Beyond Good & Evil Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 21 November, 2003

Michel Ancel returns in style.

Version tested: PlayStation 2

Hear ye, hear ye! From this day forth, Michel Ancel is no longer "the creator of Rayman". From now on, he is "the genius that brought us Beyond Good & Evil". In his latest game, the veteran designer's skills as storyteller shine like never before, as he introduces us to a cast of memorable and endearing characters, binds them to a gripping narrative and, most importantly, throws them into a compelling and open-ended adventure that satisfyingly blends a potentially incoherent mix of gaming styles without ever frustrating the player. Cast out amongst a slew of Christmas blockbusters, BG&E rises above them all and leaves an indelible impression.

Above and Beyond

'Beyond Good & Evil' Screenshot 1

It all starts out innocently and unassumingly as the player takes control of Jade, a young freelance photographer living on Hillys, a planet caught in the grip of a war between the menacing DomZ and the elite troops of the government-backed Alpha Sections, a mysteriously helmeted force tasked with protecting the people from the DomZ' frequent attacks. Raised almost from birth by her half-pig, half-human uncle Pey'j, these days Jade looks after a group of war orphans at her lighthouse home, longing for the war to come to an end so they can all live happily and in safety.

Not long after surviving a direct DomZ attack on the lighthouse, Jade is recruited to help the IRIS network, an underground resistance force trying to prove that the Alpha Sections are using the DomZ invasion as a smokescreen to kidnap Hillyans for purposes unknown. Although initially unconvinced by IRIS' claims, Jade is keen to put an end to the hostilities for the sake of the orphans at home and Hillys in general, and so decides to heed the call, quickly finding herself caught up in a massive conspiracy, working to prove whatever she can in the face of a corrupt media saturated with propaganda and the harsh restrictions placed on the Hillyans under the guise of safety measures. Hrm, sounds familiar...

However Jade is no warrior, and can't simply walk up to the nearest Alpha Section guard, beat him to a pulp and force him to answer questions. Nor can she race all-guns blazing into a suspect area and uncover the truth that way. Instead, with the help of uncle Pey'j and later fellow resistance fighter Double-H, Jade has to infiltrate various key facilities, snap pictures of conspiratorial goings-on and send the photos back to IRIS, who publish an underground paper aimed at raising awareness that all is not as it seems.

Legendary?

'Beyond Good & Evil' Screenshot 2

Her adventure takes many forms in a game that shares many common elements with the latest Zelda adventure, The Wind Waker - incorporating stealth and puzzle-based elements into dungeon-style environments, simplifying things like combat and platforming so they don't become frustrating and stem the flow of the narrative, adopting a simple heart-based health system (which allows you to juggle health boosting heart slots between Jade, Pey'j and Double-H), and offering all manner of sub-quests and self-contained challenges just off the beaten track, all of which have some relevance to the main, binding narrative but many of which are optional. Furthermore, Jade makes her way around Hillys on a hovercraft (and later another more impressive vehicle), moving between docks in town, at various abandoned and not-so-abandoned facilities, at trading posts and on seemingly innocuous beaches and small islands.

But unlike The Wind Waker, navigating the seas of Hillys is never tedious. The actual playing environment is surprisingly small, but densely populated, thoroughly detailed and well laid out. It also helps that many of the game's hugely varied challenges involve the hovercraft in some way, even integrating it into dungeon design, and that the game's most prized collectible - the pearl, of which there are a large number to uncover - can be used to buy useful and sometimes crucial upgrades for the hovercraft at a memorable local vendor's outpost in the bay area next to the lighthouse.

And unlike Zelda's notorious and repetitive 'fetch quests', BG&E's sub-quests are engaging, from the Looters Cavern sections, in which Jade and companion have to chase down a looter in the hovercraft as he races off with a wodge of dinero, to Vorax Lair, where Jade has to battle through a group of enemies and figure out how to carve a path to a rogue flying creature holding onto a pearl. Indeed, sub-quests are even important right at the start of the game, when you agree with a local science researcher that you'll document animal life on Hillys, and for every roll of film you submit documenting individual species, she not only pays you handsomely but also rewards you first with a digital zoom for your camera, and from then on with a pearl per film.

Shoot-'em-up!

