There have been lots of games over the years that have been described as cinematic but the one game that truly deserves that title is the latest from developers Quantic Dream and the latest exclusive to appear on the PS3. Partially due to the amount of cut scenes that are used throughout the game but mainly due to the actual nature of the game itself, this truly feels like you are watching a movie and interacting with the characters found within like never before. Not only that, but the game actually makes you feel for the characters concerned. There are four that you control at different parts within the game: Ethan Mars who at the beginning of the game appears to have an idyllic lifestyle which is cruelly torn apart within ten minutes of the game starting with the death of one of his children. It is the abduction of his other child that is the cause of the storyline and propels you through the rest of the storyline. Scott Shelby who is an overweight private detective who is investigating the Origami Killer and is determined to find Shaun (Ethan’s missing child) Norman Jayden who is an FBI profiler who looks slightly like Fox Mulder from the X-files and uses a device that could have been in that Show. The ARI (Augmented Reality Interface) which is a glove and pair of glasses that allow him to see things others cannot, important crime scene information which is also analysed at the scene. Unfortunately using this device is also having a detrimental effect on Norman including nose bleeds. Can he solve the case before the device kills him? Madison Paige who is a photographer who suffers with insomniac. At first she is introduced through a nightmare that she has but becomes gradually more involved with the case and in particular Ethan. The story involves the Origami Killer, an abducted of children who are found 4 days after their abduction drowned. The name has been given to the killer because of his tendency to leave origami figures at the scene of the abductions. As you can tell from the basis of the storyline this is very much an adult adventure, there is violence throughout and nudity in various places but all part of the storyline and none of it gratuitous. The main thing that sets this game apart from others however is the control system. As the story progresses you are prompted to do various things with the control pad. This can include pressing of various buttons (Sometimes more than one in a sequence that can sometimes prove difficult) sometimes shaking the joypad and sometimes moving the control stick in order to do a particular action. For example at one point you have to put lipstick on Madison and you do it in a completely natural way. The actions you are asked to perform often mimic what is happening on the screen at that point. You really have to play the game to fully understand the controls, at first it feels a little odd but they soon become the most natural in the world. The other thing is how each characters story interacts with each other. At first that is not quite apparent until Madison and Ethan meet and also others occasionally pass each other. What happens to each character also affects the storyline in general. They are not immune and they can die, if they do, you will probably still reach the end of the story, but how you get to the end and the ending you actually see can be quite different. It is this that will make the game incredibly replayable. Graphically this is a very stunning game. The animation is near perfect throughout and the attention to detail is amazing. Real care and attention has been taken to make the characters as lifelike and therefore emotionally attaching as possible as has the creation of the bleak world you find yourself living in. Not only that but this is not a sparse world, there are several sequences where the screen is very full of characters that do not really have anything to do with the game.
The four main characters are brilliantly presented and the animation of their emotions that they go through is fantastic. Madison is also arguably the most beautiful realistic woman yet to appear in a video game. Sound wise the atmospheric music and the effects are super. The vocal acting is also of the highest quality as the vocal actors deliver what at times must have been both a complex and emotional script. Overall this is a unique, atmospheric and totally addictive game. You will find yourself putting it on and saying you will only play for an hour and next thing you know three hours has passed. This is because you keep thinking I will just do one more section and because you truly want to find out what happens next. It quite possibly is the best story yet written for a video game and as I said is the first game that can be truly described as cinematic. It is not perfect, occasionally the buttons that need pressing appear and disappear too quickly and there are a couple of actions that feel very lightweight , like a poor driving game but on the whole these are few and far between and do not spoil in anyway the experience and for once that is what this game truly is – an experience, and one that I hope is not singular as I for one would love to see a sequel and more of Madison in future games. 2010 has already proved to be a fantastic year for video games and this is one of the best. PS3 owners are in for a real treat with this one. | 
PS3 
