Beyond Good & Evil™

A truly magnificent game that did do as well as it should when it first came out.

There's several reasons why I recommend people to play this game. I have to admit I didn't get this game when it came out, despite having heard of it, but several years later when I stumbled across it in a games store. One of the main reasons is Jade. She's not like your average female game protagonist, which is exactly why I like her. Her clothes aren't skimpy (the skimpiest you get is her tanktop, which isn't all that bad), she's not pretentious or shallow and can manage herself just fine. The story and atmosphere are also very nicely done, despite their shortcomings. The art style used in combination with the music and sound makes the game very enjoyable - the game never loses it's power. As with about every game I played, there are a few lesser points to the game. The controls sometimes feel a little choppy (I played the PS2 version, this might not apply to the PC and other consoles) and the enemies have little variation in them. There's also some occassional lag (again - I played the PS2 version) that can bother your stealth advances. Another thing to keep in mind is that this game is pretty intensive on the stealth part. The balance between stealth and just enemy beating action is sort of 50/50, but the stealth can be so challenging that it turns some people away from a game that's otherwise very brilliant. I have to admit I felt that the end was a little weird and lacking (it promises a sequel it never got), it doesn't make the story bad in any way. In fact, it leaves room for speculation, something that's not a bad thing in and of itself. In short, I recommend this game. It's weak points are made up for by the stronger ones and the experience is too interesting to pass upon. Give say: it a try! :)

The opening moments of Beyond Good and Evil will forever be burned in my memory. As Jade stood up against the invading Domz, Dai-Jo staff in hand; guttural chants heavily juxtaposed with angelic cries in the background music. A moment of awe-inspiring beauty as time slows to a crawl, emphasising Jade’s bravery and protective nature with each slow-mo strike. I was instantly gripped and would go on to 100% the game many hours later. Beyond Good and Evil is bursting with character and originality. From Jade herself, to her uncle Pey’j, to the world of Hillys. A world that is suffering under the rule of the Alpha Sections as its inhabitants continue to mysteriously disappear. The integrity of the Alpha Sections is put under scrutiny by the IRIS Network, who recruit Jade for a bit of ‘investigative journalism’ and as she delves deeper behind the scenes, she discovers that the Alpha Sections may not be prioritising the protection of the civilians of Hillys. Jade’s investigation requires her to utilise her proficient combat skills, as well as a fair amount of stealth to nab evidence against the Alpha Sections. Aside from the story, there’s a great deal of enjoyment to be had in exploring the wonderful environment to capture images of Hillys’ wildlife. Regular hovercraft races make for an exciting distraction, as well as the many side-missions that are made available as you progress. Some of these are incredible set pieces that manage to recreate the quality of the introduction. Thankfully, the recent HD remake will bring more attention this cult classic. Way ahead of its time and crying out for a sequel that we hope to see more of soon. Get it here, get it on XBLA...just make sure you play it!

The Game is just great, awesome, gorgeous, ingenious...a thousand words couldn't express it...you just gotta see and feel it... Somehow it went below my radar when it was released. Thx GOG for this treausre! The world needs more games like this where you can feel that it received love by the people who created it.

This is a great game, which is best described as an action-adventure/stealth game. It is an action-adventure in the Zelda vein. The unique aspects of this game include the multiple ways one can get past certain areas and the AI partners whom work well and are put to good use in this game. The game has great puzzles and story as well. In this game you will fight aliens, solve puzzles, sneak past aliens, take pictures of enemy intel, take pictures of endangered species, and explore a rich (though admittedly not vast) world. The only flaw in this game is that for the type of game this is, it is somewhat short.