'Beyond Good & Evil' Screenshot 3

The digital zoom proves especially useful, as Jade's camera plays a big role in Beyond Good & Evil. When you press R1, the game switches to a first person camera view, allowing you to point and zoom with the two analogue sticks, scanning objects for weak points and clues (without an annoying pause ala Metroid Prime), centring on indigenous creatures (which can't just be snapped oafishly, but have to be centred and framed properly) and collecting proof for IRIS - and for the conflicted Hillyan governor, who will happily give you secure access codes if you can convince her it's worthwhile. Although it soon pales in significance compared to her work for IRIS, Jade can continue to collect animal snaps and make extra money throughout the game - and I never thought I'd find myself enjoying the task of sitting on the edge of a bay waiting to try and snap a gigantic whale as it arches out of the water every 15 seconds or thereabouts, so chalk up another point for Ubisoft's cunning designers.

That said, any good photographer will tell you that the basis of a good picture is being in the right place, and Jade certainly has to go through plenty of trials and tribulations to find those ideal vantage points to snap her proof of conspiracy. Along the way, she'll have to stealthily avoid the attentions of Alpha Section guards, whose only weak points are the respirators strapped to their backs, leap, duck and circumnavigate a lot of punishing laser beams, and occasionally work in tandem with Pey'j and Double-H to overcome common obstacles.

To continue the Zelda comparison, BG&E manages some truly magnificent 'dungeons'. Although you won't spend as much time trying to get your head round the layout by pouring over the map (which, ingeniously, you only obtain when you find a copy of it somewhere in the level and manage to snap a picture of it) thanks to a more straightforward, linear style of level design, there are still elements of exploration required to unearth bonus pearls, and it's never less than satisfying to get past a room and onto the next.

Hand-rolled with the finest leaves

'Beyond Good & Evil' Screenshot 4

Part of this is simply the way Ubisoft has blended so many disparate elements together cohesively, and part of it is that BG&E's puzzle design is so perfectly balanced. In-between and often while you're sleuthing past guards (using L1 to crouch and the camera to make sure you're not poking out from behind a bit of scenery), clobbering indigenous nasties (hackandslash with X, dodge with square), jumping between platforms automagically ala Zelda and jetting around on the hovercraft, you'll have to consider a number of ingenious puzzles, often having to think slightly laterally or scour your inventory to get past a particular obstacle. I don't want to use too many examples, because every puzzle is relatively simple yet extremely gratifying to overcome, but don't be too surprised if you find yourself having to find ways to bash obscured switches from afar when you get hold of a disc-launcher, take advantage of a crane lifting suspiciously graspable crates over a number of impassable lasers, or find a way to divert thrashing cables to power an elevator.

But perhaps the best thing about playing BG&E is that you never feel like you're just ticking off boxes on the way to an end sequence. The game is masterfully constructed, evenly paced, rarely predictable and almost never frustrating - even text input for the occasional lock-breaking code, so often the bane of console gamers, is handled beautifully with a spiralling on-screen keyboard that makes full use of the analogue stick and proves once and for all that sticking a qwerty layout on the screen is lazy and thoughtless.

Then again... Scratch that, the best thing about BG&E is the storytelling. Seamlessly integrated in-game cut sequences, emotive, endearing and well developed characters that... no, who deliver warm, friendly and entertaining dialogue, a sequence of events that genuinely affect and interest you, and the biggest boon of all, a satisfying conclusion. Although there will be those who sit back and gasp with disappointment when it all comes to a close after ten or so hours, with little prospect of replay value, it's disappointment borne out of a desire to share more experiences with the characters. But if you ask me, it ends in the right place, and puts all the key characters safely to bed. Finishing BG&E is like turning the last page on a good book, and for me that's far more of a recommendation than a criticism, and a rare thing for a game, even in these days of heavily scripted and supposedly narrative-driven adventures.

Technique

'Beyond Good & Evil' Screenshot 5

Complementing the storytelling is a luscious and vividly realised game world that recalls the visual style seen in Rayman but still manages to look stylish and individual. The seas of Hillys are beautifully rendered with a reflective water effect that you don't normally see on the PS2, dungeon design is imaginative and thoughtful - from the sparkling and almost aquatic vision of an ancient mine to the moody brown pipes and endless brickwork of the factory area - and character designs are emotive and precisely animated. Likewise, the voice acting is fluid and fitting - and the soundtrack is everything from moody and sombre to lively and excited, and every flavour in-between (our favourite bit is probably the music from the Akuda bar, where the IRIS network holds secret meetings). BG&E even has an answer to Zelda's twinkling eight-note 'discovery' tune, which hits you like a pat on the back whenever you uncover something useful. Truly, there is love and passion behind this game, right down to the NPCs who serve merely to justify little sub-games, like the air hockey-style task in the Akuda bar, or bit-parts like the Jamaican-sounding rhino-men who sell vehicle upgrades - all of whom are comfortable on the eyes and endearingly childish. The art style is distinctly Rayman-like, and at times that does mean muddy, underdeveloped textures and sharp edges, but it's matured a lot and sustains a consistently high standard throughout.

