Beyond Good & Evil Review

[Darkflame]

Yes, this might be the third BG&E thread, but its the first proper review
Im currently about halfway though the game for the second time, so i thought it would be a good time to review it while its fresh.
(note: The version reviewed is the Gamecube one)

Gameplay:

The gameplay is a real mix of genras, but at its heart its about exploration.
Very much like LBA and Zelda, you will spend much of the time solveing puzzles and battleing soldiers.
But mixed in with that is awsume race sequences you do in your hovercraft,funny stealth bits, and frantic escape chase's though city streets.

The other main element in the game is photography.
This is used for numerious purpose's, but the main one is to document the creatures of the planet.
You get paid for each new creature you find, and each time you use up a film you get a pearl which can be used to buy vechile upgrades.
There is a large number of creatures, some easy to photograph, others tricky to catch, and some you have to figure out how to get them on film.


The camera also doubles as a Metroid-Prime style scanning system, allthough thats more a bonus then an essiental feature.


The gameplay isnt perfect, occasional the stealth sections get annoying and the battles arnt as skillfull as Zelda's.
Theres the occasional block to push during puzzles too, but the majority of the puzzles are clever and a real pleasure to solve.
Overall the positive aspexs of the gameplay hugely outweigh the negative.

Sound:

Excelent allround.
Great atmospheric musc, spot-on sound effects and superb voice acting.
If theres any problem at all its perhapes the dodgy music during some of the races.

Graphics:

Techicaly, the graphics are quite poor.
Low polygon counts, low res textures. (no dought catering for the ps2)
However, the charecter designs and imaginative landscapes more then make up for it.
The graphics transcend the need to be techicaly good, because they are artisticaly good.
The whole game feels alive, lots of people and ships moving about. Everything feels real.

Not to say the graphics dont have fancy effects. Hovering around the reflective water during a sunset is wonderious.


Story:

Oddly, this is one of the games weakest points.
The atmosphere of the game, the 'side storys', the charecters are all brillently done. The start of the story is also good.
However, for a game called "Beyond Good And Evil", i expected a little more then the black & white Good VS Evil it quickly became.
The ending seemed a bit rushed too,with many potential plot ideas not used.
However, this game was planned with a sequal in mind. The sequal could easily add more depth.

Thats not to say the story is bad, mearly that it didnt achieve the height it could have. The story and atmoshere will remind you strongly of LBA, and im sure all LBA fans will enjoy it.

It mearly lacks the "WHOA! wow!" impact that prince of persias:Sands Of Time story had.

Lifespan:

This game is fairly short (say, 15hours), but it is very replayable.
Far moreso then LBA in fact.
There is much to do and see, much to photograph.
You can try beating your best times during the races, or trying to collect all the pearls
Theres also lots of stuff you will simply enjoy doing again

Perhapes the neatest replayble function is the "Internet Code" you get when saveing.
Type this into the BG&E website and you will get your stats up, and an overall score. Theres a ranking system for the worlds best players, and even secret misions to do on the website.
(at least one of which gives you a code to unlock something in the game...)



Overall I consider this an essiental purchase for all LBA fans. The whole "feel" of the game is LBAlike.
Its out on all formats, and at a budget price too! So there really is NO excuse not to buy it

Also, dont judge it based on the PC demo, the game is far more diverse and interesting then that demo shows.
If possible, get a console version though...a decent controll pad helps the game a lot.


----
Official Site:
www.beyondgoodevil.com

BG&E threads:
http://forum.magicball.net/showthread.php?t=7253

Prince of Persia Review (Ubisofts other recent masterpiece):
http://forum.magicball.net/showthread.php?t=7219

[SpaceGuitarist]

This game looks much like the "StarWars episode one: phantom menace" game!!!

[Lightwing]

Okay, that's it. I'm buying this thing.

Out of my way people.

[Darkflame]

Good!
Thats it run to the shops!

