Video Game Review: Expand ‘Heavy Rain’ Experience With ‘The Taxidermist’

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Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Sony’s “Heavy Rain” has become the most controversial game of the year with many players realizing the importance of the most influential game in a very long time with others being turned off by the title’s very unique style. For those of you who agree with my rave review of one of the most rewarding games in years, Sony and Quantic Dream have released the first of a series of expansions for the title called “The Taxidermist” and the results are mixed at best.

“The Taxidermist” includes one scene starring Madison, the sexy journalist from the game, as she investigates someone she believes could be The Origami Killer. It certainly takes place within the context of the full game but exactly when isn’t clear as she doesn’t reference Ethan directly and could have stumbled into this scene before the action of “Heavy Rain” or during it.

Heavy Rain: The Taxidermist
Photo credit: Sony Computer Entertainment

Either way, it’s an awfully brief chapter (less than 30 minutes even with full exploration) that seems surprisingly narrow in its conception and execution considering the depth and originality of the entire game. There are basically just three sections of the DLC: The one where Madison explores the creepy house of a possible murderer, the one where she hides from him when he gets home, and the one where she runs or fights.

Heavy Rain: The Taxidermist Photo credit: Sony Computer Entertainment

The strength of “Heavy Rain” is in the way it gets under your skin as you find yourself making decisions based on emotion and not just how to get the right headshot or beat a boss. “The Taxidermist” doesn’t have the time to develop that strength. I think if it was played absolutely in conjuction with the title, it might have more strength, but played a month after finishing “Heavy Rain” and in between bouts with “Battlefield: Bad Company 2” and “Final Fantasy XIII” it doesn’t have the same power.

Having said that, there is still a notable sense of dread as you explore the house of a total lunatic and the DLC has the same professional look and sound as the full game. In other words, it’s beautiful and cheap enough that it’s worth a download for fans just to have everything related to “Heavy Rain”. There’s also an interesting new twist in that the end offers you a list of the five possible conclusions with save points to go back and try and reach another one. It’s a way to make what could seem like a too-brief experience feel longer, but I still felt a little bit dissatisfied with the brevity of “The Taxidermist” despite potential replayability.

For future DLC chronicles of “Heavy Rain,” I hope Sony and Quantic Dream think a little bit more outside the box. Give us more than one character and setting. Expand the world instead of just offering what feels like a deleted scene. Just based on discussions I’ve had with players, people don’t just like “Heavy Rain,” they LOVE it (or they hate it). Considering the passion, fans of the game are willing to pay more for more detailed, elaborate, and rewarding experiences. “Heavy Rain” is such an amazing game, that a simple DLC like “The Taxidermist” is bound to be a bit disappointing. Hopefully, future Chronicles will reveal that this is just a sampler; an appetizer for the meal to come.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]