or may not resonate with the majority of gamers. If the average scores had been 5s and 6s, Cage's studio could very well have folded. He said those scores "are the best guarantee of my artistic freedom for my next project, the level of confidence I can demand, my legitimacy." Well, Mr. Cage, I suppose I could talk for a while about how Heavy Rain delivered in every sense of the word, but for brevity's sake, I'll just say this-
You did it.
Related Game(s): Heavy Rain
3/3/2010 9:11:20 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (58 posts)
photo K
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 9:53:17 AM
But this game is both an artistic masterpiece and has sold well, so bravo.
1 up, 0 down
geovanwitdakick
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 9:50:09 PM
Reply
Buy Quantic Dream already!
Especially if they're in a financial crisis (don't know how long that'll last).
11 up, 0 down
FxTales
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 9:56:47 PM
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6 up, 0 down
tes37
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:05:31 PM
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I just got 100% completion playing Heavy Rain tonight. I'm glad they didn't make it near impossible like some games.
6 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:37:02 PM
4 up, 0 down
tes37
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:40:11 PM
There are still a couple of scenarios that I want to try even though the game says I've seen all the endings.
Last edited by tes37 on 3/3/2010 10:43:37 PM
3 up, 0 down
inkme101
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:42:42 PM
3 up, 0 down
daus26
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 11:18:25 PM
2 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:00:24 AM
12 up, 0 down
tes37
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:45:17 AM
5 up, 0 down
www
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 5:14:51 AM
Ben, tell that to those MW2 players who are on prestige level, nukes and whatsoever, its like its 72+hrs in a day for them, not 24hrs like the rest of us. I don't know how they find all that time leveling up.
8 up, 0 down
photo K
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 9:57:10 AM
2 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 10:29:49 AM
And it's okay to know how many endings there are; I believe there are 22.
8 up, 0 down
tes37
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 4:21:46 PM
0 up, 0 down
eLLeJuss
Friday, March 05, 2010 @ 5:34:06 PM
0 up, 0 down
Jed
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:27:54 PM
Reply
I'm very pleased with what they were able to do. And I hope the success of Heavy Rain can help some of the smaller studios get more freedom and support for new, different was to make and play games.
5 up, 0 down
NeoHumpty
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:32:35 PM
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0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:34:06 PM
Reply
12 up, 1 down
Deadman
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 4:55:42 AM
7 up, 0 down
inkme101
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:49:48 PM
Reply
3 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 10:52:01 PM
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You're leaving the gaming nation your legacy,
And what a great legacy it has already become!!!!
0 up, 0 down
inkme101
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 11:03:40 PM
2 up, 1 down
just2skillf00l
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 11:20:00 PM
Reply
4 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Friday, March 05, 2010 @ 11:37:20 PM
LOL. Just don't let "The Great Houdini" stare into your eye's(or you'll have more than just a few night-terrors to contend with).
0 up, 0 down
inkme101
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 11:23:28 PM
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3 up, 0 down
Gordo
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:08:24 AM
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The second play through was slower and you have time to take everything in and see where decisions take you.
It's like a good book. The first time is the best but a lot to savour in return visits.
Gone back to Uncharted 2 before I plunge into God of War III. Seriously considering never buying a non PS3 exclusive again.
I think you could leave me on a desert island with Killzone 2, Heavy Rain, Uncharted 2, God of War III and Gran Turismo 5 and I would be happy for years!
5 up, 0 down
Qubex
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:18:29 AM
Q!
"speak to the droid"
2 up, 0 down
Gordo
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:36:19 AM
Never again!
Even Assassins Creed 2 which I loved, I traded it in. Not a keeper like the PS3 exclusives.
2 up, 0 down
kraygen
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 6:00:41 AM
1 up, 0 down
Qubex
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:23:36 AM
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The biggest "risk" he took (i felt) was the game "interface".
We have had FMV type games already on the PC, but they were more experimental, and never really good.
My honest opinion is this... simply put...
Whilst the Ps3 is a good machine, and still is... Cage was pushing the limits; you can see it; the characters are packing in the polygons, whilst sometimes (not always) it is evident that the environments and interact-able objects suffer in detail and can look quite low-polygon. The screen tearing and jittery audio attests to the fact that the hardware was peaking out in some of the more complex scenes.
What does this mean then, does it mean the games is not "ground-breaking", or does it mean it does not achieve its full potential?
No, not at all, what it means to me... and excitedly so, is that on newer more powerful hardware, like a PS4 (or beyond), Cage will have some amazing hardware available to express his creativity and push the "Interactive Drama" genre ever forward...
All in all "Heavy Rain" marks a "good day" in the calendar of video game production (and history for that matter).
Change is good, and it will get even better in the not too distant future...
Q!
