We’ve been shot. Not to worry, the bullet grazed us and put a hole in our coat, not our heart. We stand up and brush ourselves down, trying to retain a bit of dignity. Maybe if we’d been quicker or smarter this wouldn’t have happened, but at least no one was seriously hurt. We look to our right and left and realise it could have all been so different.

Of course, we haven’t really been shot, but are at a demo pod playing Heavy Rain. We’ve just tackled one of the stages in the Scott Shelby character arc. He, along with Ethan Mars, Norman Jayden and Madison Paige make up the four playable protagonists in the game. The scene we experienced starts out routine enough: Shelby, a detective, arrives at a corner store to question the owner who has lost a child to the Origami Killer. Unfortunately, the shop keeper isn’t very forthcoming, and Shelby learns little solid information to help him catch his quarry. He wanders to the back of the shop and seconds later a man with a gun bursts in and demands cash from the register.

The camera shifts to a security cam view, so we get a glimpse of the store layout, before control of Shelby is returned to us. Being the brave sorts we are, we edge up behind the robber along the alcohol isle. We push the right analogue stick upwards (this is one way you can interact with the environment) to try and pick up a hefty-looking bottle that we can use to smash over the villain’s head. Sadly, our movement is too quick and Shelby snatches at the bottle, knocking it onto the floor. The robber spins round and aims his pistol at us.

We press and hold L1 and R1 to hold our hands up. Now it’s time to try and talk our way through the situation. We try to reason with the man, all the while edging forwards. Eventually we lose patience, and let go of L1 and R1, which makes Shelby drop his hands. The robber lets off a shot and bolts out of the door without his money. Mission accomplished – kind of. Moved by our bravery the shop keeper decides to talk to us, and hands over a piece of origami left at his home. It’s a lead and we accept it gratefully.