However the game's graphical sheen is also the bedrock of a number of technical flaws which conspire to shave a point off the final score. Apart from the absence of a 60Hz mode, which I can live with, the game also suffers from regular bouts of slowdown. To be fair it doesn't upset the gameplay all that much, but it's certainly ever-present, and it's also disappointing (although unsurprising these days) to find myself battling with the camera from time to time. Fortunately though the game is extremely straightforward once you get your head round a particular problem, and forgiving in its attitude to restart points, so it isn't so much of a problem in the long run. In fact, although I often felt the camera was being unhelpful, I never yelled at the screen in anger or frustration because I'd just been slaughtered by unwieldy or ill-fitting mechanics. In fact, I never yelled at Beyond Good & Evil at all...

But were I to have burst into the familiar strains of unprintable obscenities, I would almost certainly have thrown in a few choice words for the developer's baffling decision to make the game letterbox only. Playing BG&E reminds me of the time I went out and rented a widescreen VHS of Braveheart, not really knowing what widescreen actually meant. I got over the fact that it had whopping two-and-a-half inch black chunks stuck to the top and bottom of the picture, but it certainly took a while. Quite frankly, doing this to BG&E is a ludicrous and inexplicable decision that mars to some extent the impact and brilliance of an otherwise superb game.

A new pinnacle for interactive storytelling

And it is, apart from a few choice technical hiccups, a marvellous game. It's a game that exhibits real personality and individuality. Ironically it doesn't really do anything particularly ground-breaking, but whereas a lot of games recently have left us revelling in the quality of the mechanics and almost mathematical precision of design, Michel Ancel's latest composition leaves you feeling warm and happy every time you finish playing it, and in this medium there can be no greater triumph than that.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (103) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • UncleLou #1 8 years ago

    Nice! Not much hype around this, but I really liked the demo better than the Prince of Persia demo.

    edit: \o/ 1st on the "release date", so to speak. Bad, bad Razz!
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/03 @ 09:07

  • Hicksy #2 8 years ago

    argh! was trying to ignore this one, now it's back up on the need soon list : p

  • Blerk #3 8 years ago

    Widescreen mode
    yes (game is letterboxed)

    So, massive borders then?

    /runs

  • Blerk #4 8 years ago

    But seriously, folks... I'm really very interested in this one. Now if only I could get the bloody OPSM demo working on my PS2! I still haven't managed to get it to actually play the game! Anyone else in the same boat and found a solution? I hit 'X' like a bloody typhoon and nothing at all happens. :-(

  • Urabus #5 8 years ago

    Does anyone know whether this is available on NTSC ????. Id rather buy US imports nowadays rather that put up with borders.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #6 8 years ago

    The US release is letterboxed too so there is no escape, but yes it is out there.

  • UncleLou #7 8 years ago

    Anyone else in the same boat and found a solution

    It's not a boat, it's more like a hover-craft or glider at the beginnig of the demo. Erm, sorry. ;-)

    What's the problem, Blerk? The demo ran fine for me.

  • Blerk #8 8 years ago

    I run the demo up. I see the intro screens and the menu appears. It says 'press X to start'. So I press 'X', and... nowt. Nothing. Nada. So I press 'X' a lot more and still nothing happens. And eventually the demo times out and ends. Nice title screen, though.

    My friend tried my disc and the demo works fine for him, so I've no idea what's wrong. I've got a single official controller plugged in, an official PS2 memory card in slot 1 and an official PSOne memory card in slot 2, so there's nothing weird about my machine. I just can't get that particular demo to work at all. :-/

  • jaa #9 8 years ago

    Oh, no, another good game! What's happening this year? I can't cope...

    /checks identity of reviewer

    I knew it! Mugwum likes anything he plays these days. He must be in love... :)

  • renzo #10 8 years ago

    Captions are back! Yay! :-)

  • LaundroMat #11 8 years ago

    "Raised almost from birth by her half-pig, half-human uncle Pey'j"

    Any relation to one of the EG regulars then?