"speak to the droid"
Last edited by Qubex on 3/4/2010 12:28:44 AM
3 up, 0 down
SmokeyPSD
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 12:57:27 AM
I'm honestly happy with more of this level just on the ps3 alone further optimized, they say they can improve upon uncharted so y not heavy rain?
1 up, 0 down
Qubex
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 2:06:42 AM
Excuse my typo above... "believe" should have been "belief"... it really annoys me when I get my grammar/spelling wrong... brain works quicker than the damn fingers...
Q!
"speak to the droid"
0 up, 0 down
kraygen
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 6:02:56 AM
3 up, 0 down
Robochic
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 2:20:19 AM
Reply
3 up, 0 down
___________
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 3:12:03 AM
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1 its been in development for 4 freaking years but is buggy enough to put mercenaries 2 to shame!
frame rate drops, pop in, screen tearing, freezing, audio drop outs. you name it heavy rains got it!
2 its no where near as open and in depth as i was expecting, and as david and sony have been tooting.
almost everything that happens in heavy rain has to happen, no matter what you do you can not change the story or what happens.
i was expecting it to be like a train stopping at certain stops and if i did a particular thing the train would leave platform A and go to platform B.
but thats not what happens, what happens is you may miss a stop but where you end up is still exactly the same.
the only thing that changes slightly is the endings, but thats about it.
even when or should i say if a character dies the story or what happens does not really change, you just miss lots of stops.
the destination is still the same.
ive finished heavy rain 3 times now passing all the trials on one, failing all of them on one and even letting some of the characters die one one of them.
still the outcome on all 3 has almost been exactly the same.
3 the DLC the taxidermist.
this one was free since i got the LE but the next ones im going to have to pay for, and if im going to do that sorry QD but there going to need to last much longer than 5 minutes.
i played the taxidermist and it was heart pounding, so tense you have to be freaking NUTS! to do that but still way to short!
does not really make seance to the story either.
is that whats kept madison up during the whole game?
thats one thing thats never explained, what caused madison to have sever sleeping problems?
i hope they keep on the trend of prequel DLC for all the characters ill be first in line to download them, but PLEASE! make them longer!
o, and another thing why?
just why?
you know what i mean.
MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT!
ready?
you sure?
make sure youve already finished the game?
ok.
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 3/4/2010 10:25:06 AM
2 up, 17 down
Cavan
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 8:24:52 AM
5 up, 0 down
rogers71
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 9:02:30 AM
5 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 10:27:16 AM
And your questions concerning the Origami Killer show no brain activity whatsoever. Think about it for two seconds. Why is he doing what he does? Um...maybe you MISSED the scene where he's burning all the EVIDENCE he's been running around trying to collect? Maybe you missed that he desperately wants a scapegoat; someone to pin his crimes on?
Dude, if you can't follow or understand a story, don't go bashing on the game. That's YOU who can't seem to reason things out. You're complaining about absolutely nothing; the statements are so ridiculous, they're not worth reading. STOP making posts that lecture everybody on everything and don't EVER put another huge spoiler like that in a Comment. Got it?
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 3/4/2010 10:28:40 AM
11 up, 0 down
dart_driver
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 10:41:33 AM
Oh and even though I skipped his spoiler thank you Ben for deleting it because I had a moment of weakness and went to read it and it was gone. WHEW!
Last edited by dart_driver on 3/4/2010 10:47:57 AM
1 up, 1 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 10:53:44 AM
7 up, 0 down
HeXeN
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 11:36:46 AM
1 up, 1 down
rogers71
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 2:47:42 PM
Ben,
Thank you for deleting the end of his post. I almost kept reading but decided to skip it. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
5 up, 1 down
HeXeN
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 7:38:06 PM
1 up, 1 down
___________
Friday, March 05, 2010 @ 7:26:21 AM
and i quote.
"i understand that hes trying to cover his own tracks but what for? he goes through the game almost getting killed god knows how many times just for that."
makes no seance what so ever, taking a massive risk for no positive outcome what so ever.
not to mention his cover would be blown if the cops just happened to waltz in.
0 up, 2 down
inkme101
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 3:58:28 AM
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we're pretty good about leaving spoilers off this site but you just had to do it didnt you?
wtf man?
10 up, 0 down
TheRaPtuRe
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 5:09:17 AM
Reply
0 up, 3 down
Ultimadream
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 5:55:03 AM
1 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 10:24:27 AM
It's later when all the decisions matter.
6 up, 0 down
kraygen
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 6:04:30 AM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Faith
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 8:29:52 AM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
mid10smaradoarg
Thursday, March 04, 2010 @ 8:53:31 AM
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0 up, 0 down
geovanwitdakick
Reply
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 9:47:19 PM
Do reviews matter, or no?