From the moment I inserted the Heavy Rain Blu-ray disc into my PS3 and saw that the Move-introducing update was over 1GB in size, I could tell that Quantic Dream did more than staple on motion controls for the sake of stapling on motion controls. Contrary to games like Tiger Woods 11 and Toy Story 3 which don’t hide the patched-in quality of their Move add-ons very well, the Move update for Heavy Rain is effectively a re-launch of the game as a whole.
The first thing that caught my eye when the patch finished downloading and installing was the game’s revamped menu system. The main menu has been strikingly redesigned and optimized for easy point-and-click navigation with the Move wand, and a listing right on the main menu provides the option to easily switch between standard or motion controls. The difficulty settings have even been redefined as Easy and Hard while in Move mode, giving new players a clearer indication of what to expect opposed to the vague choices offered in standard mode.
In standard mode, everything has been left as is, so if you like the game in its original form, you can continue enjoying it untainted by motion controls. But with Move controls activated, Heavy Rain is almost like a new game all over again. I’ve already played through the game multiple times before this, so I wasn’t expecting anything that special when I installed the update. However, the introduction of Move does change the way you play the game in subtle ways, and many of the changes are, to my surprise, for the better.
Playing Heavy Rain with the Move requires the Navigation controller – though you can get by just fine one-handing the left side of a DualShock / Sixaxis controller. You move characters around with the left analog stick and occasionally use the L1 and L2 buttons for prompted actions and to pull up the circling thought choices, but all other interactions are handled by button presses and gestures with the Move controller. So, instead of flicking the analog stick around to open a drawer, knock on a door, or pick something up, you instead hold down the T trigger button and swipe the Move according to the on-screen indicators.
To sit, you hold the controller vertically and slide it straight down. To knock on a door, you raise your hand upward and quickly tap the head of the controller forward like you would your fist. To open a door or drawer, you do a quick push forward and pull back like you are reaching out to grab the knob/handle and pull it open. And to start up a car, you hold the controller horizontally, push forward and twist your wrist to turn the key. Those are but a few examples of how the controls have been adapted for Move playability.
Some of the exploratory gestures do feel unnatural compared to their analog stick counterparts and are too vaguely diagrammed, so there is some trial and error involved until you learn what all of the on-screen prompts mean and realize that many of the actions require smaller, more abrupt gestures rather than broad strokes with your entire arm. But the motion recognition is fluid and accurate, so once you learn the ropes performing the various actions becomes second nature. As an extra helping hand, the waggle icons turn red if you are holding the controller improperly for the current action, only activating by turning white when you have the Move in its proper position.
The motion controls for the standard adventure moments work well, but are pretty much a wash compared to using a DualShock. However, the game’s action sequences really do benefit from the Move implementation. As the QTE prompts flash (the glowing orb also flashes red as another helpful action indicator), you flick or shake the Move in the appropriate manner. It’s a small change, but it really does make you feel even more a part of the scenarios as they are playing out compared to tapping a button or flicking an analog stick. And because the Move’s technology tracks so well, you don’t have to stand up and flail around like a dope to play the game – seated play is actually recommended when you calibrate the controller.
Beyond the new waggle stuff, the Move control scheme actually improves gameplay in other areas too. Character movement was my main criticism of Heavy Rain back when I reviewed it earlier in the year, and while walking around is still clunky, subtle improvements have been made thanks to the Move. No longer do you have to hold down a button to initiate walking – you just move the analog stick around and your character moves like in any other game. Also, instead of using the analog stick to have your character turn their head, you point at the screen with the Move and the character looks in the aimed direction (only side to side of course; you can’t look up and down).
Quantic Dream clearly took the task of introducing Move motion controls to Heavy Rain very seriously, and it shows through in every aspect of the game’s design (or redesign I guess I should say). While I wouldn’t say that the Move has drastically altered Heavy Rain, it has changed and improved it enough to give returning players a fresh experience while simultaneously making the game more appealing to a broader audience, all without compromising the game’s original integrity. That’s a win-win for everyone in my book.
