"Beyond expectations!!"

Beyond Good & Evil is a perfect example of originality. Something for the most part is missing in the industry of gaming right now. With sequel after sequel coming out for games there is a lot to be appreciated when a game is build from scratch. Beyond Good & Evil is that type of game, sure it's not a new genre or even a totally new concept but it takes what is out there, tosses in some new ideas and executes it to near perfection.

The game starts out with a news update telling the story of how every day the DomZ attack the people of the planet Hillys and how the Alpha Section intervention troops are incapable of defending the planet. After this cutscene it goes to the main character Jade who is a reporter and in some dire need of money for the home she and many others live in to keep the electricity going so that the force field can stay up over their home preventing a DomZ attack. You find this money in taking pictures of the planets animals for the Science center, who offers to pay you money for each animal photo taken and thus the adventure of conspiracy and truth begins.

Gameplay (9/10)
Beyond Good & Evil has a ''different'' but fresh take on the adventure genre. She can walk, jog, run, sneak, jump, and engage in combat (with her Dai-Jo staff) just like most other adventure games but her main weapon is a camera. Now I know this may sound awfully weird but it's fantastic. Taking pictures to expose the truth of the DomZ invasion is a great joy on it's own. But it doesn't stop there. Jade has many different objectives to use the camera such as the animal job I mentions earlier. The camera itself is easy to use with the tap of the Z button Jade can look around and soom in and out so in fact the camera also serves as a means of first person mode which works very good. But it doesn't stop there, the game also has a hovercraft for you to use to navigate the Hillys community and get from one island the other. The hovercraft is equiped with its own weapon for fighting at sea. It can also be upgraded later in the game. Exploration is the main focus here with tons of NPC's (non player characters) to interact with, all with their own personality it sort of reminds me of Tatooine in Star Wars with all the alien races and all, it's very cool and adds a lot to the games overall feel. You can interact with just about everyone while some you can go more in depth with than others in your convorsation. Fighting is very fun and for whoever played Prince of Persia you will feel right at home, it's essentially the same fighting mechanics just a little faster paced and with some different moves. It's great as long you don't stick to doing the same move which will in turn make it repetetive for fighting their is. The gameplay pretty Zelda-esque and very well done.

Graphics (10/10)
Beyond Good & Evil features graphics that are jaw dropping. The game definately has it's own style. While everything is new and fresh you will feel as if some objects look like they were being drawn up by the exact same person who put it in a Rayman game. This is no Rayman but it shouldnt look that familiar but at the same time it is a welcome art style. The characters are the star of the game so they definately got the most attention. The character models are outstanding, detail is great and adds a lot to their personality. Each locale is different in look which is great. From your island home to the city to warehouses its all a new look and each looks great. The water needs to get a special mention because it is some of the best I have seen in a video game. It animates and reflects things perfectly. Speaking of animation the character animation is very good. Jade moves very fluid and realisticaly while her facial expressions are supurb. Ubisoft has done an incredible job (again)

Sound (9/10)
Voice acting has been much improved in games as of late and with how much spoken dialogue is in this game it makes sense that it has some really great voice acting. Each character makes you believe what they are saying and that's a rare accomplishment in a game. The sound effects are solid but never outstanding keeping to whats going on but never overdoing it. While the music is here and there it's not playing very much but when it is it fits the mood and situation pretty well.

Control (9/10)
Jade controls much like the Prince does in Prince of Persia, by this I mean specifically by the way she run. The best way to describe the feeling is, it feels like your character is actually in a world where gravity exists. The camera is easy to use as well. Overall the controls can be mastered in about 20 minutes. While the most challenging controls are the hovercrafts but again easy to get the hang of. Fighting is also easy to control because Jade pretty much pulls of these amazing combos with the flick of control stick in different directions while tapping the A button. It may sound repetetive but it is in fact quite fun.

Value (7/10)
Beyond Good & Evil is a great game. I think it is a game that everyone should at least try. It has a great story, breath taking graphics and locations, easy controls and good sound. The game is over in about 10 hours which is dissapointing because it seems like it would be a game in which you could the camera for almost anything while the story unfolds. But to me a 10 hour game seems pretty average now-days. You may want to play through again to enjoy it all again which I highly think you will once you finish the game.

Overall (9/10)
This is a great adventure game. It has everything you would want in one and does them all very well. I hope UbiSoft has started a new franchise with this game. I also hope you all at the least give it a shot because it's a game that can't be missed.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/30/03