Man, Beyond Good & Evil really is fantastic!

[TheMissingLink]

I've blazed through this game for the past week or so and it is just a sheer JOY to play.  

"Beyond Good & Evil" mixes a few genres so well that none of the gameplay mechanics seem gimmicky or weak.  You can free-roam the world, take pictures of exotic animals, take part in chasing thiefs, enter racing contests and stumble upon warehouses of pearls in the city itself.  The combat may be somewhat simple, but it's enjoyable and never gets stale.  And the sneaking aspect is done quite well, too!  Sneaking in games frustrates the living hell out of me, but in BG&E if you get caught, you'll start at the same place again (which is *really* nice) and you can either totally sneak, or pick out the guards using their weakpoint in their armor for a different pace.

The world that Ubi Soft created for "Beyond Good & Evil" deserves special mention.  What an absolutely unique and beautiful world.  The characters are memorable, the day/night cycles are gorgeous and everything is just done so freakin' well.  Even the music!   The music is fantastic!

While Kratos kicks mucho ass and Solid Snake is quite the badass, Jade and her Uncle Pey'j are two of the most interesting characters I've come across this gen.  And the story gets quite emotional!  It's a great tale, thus far.

I tend to ramble a lot, so I'm sorry about that, but I'm just excited about this wonderful, wonderful game.  And the best part is?  You can pick it up for like, 10 bucks anywhere for any platform!  What a deal!  The adventure is quite short (I guess they ballpark it around 10 hours), but oh so great while playing.

I know it hasn't sold very well, but da-aym, I'd be doing a dis-service if I didn't try to move a couple of units after experiencing the greatness that is "Beyond Good & Evil."  For those who have played it, what did you think?  And for those who didn't play it, if you enjoy action-adventure games, what are you waiting for!?

The game has an upper 80-percent on Gamerankings, but CG seemed to like it more giving both the Gamecube and PS2 versions a 90%

Linky linky

[Gratch]

BG&E is one of my favorites as well.  Whoever was in charge of marketing for it should be dragged out back and shot.

Too bad we'll never see a sequel.  

[unbreakable]

I would kill for a sequel.  That game is just SO good.

BTW, I purchased the strat guide and made a scan of the creature photography page.  I can email it to you, should you want it.

BTW2- I just picked up Scrapland in a trade.  I'm surprised I didnt hear much about this one as well.  It seems to have a BGE/GTA kind of vibe to it.

[Calvin]

BGE is a phenomenal game. I love it. I liked it enough to trade for it again a few weeks ago and plan on replaying it soon. I really think it was an incredible demonstration of art and gaming together, and I too am saddened that we will likely never see a sequel.

[unbreakable]

LOL, I even have all the music on MP3.  And I never listen to game music.

[TheMissingLink]

Scrapland's always interested me and if it's got that vibe, I'm totally going to look into that one...in fact, I remember seeing that for 15 bucks down at the local GameStop...

Scan of the creature photography page?  Music on MP3?  Consider yourself PM'ed, unbreakable.

[JCC]

It really is a shame that it didn't do better. But it was released at the wrong time of year for such an unpromoted game (X-mas).

I will say that I enjoyed the early more action/adventure stuff more than the stealth stuff, but I still enjoyed myself throughout. Clearly they intended on a sequel (based on the ending). It's a shame it will likely never be made.

[whiteboyskim]

I loved it all the way to the end and quit when faced with a cheating bitch of an uber-boss that I can't fight worth a crap. Never went back to it.

[warning]

Phenomenal game!  It's by the creator of Rayman and Rayman 2 (also one of my favorites).  If you haven't played Rayman 2 you really should.

[Bullwinkle]

Loved BG&E.  Not so fond of Scrapland, for whomever brought that up.  As long as we're bringing up excellent games that didn't get the retail attention they deserved, if you haven't already, you may want to pick up Psychonauts for when you finish BG&E (which is relatively short, if I remember).

[rrmorton]

I really dug Beyond Good and Evil. Played it all the way to the end and had a total blast.

[ATB]

Yep, great game. I loved it, but not enough to keep it in my collection.

Hmmm. what was the song they sing in the bar in the background? Very catchy but I can't remember what it was.

I loved it all the way to the end and quit when faced with a cheating bitch of an uber-boss that I can't fight worth a crap.

I never got all the complaining about the end boss- he's not even among the tougher of end bosses I've ever played against...  Beating him is simple:

Spoiler for Hiden:

His ray simply reverses the controller. Push the opposite direction you want to go until it wears off. DUH!

[Calvin]

Yep, great game. I loved it, but not enough to keep it in my collection.

Hmmm. what was the song they sing in the bar in the background? Very catchy but I can't remember what it was.

I loved it all the way to the end and quit when faced with a cheating bitch of an uber-boss that I can't fight worth a crap.

I never got all the complaining about the end boss- he's not even among the tougher of end bosses I've ever played against...  Beating him is simple:

Spoiler for Hiden:

His ray simply reverses the controller. Push the opposite direction you want to go until it wears off. DUH!

