Heavy Rain Creator: "The U.S. Has Problems With My Games"

[OtherSideofSky]

I can't speak for the rest of America, but I don't like his games because the writing is shit and poorly integrated with the gameplay. That's fine if you're making Doom Mario Brothers or something, but if the game's selling point is its story, it better actually be a damn good story, not the surprise robots from Indigo Prophecy or the mass of plot holes, obvious contrivances, blatant contradiction and poorly handled cliches that was Heavy Rain. I mean, as far as writing and acting goes, they weren't even good by video game standards, and that's a bar set so low you have to swim through magma to even find the thing. Also, spending more than year talking about how "mature" shouldn't mean blood and tits and then putting your lead female character in Playboy smacks of hypocrisy.

To all the people who thought Heavy Rain had a good story, I suggest you go read a book and stop being twelve.

 

[Stalydan]

They didn't sell well in America? Shocker.

Guys, I'm curious. Did those games sell well anywhere?

I bought it, a special edition version too. Wasn't really disappointed with it because I didn't set my hopes high. I do believe he has a point about marketing without guns though I'd replace "guns" with "standard game features". They're interactive movies at heart rather than games.

He does need to realise though that his "games" don't really appeal to a mass market, especially ones with some big plot holes like...

Spoiler

Ethan blacking out twice in the game and then never really saying why after it's established he's not the Origami Killer

 

[Alakaizer]

Best part of Indigo Prophecy was when my friend's Xbox crashed and the controller was still vibrating. Took like fifteen minutes to get around to turning the machine off.

 

[Turing]

I'm curious, does anyone in this thread even remember Nomad Soul?

 

[inFAMOUSCowZ]

Now Heavy Rain was great when it came to story and all that stuff. But I couldn't play it a second time. The intro is way too slow. And I already know everything that happens, since I perfected it one time through. And it was $60 for a few hours. DOnt get me wrong though. i loved the game and recommend to play it, but for full price no. And you dont need blood and guts to sell to the US. You need a game that isnt QTE.

 

[Srassy]

I can't imagine any of Cage's future games will be selling any better because I won't be playing them. Heavy Rain was interesting. It was definitely intense and looked pretty and kept you playing long into the night. Finished the game and all you feel is pissed what with all the plot holes (I'm hardly a person to notice plot holes but these were bad).

Normally I would be a bit forgiving but what with David Cage's 'I don't have to explain shit' attitude from a previous article he was in, I honestly don't think his stories will improve any time soon. And then he'll use this argument again when people wise up to him.

 

[Nieroshai]

And it is because it was not supported that I can't find a copy of Omikron anywhere. That seems to be a flipping of cause and effect. They underpublished because they thought they'd undersell, so the game was undermarketed and didn't sell many copies. The only way I heard of it was through a demo that came with my PC copy of Tomb Rader Gold.

 

[mikey7339]

Maybe Gamers in the US don't play games to feel depressed. Maybe we play games for FUN, for ENTERTAINMENT. Why would I want to live out a fantasy where my entire life got fucked 6 ways from Sunday? That's not a game, that's a novel or dramatic movie.

I sure as hell never picked up a game thinking "WOW!! This looks so sad and depressing! This is gonna be awesome!".

theres a typo in the article

David Cage doesn't make "normal" games.

it should be David Cage doesn't make "good" games.

Oh yea, that too.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Crappy story, more interactive film than actual game, no real replay value... Yes, this is obviously not his fault.

 

[Aprilgold]

Whats that? Your movies didn't make much money or get you a award.. Oh well, next time try making a game.

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

Well, at least he's blaming marketers instead of gamers.

Though the audacity involved here is pretty staggering. Especially since several of his games have been reviewed as less-than-stellar (Fahrenheit, for instance, is widely known to really break down after about the midpoint).

Also, there is a huge difference between story-driven games and games that just aren't games. Making a "choose your adventure" movie is not the same thing as making a story-driven game.

 

[Vidiot]

I loved the execution of Indigo Prophecy right up until the plot fell apart in the middle. I really wish it had held together, and I was livid when the story degraded into simian fecal smears on a script page.

On the other hand, I would've played Heavy Rain if I had a PS3 or if it were on 360. As it stands, I won't be able to afford Skyrim on release day, let alone a new console.

Moral of the story: your game design is fine, I'd love to play another interactive movie so long as you HIRE SOMEONE FUCKING COMPETENT TO WRITE IT! *whew* OK, I'm better now.

 

[mental_looney]

It may be the fact that his games kinda suck, much as I loved Fahrenheit it did go from cool detective mystery to batshit insane at the end.

 

[LoneFullmetal]

Here is how to make your games sell in the US Mr.Cage, make them into actual games rather than a QTE fest with a plot with more holes than a sponge.

And when you have holes in your plot, please don't fill them with a combination of conspiracy/ancient Mayan curse/sentient AI/army secrets/Matrix fights/Hadouken. Really. Especially when you started with a relatively intriguing premise.

I remember some DBZ action in there too.

Indigo Prophecy started so good, and around the end it just turned to complete shit no matter which alternate ending you got. You'd think with so many ending at least 1 of them would be good, but no =/

 

[Sylocat]

As pretentious as David Cage is, part of me wonders if he has a point.

 

[Valdus]

Does he count all the non-violent games that sell well in America? Wasn't minecraft successful despite not even having any official marketing?

 

[Racecarlock]

Oh yes, it's never your fault when your game doesn't do well, is it? It's always the fault of others. Here's an idea, take some responsibility, you'll be so much better for it.

 

[GamerKT]

Nope, they're fine. Learn how to make non-shit walking controls, though.

 

[TastySurvivor]

I must be one of the only ones that liked that game. Im not saying it was the best game ever, but it was a nice change of pace from what i usually play. When my gf and I started dating, she wouldnt even play games, let alone watch me play them. Yet when I got Heavy Rain, she sat and watched me play for 8 hours. At points when I wanted to stop playing (yes I did get bored at times) she wanted me to keep playing so she could "see what happens". She really liked the story, and so did I. Was it a game in the traditional sense, no. Did I have fun playing it, yes. If you dont like it, dont play it. Im not a huge fan of BF or MW, but Im not going to go around saying how much they suck because I don't like them (no they dont suck, they just arent for me).

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

Guys, I'm curious. Did those games sell well anywhere?

Yep, unexpectedly well actually.

OT: Quality aside, I do think what Cage's games are doing in this industry is fairly important. He is tipping the scales in the opposite direction, favouring story over gameplay, but hopefully that'll maybe balance out the whole thing a little. Anyway, his point about the American games industry (fact: not a reference to American gamers) is interesting, if not all that surprising. It's long since been established that, unfortunately, the only reason Western nations will take any interest in games is because they make so much money, not because of their artistic merit.

Edit: Please, sweet Jesus, will somebody read the f*cking article properly. It explicitly states that Cage does not blame American consumers for it's sales, he said that American marketing agencies didn't push the game enough because it was a new concept.