Take a trip down memory
lane with me, hardcore gamers. Do you remember the time you picked up a
controller to play an RPG for the very first time? Do you recall the way you
felt the minute you discovered that this wasn’t going to be the usual
shoot-to-kill action game but an altogether new experience with characters and a
story that hooked you to the point that you just had to continue playing to see
how it ends? I’m sure you do and long-time gamers such as myself have been
craving to feel that again. In the years that I’ve come to see games evolve to
what they are now, I felt that I’ve seen it all and played it all. That is,
until Beyond Good & Evil came along and my Xbox (as well as myself) were never
the same again.
If this sounds like high
praise to give one game, then you haven’t experienced this very unique game with
a lot going for it. Beyond Good & Evil centers around the far-off planet Hillys
where you play a young photojournalist named Jade. It seems that the planet is
at war with a race of aliens known as the DomZ that attacks the peaceful planet
constantly. Hillys only line of defense is the government’s own Alpha Section
intervention troops but there’s something very shady about these troops. It’s
up to Jade to uncover the truth behind the number of abductions by DomZ aliens
and the role the government plays in all of this. Thanks to her skill with the
camera and her trusty staff, Jade and her friends set out to reveal the truth to
the people of Hillys.
The reason the game feels
so unique is because it mixes several different genres without loosing its own
sense of style or without giving up its near perfect gameplay. It has
platform-styled fun, Legend of Zelda-like RPG elements, driving sequences
(there’s even a race), stick fighting action, puzzle solving and even a great
photography simulator. Jade also depends on stealth and the company of good
friends such as Pey’j (her gruff talking pig pal) and even Double H (think of
him as every sci-fi macho hero rolled into one man). And thrown into the game
are plenty of objectives that require the use of stealth. Yet the best part
about all of this is that there are multiple ways of approaching each objective.
Yet Jade is a
photojournalist and photography plays a somewhat major role in this game (as you
can tell by the box cover of Jade holding her trusty digital camera). In order
to earn money to buy necessary items, Jade volunteers to take pictures of
various wild life specimens that happen to cross her path. She then sends the
pictures to the Science Center that pays her a fee depending on how rare the
specimen is or how well the picture was taken. She then accepts different jobs
that require her to take pictures of certain people or people in the middle of
some kind of incriminating action. The camera is also used to bring back proof
that something is definitely amiss with the government.
The universe Jade
encounters is pretty huge, but not, say, as massive as those seen in Knight
of the Old Republic or as deep as Shenmue II. There is, though,
plenty of room to explore and you can do it in a hovercraft to get to different
cities. Jade also gets into plenty of fights and she uses her trusty dai-jo
stick plus a number of moves (including a Super Attack for heavy blows). Her
friends also lend a hand in a few of these fights and while they fight on their
own you can work with them for a more cooperative victory. Then again some
fights can be avoided by successfully using stealth. Jade is able to walk
silently and can duck quickly, roll, dive or flatten herself up against a wall.
Here’s the good news, guys
and girls, the game’s controls are ultra smooth and easy to master. Things just
seem to move smoothly together, whether it’s a cut scene and action sequence.
The bad news is that this game is short . . . a little too short for my liking.
I’ve no doubt that there will be many gamers who will wish the game could go on
a lot longer (Morrowind longer, if you know what I mean). And it could
have since there are plenty of mini-games to sink your teeth into. There’s also
plenty of places to explore so do take your time to see everything while you
play–then again this just means the game’s replay value is pretty high.
Visually speaking, Beyond
Good & Evil’s graphics are beautifully rendered and look and feels like an
animated feature film. Not only is the world fully detailed, but both colorful
and filled with plenty of things to interact with while you move around. The
cool thing about the game’s visuals is the effects and the character designs.
Jade not only looks good during the game’s cut scenes but also during the action
thanks to the fact that the game blends these two things seamlessly. As for the
special effects, the game’s lighting is superb and the intentional slow motion
during battle just adds more emphasis to Jade’s moves.
The game’s soundtrack is
also quite beautiful and cinematic. Each main character has his or her own
tune, for example, Jade’s tune is softly melodic with an Asian feel to it while
Pey’j’s tune is as gruff as he is. There are even some dramatic changes of
tunes in each specific location, which makes the soundtrack as diverse as the
gameplay itself. The voice acting is also nicely done and makes you feel as if
you were playing a really good animated feature.
Beyond Good & Evil will
hook you with its unique style, colorful characters and surprisingly addictive
universe filled with plenty to do. Really, this game is one of those rare
treats that come along once in a blue moon (much like ICO for the PS2)
and should not be ignored if you like a game that’s not just different but
really entertaining from beginning to end. I only wish the game had been a lot
longer, though. Go ahead and do yourself the favor of picking this one up . . .
your Xbox console will thank you.
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#Reviewer’s |
Gameplay: 9.5
Control-wise, Beyond Good & Evil is
really smooth to the point that moving around the game’s world and doing
something as simple as lifting up your camera to take a picture feels
satisfyingly simple. The game also has plenty of fights and moving Jade around
during battle is handled just as smoothly. The rest of the game feels like
Zelda: The Wind Waker, which is awesome, only I certainly wished the world
here were a lot bigger. In fact, I wish the game were a lot longer as well.
Graphics: 9.0
You have to love a game that
seamlessly blends actual gameplay with animated cut scenes so you don’t know
where the game starts and the story sequences begin. On the Xbox, this game is
downright beautiful and nicely detailed so everything in your surrounding seems
to breathe with life. The game is also colorful and handles lighting
marvelously. In short, this is one striking looking game that will not fail to
impress gamers that love great graphics.
Sound: 9.0
If you thought the visuals were
beautiful, the game’s sound just amplifies the fact that this is one very
cinematic game. The score is lush and sweeping and plays at all the right
moments. The score also changes with each situation whether it’s battle or
driving your jet-propelled hovercraft. The music also matches the characters.
At one point you encounter Rhino-like creatures with Jamaican accents while
reggae music plays from their stereo systems. The voice acting is also top
notch.
Difficulty: Medium
Jade will go up against a number of
foes and her fighting style does a good job of keeping her from getting
flattened by the enemy. Add the fact that she is also helped out by her
friends, most notably Pey’j, during most fights. The biggest challenges,
though, come from the stealth missions you will encounter. Stealth is often
needed to avoid some really tough situations but it’s not as easy as it seems.
There are also plenty of puzzles to solve but neither of them will have you
tearing out your hair in frustration.
Concept: 9.0
This is one of the most original
games to come along in a long time and its unique style and innovative gameplay
will surely win the hearts of those gamers that have been looking for an
altogether different gaming experience. Really, what can be said about a game
that beautifully blends combat fun with a Zelda-like quality and a
photography simulator all in one game? Even the game’s story will hook you
right in with its interesting plot.
Overall: 9.2
Rarely does a game so innovative and
so uniquely fresh come along to grab a gamer’s complete interest the way Beyond
Good & Evil does. It is, by far, one of the most original games to come along
for the Xbox and will certainly be enjoyed by those gamers who crave something
completely new and downright fun. It’s hard not to love a game with so much to
do and so many characters to interact with during your adventure. File this
one under Must-Have because it’s certainly well worth your hard earned money.