Yeah but its super, super, super annoying and can be hard after playing the entire game the other way, and its a shockingly silly, shortsighted, unimaginative, and just..stupid design decision in a game characterized by genius design.

[TheMissingLink]

"Propaganda"

with a cool beat

[whiteboyskim]

Yep, great game. I loved it, but not enough to keep it in my collection.

Hmmm. what was the song they sing in the bar in the background? Very catchy but I can't remember what it was.

I loved it all the way to the end and quit when faced with a cheating bitch of an uber-boss that I can't fight worth a crap.

I never got all the complaining about the end boss- he's not even among the tougher of end bosses I've ever played against...  Beating him is simple:

Spoiler for Hiden:

His ray simply reverses the controller. Push the opposite direction you want to go until it wears off. DUH!

Yeah but its super, super, super annoying and can be hard after playing the entire game the other way, and its a shockingly silly, shortsighted, unimaginative, and just..stupid design decision in a game characterized by genius design.

Not to mention I do that and it works just fine, but it's much easier were I using a mouse/keyboard than the PS2 controller. Plus, there is the time whenever he's hovering over you and I can't hit him without him hitting me. It's crap like that which ruins a perfectly great game for me.

[EddieA]

Although much different in tone, the game Primal reminded me quite a bit of BG&E.  Both star a female protagonist with a non-human sidekick, although Primal is much more serious.  They also both have action/fighting mixed with exploration and puzzles, and neither are afraid to let their characters show some emotions.  It's another great game that got overshadowed by other games and can be found dirt cheap now.

Also, the designer of BG&E, Michel Ancel, is doing the new King Kong game, which, if nothing else, will at least get more exposure.

[WinoMcCougarstein]

I've blazed through this game for the past week or so and it is just a sheer JOY to play.  

"Beyond Good & Evil" mixes a few genres so well that none of the gameplay mechanics seem gimmicky or weak.  You can free-roam the world, take pictures of exotic animals, take part in chasing thiefs, enter racing contests and stumble upon warehouses of pearls in the city itself.  The combat may be somewhat simple, but it's enjoyable and never gets stale.  And the sneaking aspect is done quite well, too!  Sneaking in games frustrates the living hell out of me, but in BG&E if you get caught, you'll start at the same place again (which is *really* nice) and you can either totally sneak, or pick out the guards using their weakpoint in their armor for a different pace.

The world that Ubi Soft created for "Beyond Good & Evil" deserves special mention.  What an absolutely unique and beautiful world.  The characters are memorable, the day/night cycles are gorgeous and everything is just done so freakin' well.  Even the music!   The music is fantastic!

While Kratos kicks mucho ass and Solid Snake is quite the badass, Jade and her Uncle Pey'j are two of the most interesting characters I've come across this gen.  And the story gets quite emotional!  It's a great tale, thus far.

I tend to ramble a lot, so I'm sorry about that, but I'm just excited about this wonderful, wonderful game.  And the best part is?  You can pick it up for like, 10 bucks anywhere for any platform!  What a deal!  The adventure is quite short (I guess they ballpark it around 10 hours), but oh so great while playing.

I know it hasn't sold very well, but da-aym, I'd be doing a dis-service if I didn't try to move a couple of units after experiencing the greatness that is "Beyond Good & Evil."  For those who have played it, what did you think?  And for those who didn't play it, if you enjoy action-adventure games, what are you waiting for!?

The game has an upper 80-percent on Gamerankings, but CG seemed to like it more giving both the Gamecube and PS2 versions a 90%

Linky linky

You have inspired me to finally beat it, I am probably an hour and a half away from that.  I could have sworn you said you hated the game when you played it before... I told you it was fun!  I love the graphics music and gameplay, the story is pretty damn cool as well!

[TheMissingLink]

Yeah, it didn't click with me that first time...

WTF was wrong with me back then!?

[WinoMcCougarstein]

Yeah, it didn't click with me that first time...

WTF was wrong with me back then!?

Not sure, but it is definitely an underrated game that will probably never get the sequel it deserves... much like Psi-Ops!

[semiconscious]

bg&e was great fun - unique, pretty, funny, full of good gameplay & music, &, most of all, genuine (psychonauts-style) personality. it'd be nice (tho far-fetched, i guess) if success with king kong resulted in ubisoft green-lighting a sequel...

i agree with eddiea's comparison to primal, which i also enjoyed, tho i feel overall bg&e was the more polished of the 2 (that last ugly/rushed world in primal kinda damaged the whole experience for me - almost wish they'd just left it out)...

[farley2k]

BG&E is a great game!  I wish there were more like it.  Of course it often seems that different games don't do well.  

I guess there is good reason we see so many sequels

[Knightshade Dragon]

Most underrated game ever.

[ATB]

"Propaganda"

with a cool beat

That's it!  

I would walk around the house singing that song.

Such a gem it was!

[Autistic Angel]

A lot is made of the end of Beyond Good & Evil, but I also *loved* the way the game began.  I can't remember another modern game that drops the player into immediate life-and-death combat without so much as a tutorial screen(!).  I don't know if Jade was supposed to have any melee combat experience before that moment, but the game sure did a good job of making it feel like she was just winging it because that's exactly what I was doing....

