ESRB
In this cinema-style action game, players control one of four main characters whose lives are altered by events surrounding the investigation of the Origami Killer, a serial killer who kidnaps children in public places. Gameplay consists of controlling a character in a fully interactive environment; choosing a variety of action-, dialogue-, and decision-paths based on on-screen prompts; and watching as cinematic cutscenes progress the somewhat dark (film noir-style) storyline.
Players may encounter victims at various crime scenes: a woman (fully clothed) in a bathtub tainted with blood; a child under forensic examination (though the scene is largely narrative and clinical, with no depiction of victim's face or signs of trauma). More direct depictions of violence include the following: a woman squirming and screaming as she catches on fire; a man impaled in the chest with a power drill; a female attacked in her own home by masked male assailants (the scene is prolonged); and a man shot (shown in slow-motion) by police officers. Blood sometimes accompanies the acts of violence—whether triggered or viewed passively.
The most intense instance of violence occurs during a "lizard trial" sequence in which players' character, Ethan, is forced to cut off a segment of his own finger to save his son's life: Several instruments (saw, scissors, knife, etc.) can be used to remove the finger; and though the camera pans away from the actual dismemberment—instead the blade, the blood, the scream—the scene's poring focus on Ethan's psychological tenor/terror (the dread deliberation before the cut) may be unnerving for some.
The game contains sexual content and nudity. Shower cutscenes may depict a male character's bare butt; if players control the female character, her breasts and buttocks are also briefly visible. A more prolonged instance of nudity occurs during a female character's investigation of a seedy club owner: After getting him alone in a room, the player-character is asked to strip; at gunpoint, she dances topless in front of the man. The game also contains a prompt-based love scene (kissing and rubbing) in which players match on-screen cues to angle characters' mouths, remove shirts and blouses, unhook bras, and lower to the floor; a woman briefly appears topless amidst the dark shadows and heavy breathing—actual sex is never depicted as the camera fades to black.
The camera does not fade on characters addicted to the fictional drug Triptocaine, referred to as "dope" in the game: Players may see a character trembling next to open vials; lines of cut white powder on a table; and a man staggering from the drug's ill-effects, as the screen turns blurry. Consumers may also wish to know that the game contains strong profanity (e.g., "f**k," "motherf**ker," "sh*t," and "a*shole"). Overall, the game's highly evolved motion-capture graphics (advanced renderings by 2010 standards) sharpen the sense of realism, increasing the impact of some aspects of pertinent content (the nudity, blood, violence, etc.).
PEGI
No details, but is Rated 18. Contains Violence and Language
BBFC
Extended Classification Information (*SPOILER ALERT* Information may include plot details)
HEAVY RAIN is a role-playing, adventure game for the Sony PlayStation 3. Played from the third person perspective, the player assumes by rotation the identity of four playable characters – an architect and the father of a missing child, a private detective, an FBI profiler and a female journalist. The purpose of the game is to hunt down the ‘Origami killer, a serial child murderer who drowns his or her victims in rain water, and to secure the release of the latest kidnap victim. The game was passed 15 for strong language, violence and sex. The BBFC Guidelines at 15 state there may be frequent use of strong language (for example fuck). That particular term occurs in this game on numerous occasions. The game includes infrequent strong violence. There is, however, no particular dwelling on the infliction of pain or injury.
In one sequence the female journalist briefly tortures a male criminal by squeezing his testicles but there is very little detail. In possible end game scenarios two of the playable characters can commit suicide by shooting themselves in the head; there is very little blood and next to no injury detail. In a dream sequence the female journalist is attacked in her apartment by a number of masked intruders and her throat is apparently cut (a little blood but very little detail) just as she wakes up from her nightmare. In perhaps the strongest sequence the same female character is drugged by an evil doctor. She wakes up to find herself tied to a bloodstained gurney and being threatened with an electric drill. Depending on whether she escapes or not, either the doctor drills a hole in her leg (thereafter her death is inferred) or she kills the doctor by drilling a hole through his heart. Whatever the outcome the action is masked and there is very little detail. Finally, in another sequence a playable male character is more or less obliged to chop off one of his fingers (he has a choice of implements with which to carry out the task). He screams a lot and a little blood can be seen but there is otherwise very little detail. The violence in the game occurs only when scripted and cannot be instigated at will. Moreover, it is impossible to inflict post-mortem injuries. The violence, which includes no strong gory images and no strong sadistic or sexualised violence, is allowable under Guidelines at 15.
HEAVY RAIN includes nudity (bare breasts and buttocks), mostly in a non-sexual context as characters take showers etc. There is, however, one sex scene of note in which two of the principal characters make love. The female character undresses and removes her bra. The couple then kiss, embrace and lie on the floor, before she straddles him. Bare breasts and buttocks can be observed but there is no stronger detail. This sex scene is sufficiently lacking in strong detail to be permitted at 15. The game also includes a number of drug references and in a party sequence we see lines of white powder on a table and other characters appear to be smoking (possibly Cannabis). Moreover, one of the four playable characters is addicted to 'Triptocaine', a fictional drug and he suffers withdrawal symptoms throughout the game. However, although we see discarded syringes from time to time, we do not actually see the drug being taken. That said, the game as a whole does not encourage or promote drug misuse and the drug references do not challenge a '15' classification category.
Essay Pro