"Beyond Good & Evil" - clocked!
A rare event has occured today. I have finished a video game. "Beyond Good & Evil". This game is about a young woman who photographs wildlife for a living, and who is caught up in uncovering a conspiracy threatening the world she lives in.
Said to be a sleeper hit, it has won several "Game of the Year" awards. The reviewers rave on about how innovative it is, and while I agree for the most part, I was disappointed by the ending. They say the story is the highlight of the game, but when they hint at a Shocking RevelationTM and then end the game without actually explaining it, it's most annoying. (I compare my impressions with that Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within movie. Can't remember what exactly was going on in the end of that story either).
Contributing to my incomprehension is the fact I haven't played it for a few months. It's not the game's fault, but I can't remember what happened in the first half of the game. Argh, this always happens to me. There were a few good touching cutscene left to be played through though. So I suppose while the actual (supposed) plot is laughably predictable, the characters and dialogue bring this game to life. It's not on the level of complex RPGs, but you sympathise with the characters' situation more than the typical adventure game.
As for graphics: simply stunning. I read a few reviews complaining about the framerate dropping or sub-par texture, but I never notice stuff like that anyway. Anyway, the design and flair in the environments made them really immersive. This is a game where I'd be happy to just wander around and admire the scenery. The starry night sky is a sight to behold. And flying about was so cool! I was disappointed that you couldn't explore on the land, leaving a lot of the islands to be no more than background scenery. (It was so awesome to be flying over the buildings and land though.)
On top of that, the land is populated with an array of animals. Cruise on the ocean through a school of flying fish, or take a photo of the manta-rays floating about. In the factories and warehouses, you get rats and strange bugs and alien tentacled things. And they're all distinct species! Over 100 types of animals, I think. Maybe I'm coloured by having played Pokemon Snap, but I found the photographing animals aspect of the game one of the most enjoyable. The discovery of some of the more majestic ones simply have to be experienced.
Gameplay difficulty is really not hard. It would not be a stretch to say everything is handed to you on a plate, and more experienced gamers do say it is too easy, too linear. However, I struggle with more hardcore games, so I had no problem with the forgiving nature of the gameplay. I'm also the type that MUST explore all areas and do all sidequests, so it's a plus that they are manageable and don't drag on forever. Combat is button-mashing, which some may find repetitive or not strategic enough, but the battle moves look good and there are one or two different moves available for variety. Anyhow, combat is not the main focus. Puzzles and stealth take up more time in the game, and while most are only mildly difficult, it's not overly taxing and gives one something to do in the dungeons.
People complain about the length of the game. IT'S TOO SHORT! Even I ended after about 30 hours, and managed to get almost 100% of all animals and pearls on my first round (only 2 pearls missing to a fiendish air hockey mini-game :P). It would have been nice if the gameworld was more expansive. Though you can understand there are limitations to what the developers can do. I would be happier if only they had been more substance to the ending! Who is Shauni, really? We never find out...
Ending notes: There are a few locked doors that I still didn't get access to by the end of the game. The "Internet Code" on the save files allows one to look up one's rank online, which is a nice touch. There's also a locked area in the game that can be accessed after playing some online game and getting a code. And the fake Hillyan propoganda site is quite realistic too.
Oh yeah - Jade is cool. Even with green lipstick.
FAQS: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/561646.html (I know my most frequently asked question will be, "What did the ending mean?")
Said to be a sleeper hit, it has won several "Game of the Year" awards. The reviewers rave on about how innovative it is, and while I agree for the most part, I was disappointed by the ending. They say the story is the highlight of the game, but when they hint at a Shocking RevelationTM and then end the game without actually explaining it, it's most annoying. (I compare my impressions with that Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within movie. Can't remember what exactly was going on in the end of that story either).
Contributing to my incomprehension is the fact I haven't played it for a few months. It's not the game's fault, but I can't remember what happened in the first half of the game. Argh, this always happens to me. There were a few good touching cutscene left to be played through though. So I suppose while the actual (supposed) plot is laughably predictable, the characters and dialogue bring this game to life. It's not on the level of complex RPGs, but you sympathise with the characters' situation more than the typical adventure game.
As for graphics: simply stunning. I read a few reviews complaining about the framerate dropping or sub-par texture, but I never notice stuff like that anyway. Anyway, the design and flair in the environments made them really immersive. This is a game where I'd be happy to just wander around and admire the scenery. The starry night sky is a sight to behold. And flying about was so cool! I was disappointed that you couldn't explore on the land, leaving a lot of the islands to be no more than background scenery. (It was so awesome to be flying over the buildings and land though.)
On top of that, the land is populated with an array of animals. Cruise on the ocean through a school of flying fish, or take a photo of the manta-rays floating about. In the factories and warehouses, you get rats and strange bugs and alien tentacled things. And they're all distinct species! Over 100 types of animals, I think. Maybe I'm coloured by having played Pokemon Snap, but I found the photographing animals aspect of the game one of the most enjoyable. The discovery of some of the more majestic ones simply have to be experienced.
Gameplay difficulty is really not hard. It would not be a stretch to say everything is handed to you on a plate, and more experienced gamers do say it is too easy, too linear. However, I struggle with more hardcore games, so I had no problem with the forgiving nature of the gameplay. I'm also the type that MUST explore all areas and do all sidequests, so it's a plus that they are manageable and don't drag on forever. Combat is button-mashing, which some may find repetitive or not strategic enough, but the battle moves look good and there are one or two different moves available for variety. Anyhow, combat is not the main focus. Puzzles and stealth take up more time in the game, and while most are only mildly difficult, it's not overly taxing and gives one something to do in the dungeons.
People complain about the length of the game. IT'S TOO SHORT! Even I ended after about 30 hours, and managed to get almost 100% of all animals and pearls on my first round (only 2 pearls missing to a fiendish air hockey mini-game :P). It would have been nice if the gameworld was more expansive. Though you can understand there are limitations to what the developers can do. I would be happier if only they had been more substance to the ending! Who is Shauni, really? We never find out...
Ending notes: There are a few locked doors that I still didn't get access to by the end of the game. The "Internet Code" on the save files allows one to look up one's rank online, which is a nice touch. There's also a locked area in the game that can be accessed after playing some online game and getting a code. And the fake Hillyan propoganda site is quite realistic too.
Oh yeah - Jade is cool. Even with green lipstick.
FAQS: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/561646.html (I know my most frequently asked question will be, "What did the ending mean?")