Some of you may have
wondered about a lack of quality in the recent game Rayman 3. While still a
good game, it didn’t quite have the innovation or the charm that Rayman and its
first sequel had. That’s because the creator of Rayman has been working on a
new project instead of Rayman 3; it’s an ambitious project with a lot of
detailed elements. This game is called Beyond Good & Evil, and it’s myriad of
intriguing facets intrigued me and pulled me into the game – I simply couldn’t
stop playing.
It’s a mix of all of the
following, and then some: exploration, on-foot adventuring, hovercraft driving,
photography, combat through a sort of staff, puzzles, teamwork, a few RPG-ish
bits, and a great storyline with characters you really feel for. The game
throws you in the middle of the action, with character relationships already
established and a plot already in the works. You’re in control of Jade, an
energetic freelance photographer who, along with her half-pig half-human uncle
Pey’j, takes in orphan children and give them shelter in their lighthouse. This
all takes place on the planet Hillys, which has recently been under attack by a
group of aliens known as the DomZ. The government seems to have sided with an
organization that is supposedly helping the general population… but it’s not
until Jade teams up with a rebel organization that the real truth is
discovered. The plot is thoroughly engaging and kept me absolutely glued to the
game, so I won’t go any farther with the story in fear of spoiling it – but
trust me, it’s good.
You’re equipped with a
camera, and this will serve as an important tool throughout the game. With a
quick tap of the Shift key, you jump into a first-person view where you can snap
photos. A local scientist is working on an inventory of all of the species on
the planet Hillys, so you will be paid for every photo of a different animal you
take, with rare ones being worth more. You’ll sometimes derive some useful
information as you transfer the photo to your scientist buddy, which might be
useful considering that a lot of the creatures you’ll come across aren’t exactly
friendly. It’s a real thrill when you want to try and sneak in a quick picture
of something you’ve never seen before and it happens to be charging right at you
with some sharp claws.
Combat works quite well,
however, so you can easily defend yourself against the more dangerous
creatures. Jade wields her Dai-Jo stick, which is really a staff with some
useful magical powers. You can use it for slashing and bashing, of course, but
if you charge it up you can release a powerful wave of energy that knocks out
everything around you. There’s even a device you can buy that increases the
power of this special attack. You’ll also earn a device that allows you to
throw little discs while in camera mode. Using a mixture of these – and with
the help of a partner – you can overcome the awesome, nasty bosses in the game.
Teamwork plays a large part
in the game. Throughout the majority of your journey, an NPC will accompany you
and help you solve puzzles and defeat enemies. With the tap of usually no more
than a single key, that character will perform the most appropriate action,
whether it be chopping down a metal fence or using jet boots to jump up and
smack an enemy on the head. The AI is very good, and I can’t recall a sidekick
ever once getting in the way. They never get stuck on corners, they never
hinder you in combat; heck, it almost feels like a real person is playing
alongside you.
The presentation is
absolutely fabulous. In an interesting move, the entire game is presented in
wide-screen. It actually adds to the cinematic feel of the game, and makes the
graphics stand out that much more. The graphics are, in fact, very nice.
Detailed and smooth, but more importantly, very cool in an artsy sense, I never
entered any bland environments or met any plain-looking citizens in Hillys.
Animation is also marvelous – everything moves so fluidly that at points I felt
that Zelda: The Wind Waker had a real run for its money.
Sound is also really great.
Music isn’t always playing, but when it does it’s practically guaranteed to be a
great song. From lovely piano scores to the bizarre and catchy music playing at
the local bar, I was totally absorbed. Sound effects work perfectly, and the
voice acting couldn’t be better. With great writing and great talent behind the
characters, not once did I feel that they were just reading their lines off
paper. Everything comes together very nicely.
While the game is a little
on the short side (it can be finished in around ten hours), I have no real
complaints about the game. It’s gone where few games have, successfully
blending many different gameplay types together in one awesome adventure. I’m
sure I haven’t touched upon nearly enough of the game in this review, because
there simply is too much to talk about. The real kicker is the story that’s
presented here, though. It’s exciting, dramatic, engaging and touching, and
complemented with lush graphics and beautiful sound, and a movie-like feel,
there isn’t much more I really could ask for. This game is great. Do not miss
out!
Gameplay: 9.8
Successfully mixing on-foot
exploration, hovercraft driving, photography, combat, puzzles and much more, the
game is an absolute blast to play.
Graphics: 9.5
Stunning environments with
tons of detail, really cool looking creatures, and some of the best animation
out there make this a joy to look at.
Sound: 9.5
Awesome musical compositions
are truly a joy to hear, and the writing and voice acting make for
always-believable dialogue.
Concept: 9.0
While many of the gameplay
concepts have come from one game or another, never has a game combined them all
in such a tightly knit package, with a story that truly is really great.
Overall: 9.5
Beyond Good & Evil is one of the most enthralling games released this year.
It’s loads of fun to play, with great gameplay, an awesome story, and stunning
production values. I haven’t been glued to a game like this in quite a while –
it’s one of those rare games that comes along and deserves your attention.
Since the game is on PC and all three consoles, there’s no reason not to check
it out. Go give it the attention it deserves!
