We all have those must-watch, go-to videos that are lifesavers during tough times, right? The kind that can lift your spirits and have you in stitches no matter what kind of day you’re having. My all-time favorite for such moments has to be “Heavy Rain – Covered Market [Super Klutz Edition].” It’s a gem from the YouTube channel NahmanJayden, featuring a player deliberately botching every single button prompt during a chase scene in the game Heavy Rain.
Even if Heavy Rain isn’t on your radar, this video is pure comedy. And if you’re familiar with the game, it becomes even more hysterical. But don’t worry if you’re not in the loop—I’ll break it down for you. (Though, if you’d rather skip my detailed breakdown and jump straight into the hilarity, I wouldn’t blame you!)
Back in 2010, Quantic Dream released Heavy Rain, with David Cage at the helm as both writer and co-director alongside Steve Kniebihly. At the time, focusing heavily on narrative in a game was a novel concept, apart from the niche visual novel genre. Heavy Rain stood out with its big-budget production and gripping, dark mystery storyline centered around the fearsome Origami Killer— a serial murderer who drowns victims during downpours, giving the game its title. Visually similar to third-person action games like the Uncharted series, which were known for their cinematic cutscenes and quick-time events, Heavy Rain offered a different experience. It wasn’t about the traditional combat gameplay. Instead, it was more akin to an interactive TV drama, requiring you to press the right buttons to steer the storyline as envisioned.
But here’s the catch: even if you miss the correct buttons, the game doesn’t halt. Instead of slamming you with a game over screen, it keeps moving forward, allowing even newbie players to experience its narrative unfolding without being hindered by reflexes or precision. The creators didn’t anticipate players failing these prompts often since they aren’t particularly challenging. However, if you do mess up, the game responds with animations that highlight your snafus rather than the intended outcome.
Now, unless you’re the mastermind behind this delightful YouTube video, you might not see just how uproariously funny Heavy Rain can be when everything goes wrong on purpose. The intentional mishaps transform the tense chase into a scene of absurd hilarity, making you wish the game had been crafted as a comedy from the start. While we’ve since seen games embracing physical comedy, like Untitled Goose Game and Thank Goodness You’re Here, Heavy Rain wasn’t built with laughter in mind. Still, I like to imagine it may have influenced the comedic direction of these newer games, as that scene is sheer comedic brilliance.
