Sony has today announced that if you pre-order Quantic Dream's big PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain, you will gain access to the first downloadable episode in the "Heavy Rain Chronicles" series. These DLC chapters would normally be priced at $4.99, but reserved copies nab the first episode for free.
The European version of the game will have a limited edition version that includes the DLC and a snazzy box. Check out the gallery for that.
"Each Chronicle will offer unique, stand-alone, playable short stories featuring one of Heavy Rain’s main characters, and a storyline taking place either before or after Heavy Rain’s original narrative," explains Sony. "Similar to Heavy Rain, each episode will offer a unique journey and different outcomes based on the players’ decisions and actions.
"Heavy Rain: Chronicle One -- The Taxidermist will feature investigative journalist Madison Paige in one of her first cases tracking down a serial killer. Most of you are familiar with this episode as it is an expansion and update to the original “Taxidermist” demo that received such positive response when shown last year."
There you go. Free extra gameplay if you fancy reserving Quantic's ever so artistic experience. Sound tempting? If it is, the pre-order program starts today.
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Contest:
12:00 PM on 12.18.2009
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PR backlash snarkiness aside -- very interested in this.
Grrr, I want to throw money away too.
no word if theres anything special in OZ?...damn you ATKINSON!!!*shakes fists in the air!*
Complete and utter fail.
Another game crossed off the list for this year.
*FUCK* DLC.
If something so ancillary turns you off from what looks to be an awesome product you don't deserve to play it.
I think the idea of DLC is neat, but rather than using any of the main characters in it is really detracting from David Cage's overall concept of this being a story and not a game. Sudden revivification of a lost character really does throw a wrench into the gears.
I wonder why they don't introduce completely new, but story related characters in the DLC portions? It would make more sense from a point of maintaining storyline integrity and immersion.
Um, no. This is nothing like what Activision does.
I don't get why people get why people get all pissy over DLC. If you don't want to buy it then DON'T BUY IT. You still get the full intended experience in the normal game, these are only extras.
But I see it as Quantic Dream having a bunch of good stuff they wanted in the game but couldn't fit it in. So instead of leaving it out they give it to us like this and further character development.
You could argue that it should be free... but hey, cut or not, Quantic Dream still spent time working on it.
Sucks to be you, bro. That would suck to miss out on this awesome game just because you're ignorant. But hey.. you stick to your guns! Whatever guns they may be.. Actually what are you even bitching about? And what does Activision have to do with anything?
Novels, on the other hand, don't change. The story is written in stone by a single author, not played out in a manner that sees the possibility of many endings.
Guys they always start working on DLC alongside the game. Regardless of whether they announce it or not. Otherwise your DLC comes out a year after the game and nobody cares.
What difference does it make that they announce it early? Fuckin' Christ.
Actually, I think this game will have SIGNIFICANTLY more replay value than most games.
Any of your characters can die, thereby effecting the ending (which there are 20 of, by the way). Also, your interaction with characters and the things you choose to do or not to do supposedly have story effects as well.
Basically, I plan on being super-dad on the first runthrough (with the father who's child goes missing) and then going back to be abusive and callous on a later playthrough.
Seems to me like the dialog and optional things you can do will make this game kind of like the original Fallout games. Meaning that every time you back to play the game you can play it completely differently.
Also,
@Everyone Else,
This is the kind of DLC I WANT to see more of. You preorder (which costs you nothing extra) and you get a $5 episode for free. Even if you don't want to do that, the episode is only going to cost $5!
And people can complain about announcing DLC before a game's release, but in my book, it's a way of showing that the developer is going to keep supporting the game and give you reasons to come back and get more play out of it.
I think it'd be MUCH worse for a company to outright say, "No. We won't be adding anything else to this game ever," but that's kind of what a lot of you are asking for.
Good point, but still...no.
a tip of the hat to you sir
looks like this game is gonna cost you $358.98
We don't know that you CAN die in these chronicles. They're only supplemental story to the main plot, honestly I'd be surprised if they did put you into a scenario where you could die in them.
Yeah, I was talking about people whining about more content. You, however, brought up some valid points.