**Originally written for Ciao.co.uk under the UK release title of 'Farhenheit' ** Release versions are practically identical.
When buying a game, rare are the moments where more than a cursory glance at the packaging is required to suss where a game is 'coming from'. All too frequently, the top ten section of your chosen format presents itself as a mosaic of bland sequels, invariably incorporating sport, guns or cars in that order. In a gaming context Fahrenheit appears somewhat left-field, and ultimately is how it secured a place in my games collection.
Admittedly, the cover art is reminiscent of an A-Level art project on serial killers, featuring a faceless figure holding a bloodied knife surrounded by 'powerful' words (scrawled in claret), all alluding to something particularly unpleasant lurking within. However dubious this appeared, it was diverting enough to encourage a read of the synopsis, and in turn was enough to prompt a purchase.
Fahrenheit's opening gambit is to depict a brutal knife attack in the gents' toilets of a downtown New York diner. The killer, clearly possessed by some other-worldly force, emerges from a cubical covered in blood and plunges a steak-knife into the chest of the victim in three very deliberate motions, before lurching back in a macabre paralysis over the limp body beneath him.
To his horror, the murderer emerges from this trance to be greeted by a scene of carnage. With the killer still brandishing the murder weapon and clearly in some trouble, Fahrenheit's first task is to clean up and conceal the evidence to safely extract him from the diner, before the weary off-duty NYPD officer and fellow patron of said diner decides to answer his call of nature. Alternatively, you could choose to simply make a run for it and risk capture. You'll quickly discover that throughout, Fahrenheit is a game of choices.
Following the safe extraction and escape of the killer (later identified as unremarkable thirty-something bank worker Lucas Kane) you revisit the crime scene on the other side of the law, as NYPD detectives Carla Valenti & Tyler Miles. However, what at first appears to be a motiveless act of violence by a disturbed individual rapidly becomes more complicated. How does a frenzied and unprovoked attack correlate with the murderers' attention to self-preservation and his rationally planned escape? How did the three knife strokes cleanly sever the three main arteries to the heart? Why is New York under a perpetual veil of thickening snow and ice?
From this juncture, your task is to delve into the mysterious background of the case, which in turn leads you to discover that murders of this type aren't exactly unheard of, and Lucas Kane isn't the only otherwise ordinary performer of such atrocities. Fahrenheit's unique twist is supplied as you balance the roles of investigator(s) and perpetrator, both parties struggling to make sense of the situation as more murders take place.
Your role as NYPD officer initially takes you down a rational, evidence gathering route whilst Kane, still plagued by nightmarish visions and possessions, descends into a dark journey which reunites him with his estranged priest brother, forces him to confront his past, and brings him into contact with the sinister beings behind his predicament.
Vaunted as an interactive movie, Fahrenheit requires the player to progress using brains rather than brawn. The focus is upon freedom in working toward the end game, with the players actions supposedly having a direct impact upon which path is adopted by the characters and ultimately, the story's conclusion. In keeping with the cinematic theme, each section is separated by chapters, which alternate between the progress of the main characters. Whether you decide to come down hard on Lucas and side with the cops, or deliberately lead them off the scent while Lucas digs deeper is, apparently, up to you.
However intriguing, all that story telling and decision making would be a trifle dull without having some physical influence over your surroundings. Fahrenheit allows you to interact with objects and people with a simple flick of the analogue stick. When a 'live' object is in range, a menu will appear at the top of the screen, giving you the various options available. Actions can vary from taking a shower or fixing a drink, to examining evidence or checking your emails. The same system governs speech passages, with your chosen response dependent on which direction you push.
The more intense action sequences are handled by a QTE system similar to Shenmue. For those unfamiliar with Quick Time Events, it necessitates following on-screen button presses in sequence to successfully navigate more action-biased sections. Miss a few steps in the sequence and it's at best an enforced repetition of the process or at worst game over and an untimely demise. Although this may sound unrewarding, it actually meets the pace of the game well and can add much needed urgency when the pace seems to be flagging.