Matt Litten is a 28 year old from-the-womb gamer turned video game reviewer/blogger and current editor/owner/operator of VGBlogger.com. Matt got his first taste of gaming as a youngster on the NES and Atari, and the rest is history from there.
In 2004, three years removed from high school and still looking for a career direction in life, Matt landed his first gig in the video game review business writing for the now-defunct website BonusStage.com. After the sad and untimely close of BonusStage, the former staff went on to found VGBlogger.com, and after a short stint as US Site Manager for AceGamez Matt turned his attention to VGBlogger, and to this day is dedicated to making it one of the top video game blogs in all the blogosphere.
Matt is a fair-minded reviewer and lover of games of all platforms and types, big or small, hyped or niche, big-budget or indie. But that doesn't mean he will let poor games slide without a good thrashing when necessary. 
Sounds pretty neat. I bought Heavy Rain a few months back and never even finished it the first time. I recently bought a Move controller and this might give me more motivation to play it again. Thanks for the review.
Yeah, definitely give it another shot. It’s still the same great game, but the Move really gets you involved in the gameplay that much more.
this game is amzing i just finished for the first time ever with ps move and i must say one of the best games i have ever played and definately an excellent title to introduce to the MOVE i played the demo with the dual shock and trsut me the move makes a significant change to the fight scenes and most interactions in general a must buy if you dont ahve it already
Agreed. The Move makes the action scenes even more immersive than playing with a dualshock. I played through the car suicide trial last night and that shit was a lot more intense with Move than I remember it being before.
By the way- anyone out there have a chance to test the Move with The Taxidermist DLC? Has it been updated to work with motion controls too? I deleted it a long time ago and haven’t gotten around to downloading it again. If it also supports Move I may give it another try.
yes the dlc has been pached and like the main game it is very well done . great review. heavy rain is one of my favourite games of all time. I just wish that sony would pacth uncharted 2 and metal gear solid 4. (:
Thanks, I’ll have to check it out again then. I was disappointed with the Taxidermist in terms of it adding nothing to the core game, but I may appreciate it more now treating it as a Move tech demo
For the re-release in stores for Heavy Rain Move Edition. Do you know if the controls for the regular DualShock controller will be the same as in the original? ‘Cuz I’m more interested in buying the move edition because of bonus material.
I’m not 100% sure about the retail version of the Move Edition with the bonus content since that’s not being released here in the US, but I believe it’s the same exact thing as what you get if you have the original version and download the patch, so it should have the option for both control methods in the main menu.
How many Move controller do i need? 1 or 2?
You use one Move controller and the Navigation controller.
but can i replace the navigation controller with the regular one?
and do you have any idea if The Fight Light Outs require 2 controllers ?
You can use a regular DualShock in place of the Navigation but not a second Move controller. An analog stick is required for moving around. Using a DualShock in this way isn’t as comfortable as a Navigation, but it gets the job done.
For The Fight: Lights Out, I believe it can be played with only one Move controller, but as a fighting game it’s definitely going to be better with two.
P.S. If you’re interested in more Move games, I’ll be posting a full game guide Monday or Tuesday covering this year’s Move library.
This review is a crock of shit and anyone who believes it doesn’t deserve to hold a controller. The control menu is very vague. It gives you the most basic controls but no description what soever of most icons youll see in the course of the game. The motion controls are extremely unresponsive. Half the time your character will stop mid action because the stupid motion controls keep dropping out. Most of the time you are performing the action it tells you too but the wand does not register in the slightest. It gets even worse during heavy action since you are forced to try and figure out what the icons mean mid action. The unresponsiveness is much worse during these scenes because you have to make very quick responses to the icons that appear and half the time your movements dont register. And when these scenes can mean the difference between life and death for a character, it can screw up your entire game since this game keeps going regardless of the outcome of a particular scene. There are times when i have to take the wand all the way to the floor just to get the box that tells you to turn the wand horizontally and pull it down to fill up. Bottom line is motion control in this game is broken and the game is unplayable.
Sorry you’re having such a problem with the game. Yes, the controls are vaguely explained (as I mentioned in the story) and require trial and error to learn, but to say they are broken is the real crock of shit. Once you know what each prompt means, the controls work incredibly well.