Heavy Rain's BIG plot-holes

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15 reasons the supposedly brainy epic makes no more sense than Modern Warfare 2

Above: "Good job I had the flying murder-pixies to help. Otherwise this hand would really hurt"

Plot hole 12

Why does Ethan still suspect himself of being the killer after the lizard trial? Obviously the man’s carrying a lot of guilt after misplacing two sons in a row, but after being forced to brutally mutilate himself while someone watches and verifies the act via a video camera, surely it’s pretty obvious someone else is involved?

Plot hole 13

Heavy Rain’s cops-of-convenience really are fantastic when you have a nonsensical plot you want to maintain. When they’re needed, they’re all over a suspect whether it makes sense or not,but when application of the law would be inconvenient they’re nowhere to be seen.The former we know about. The latter? How about when Shelby invades the Kramers' mansion, killing at least a dozen bodyguards in someone's private residence and then facing no consequences afterward?

Above: Given how good the cops are, Jack is the safest man in the world right now

Yeah, you can spare Kramer himself, but whether he lives or dies, there’s still a shit-ton of dead bodies lying around the (presumably security camera-filled) mansion of a respected businessman, stuffed with bullets fired from a never-reloaded handgun (that may or may not be registered to Shelby). The police and media reaction to this incredibly high-profile, noisy bloodbath? None. Ever.

Plot hole 14

How in the hell does Shelby fund all of this high-concept murdering? Not only does he own the aforementioned vast warehouse complex, but he apparently helped set Paco up in business as a nightclub owner following the sleazy fiend’s release from prison. But hell, trifling details like things costing money don’t matter when there’s a set-piece requiring a moody backdrop.

Plot hole 15

Above: The actual murder is probably in the deleted scenes. Oh no, no it's not...

While it’s just about justifiable as an editing trick rather than a plot hole, the scene in the typewriter shop is a seriously cheesy cheat that aims to throw you off the scent in the laziest, tackiest way possible. Shame, because the same effect could have been achieved with a much subtler, cleverer scene. And why the hell does Shelby call the cops on himself before he’s cleared up the evidence of his presence at the murder scene? Not that it matters. If he does get pulled into the police station, the cops maintain their ineffectuality flawlessly, with an interview so in-depth and probing that the script might as well have read simply “KTHXBAI”


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David Houghton
David Houghton
Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.