-Autistic Angel

[unbreakable]

The whole premise of the game was great.

Has anybody made a mod for BGE, like adding in content?  Seems like it would be some pretty fertile soil.

[lex]

wasn't there something about plans to have 2 sequels?  the ending looked like it was setting up for it.

the game was amazing all the way through, I loved the rooftop chase scenes, pure fun...

I tried to pick this up for another playthrough, but just couldn't get into it again, dunno why...

[Dimmona]

I tried the demo way back when it first came out and couldn't get into it - was it a poor representation of the final game?  The same people that pimp Ico (which I fell in love with last month) usually pimp this game as well, so I might have to take a look - especially since most stores carry it for < $10.

Oh, and PC or console version?  And if console, which one?

[unbreakable]

I always go for the PC version, given a choice.  If there is ever a mod for this game, it will, of course, be PC only.

PS- dont install the patch unless you are having problems.  It sometimes causes a bug late in the game, and requires reinstalling to correct.  [edit] hmm, this guy seems to have something which may correct the bug.  I havent used it.

[Destructor]

Most underrated game ever.

I finally decided to start going though my gaming backlog and encountered this little gem. I agree with KD here entirely - this is a fantastic game that absolutely nobody played.

Too bad it'll never see the sequel it so rightfully (and was set up story-wise) deserves.

[Calvin]

Most underrated game ever.

I finally decided to start going though my gaming backlog and encountered this little gem. I agree with KD here entirely - this is a fantastic game that absolutely nobody played.

Too bad it'll never see the sequel it so rightfully (and was set up story-wise) deserves.

Yeah, I really really don't understand what we have to do as hardcore gamers to get the every day crowd to understand and appreciate great smaller games, not just the next GTA knockoff that comes down the street.

[adamsappel]

This is one of the best games of the generation. However, I only bought it because it was deeply discounted once Ubisoft abandoned it. Ultimately, it would have been worth $40-50, but I would never have taken the chance at that price. I think games like this should be the equivalent of the art-house movie that the big studio makes and is underwritten by the summer blockbuster. Yes, all movie ticket prices are the same, but releasing this game at $30 with some competent advertising and you'd have a hit, not a cult favorite.

And even amongst the cognescenti, people let in languish in their backlog.  :cry:

[unbreakable]

BGE is a classic failure of marketting.  

Bad name, bad advertising, and not enough hype generated before release.

Why didnt come up with something like "Jade is gonna make you her BITCH!!!111"

[TheMissingLink]

So I beat this one a few days ago...well, maybe even a week ago now.  Man, fantastic game.  GIVE ME A SEQUEL!!!!!

The last boss ticked me off at FIRST, but it ended up being quite easy.  

Spoiler for Hiden:

Just push in the OPPOSITE direction; I just kept saying the opposite way out loud, "left" if it were right, "right" if it were left and after a couple of deaths, I beat it.

But damn, Jade is such a great character, it's sad to see her in only one game that practically nobody bought  Well, that more people should have bought, anyway.  

I give Beyond Good & Evil a 4.5.................out of 5 (been watching TONS of G4 lately)

[EddieA]

"(been watching TONS of G4 lately)"
You mean there was something actually related to videogames on G4?  I must have missed that half-hour

[Destructor]

You know, it's funny - the final boss didn't tick me off in the slightest. Once I learned that the boss was attacking in a repeatable pattern, I just learned the pattern and had myself ready for the 'pop into camera mode to toss that thingy at it' part.

I also had like 15 of the 'uber heal' items handy when I got to the end boss, so I never died. Just popped plenty of them while fighting the boss to learn the patterns.

How I'd love to see a sequel for this game... I really loved how the game world 'changed' as you finished your missions. The developers also made sure you cared about the game characters.

So many little great things about this title you don't see all that often in games.

[Calvin]

You know, it's funny - the final boss didn't tick me off in the slightest. Once I learned that the boss was attacking in a repeatable pattern, I just learned the pattern and had myself ready for the 'pop into camera mode to toss that thingy at it' part.

I also had like 15 of the 'uber heal' items handy when I got to the end boss, so I never died. Just popped plenty of them while fighting the boss to learn the patterns.

How I'd love to see a sequel for this game... I really loved how the game world 'changed' as you finished your missions. The developers also made sure you cared about the game characters.

So many little great things about this title you don't see all that often in games.

Although he did annoy me greatly, mainly because

Spoiler for Hiden:

I am absolutely awful with inverted controls

, I too had plenty of health thingies when I got there and it made it much easier. I was somewhat unsatisfied with the ending however-it left a lot of questions unanswered and just begged for a sequel. A sequel we can now only cry for

[lex]

yeah, the final boss wasn't that bad at all, I thought at first my controller was busted, but then, oh hey....it's supposed to be that way.  I think I had to retry it once, after I figured out the pattern.

too bad it wasn't very successful sales wise. Definitely due to bad title and packaging.  I was trying to talk some friends into trying it out, but when they heard the name, they were like yeah sure...:roll:

man, all this talk is making me want to pick this up and play through this again.