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 games: fahrenheit
Keeping cool in New York City. Four parts fascinating to one part frustrating, Fahrenheit (aka, Indigo Prophecy) is a game that's not just innovative, it's an example of the videogame evolving as a narrative form. But at the same time, it's also a game that struggles with the integration of play within narrative.The action mostly takes place in a snowbound New York City, where the temperature is dropping daily and one citizen, Lucas Kane, finds himself caught up in a nightmare. The game opens on Kane in the loo of a diner, committing a murder. From here on in you play as Lucas, as well cops Carla Valenti and Tyler Miles who are trying to get to the bottom of the murder. One of the game’s big appeals is that playing as all three characters enables you to empathise from different angles.  And talking of different angles, visually Fahrenheit features novel split-screen effects, reminiscent of films like the original Thomas Crown Affair and Timecode, and of course TV's 24. It's an effective stylistic device but it also enables simultaneous action, so, for example, you can control one character in a room while others are shown approaching it. It’s a highly distinctive experience. Perhaps its strongest quality is the sense of involvement in the intriguing and atmospheric scenario. This involvement, however, is also where the game's flaws are located. Developers, Quantic Dream, incorporate a novel control system, so that when you approach a door, or climb a fence, or need to reply to someone, you manipulate the right stick. And it works, to an extent.  More problematic are the occasions when you have to move both sticks in a Simon Says fashion, during sports events, fights, chases or even just talky bits. There are track-and-field-type parts where you have to frantically alternate shoulder button pushes. These experiences simultaneously succeed in keeping you intently focused on the game, while also depriving you of fully relishing the moment – it's an odd predicament and serves to highlight the fact that much of the game could merely be watched like a film, were it not for these activities demanding your attention. The technique builds on similar devices in Shenmue, a comparable game in terms of immersive narrative, while also demonstrating how much of a shortcoming it can be, how much narrative can conflict with play. Still, for the most part David Cage's project is classy, from its refined score (by David Lynch collaborator, Angelo Badalamenti) to its expressive facial animation, decent voice acting and slick motion capture (shown off amusingly in “Da hidden dancefloor” bonus feature). While it uses contrived means to keep you involved, it does succeed in doing so – Fahrenheit is as compelling a story-based game as I've played for a long time. It may be flawed, but it's a rewarding example of how the game medium can and will mature.
Daniel Etherington
Fahrenheit is out now on PC, PS2 and Xbox.
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 nintendo mdgames #120  hulkgames #119  luminesgames #118  resident evil ob games #117 future of gaming at eiefgames #116 books  books and comics archive Author interviews and reviews from 2002 to 2008. |
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