If barely interactive wannabe movies are 'pushing gaming forward as a medium in general' then I'm happy to go backwards.
Games shouldn't have to rely on scripts and plots; they should have a premise and gameplay that allows the gamer to create his own plot.

That's not to say Heavy Rain isn't a worthwhile experience. I don't know if there are any other games like it for the current generation, and the production values are good. I just don't see limited interactivity and linearity as progress.