Heavy Rain & Beyond: Two Souls Collection (PlayStation 4)

Heavy Rain

How far are you willing to go to save someone you love?

The Origami Killer has struck again. Recognized by his unique habit of leaving an origami figure at the center of his crimes, the serial killer has taken another victim. With his pattern of killing his victims within four days time is running out to save him. This is where the lives of four characters become entangled as they all search to stop the Origami Killer: Ethan Mars, a former architect overcome with depression and guilt over an accident leading to one of his son’s death; Norman Jayden, an FBI profiler investigating the Origami case using an experimental device known as ARI (Added Reality Interface); Madison Paige, a nightmare filled journalist who unexpectedly finds her way into the investigation; and Scott Shelby, a private eye hired by families of victims of the serial killer to find things the authorities may have missed.

Heavy Rain is an interactive drama title combining adventure and action elements. The story revolves around the lives of four characters as they try to stop the Origami Killer from taking the life of another victim. The game has a heavy emphasis on user choices, with different decisions you make completely changing the way the story unfolds and which will lead to one of the many possible endings the game offers. There is no game-over screen if one of or all of the main characters die, there will just be a different ending given.

Similar to Quantic Dream’s previous title Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit, the game is moved along primarily by the use of QTEs (Quick Time Events). Movement of your character is done by holding the R2 button and choosing a direction with the left analog stick. Holding the L2 button brings up your characters thoughts and pressing the button to go along with each thought will lead him/her to say or do something.

Beyond: Two Souls

The story focuses on the life of a young girl, Jodie, who has a special ability to see or feel things beyond this world. Beyond life. The game doesn’t follow Jodie’s life chronologically and jumps from point to point in her lifetime to give the player a better picture of who she is and what she can do. Ever since she was a child, she has shared a bond with an entity she calls Aiden. That entity isn’t controlled by her, but the two of them cannot go separate ways. This ability, and this bond they share have made her feel like a lab rat all her life. Eventually, she was even recruited and trained by the CIA because of her special gift. But what will happen when she decides she no longer wants to be anyone’s puppet and decides to break off and go her own way… will she be let to do so, or will she be hunted down…

Much like Heavy Rain, the player has a multitude of choices during the game which may in minor or major way affect the overall story with several different endings. During gameplay, player can switch between Jodie and Aiden at any time. While controlling Jodie, player can explore the surroundings, interact with objects, talk to other characters or fight if in such a situation. While controlling Aiden, the player can float around up to a limited distance from Jodie, and sometimes move or trash certain objects. As the story progresses, Aiden will be able to possess or even kill certain characters.