Harvest Review

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            Harvest

Review by TogerFebruary 2003

Ever notice how dogs can find the most interesting things during their nightly walks? Moldy pizza, half-eaten burgers or a large gaping hole in the ground … What kind of animal made this? Quick as a wink, your dog disappears down the rabbit hole and you’ve no choice but to go after it!

Thus begins Harvest, a new indie adventure game written, developed, produced and birthed by Michael B. Clark. The rabbit hole reference was the first thing I thought of as I skittered down the opening after my dog because as soon as I got down the ladder things got “curiouser and curiouser.”

Harvest’s story revolves around an estranged father and son. The son has invented a machine that literally squeezes water from rocks. Think of the lives he’ll save! Or will he? You happen upon their underground bunker while searching for your dog. And being the avid adventurer that you are, you’ll snoop, pry and intrude into their lives to find out what’s really going on.

Gameplay is presented in traditional point-and-click, inventory-based, first-person slide-show view with limited character interaction.  As you wander about the house, you’ll find a variety of realistic objects scattered throughout the rooms with which to interact.  You’ll discover a usable answering machine, drawers to open and close and cabinets where you can riffle the contents. And who doesn’t like snooping in the neighbor’s cabinets? Although the game is somewhat linear, you can solve the puzzles in any order.  If you’re lacking the necessary inventory object, you can always come back to complete the puzzle at a later time.

Harvest’s screens were hand-drawn using Photoshop. For me, they tended to be somewhat flat-looking, lacking the texture you see in today’s games. I’m an admitted eye candy junkie. On the other hand, the rooms and the objects contained in the rooms were real enough that I kept trying to move away from the microwave as I used it in part of a puzzle. (I don’t stand in front of operating microwave ovens. It’s a quirk. I know.)

If there’s a puzzle-lover’s heaven, Harvest is part of it. The majority of the puzzles are logic-based, running the gamut from the simplistic hastily scrawled-message-corresponds-to-that-over-there to the mind-boggling and eye-popping recalibrate-the-fuel-cell puzzle. (You didn’t honestly think I’d give a hint on that one, did you?) You’ll want to pay close attention in order to make that leap of logic that lets you realize that the innocuous object in one room is the key to solving the puzzle at hand.

I have to take issue with one of the puzzles—the painting found on the bookshelf. The painting itself is beautiful; however, it’s so intricately detailed and delicately colored that it’s difficult to tell whether or not sections are color or black and white. Since being able to see that difference and the minute detail directly affects another puzzle I found it difficult to accomplish the task without resorting to a walkthrough.

Also included: a slider and two—count ’em—two mazes.  Oops, I think I hear people stampeding from the room. Sliders are fun! (I hear you muttering.) The mazes on the other hand …  The cornfield maze is short and sweet. (Get it? Maze. Corn. Sweet … never mind.) The maze of corridors had me pulling my hair out and using language that would have made a sailor blush. I managed to bulldog my way through to the end of the maze and promptly congratulated myself on my sheer brilliance. Imagine my horror during the end game when one of the characters tells me that I must make my way back to the main house, as fast as I can, to retrieve a vital clue! I kept looking for the option to ask him if he could wait a couple of days while I navigated my way—in reverse—through the corridors!

You cannot die in Harvest, although when I was stuck in that corridor maze I desperately wanted to be put out of my misery.  Inventory is stored in a collapsible section at the top of the screen. All items dropped into your inventory are easily accessible at any time—no cycling through volumes of items to get to the one you need. The game also features a save anywhere option and unlimited save game slots. Be aware that if you’re in the middle of a puzzle when you save and shut down, the game may not save at exactly that point—it saves at a “node” just prior to the puzzle—so you could possibly find yourself repeating the beginning of some puzzles.

Harvest turned out to be a nice diversion from some of the more dialogue- or action-intensive games that I play. The story was well-written, to the point that I desperately needed to find out what made Vance tick and do the things that he did.  Neither the fact that I’m logic-challenged nor the niggly issues I had with a couple of puzzles detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game. If you’re a first-person puzzle lover, then Harvest will definitely rock your world. (Get it? Rock your world?  Getting water from a rock? I know you’re out there, I can hear you breathing!)