However necessary these QTE's are to break up the story, some of the more difficult sections involving rapid, complex sequences are maddeningly blighted at critical moments by the need to hammer the trigger buttons to raise a power meter. Having spent minutes carefully executing a reaction test akin to that used in fighter pilot training, it is maddening to be foiled at the last by the crude task of mindless button bashing. Some of these sections are so extreme I challenge you not to be consumed by the onset of Repetitive Strain Injury.
Another interesting feature is the need to preserve each characters psychological well-being throughout. With mental states ranging from 'Neutral' to 'Overwrought' events within the game, whether they be a life-changing or simply fatigue, will contribute to which end of the spectrum you're at. Get much lower than overwrought and you'll either top yourself or make some other dramatic decision; either way one outcome is a banker: GAME OVER. You can mitigate the risk of suicide and the like by undertaking simple tasks, such as relaxing in front of the T.V./eating/drinking etc, or making significant progress in the game. For instance, a new clue will raise the mood of a detective, whereas another terrifying vision will push Lucas closer to the edge.
I found this feature clumsily implemented, and unless it serves as a method of ensuring you can't bias too heavily in favour of Lucas or the Police I'd consider it redundant. Either way, it's wildly unrealistic. For instance, after discovering he was a bloodthirsty, self-mutilating murderer Lucas dropped 20 'mental points' to 'depressed' from 'neutral'. However, a similar psychological plummet took place when Tyler felt a bit tired working a late shift at the station. It feels like an afterthought, and ultimately seems only to exist to make the mundane tasks such as eating and drinking seem worthwhile - in other words, serving as an excuse for irrelevant filler material.
Presentation-wise, Fahrenheit is slightly above average. The graphics and rendering are solid, the audio appropriate but forgettable, and the voice acting more accomplished than most. I would have liked to see more from a game which relies so heavily on mood; although I think lack of big title financial support admonishes developers Quantic Dream from real culpability.
Disregarding the aesthetics and acoustics, atmospherically and cinematically Fahrenheit tries very hard. Almost too hard, in fact. The rather uncharitable comment I made about the A-Level mentality cover artwork ripples throughout the dialogue and general standard of storytelling. Whilst I wanted to appreciate the obvious effort that has gone into creating a unique experience, it is painfully obvious that the next Tarantino does not reside at Quantic Dream's studios. Plentiful film clichés and the sporadically painful dialogue blights what could have been a quite credible effort.
Certain events and themes in the game are lifted almost chapter and verse from blockbusters such as The Silence of the Lambs, The Matrix, Se7en; the list goes on. Not bad inclusions, you may think, but only if executed with a degree of acumen. Unfortunately, on occasion they are diluted and, dare I say, cringe-worthy additions which my cynical head tells me are simply there to piggy back off the tension created by the films they seek to imitate. I can only conclude that the head of this project is a frustrated Hollywood director, who wanted to live out some directorial fantasy through the interactive medium. Harsh maybe, but true.
Judging by my review, you may well believe I didn't enjoy Fahrenheit. Despite the rather improbable conclusion, and the mere illusion of real choice (there are only a handful of bona fide 'choices', the rest being mere diversions to pre-defined destinations) I have to commend Quantic Dream for delivering something that can at least claim to be original. My gripes and frustrations arise from a distinct feeling that more could have been achieved here; that this was an opportunity to deliver something revolutionary which only tentatively reached third base, when fourth was well within reach.
Despite these minor quibbles, this genre's development is something I greatly anticipate as the next generation of hardware reaches maturity. Alas, its ultimate success will require an unlikely level of financial support from publishers, and more professional input for the purposes of screenplay to truly succeed. As a diversion from the gaming norm though, I recommend Fahrenheit. Short it may be, but ultimately, it rewards.
Recommended (Rental)
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Graphics quality
Good graphics quality
Sound Quality
OK sound quality
Ease of Playing
Easy to play
Value for Money
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