Beyond Good & Evil™

I'll preface my review with some perspective: my partner recommended this game to me. It's the first time I've played it, and therefore I do not have the same nostalgic connection that some other players seem to have - which is not inherently a bad thing. BG&E had a lot of potential as a game. You can feel the hard work that was put into it right from the first cutscene. However, BG&E is one of those games with a strong start that fizzles out near the end. When we meet Jade, everything goes smooth. In a couple of minutes we learn that she's skilled, honest, brave, and empathetic. It's clear from the dialogue that she cares a lot about the children she's guarding - and all interactions with her partner show how much they care and trust one another. In short, we get to know Jade as a character early on, in ways that are natural to the player. We do not get to know anyone else, which is a bummer to be honest. One of the strongest aspects of BG&E is its atmosphere. The planet, Hillys, is inhabited by anthropomorphic animals who co-exist with humans. We are not told why and how they're there, they simply are. This makes the game different from many other sci-fi and fantasy titles that focus an awful lot on the surface-level of their world. Which is what brings me back to my previous point: not getting to know the characters. We don't get to know Jade's acquaintances in the Pedestrian District, and worse, we don't get to know the members of IRIS, or even our second companion who we spend 70% of the game with. When we reach the ending, one wonders: "how did we even get here?" From the meeting with IRIS and onward, the plot speeds up to such an extend that a lot of potential character growth is lost, especially by the ending, which felt very rushed and underwhelming. However, this game is still worth playing. For the world, characters, the AMAZING ost, and overall adventurous feel. I would have loved this game as a kid, and that's enough reason for me to play.

This is one of those games I saw my older brother play when I was younger and he would never let me have a go... these games bring a sense of nostalgia and wonder derived from the time when I was a kid. I am enjoying every minute of this game and this is one of the better older games that run very well on PC with native K&M controls, obviously there are mechanics that are a bit dated. As for controller support, I don't know if this works, my Xinput controller (wireless xbox one controller with windows dongle) for sure does not work with it, and my wired PDP controller which for some programs count as SDL instead of Xinput, does not work either (including the steam version), I have not tried any fixed or 3rd party softare yet due to tha fact that isn't a big deal since I prefer KB&M anyways, and this game is optimized for it. I download all my GOG games with the offline intallers - to ensure 100% DRM free installations or without launchers coming in between - and aside from the cutscenes running incredibly fast, the port seems to run just fine! !!! I fixed the cutscene speed... in other words, sound being out of sync while my cutscene ran as if it took hardcore substances... by running "SettingsApplication.exe" which is included in the game folder when installing the game through offline installers (so remember where you chose to install the game so you can find all its files). I ran the "settingsApplication.exe" and set my resolution to 1920x1080p (this in the res for my monitors) and set refresh rate to 60hz (My monitors are 144hz), Switching the refreshrate to 60hz fixed cutscene and audio speed and the game ran flawlessly. You could also force this application to run at 60fps through the Nvidia control panel (search google how to) if the method I used does not work. I do want to mention I got a plethora of Windows vc redist versions and Windows directplay (required for some older titles). I am unsure if they aided in running this game. Happy gaming!

Beyond Good & Evil's a fairly unique action/rpg (not adventure, so don't expect point and click puzzles and no combat!) with very memorable characters, unique travel (by boat), very cute world, good plot, etc. Unfortunately it's unfinished, and the ending is very rushed, and sequels (which it deserved and needed) were never made, which is why it's not a stellar game in my book, but is in a similar category with other unfinished gems like Anachronox, for me. Anyway, it's well worth playing, and the closest comparison would be some of the latter Zelda games, with better writing, similar types of puzzles, and more endearing/quirky characters. Memorable, but it deserved better than being rushed/unfinished/sequels cancelled, etc - but who knows, BG&E 2 might eventually make it out! :)

The one star is because this is not well ported. It does not properly support widescreen resolutions and although my PC can handle much more demanding games, this one looks flickery and is totally unplayable. I'm glad to see that it works for other people but be warned, if it doesn't work for you you're stuck with the purchase...

In brief Story - Servicable Characters - Fun enough World - Absorbing Gameplay - Great Wow factor - There Setting, Story and Characters The setting has to be one of the best parts about the game - it's a world which really pulls you in and creates a fascinating environment around you which you can really feel part of. It's based on another world, somewhere, called Hillys, which is been attacked by some alien race. There are a few little elements that really draw you into the game and the world it creates. One of the little side-quest money-making schemes is to photo animal life around the place - a fun little idea that really makes the player keep alert for new animals leaping in and out of the water or crawling up a cave wall. The introduction has to be one of the best intros I've seen in a long time - a great hook into the game. Was sitting next to my girlfriend when I started it, and within a minute she was looking over my shoulder asking me if she could also play (not something that happens often). The story itself is a fairly straight forward, uncover-the-truths-about-the-evil-government type case. It's certainly serviceable - just nothing really jaw dropping. The only fault I really have with it is the ending. I won't go into detail about that here, but it could have done with a bit more explanation, or at least some more foreshadowing. The characters are another fun point in the game. While it doesn't talk a hell of a lot about their backstory, all the characters in the world - from the two joinable companions to the guy playing an air-hockey like game at the pub - certainly have a depth to them that is sometimes missing in games. Both the two main NPCs are really enjoyable characters who you come to care for quite a bit by the end. The main PC herself is a photographer/reporter - it sort of makes her out at the beginning to be more of an investigative journalist than a mere photographer I guess. She's your typical orphan hero, who lives in an orphanage with her adopted uncle. Nothing too unusual here, but she does take on depth in some cut-scenes that really do serve to bring out at least a bit of her personality. Gameplay Game play is certainly an important part of the action adventure genre. I've seen this game often likened to psychonauts as far as the game play goes - although I don't know if that's completely accurate. Most game play is focused on stealth and problem solving (basic things, like hitting a fan so it spins around 90 degrees so it can act as a conductor to make the door work). There is the occasional fight scene here and there - especially with the main bosses. I've read a couple of people on the GOG forums complaining about the amount of fighting, but I can't say I really found it a problem. The main enemy, for example, it almost impossible to kill one-on-one. A good hit or two from them and you're dead. There are a few fun little mini-games that are required through-out the game. These range from hover-craft racing to a game that I can only describe as a strange take on air-hockey. I seem to remember there been a lot more, but they slip my mind at the moment, which I guess says a bit about them. The final boss certainly deserves a mention. How many games I've played over the years when the final boss has been an absolute push-over I dare not count. In Beyond Good and Evil, however, this is certainly not the case. The number of times I had to retry was certainly in the twenties, if not more. The small little cut-scene that appears towards the end of the fight got annoying by the end, but a click of the mute button solved all that. The final note on gameplay, following very nicely on from talking about retrying bosses, is that the game certainly (and successfully) sets out to be not-annoying. If you die, for instances, you start again at the beginning of the room, preventing the all too frustrating having to repeat a whole five hours worth of play due to one slip. The only annoyingness I encountered was through not knowing that items in your S.A.C. can be rotated in the view. The Wow Factor Every good game has to have some element to really stand out. A spark, I guess. This game certainly had it. I can really picture the world, see myself talking to the characters or leaping between lazer beams. In the end of it, I found myself thinking "I wish there was a sequel!", which I think says it all. If only it was a bit longer... It's certainly a game I would recommend people trying - and for the dirt cheap prices that GOG have, it is even more appealing. One of the best action-adventure games I've played.