The ESRB has a job to do. The Electronic Software Rating Board, in their own words, wants

“To empower consumers, especially parents, with the ability to make informed decisions about the computer and video games they choose for their families through the assignment of age and content ratings, and to hold the computer and video game industry accountable for responsible marketing practices.”

In effect, the ESRB helps consumers to identify games with content they might not find suitable for children. And we’ve come to expect quite a bit of such content with PS3’s upcoming Heavy Rain title.

Heavy Rain is one of my “must watch” games for the 2010 season. Reaching North America on February 23rd and Europe a day later, this game takes a very different approach to storytelling (view trailer here).

According to CEO David Cage of Quantic Dream, the developer behind the game,

"Heavy Rain is about normal people who have landed in extraordinary situations. I wanted a much more personal story. The first thing that came to my mind, as a father of two little boys, was that the main theme should simply be a father's love for his son. This is not a game about saving the princess or the world. Its [sic] purely about a father's love. The main story will revolve around four different characters, and we're putting the spotlight on their perceptions..."

Upon closer inspection, the ESRB gave its final verdict, a mature rating. This was something to be expected, but in the process, the ESRB gave out vital spoilers to the game. Some say loose lips sink ships, but I disagree. There's been quite a deal of shadow and mystery surrounding Heavy Rain, and if you're curious as I am, you won't be able to stop yourself from reading the spoilers below. I warn you, they divulge a reasonable amount of information about Heavy Rain. So if you don’t mind reading spoilers, continue below.