Very few games can combine so many different genres and still be succesful. Even fewer games can cram multiple genres together and become one of the most memorable games of an entire generation. Enter: Beyond Good & Evil. The brainchild from the same man who brought us the Rayman series, BG&E is one of the most spectacular looking, sounding, and playing video games of not only this generation of consoles, but could very well be a benchmark for future consoles as well.
Beyond Good & Evil tells the story of Jade, a photographer/reporter for hire. Living with her Uncle Pey'j (a pig...yes, pig), Jade gets crossed up in a mystery surrounding a war affecting not only her world, but also the people trying to protect it. It's not a story filled with very many twists or turns, but there are moments that may come as a surprise. Jade will be tossed into numerous situations ranging from stealth, space combat, picture taking (!), racing, and straight out action.
That's were the game shines. Each segment of the game, whether it be the boat races early on or the massive Star Wars-esque space battle near the finale, would be a great game on it's own. The stealth segments are simplified compared to the complicated schemes of say, Splinter Cell, but this gives them a feel of other more classic games in the genre. Jade has no night vision, can't distract guards, and certainly won't be sniping anybody. It's a refreshing change of pace from the "realisitc" stuff clogging the market. The simplistic AI may cause some people to shove this to the wayside, but the ones included here are much more gripping and tension filled than any other Metal Gear clone.
Puzzles also make an appearance, but very few are challenging enough to stop a die-hard puzzle fanatic. This keeps the game moving briskly along throughout it's entire 10+ hour running time, never dragging itself down in complicated junk. Fighting segments are also in the same vein: Simple and easy to master. In fact, it's probably the best as far as beat-em-up games are concerned this entire generation. It's spectacular to watch Jade flail about taking out various undead creatures performing moves that would probably take 15 buttons presses in another game. As sort of a side game, their are 150 different species of animals scattered throughout the land. Taking a picture with Jades camera of each one earns cash. There are a numerous places to buy items across the games map and some of these are integral in completeing the game. Pearls are another (and rare) form of currency accepted by the Mammago garage which can help increase your vehicles attributes.
Article comments
1 - Magnus L
This game is one of the very best games I ever have played! I love the characters and the beautiful island where they live, and the gameplay is also very very good (except for a bit sometimes annoying camera angles). When the game is over you really really miss the main characters, just as you might miss the persons in a good book when you have finished it. However, I wish that the game had focused yet a little bit more on the characters and their relations and that the game had been a bit different (the ending given in the "credits" movie is a bit sad...).
Now, I am nearly getting depressed because I realize that it is only a game and that the characters do not really exist, and that I have finished the game and that there might be no sequel. But, let’s hope that there will be a sequel!
I highly recommend this game to everybody, young or old, man or woman!