Indigo Prophecy

To begin with, it is very clear that Fahrenheit (or Indigo Prophecy in the US and Canada) has some extremely fascinating ideas, and an innovative style of gameplay which no other game can match, or for that matter has even attempted. Overall it is a distinctly strange game, there being nothing else like really it before or since. Whilst not all of this totally fulfilling (and can occasionally be quite frustrating), it does present an interestingly different way of approaching story, themes and the overall idea of what a "game" is. On balance, I would tentatively recommend playing Fahrenheit to most people, if partly for the storyline, and partly for the experience of what a different kind of video game feels like.

In general terms, the plotline of Fahrenheit mimics that of a supernatural thriller, almost straight out of The X-Files. From the very first moment of Fahrenheit, you are thrown in at the deep end. Zooming in on a cold and foreboding New York, the snow slowly choking the city, to a small Mid-Town diner's toilets. It is here that you witness protagonist, banking IT manger Lucas Kane, brutally murder an innocent stranger, seemingly in cold blood. From here, the story for the rest of the game can branch a number of different ways, all dependant on how you act. Should you hide the body and incriminating evidence, or just run from the diner as soon as possible? Should you linger at the scene and finish your meal? Why did you kill that man in the first place? Kane is also hunted by two NYPD detectives, Carla Valenti and Tyler Miles, whom you also play as on occasion. Together, they are trying to piece together the puzzle of a string of similar ritualistic murders which have occurred over several decades. To reveal any more details would naturally spoil the game, but for the most part the overarching plot is extremely interesting and easily detailed enough to sustain your interest. There is also a nice level of emotion and meaning not often present in game plotlines. Problems and questions do arise however during the chaotic and frankly bizarre ending(s).

Gameplay is unique in many respects, and decidedly old-fashioned in others. Given that this is a review of the PC version, I cannot comment on the functionality of the control scheme on the consoles, which used analog sticks almost exclusively. On the PC however, the controls are particularly weird. You use the mouse to move in a certain motion to perform certain actions. These movements can be for anything from eating cereal to climbing a fence, and are generally required for most interactions with objects. For example, it takes three movements to pour yourself a cup of coffee: first to warm up the percolator, next to pour the coffee, and finally to pick up the mug. Speech decisions whilst conversing with characters are similarly dictated by these mouse movements, but thankfully physically moving around environments uses the typical arrows and mouse pointing. The game also makes frequent use of large-scale set pieces, involving numerous Quick Time Events during cutscenes (which make up a large chunk of the game), usually in quick succession. During these, you must press a certain set of keys in a certain time, in sequence, to successfully complete it, very much like Sega's Shenmue. Failure means losing a 'life' (and seeing the consequences), losing all of which means Game Over. Whilst the mouse movements are just a bit irritating (it would have been infinitely simpler just to press a button), it is the QTE's where most of the problems come. Unless you have great reflexes or a gamepad, these sequences are often going to leave you wallowing in failure. This is especially frustrating during certain cutscenes when plot-critical information is delivered, but you will be too busy caring whether you should hit the Blue or Red key. Repetitive Strain Injury is certainly a high risk when playing this game.

The voice acting cannot be criticised. All of the actors pull of great and involving performances, and the good use of character movement and facial expressions also help to make them more believable. This makes it a lot easier to feel empathy for the characters, and also aids in making you more interested in the conversations which you direct between people. Musically the game is great as well. The brilliantly sombre orchestral soundtrack feels very much like that of Max Payne 2, and conveys the atmosphere well. There is also a peppering of licensed songs here and there, such as some Punk Rock from Theory of a Deadman, and classic R&B tunes from Teddy Pendergrass and Ben E. King (Tyler Miles is a big R&B fan apparently, since you hear those songs whilst playing as him). If you are in North America, you will most likely be playing the Indigo Prophecy version, which removes several sex scenes and other "adult content" which occurs in the international version. However, since none of these involve anything greater than what you would see if you watched Titanic, rest assured that you are not missing anything and their absence does not drastically alter the story.

Like the original Max Payne, Fahrenheit is one of those games which uses a plethora of clairvoyant visions and flashbacks which occur to Lucas, during which you can sadly still 'die'. For the most part, none of these visions make any sense whatsoever (such as Lucas being menaced by giant bedbugs whilst working at his bank, which none of his co-workers can see), but are usually thrilling in their own way. An interesting concept however is that of Mental Health. All of the playable characters have a mental health bar, which will be raised or lowered according to their actions, successes or failures. For example, on discovering he has murdered someone, Lucas' mental health takes a substantial hit. Performing everyday activities such as eating, washing and listening to music can boost mental health, while others can lower it. If the bar becomes empty (i.e. the character suffers a nervous breakdown), it is most likely Game Over once again, as Kane may commit suicide or the Detectives may resign their posts.

At heart, Fahrenheit is something different. Whilst it may not be successful in all it attempted to achieve, it has certainly set a precedent for "interactive movies". The engagingly dark and twisted plot, the faultless voice acting and novel style of gameplay all make it something which should definitely be experienced at least once. With Quantic Dream's spiritual successor of Heavy Rain slated for release on the PS3 this year, it is still a great opportunity to check out the predecessor.