  • jaa #12 8 years ago

    Are Xbox or Cube versions planned? I'm avoiding buying PS2 games as I'll have to buy another memory card at the same time...

  • Abscido #13 8 years ago

    Just so ye guys know before buying this, it is a great game - but if you find borders difficult to deal with (like me), you're gonna be very, VERY frustrated for the first few hours of this game. Worst borders I've seen in a long time. Still, it deserves a chance.

  • Blerk #14 8 years ago

    Are Xbox or Cube versions planned?

    Both are out at the end of January, jaa. They're covered by a temporary exclusive deal like Prince of Persia.

  • jaa #15 8 years ago

    Thanks, Blerk. I'll buy both at the same time, then.

    As for borders, they don't bother me much. I bought widescreen movies before having a widescreen TV. Hate pan & scan in movies.


    Edit: by both I mean Beyond Good & Evil and Prince of Persia, not Xbox and Cube versions... er, obviously.
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/03 @ 09:55

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #16 8 years ago

    "Any relation to one of the EG regulars then?"

    Having met both I can say... no.

  • Tiitiz #17 8 years ago

    thought the demo really sucked

  • Blerk #18 8 years ago

    Conversation with my friend who tried the demo out to see if it worked for him:

    Me: "So, did it work?"
    Him: "Yeah!"
    Me: "Bugger. Oh well, what's it like then?"
    Him: "Jesus, it's shite!"
    Me: "What? I thought it was supposed to be pretty good?"
    Him: "No, it's fucking crap!"
    Me: "Why?"
    Him: "It's stupid! You got to talk to a fucking pig!"
    Me: "But what about the game itself?"
    Him: "You have to talk to a pig!"
    Me: "But......"
    Him: "It's just stupid. I'm not playing a game where you have to talk to a pig!"
    Me: "Hmm. Went back to Halo, did you?"
    Him: "Fuck, yeah!"

    So sadly.... I'm still none the wiser. :-)

  • Blerk #19 8 years ago

    6/10 in games tm

    No no no. 8/10 in Games TM. They liked it as much as Prince of Persia.

  • Blerk #20 8 years ago

    Try putting the pad in port 2. Worked for me.

    'kay. I'll try that.

    /thinks

    Actually, I've got the DVD remote sensor in port 2. Wonder if that's buggering things up somehow?

    A-ha! You might be onto something there! Ta!

  • Singularity #21 8 years ago

    My demo disc didn't work either. But bought the game anyway, been playing it for a week and hadn't even noticed the borders until Mugs mentioned them. So they can't be that annoying.

    It's a great, great game.

  • prettyboytim #22 8 years ago

    So is it too much to ask that we could have some real screenshots instead of the much-higher-res with loads of antialised-goodness-turned-on promo shots?

    Doesn't Eurogamer have the technical capability to take real screenshots?

  • Plob #23 8 years ago

    Mugwum will you do an update on the cube and xbox versions when they are released? It'd be nice to know if the slowdown is still an issue on those platforms. Ta.

  • Nemesis #24 8 years ago

    But were I to have burst into the familiar strains of unprintable obscenities, I would almost certainly have thrown in a few choice words for the developer's baffling decision to make the game letterbox only.

    Preach it Brother! I was completely confused by this initially, thinking I was missing a setting or it was pulling in the 16:9 config from the PS2 settings. A quick visit to the BG&E forums stopped me worrying.

    I was initially a bit disappointed by the letterbox format, but once you get past that and finally start playing it you can't help but love it. It gives the same feeling as the original Jak and Daxter, where you can see how much feeling has gone into the characters, design and gameplay.

    Jesus. What's wrong with me. I'll be growing my hair and planting flowers next. Feel the love people!

  • Zero Beat #25 8 years ago

    You need to unplug any infra-red DVD remote receivers in order to play the PS2 demo.

    Strange little problem that.

  • Blerk #26 8 years ago

    Ha haaaaaaar! So that's what was wrong! I shall play the demo tonight! :-D

  • jaa #27 8 years ago

    Him: "It's stupid! You got to talk to a fucking pig!"

    /me re-reads review

    You DO have to talk to a fucking pig!!

    Fuck!

    That IS stupid!!!!

    I don't want this game after all!

    Everyone knows pigs can't stop blabbering! I'd go insane!


