So you like Heavy Rain, eh kids? Well, have I got something for you! Just let me reach into my pants here, and pull out a little somethin'-somethin'.

No, they may not be Heavy Rain, but these "bootlegs" are pretty close to the real deal, sort of like those Pokemon games you can get on eBay for 17 cents. This is the official, number one list of games you too can play while waiting for the shiny slick ladies of Heavy Rain to show up on our doorstep.

Game One: Indigo Prophecy



Yes, it may seem a little silly/obvious to list Quantic Dream's last title, but I'm sure there's a fair many of you who are gushing over the Heavy Rain trailer that haven't yet played it. A similar adventure in storytelling, Indigo Prophecy will take you on a journey that begins with your possessed player-character Lucas stabbing a man in a manner not-unlike the event from the Heavy Rain trailer.

What follows is a tale of conspiracy and treachery, unfolding delightfully as Lucas discovers more of his hidden powers. Lush with quick-time-events and the ability to do cool things like mix alcohol and sleeping pills, Indigo Prophecy will leave you begging for more - at which point you will come watch the Heavy Rain trailer again.

Game Two: The Longest Journey



You know, when I look deep, deep into the eyes of Heavy Rain's protagonist, I see someone else in there. No matter how I shake it this woman seems to scream back to me "April Ryan!", the name of the heroine of yesteryear's The Longest Journey. Often when I hear folks go on about how great Indigo Prophecy is, or how clever the puzzles were in Hotel Dusk, I suppress a chuckle. Long before the likes of Phoenix Wright, players were "gathering evidence" and much more in the genre known then as adventure, and The Longest Journey is a stunning example of the cream of the crop.

Heavy Rain and before it Indigo Prophecy seem to evoke that feeling of cinema and conspiracy that leaves gamers achill; before either of them, The Longest Journey was doing just this. If you're interested in a game where you will track down the origins of a mysterious plot, all the while challenging puzzles and dynamic cinematics that lead you to really believe in a character, you'll love this title. That is, if you can live without the QTEs.

Game Three: Alan Wake



"What!?" you say, and scream in disbelief. "Did thefil, paragon of justice and all that is great somehow manage to truly find a copy of Alan Wake and thus justify the mention of bootlegs in the title of this post!?" To you I reply with a heartfelt "No." While Alan Wake is not out yet, you can bet your oversized beer gut it will be before Heavy Rain is, and to be honest, we're all excited over 2006's E3 darling for the same reasons we are over the new and shiny Quantic Dream game. A mystery, a protagonist, possible a flashlight - I need to change my pants.

So there you have it! Three "bootleg" copies of Heavy Rain to keep you going till the game comes out, is played by us all within a week and then turned upon by half of its once most-loyal fans. Enjoy!