So the next time you take your dog for his nightly walk, keep a tight hold on the leash. You just never know what you’ll find in the park … in the dark … down the rabbit hole. The End

The Verdict

The Lowdown

Developer: Michael B. Clark Publisher: Michael B. Clark Release Date: December 2002

Available for: Windows

Four Fat Chicks Links

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Screenshots

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System Requirements

Windows 95/98/2000/ME/XP 75 MHz or faster 400 MB free hard drive space

Where to Find It

Playing Games 11.95Michael B. Clark 14.95

Prices/links current as of 2/10/03Links provided for informational purposes only.  FFC makes no warranty with regard to any transaction entered into by any party(ies).

      Copyright © Electric Eye Productions.  All rights reserved.  No reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission.

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17 Responses to First Impressions: Heavy Rain

  • Toger

    I hate QTEs, but Heavy Rain is sitting in my Amazon cart waiting for me to push the button. I don’t even own a PS3, but I plan on buying the game anyway. I do have a good friend who’ll let me play at his house. Of course, I’ll have to drive 100 miles, one way, through the snow to get to his house. His chat-happy birds will cheerfully chirp thereby completely disrupting any atmosphere, but I can play.

  • David

    What!?  Heavy Rain is full of QTEs?  I totally did not see that coming.

    The whole dad experience thing sounds intriguing.  I’m already getting odd looks from my girlfriend for exclaiming over cute kids on the bus or at the mall, something like what you described might send my biological clock over the edge.

  • Lewis B

    My sentiments exactly David!

    Mat has been playing the Heavy Rain demo for a while now, and although he admits he is intrigued by the story, he does constantly complain about the control method.

    R2 + Analogue stick to run? *scoff*

  • Gregg B

    @Lew: DEMO?! PS3 DEMO?! *runs off to PS3*

    That sounds like the Batman: Arkham Asylum controls – Crazy Bonkers Design. The sort of design that puts pull handles on push doors.

    @Steerpike: “I despise children. They are disgusting and annoying. They knock things over. They interfere with everything. They’re not useful until they’re at least 13, when you can get them to mow the lawn and stuff. But you can pay a service to do that for just a few hundred bucks a year and the service won’t vomit on you, shit in its diapers, grow up to resent you, or otherwise suck. Don’t flame me and don’t post comments to the contrary: kids are repulsive. Why anyone would want them is beyond my feeble imaginings.”

    HAHAhahaha- I er, – hahahaha – you’re as outspoken as me about demon spawn children.

  • Lewis B

    Yeah its been on the internet for weeks and weeks Greggi.  I think you have to do a couple of online puzzles etc to get the appropriate code or something.

    Search on Kotaku, they first ran with it IIRC.

  • Mat

    The puzzle code was for early access before it hit the PSN Store. It’s been available to all since last week.

    Regarding the demo, it took me around 3 or 4 attempts at it to appreciate it. First time around I couldn’t have been more dissapointed by it, but after the 3rd or 4th I decided I wanted to stick with it. I don’t think the demo is a particularly great example of what the game supposedly does best either – choice. I also HATE the control scheme and some of the voice acting is so wooden. Creating an immersive, realistic game is fine but having characters stumbling into tables and fridges because of the ham fisted controls, and listening to French voice actors impersonate Americans does remove that realism a little!

    Still, I rushed out to buy it this morning and will rush home from work to play it in about an hour!

  • xtal

    @ Toger: I don’t own a PS3 either, and it’s not like Heavy Rain seems to be “that” game which makes you run out and buy one– like Bioshock made me run out and get a 360– and it’s also not like this game looks groundbreaking in any way, because it really doesn’t. It’s just got me curious…and people tend to do crazy things the week after they get their yearly bonus. Soooooo yeah, who knows; maybe I’ll own a PS3 soon, but like hell I would admit that it was for Heavy Rain. Psh. I’d tell people it was because I wanted to watch BSG on blu-ray; though anyone who knows me would see right through that lie since I am an avid non-format-upgrader: I’ll switch my BSG collection from DVD to blu-ray the day I upgrade my copy of Jurassic Park from VHS to DVD. (Hint: never)

  • Toger

    @xtal: I’m in no hurry to upgrade my meagre DVD collection to blu-ray either, but I have to say the movies I’ve watched on my friend’s PS3 are absolutely stunning. Blade Runner was simply breath-taking in blu-ray and it made me want a PS3. I don’t think Heavy Rain will be a system seller for me, but I’m betting the game from the Ico team will.