    Edit: and about the third screenshot - I assumed she was gonna kill the swine!
    Edited by 2 at 21/11/03 @ 11:22

  • Blerk #28 8 years ago

    Don't let my friend put you off - he's pretty shallow when it comes to games. If it doesn't have cars or guns then he's not interested. It's not his fault. Actually, scratch that.... it is his fault!

  • jaa #29 8 years ago

    Er, I was joking (or at least attempting to)...

    /re-reads post to see how anyone could find it realistic

  • Blerk #30 8 years ago

    No, it's okay jaa - I got your joke. I just couldn't resist having another dig at my mate.

    /waves in case he's reading

  • jaa #31 8 years ago

    Ah, okay

    /waves back and feels better

    Edit: eh, who are you waving to? Me or your mate? Ah, never mind. I have to leave.

    /waves again
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/03 @ 11:43

  • Sando #32 8 years ago

    "See, if agents had had laser-equipped spaceships then we'd never have suffered Reloaded or Revolutions" -- Im never visiting Eurogamer.net after reading that stupid comment which has no basis whatsoever exept to explain "Tom Bramwells" obvious film retardation.

  • Blerk #33 8 years ago

    Look out! Matrix fans are invading! Aaargh!

    /runs for the hills

  • squaylor #34 8 years ago

    Are there talking pigs in Revolutions? I haven't seen it

  • AnotherMartin #35 8 years ago

    Don't know about pigs, but there's plenty of ham.

  • bero #36 8 years ago

    What prettyboytim said about screenshots is right, but he don't know half - those screenshots you're showing us are from the old version. See the first two screens - that's from the animations in the game now. But the last two are from spring 2003, when Jade and Peyj had different clothes and looks. Since than the characters received the new look. Maybe someone played the game with the eyes closed and didn't notice... Shame on You EG!

    And as for lenght, I've finished what I reckon is 2/3 and it took me around 10 hours, clearing most of the mini-quests along the way. I'd give it 20 hours top to clear everything. So it's not too long, but I'm all for short&sweet so I'm not complaining.

  • BartonFink #37 8 years ago

    Liked the demo on OPSM2 last month, very interesting mix of genres in the game. Demo worked fine for me too Blerkie.
    So the question is purchase now or wait for the Xbox version in Jan. Hmm difficult one that ;)

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #38 8 years ago

    "Im never visiting Eurogamer.net"

    Woohoo!

  • BartonFink #39 8 years ago

    'Im never visiting Eurogamer.net'

    Do you promise!

  • Abscido #40 8 years ago

    "Don't know about pigs, but there's plenty of ham."


    Haha! Oh yes, very nice.

  • Oceadge #41 8 years ago

    I played the PC demo of this a while ago and it reminded me of Haven: Call of the King. The hovercraft level at the start of the demo seemed really poor with unrealistic looking graphics. I uninstalled it pretty quickly.

    Now I'll have to install it again - I guess first impressions aren't always reliable!

  • Blerk #42 8 years ago

    Nintendo and Microsoft aren't squeaky clean either in terms of platform hogging.

    Indeed. Look at Splinter Cell last year....

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #43 8 years ago

    I think it's just that demos aren't always reliable. I've got a disc with the ECTS demos for this on it and although they hint that maybe the game will be good they really don't leave a lasting impression, and certainly don't offer a taste of what's REALLY good about it. In fact, they just make it look like a quirky mix of styles with no real definition and they don't do anything to explain the plot either.

    In fact, what is it with Ubisoft and rubbish demos? The XIII demos did nothing to show off what was good about the game either, and the POP demo has been the subject of much complaint elsewhere on the site already.

  • Blerk #44 8 years ago

    I quite liked the PoP demo aside from the fact that it was really three very short individual demos. And you had a limited time to play them. That sucks.

  • prettyboytim #45 8 years ago

    geursel:

    Yes, I'm sure it does look pretty, but I'm also sure it doesn't look as smooth as it does in those so-called screenshots, and several of them are at a considerably higher resolution than you'd ever see them on your TV.

    For example, the shot that looks like this:
    http://www.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a53808/4.jpg

    Probably looks a lot more like this when you're playing it:

    http://www.plane ttimmy.com/images/bg&e2.jpg

    Edited by 2 at 21/11/03 @ 13:45

  • Oblio #46 8 years ago

    "the genius that brought us Beyond Good & Evil".

    are you sure they didn't pay for this article?
    i'll have a look on the game though - ham is good :D

  • BartonFink #47 8 years ago

    Nintendo and Microsoft aren't squeaky clean either in terms of platform hogging.

