Adventure/Explore

Lots of cool looking horror/thriller stuff coming out of this year's E3.

Heavy Rain, a PlayStation 3 exclusive from developers Quantic Dream, looks like something of a spiritual successor to their earlier hit, Indigo Prophecy. Details about the game have been fairly scarce, but we do know that the title will be a dark noir thriller without any supernatural overtones. The game is said to revolve around four main characters (and someone known as "The Origami Killer") and apparently focuses on the blurred line between what is good and what is evil.

Expect to learn more about Heavy Rain as E3 rages on. In the meantime, take a look at the trailer.

So, I told myself I wasn't going to plunk the money down after playing the InFamous demo on the PlayStation Network, but I did. It's just that I've been playing so many RPGs lately that I was starting to burn out of gaming altogether, and I definitely needed something action-oriented to get the juices flowing again. I was weak, I admit it.

Fans of games are always ready to dress up like their favorite characters. What compels them to do so is anyone's guess... actually I wouldn't even want to know. But sometimes you get really stunning tributes like this one. Savage Land Pictures' crew is a collection of professionals who make their living in the movie industry. Apparently, Faith as a character and Mirror's Edge as a backdrop proved quite appealing for this project.

Pick up item. Examine.

HIGH The puzzles all made sense, which is rare for the genre.

LOW Coming in under an hour, it's over too soon.

WTF Episodes 2, 3, 4 and 5 better not be too far behind.

Those of us that were looking for some real closure to Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit)—the ending didn't live up to expectations—will have to put our hope to rest. While publishers have approached David Cage, co-founder of Quantic Dream, about publishing a sequel—something I find really hard to believe—Cage himself has no interest in going back to that well.

Maybe it's for the best. That leaves him all the time in the world to focus on Heavy Rain. All accounts point to Heavy Rain as a worthy, spiritual successor.

Anti-heroines Ahoy!

HIGH Riding on a single bullet when I've lined up enemies perfectly in its line of fire.

LOW Riding on a single bullet when I haven't lined up enemies perfectly in its line of fire.

WTF The rule stating that after every three levels comes a puzzle of soul-crushing hardness.

Your goldfish is jealous

HIGH The dreamlike charm that permeates the entire game.

LOW Having to stop in the middle of the action to sing.

WTF Underwater fire?