  • xtal

    A game from the Ico team, you say? Hmmm. I’ve been making rounds on Kijiji and Craigslist looking for a copy of Ico (eBay prices are so shudder-inducing) for a few days now. I really need to play that game after my experience with the indescribable Shadow of the Colossus.

    It’s good to know they haven’t died some Interplay-esque death in the meantime.

  • Matt "Steerpike" Sakey

    Nope, they’re a small team that works within Sony. Fumito Ueda is the lead and he’s got like ten or so people who’ve worked with him on all his games. Sony pretty much lets them do what they want.

    The Last Guardian is the game that’s coming up from them. It looks more like Ico and less like Shadow of the Colossus to me, which is to say it appears to be focused on platform elements. If I didn’t already have a PS3, it’d be the game that sells it.

  • Gregg B

    @Toger: Ooh, Blade Runner on Blu-ray, gorgeous in all its gorgeosity. In 5.1 it sounds incredible too.

    I bought my PS3 for Team Ico’s unnamed-at-the-time game, Heavy Rain (back when it was just a teaser), LittleBig Planet (yes, yes, I know), Dead Space and Motor Storm: Pacific Rift which sort of pushed me off the fence.

  • Toger

    Gregg, oh yes. The surround sound was spectacular. Did I mention my friend’s HDTV is 72″ (obscene, isn’t it)? It’s like being at a high-class theatre: better food, pauses for bathroom breaks and no one talking through the movie.

    Is Trine up on PSN, yet? If so, that might be my tipping point: Last Guardian, Heavy Rain and Trine.

  • Gregg B

    *spits tea out, despite not drinking any*

    O_O

    72″?! I’m speechless. I can only imagine how awesome that is. Size does matter.

    Not so sure about Trine… hang on. I think it is.

  • Matt "Steerpike" Sakey

    I think it is too, Toger. I’ll check.

    To be honest, though, I doubt you’d be disappointed with the purchase even if Trine’s not there yet. I’ve been way happier with my PS3 than with my 360. Demon’s Souls, Valkyria Chronicles, Uncharted, Folklore, even little games like Flower – I’ve had more concentrated fun with the PS3 than with Microsoft’s console, which tends to gather dust for months between game releases.

    72″???? I thought size didn’t matter!

  • Toger

    Size doesn’t matter. 😀

    In my friend’s defense, it was a great deal: opened box, itty-bitty scratch on the case, not a dead pixel to be seen and it was less $$ than the 60″ he originally wanted.

    Thanks for checking guys. I’ve played a tiny bit of Uncharted, but I’m horrible at the combat. Flower intrigues me. As does Demon’s Souls, but I know that game will crush my soul.

  • Gregg B

    There were certain moments in Flower where it just totally succeeded in conveying a feeling that I can’t say I’ve had in many other games, usually when rushing across a field through the grass or through a canyon or just skimming a pond, but it was never anything to do with collecting bloody petals or fulfilling some rudimentary puzzle. I think my problem with it was that it felt like it was trying to be this deeply emotional piece but in the end there seemed to be too many concessions to being a game rather than just running with the emotive side of the experience. One thing I am sure about though, is the trophies. Don’t get me started on the fucking trophies…

    One of my favourite little games on the PS3 is Everyday Shooter. It’s got a brilliant soundtrack that suits its raw visual style and I love how each level requires a certain tactic or strategy to survive it. It’s a very satisfying game in small bursts.

  • Hanover

    Unfortunately Cage mucked up the ending yet again.  The problem is that the mechanic of the game forced them to have to cheat in order to prevent spoiling the mystery of the game.

    There is also a red herring that makes no sense and is obviously put there to misdirect the player.

    90% of the game is awesome, the last 10% while not as bad as the indigo prophecy, is still sloppy.

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