    Indeed. Look at Splinter Cell last year....
    True, but Ubi had a lot of work to do to port it to those two which would explain part of the delay. Excellent job they did too.
    The point here is the games are finished on the other two platforms and are just being held up by Sonys usual tactics. They have hardly anything worthy of note on their release schedule for christmas so they throw some money at a company for short term exclusivity over the christmas period. Sony are just much more adept at this type of thing.


  • Blerk #48 8 years ago

    /refuses to rise to Barton's obvious bait

    :-)

  • prettyboytim #49 8 years ago

    I wonder if the game can do anamorphic widescreen if you have a widescreen TV? Here's hoping...

  • BartonFink #50 8 years ago

    Damnit Blerk yer no fun at all! :)

  • BartonFink #51 8 years ago

    Err neither POP nor BG&E are Sony products!

  • Blerk #52 8 years ago

    Jeez, I can't believe how worked up people are getting about the Sony embargo thing. Just wait for the version you want. Fucking hell, it's not like they stopped it from ever coming out.

    I've got a PS2, but I'm waiting to see the Cube versions first. It's not like it's a long time or anything.

  • BartonFink #53 8 years ago

    No problems with waiting around here Blerk!
    Just seems like a sad reflection on Sony to still resort to this type of thing.

  • Blerk #54 8 years ago

    Principles, schminciples. Quit whining and direct your energy and bile at companies who refuse to release certain products in Europe at all.

  • BartonFink #55 8 years ago

    Oooooo who would that be now. That's a really difficult one. Who could it be?
    /drums table
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/03 @ 15:12

  • Blerk #56 8 years ago

    Off the top of my head:

    Konami
    Namco
    Nintendo
    SquareEnix

    And... er...

    Sony

    :-)

  • ralphwolfenstein #57 8 years ago

    Unfortunately for Ubisoft, this failed to chart in the Top 40

    ouch

  • Blerk #58 8 years ago

    Damn you K-Tel, why couldn't we have 'Pan-Pipes play Lionel Richie', why, WHYYYYYY?

    lol! :-D

  • Blerk #59 8 years ago

    Unfortunately for Ubisoft, this failed to chart in the Top 40

    For obvious reasons. See my post beginning 'Conversation with my friend' for the reasons why. Only upside of this is that it'll be in the bargain bin in a couple of weeks so we can pick it up more cheaply. Sigh.

  • BartonFink #60 8 years ago

    What are you talking about ralph it's not even out yet!

  • pjmaybe #61 8 years ago

    Bloody shame. This deserves to sell well but I am sure it'll just end up in the cheapo bin. Rather this than another Rayman.

    Peej

  • ralphwolfenstein #62 8 years ago

    It was released on the 14th

    Sinking without trace...

  • Blerk #63 8 years ago

    Or will it be the case that anything remotely good, interesting, ambitious or different simply doesn't sell anymore because our entire planet has been conquered by the Stupids.....??

    You got it! That's exactly why it won't sell:
    * No cars
    * No guns
    * No motorbikes
    * No hype
    * No swearing
    * Not a 'rugged real-world setting'
    * Lead character's tits aren't big enough

  • Abscido #64 8 years ago

    Well, in fairness, I've seen TV spots for BG&E on at least three occasions, which is a lot more than most games get. This, on top of the good reviews, should really have garnered it a few more sales. The problem is, this is a game that should've hit the shelves a few months ago. Now, like so many other titles, it's going to be lost in the flood.

  • pjmaybe #65 8 years ago

    Could be "lead character looks like Kat Slater on a good day" putting people off a bit?

    Peej

  • BartonFink #66 8 years ago

    Hmm no wonder I was perplexed by ralphs comment it was indeed released last week. The main reason for my perplexed state is I haven't seen the game anywhere over here in Ireland :/
    So releasing it on just the PS2 did it no good what so ever and what Blerk said in his last comment.

  • Blerk #67 8 years ago

    If it sold sod all on PS2, imagine what the sales figures for Xbox/Cube are going to be like. Sadly I suspect it may be back to Rayman for Michel. Which would be a great shame.

  • bungalooBunny #68 8 years ago

    You guys can't just put all the blame on Sony and ignore the fact that Ubisoft and many other publishers bend over to this type of deals trying to cash in more, not realising that although the PS2 market is wider it's also more competitive. Same thing goes for RockStar (GTA on XBox).

