Beyond Good & Evil

"A Simply Wonderful Gaming Experience"

Beyond Good and Evil is one of those rare gems that many people passed up the opportunity to play. This game is amazing is nearly every aspect, and everybody should find a copy of this game if they have not played it already. while it is mainly an action adventure game, there are puzzles mixed in and multiple opportunities to vary the gameplay which make it fun to continue to play the game, even multiple times through.

Graphics -
The graphics in this game are fantastic, not too over the top, but are fancy enough and pretty enough to hold their own. Each environment is richly detailed with something to grab your attention, including moving wildlife to flora and fauna spanning all over the place. All the characters are wonderfully detailed as well, ranging from the explicit Jade to the horrific enemies and evil as well. While the game doesn't showcase the true potential of the playstation 2 hardware, it certainly is perfectly fitting to this game.
Rating - 10/10

Gameplay -
Your basic run-of-the-mill action-adventure game for the most part. This game mixes in some new elements, including a hovercraft to reach your various destinations and taking pictures of anything you desire. Actually, taking pictures is a large aspect of this game. You are slated with the job of uncovering a secret organization's ambitions to take over the world. Taking on enemies is a basic mix of fighting numerous enemies as well as sneaking round them, ala Metal Gear Solid. Also, as you progress through the game, you will encounter various puzzles, ranging from simple to complex. None of them are really very tough, but they are all pretty fun to figure out. Everything in this ame is simply put, amazing. And even though the environments are rich and luscious, and so much fun to explore, it's a shame that there are so little of them to actually go through, and a shame that the world of Hillys is as small as it really seems.
Rating - 10/10

Story -
You play Jade, a photographer and caretaker of the children's orphanage in Hillys. After the orphanage is attacked by a strange creature, you are solely given the job of discovering the secrets behind a secret organization utilizing the help of your best friend Pey'j and various Hillians across the world. As the story progresses, you uncover a deep and rich conspiracy tangled into it all.
Rating - 9/10

Sound -
One of the few complains I actually have with the game. The music is beautiful at times, but there just isn't enough of it to really provide for a perfect experience. The sound effects are nicely done, and the voices of the characters are portrayed great as well. If only this was honed just
a bit more, I would have loved the music even more.
Rating - 7/10

Replayability -
There really isn't much else to do once you have completed the game. You can try to obtain every photograph you can, or obtain every pearl in the world,but any way you work on it, the game is short. I was able to complete the game is less than 10 hours, which was a huge disappointment because it was great. There are a few races you can redo and you could always explore the richness of the world as well, but if only it had lasted a bit longer or had a little more to do, this category would have done better.
Rating - 7/10

Overall -
I love this game, it is amazing. The graphics and story are incredible, the gameplay is fun, however it lacks in the audio and replayability department. The short play time may be a bit troublesome for some players, but it is definitely a worthwhile choice to play this game.
Rating - 10 + 10 + 9 + 7 + 7 = 43/50 -> 9/10

Buy or rent -
Buy this game. It is one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had playing a game. I just wish it lasted longer than it did, and that they had put a little more attention into the audio. Seek out this game, as it shouldn't be too hard to find, and it should be relatively cheap if you do find it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/19/07, Updated 01/23/07