Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Publisher: Ubisoft
Reviewed by Vansau on 3/24/04
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First
Impressions:
Michel
Ancel, the creator of Rayman, drew a lot of attention early on for
this game over a year before it was released. The unusual premise
for the game, the strong female lead, and the dazzling screen shots
created a lot of buzz. As a result, Beyond Good & Evil was one
of the most highly anticipated games to come out last year.
Ancel delivered everything he promised and critics lauded it across
the board… with good reason.
The story, about Planet Hillys's intrepid photojournalist Jade and
her efforts to expose the truth behind an alien invasion and the
government's involvement with it is fantastic. The plot becomes
quite intense over time, and allows players to bond with Jade by
letting them both know about why Jade's parents disappeared and
what her true role in the universe is.
My hopes for this game were very high when I started playing it,
and I'm pleased to report that my expectations were exceeded in
almost every way.
Graphics:
BG&E's
graphics are simply stunning. While Ancel's Rayman games have
always been known for unusual yet very nice graphics, BG&E
is one of the prettiest games I've ever had the pleasure to play.
Character models and animations are exceptionally animated and
each one is entirely unique to each individual. Mouths and facial
expressions match the voices exceptionally well, and the rendered
cut-scenes are nearly cinematic in quality.
However, the game's environments are truly spectacular. If players
want to get a better look at something, they can activate Jade's
camera and look at the world through a first-person perspective
and zoom in and out to take photos of just about anything they
want.
Sound/Music:
Music
is a lot of fun in this game. It's usually present when Jade is
on a mission, quietly filling the background and helping create
immerse players deeper into the game's world. During combat it
picks up and intensifies while Jade defends herself and her friends,
however it never overwhelms a scene.
Sound effects are nicely done as well. They appear constantly
and sound pretty realistic; from Jade's footsteps in a dank cave
to the dolphin calls when players drive around outside in a hovercraft,
they usually work very nicely and don't irritate the ear.
Finally, voice-acting is excellent in this game. Each character
is extremely well written, and every voice that accompanies the
main characters is perfectly cast. Jodie Forrest, in particular,
shines in her role as Jade.
Gameplay:
Nearly
every aspect of gameplay is amazingly solid in BG&E. Much
of the game involves having Jade sneak around military institutions
with occasional, action-filled, confrontations. Both the stealth
and action sequences are nicely executed, with combat very easy
to execute and move about in. The puzzle sequences usually involve
figuring out how to get over an obstacle or unlocking a door of
some kind. After a while these puzzles start to get a bit repetitive;
but they never get extremely tedious, difficult, or irritating
to deal with.
There are a lot of fun and addictive mini-games in BG&E, and
there are also a lot of times when Jade will be driving around
Hillys in a hovercraft or flying in a spaceship. The vehicle controls
are equally as strong as Jade's, and these sequences are a lot
of fun as well because they are so well put together.
Enjoyment:
I
haven't enjoyed myself this much in a long time. Rarely are games
this much fun to both play and explore. Ancel's distinct humor
and visual style come into play in giving Hillys a very unique
feel with the many different species populating the planet. As
a result, Hillys feels like a place so alien and strange that
it's believable because of its weirdness.
Aside from this, the great controls, graphics, and very deep story
will keep players engaged and demanding more up until the final
scene of the game.
Multiplayer:
There
is no multiplayer option for this game.
Overall
Impression:
This
is an amazing game, one of the best that UbiSoft has released
in recent years. Personally, I enjoyed it more than Prince of
Persia: The Sands of Time because of the freedom involved with
exploring Hillys and the humor involved in the game.
Other than the slightly repetitive puzzles, BG&E's only other
shortcoming is that a dedicated player could plow through the
game in 8 or 9 hours if they don't play any of the mini-games
or explore the world around them. However, expect a solid 13 to
15 hours of play if you try to find everything.
Also, since BG&E was released right before the holiday season
of this year, it has dropped pretty drastically in price (from
$50 down to $20) at most stores. If you're looking for a smart
addition to your gaming library, you'll be hard pressed to find
a better option.
Marketing
Efforts Towards Women:
Jade
is a huge selling point for women gamers because of a number of
reasons. One of the biggest is that she looks much more realistic
than a lot of female protagonists permeating the gaming market
today. Not only does she have relatively normal proportions (aside
from being a little on the skinny side), but her outfit is pretty
believable for her work; dressed in baggy pants, a tank top, and
a light jacket, Jade's appearance is believable for that of a
freelance photojournalist. Unlike other characters, such as Lara
Croft, Jade doesn't rely on guns or violence in most situations,
instead using stealth and her wits to get herself around. Occasionally,
she finds herself stuck in situations where she does have to use
force and she pulls out an energy staff to accompany her martial
skills.
UbiSoft has put a lot of ads for this game into various gaming
magazines featuring Jade on a two-page spread confronting a group
of soldiers after a page showing her taking pictures of a government
institution from behind a corner. All of these ads have made a
point of demonstrating just what a strong character Jade is.
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