Video Games that Should Be Books Pt 1: Heavy Rain (PS3)

While it's no secret that many commercially successful movies have been adapted from video games (Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider...), what often goes unexamined is how severely lacking the North American market is for novels based upon video games. 

So here's part one of my however-many-parts-I-choose-to-make-at-any-given-time series of video games that would make outstanding novels. My first suggestion?

Heavy Rain, released exclusively for the PS3 February 23rd, 2010.

Heavy Rain is a psychological thriller with gritty overtones of film noir. The game is about Ethan Mars, a grief stricken architect who is put into peril when his child is abducted by the Origami Killer, a serial killer who abducts children and uses extended periods of rainfall to drown them, afterwards leaving an orchid upon their chest and an origami animal figure clasped in their hands.

Ethan Mars: Grief stricken architect, whose remaining child

is targeted by the origami killer. 

Madison Paige: A photojournalist and insomniac

caught up in the case when she encounters Ethan Mars.

Upon receiving several origami figures, Ethan opens them up to discover detailed instructions for a series of tests that he must endure in order to receive pieces of the address where his son is being held. All of the tests have an element of psychological trauma attached to them, oftentimes requiring an act of torture or mutilation, or acts of illegality.

Scott Shelby: Private investigator, hired by
the parents of the victims to find the killer

Norman Jayden: An FBI agent in the process
of determing the identity of the Origami Killer

One unfortunate obstacle of translating the video game into a novel would be that the ending of the game is overwhelmingly dependent upon a series of choices--both minor and major--that the player makes. A novel adaption, however, would require a committed story. Thankfully, all of the endings of the game are high caliber and I believe that readers would be satisfied with any one of its many endings. 

As for the PS3 gamers out there, I highly encourage you check out this game if you haven't already.