Brief synopsis of Beyond Good & Evil
As with the recent Price of Persia, this Ubisoft game received a pre-Christmas (2003) release on the PS2 and PC, only to be kept back for a couple of months worth of tweaking and porting for the other versions. If you've been waiting for the GameCube version, or are likely to be tempted by the prospect of an adventure game that combines elements of action, platforming, stealth, beat-em-up, and RPG, then you'll be pleased to learn of the release of Beyond Good and Evil.
From the uber-imagination of the famed Rayman creator Michel Ancel, the game is a fantastical third-person adventure, which casts players as a journo called Jade, on an assignment to investigate a sinister conspiracy. Setting the scene is the vast, peaceful planet of Hyllis, which has recently fallen under siege by a relentless alien race. Suspecting that there's more to the invasions than the government is publicly disclosing, and upon discovering the existence of a rebel organisation, Jade embarks on a traumatic journey to investigate further and uncover the truth.
To begin with, the main task at hand is the collection of photographic evidence, meaning that you must explore the expansive game world, taking photos of various things (mostly wildlife) which you subsequently send to different organisations in exchange for payment. It doesn't stop there, however, as you are soon drawn deeper into the sinister plot whereupon you begin to undertake a wide variety of missions that involve everything from hovercraft racing to spying.
As you may expect, danger lurks around every corner, so you must make use of your trusty dai-jo stick in order to defend yourself against an extensive array of enemies and boss characters. Also, there are plenty of puzzles cropping up all the time, which often rely on the help of partner characters that accompany you through a lot of the missions.
Beyond Good & Evil blends an extensive roster of contrasting game genres throughout, such as hovercraft racing, stealth missions, platform sequences, and live action combat. Combined with an intriguing plot and some strong narrative, it all makes for an atmospheric adventure in which you'll soon find yourself deeply immersed. If there is a criticism, it's that the game's not long enough.
