Conventions and Innovations: Narrative Structure and Technique in Heavy Rain

Understanding the structure of a digital game narrative is pivotal for both analysts and practitioners. Taking a structural approach, in this paper we conduct an in-depth analysis of Quantic Dream’s game Heavy Rain, an excellent example of how narrative can be inherent to the game structure, supporting the gameplay and creation of an emotionally and dramatically engaging narrative. Treating Heavy Rain as a game text, the discussion reveals how the game employs conventions from classical film storytelling and turns them into innovations for the medium of digital games.