It's not often SPOnG's crusty outer shell is chiselled open and we're made to feel sadness, but Sony seems to have managed it with these latest screens from Quantic Dream's PS3-exclusive Heavy Rain. We totally mean that in a good way, too!

Take a look at the face to the right - the forlorn expression, the rain spilling across it. Sad! Which just goes to show (assuming the screens are an accurate representation of the game) what a damn fine job Quantic Dream is doing with the graphics on Heavy Rain.

If you're not familiar with the game, Sony describes it thusly - "Heavy Rain is a dark, immersive and emotionally-engaging experience; one that expands upon the innovative ideas of 2005’s acclaimed Fahrenheit to create a noir-thriller where decisions are charged with importance and actions can have drastic and unforeseen consequences.

"Breaking with traditional game conventions where necessary, the gameplay will be based around story, emotional involvement and the player’s decisions and interactions, rather than high-scores, combat and competition. Intuitive gameplay and controls are also fundamental to the experience – ensuring that the game is mature but accessible, and avoiding alienating players with obscure stats and complex interfaces."

You can catch some of the new screens and art (along with some pics of the game's motion-capture tech in action) below, with the rest over on SPOnG's dedicated Heavy Rain page.