Beyond Good & Evil

"Ubisoft is converting me ... yet another excellent yet unrecognized title"

First Person shooters, Real time Strategy, and Role Playing games.... these seem to be the gloomy future of PC gaming - not that the genres do not hold merit - but I have played more world war two games, or age of empires, and while being an exciting new approach to gameplay, games like Knights of the Old republic just didn't capture the same level of fun. Enter Beyond Good and Evil, the sadly unrecognized game that captured the spirit of a style of game that has since seemingly dissappeared from the market. Not only that, the artwork, the sound, the gameplay - the whole game definately brought something refreshing to the table.

Story - 5/10

To be one hundred percent honest with you, the story in this game wasn't incredible. It wasn't bad - I'm not saying it was without it's surprises, but it wasn't the freshest set of ideas. Without spoiling anything for anybody, it is about a woman called Jade, and her uncle Pey'j who are constantly under attack from the alien species the Domz. Along the way they learn something that dramatically changes their outlook on the entire situation - and they fight on with a different angle.

Sound 9/10

Wow. I have to say that the sound was really well done, I never got the name of whoever made the scores for this game, but the music was very natural, and made the gaming experience that much more real. From the haunting piano, to the blaring electric guitar, it really worked for the game. Also, the voice acting in this game for the most part was excellent. There were only a few parts that left me with something to be desired, and on top of that (which will be discussed in more detail later) the characters are animated to actually speak the text, and look like they are doing it.

Artwork 9.5/10

~side note~ no game can ever get a 10 for artwork unless it's really, really good... we're talking like American McGee's alice style here...

The artwork in this game was very good. I loved the fact that you could see the concept art that went into creating the game from the bonus option in the menu. Also, the models, and textures for the characters were done beautifully, with a great amount of detail, and class. The character designs were very good- so well in fact that you could start to say things about each character's personality upon seeing them for the first time. The animation in this game was EXCELLENT! All of the subtle movements, and expressions really added to the game - it was great to see something other than the plastic moulded faces that I have been getting used to lately. Watching this game play out was similar to watching an animated short - it was great.

Gameplay 7/10

The gameplay in this game is also very good. I liked how you have the choice in most parts of whether you want to attack the guards head on, or if you want to sneak around them. The fighting felt like a mix between prince of persia, and Zelda, but you won't hear a complaint from me - I was very happy with them. Also, I have to say that having the camera was a very fun addition to it. Anybody remember Pokémon snap? Yeah, I know, it's a guilty confession of mine too - but there was something about taking pictures that was intrinsically fun. I mean come on - it's practically humorous to snap a picture of a gigantic monster who is just about to try and snap your head off. I also fell in love with the feel of the vehicles in the game. Without spoiling what they are - they felt very natural, and were just generally fun to cruise around in. that itself was a treat, let alone using them for a purpose.

The downsides to the gameplay for me are that I found that there were a few too many sneaking parts - too much time in between vehicle driving parts. Also, I felt that the game was very short... If you had to break this game down into levels, there were only like 4 or 5, and it did not take very long to beat.

Ending 9.5/10

This is a category that I'm putting in simply for this game because I feel that it deserves special attention. Once again, without spoiling the ending, I have to say that it was very, very well done. The ending cinematic was well animated, very well storyboarded/sequenced, and was just very satisfying. I have played through too many games that just kind of end, or they have a terrible, anti-climactic ending (Jedi Academy, or Medal of Honour, anyone?). This satisfies the quest, is simply beautiful to watch, and just feels like... the... uh....morning after the morning where you didn't get sleep... so like... after you got a bunch of sleep. Basically, it just feels right - and I'm not going to analyze it for I risk ruining it for myself.

Graphics: 8/10

For the time when this game came out, I have to say that the graphics were very well done. The textures were beautiful, as were the models, but I suppose that they are just meeting up with the standard of the time. The cinematics, however, were excellent, and add to the worthiness of the game.

Well folks, that is my review. Should you buy it? At this point, you can probably find it really cheap , heck, you could probably even find it second hand - knoing that it won't set you back too much - I would definately give it a shot - if it's still full price, if you have played Zelda, and prince of persia, and didn't like them - this game probably isn't for you (although every once in a while you may surprise yourself). IF you liked these titles, or have never tried them - definately pick up this game - and if you like it - you should check those out too. Hope this was helpful!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/01/05