Originally Posted by SpaceGuitarKid

This game looks much like the "StarWars episode one: phantom menace" game!!!

Well,I see what you mean by the style of the aritechture and some of the ships....but this game isabout a thousands times better

The only eppisode 1 game i really liked was Episode1:Racer.
The N64 version was the second fastest game i have ever played. (especialy once you get the best ship/parts)

[hobmoblin]

Well it was my birthday last week so this is a definate buy for me, it doesn't look that bad either.

Episode 1 the phantom menace is a great game I especially like tatooine

[Darkflame]

I never said it was bad, just that BG&E was better

[hobmoblin]

i wasn't saying that you said it was bad, i was just expressing my opinion of the game

[SpaceGuitarist]

YEAH phantom menace rulz! tatooine is my fav too cos of the race and the bar which you can cut those mecenaries off.


bg&e seems cool too but i wont have he chance to buy games for some time

[hobmoblin]

I got this game the other day and I must say that any fans of Zelda who also like LBA should definatly get this game, its LBA3 without the characters (and story) Thank you DarkFlame for the review that made me get this game, and I hope they make a sequel!!


Edit: WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! my 300d post!!!

[Darkflame]

Yes, its very Zeldaish in gameplay...but the "setting" and feel of the game feels more like LBA style to me.

Dont mention it, i feel like i have to review things that i love
Lets hope for a sequal, they were supposed to be makeing one now, but sales were poor so they didnt...theres still hope though

[Lightwing]

BGE is selling on 4 different platforms. Personally, I think it has a better chance to have a sequal than LBA

[Darkflame]

Yes, but when makeing it they planned to do a sequal straight away, but due to poor sales they changed their mind.
The team is currently working on Spilter Cell 3 or 4...or something.

It sold disgustingly badly really.
One the PS2 chart it never got higher then, like 30.
Xbox and Gamecube it got upto 8th on its week of release. (which was 3 months after then ps2 version thanks to a sony bribe)

The long term sales of the game will effect its future.
Unlike LBA, it hasnt got any problems with companys and teams changeing hands hundreds of times.

[Gustav Sweden]

Didnt see this before. Cool stuff, Darkflame, Im gonna buy this game, but not now, I dont have any time to play it just now. I saw it for a pretty cheap prize last week. Will buy Prince of Persia too perhaps.

[Lightwing]

Okay. I finally got the game on X-Box and its absolutely AWSOME!

I love the character interaction in that game. In most adventure it always feels lonely when working with a puzzle, but in BGE you have a partner that (at least this far in the game) gives you a hint or somehow refers to the puzzle so that you don't have to go "How the hell was I suppose to know to do this?" This is great!

[Alchemist]

Props to Darkflame for this review. You just convinced me to buy my game for over a year.

[Darkflame]

hehe, thats the idea

I review what i care about.

[Gustav Sweden]

How much did they pay you?

[Darkflame]

Two packets of jaffa cakes.

Heck, its less then the going rate.
Nintendo give me 4 for premoteing them, and Jasc give me 3.

Ubisoft did give me an extra two packets for my Pop review too:
http://forum.magicball.net/showthread.php?t=7219

[hobmoblin]

I like jaffa cakes, is that the game industries currency?

[Darkflame]

Yup.
Allthough completely covered dark chocolate ones are worth 10 times normal ones

[Alchemist]

Bought.

First impression: felt like a rather rushed beginning, the camera system is somewhat disturbing, otherwise it really seem to have potential. I've only played about an hour and I don't know when I'll find some sparetime to play again.

[Lightwing]

The beggining is a little rushed, but it gets quite well pacing afterwards.

[Darkflame]

Disturbing? I never had a problem with the camera

The endings a bit rushed actualy...but its got a kick-arse middle

[CaveBear]

Folks, if you've played the game and want a sequel, then don't forget to sign the petition at http://www.officialvideogames.com/

[Darkflame]

already have