    In the end of the day they might be the ones losing a lot of money because they won't cash inon Xmas sales. But that's publishers for you: Stupid AND greedy.

  • BartonFink #69 8 years ago

    That's true Blerk on the sales thing it's pity really. I guess the PS2 massive just have no taste. The other thing is that by the time it is released on the other platforms people will have forgotten about it or it will be superceeded by something better the week it's released. Not good for UbiSoft and it should serve as a lesson to them not to enter into deals like this anymore. It the game had been released simultaneously on all formats it would have got a lot more exposure and perhaps would have sold a lot more.
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/03 @ 16:22

  • BartonFink #70 8 years ago

    And why the hell can't we put the blame on Sony they are the ones who made the deal in the first place.

  • bungalooBunny #71 8 years ago

    I didn't say you shouldn't blame Sony. I said you can't put ALL the blame in Sony. It takes two to cook a dodgy deal like this.
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/03 @ 16:41

  • ralphwolfenstein #72 8 years ago

    "Not good for UbiSoft and it should serve as a lesson to them not to enter into deals like this anymore. It the game had been released simultaneously on all formats it would have got a lot more exposure and perhaps would have sold a lot more"

    Not really TBH... very rarely does a multiformat game's performance on anything other than PS2 boost it up in the charts overall... Recent examples being Soul Calibur - would have been Top 5 on NGC alone, or FIFA 2004 pipping Smackdown to no 1 last week thanks to Xbox, Cube, PC, GBA AND PSOne!

  • Abscido #73 8 years ago

    "I haven't seen the game anywhere over here in Ireland :/"

    Ah, it's here all right Barty. Picked it up on the day of release myself. Smyths in Cork had plenty of copies on their 'new releases' stand, so that's something I suppose (considering the other titles that came out).

  • BartonFink #74 8 years ago

    So the Blerk et al. earlier comment really does apply then

    Or will it be the case that anything remotely good, interesting, ambitious or different simply doesn't sell anymore because our entire planet has been conquered by the Stupids.....??

    You got it! That's exactly why it won't sell:
    * No cars
    * No guns
    * No motorbikes
    * No hype
    * No swearing
    * Not a 'rugged real-world setting'
    * Lead character's tits aren't big enough

    I guess that is the price we pay for market penetration into the realms of the casual gamer then.
    Edited by 1 at 21/11/03 @ 16:57

  • bungalooBunny #75 8 years ago

    FIFA 2004, SSX 3, Simpsons Hit&Run, True Crime, Return of the King, etc.

    Most multi-format games do sell better because there is more exposure, just like Fink said. If a title like this does well in the XBox or GC, PS2 owners are more inclined in taking a look as well. Also there will be more people talking about it, more reviews, etc.

  • BartonFink #76 8 years ago

    @Abscido - went looking at lunch time and GAME don't have it in Tallaght or Liffey Valley :/

  • Khab #77 8 years ago

    If we're lucky, it'll sell well on the 'Cube for the very same reasons it ain't sellin' on the PS2.

  • BartonFink #78 8 years ago

    Nah the kiddies prolly won't like it either Khab ;)

  • BartonFink #79 8 years ago

    \o/ 1st + 100

  • inpHilltr8r #80 8 years ago

    Yay! Been waiting and hoping for this to get a good review.

    Oh, and platform related bitching? Yawn, grow up and get a fucking life.

  • Royal Fool #81 8 years ago

    "I've got a PS2, but I'm waiting to see the Cube versions first. It's not like it's a long time or anything."

    2-3 months is a bit, actually... not to mention frustrating for those who have been following the games from the beginning and had been hoping to get them for Christmas.

    The thing with this whole delay is that the other versions will get practically no exposure. They'll be releasing months after the PS2 version, which in turn gets all the advertising and attention. (The above review is a good example; no mention of the other upcoming versions) It's even gotten so far that Amazon.co.uk has actually removed the GCN and Xbox versions from their product listing until they're closer to release...
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/03 @ 05:22

  • LaundroMat #82 8 years ago

    /sigh.

  • Blerk #83 8 years ago

    If we're lucky, it'll sell well on the 'Cube for the very same reasons it ain't sellin' on the PS2.

