Video Games: The Interactive Dramas (part 1)

In Heavy Rain, Video game designer and writer David Cage brings players a somewhat new experience to video game players. Cage revolutionized the genre of interactive drama story in games. Somewhat like his first attempt with Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy, Cage lets the player take control of not one but four different characters, who are connected to the disappearance of one of the character’s child. As the players control the characters as they search for the mysterious Origami Killer, every action has its consequence. If the player is not careful, the current character can die. One may think “Well, that happens in any normal game.” With the exception that Cage profoundly hates Game Overs. If the player makes a mistake, it is permanent till the end outcome of the game, a character died, only three make it and so on if another died. In addition, the player could do everything right till the end chapter of the game and ultimately fail and change the ending to a completely different spectrum. David Cage introduced the concept of Heavy Rain as an “interactive Drama” in the sense it was like a movie, but with more interaction. Putting the character in the hands of the player. Putting all the consequences on the player. Like in Cage’s Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls was the same type of game but from only one character’s perspective. The point of Beyond was to make it like an interactive drama that put the player in the shoes of an extortionary woman, who you watch grow up and decide ultimately either devastating or happy decisions.