    Trouble is, it won't! PS2/Xbox fanbois don't buy this kind of game 'cos it's 'kiddie' and Cube fanbois don't buy this kind of game because it's not by Nintendo. Sadly I think this one's probably doomed... :-(

    Having said that, I finally got the demo working! Whoo! And it's great! I shall buy it, at least. But I'll probably wait to see the Cube version first.
    Edited by 1 at 24/11/03 @ 08:28

  • BartonFink #84 8 years ago

    You are probably right Blerk.
    A real pity.

  • jellyhead #85 8 years ago

    I'll be getting the cube version as long as they don't make a mess of it.
    Edited by 1 at 24/11/03 @ 09:52

  • meepster2312 #86 8 years ago

    Just to say we haven't removed the Cube and Xbox versions at Amazon-
    they just arent on the UbiSoft release schedule yet (but then again neither are the Cube and Xbox versions of Prince of Persia and we know they are coming out) PC version is coming out on Dec 5th.
    Great game - you should all buy it

  • ctrl-k #87 8 years ago

    Does anyone know where I could get a (legal, natch) copy of the soundtrack from the Akuda bar? It's kinda stuck in my head...

  • otto #88 8 years ago

    Shit. This completely passed me by. I wish someone had told me! There were Cube versions sitting there begging to be bought in Canada. >:p

  • Blerk #89 8 years ago

    /shakes head

    Keep up, otto. :-)

    Never mind - something to look forward to at the end of January now, eh?

  • otto #90 8 years ago

    I dunno, I'd never even heard of this before. Saw 113 comments and though, ooh, maybe I've missed something. Teach me to look at only Cube/GBA threads.

    Mind you, when a title is cross-platform I wish they'd give it a cross-platform icon. It's not the first time I've passed over an article thinking it's not relevant for me.

  • Tyronne #91 8 years ago

    Been playing the pc version of this and its just sucking me in...a very very good game and deserves very high praise...oh and no borders on the pc....

  • mash the x button #92 8 years ago

    Excellent game and if you phoned for tips, well........................................................ ............................................................ ............................you're the mug!

  • UncleLou #93 8 years ago

    Please don't tell me you really called a payline to get a tip for a computer game...

  • Kami #94 8 years ago

    If you called a £1.50/min payline for tips EVEN THOUGH you have access to the internet and free FAQ's and stuff on places like GameFAQs, then IMO you deserve to be branded a dumbass. And possibly ridiculed in public. And laughed at.

    BG&E is fantastic though... what it does, it does very well and lets just say, the ending seems to leave plenty of scope for a sequel. Something that I personally want very, very badly... VERY VERY badly.

  • mash the x button #95 8 years ago

    As Kami says, fantastic game but I for one do not want a sequel. I would rather prefer the industry to come up with quality individual games rather than sequels.
    No Ico 2 also, please.
    Saying that though, Silent Hill 2 is my favourite of the series and I still enjoy RE3...
    Edited by 1 at 10/08/04 @ 12:23

  • Lothar Hex #96 7 years ago

    Just ordered this for Xbox from Play.com (tenner) sounds like a good purchase.

  • Vin #97 7 years ago

    *HOOF*

    Buy it now.

    FOR THE GREATER GOOD.

  • Scimarad #98 7 years ago

    One of the most stylish, enjoyable ... just...well, fantastic games I've played in ages. It NEEDS a sequel, though definitely not in sense that Sands of Time got a sequel.

    /shudders

  • nightsparkle #99 7 years ago

    remember that when i first heard about it, i thought it was just another game like the james bonds or something, i mean a combination of different types of gameplay, all of which aren't worked out very well. a crap action adventure with bad stealth and bad action.
    i read on the back of the box it would be about photographing. when i bought it however, it turned out it had nothing short of the best storyline ever in a game (finally a serious story) and it was worked out with surplus imagination. i realy got into the game. what struck me most was that a game with such simple action turned out to be so enthraling. casual gamers would be able to play it with as much fun as 'hardcore' action fans. i'm a big ninja gaiden fan so normally i like to be challenged by a game. beyond good and evil did challenge me because the game was made so taht you can play it without dying, so you mustn't learn tricks but do it in one time. react fast not by practise but by being trown into a situation. that's why the simple game design worked. worked very well.

  • pjmaybe #100 7 years ago

    Nothing to discuss Michel. Do eet!

    Won't someone think of the pey'j


    Peej

  • mattigan #101 7 years ago

    Good game, Good game

  • Camorrista #102 3 years ago

    Still good game, good game.

  • sirtacos #103 2 years ago

    I'm getting this

    Well written review by the way, very fluent