Beyond: Two Souls

I finished the game today and while I really liked the game, I can't help but feel like this is the most ridiculously stupid, irrational, disjointed and inconsistent of David Cage's game as far as writing is concerned. Stuff just happens because supernatural elements, so fuck you! Yet the acting and atmosphere were the absolute best. The first half of the game is an absolute beast though because of the game's absolute focus on Jodie and some of the chapters from the later half are good because they play differently. Still I think Heavy rain had the most consistent story out of all his games with only minor plot holes (still quite poor writing and a lot of red herrings) because of him keeping away information from the players up until the very end.

Also Cage should stay away from paranormal stories, dude simply doesn't know when to stop once he starts with the crazies.

 

Hey all I wanted to give my cents about Beyond Two SoulsI had some reservations about this game from the reviews I read around the web ranging from technical mess to greatly improved over Heavy Rain.

After completing the game which took about 9-10 Hours (rented from Redbox for $6.24 total) I have to say the game is a masterpiece. Im an avid FPS, COD, GTA, Core Gamer and I found the great to be a GREAT diversion from those. People complain that the game isn't very interactive but I disagree. I found the story fantastic, scary, and humorous. I actually cared for Jodi and wanted to know more about her life.

Controls were fine- some issues here and there but nothing game breaking, graphically this has some of the best visuals Ive ever seen in a game in points it looks next-gen easily and almost TV quality.

I loved deciding how the story progressed and evolved with my choices. I would tel anyone with a PS3 to make sure you spend 10 hours and play this game I don't recommend buying it for $60.00 but a rental since there is no replay value per say.

However that said it's one of the best games I have played all year and I can't wait for their next title on PS4!

 

Some enterprising hackers have released update for the CFW version of the game, small patch removes black bars and reinstates 16:9 rendering.

 

Why do you guys keep saying "No replay value" when the game is all about replaying and watching the different consequences ? Even replaying the demo got me two different scenes I had not seen in my first play session. Same for Heavy Rain, the replay value was very high there cos you got different scenes, different responses and different character revelations depending on choices u made during dialogues and QTEs you failed and choices made during fight and otherwise.

Is this game not so replayable? not as much as HR?

 

does the black bars disturbing the view? theres a blackbar deletion patch floating on the internet

EDIT:
Ah beaten to pulp by diehard

 

I finished it on Sunday. Kept me engaged from beginning to end. Some scenes certainly were in dire need of subtlety - the whole Jodie-behind-enemy-lines section they teased the game with at various trade shows was one shamelessly manipulative tear jerker if I ever saw one - and in typical Cage fashion, every possible chance for cheese and cliche was fully embraced. "Everyone faces death alone" a scared scientist mutters. "Consider this my resignation" says a government agent after punching his superior in the face. Still, the whole thing definitely worked more often than not, and I must admit I did tear up a couple of times. Overall I'd say that despite some caveats, writing was by and large a significant improvement over Heavy Rain's lazy-ass excuse for a plot. Sure, Beyond's plot was frequently dopey and I also don't understand why the experience was delivered in non-chronological fashion, but at least it wasn't full of planet-sized holes. I also can't say enough nice things about the technical brilliance of the game's execution. The mocap process quickly faded into the back of my head and I was left looking at actual people thanks to how nuanced the facial expressions were. That was another big reason why I enjoyed Beyond a lot more than Heavy Rain: QD was generally succesful in overcoming the problem of having to work with a creepy assortment of thespians courtesy of Madama Tussaud's. The rest of the presentation was no slouch either, with wonderful lighting, impressive effects work (some great lookin fire in that game) and some terrific looking sets. Heck, even the ancillary characters were mostly up to the quality standards of the leads. I wonder what kind of a budget QD had at its disposal. And god damn did skin look good in that game.
Overall there was probably even less actual player agency than in Heavy Rain, but the game's considerable advancements in other areas made this a lot easier to overlook.

 

Wouldn't even use it if I could. There's a reason for the chosen aspect ratio.

 

Not many movies these days could wet my eyes much less games, but just like Heavy Rain, this game has once again broke the seal and man tears were offered to the Quantic Dreams production. I truly admire Cage's ability to convey emotion and touching choreography. Man the graphics helped too, the character models are by far the best I've seen on PS3, I think I saw a subtle use of SSS on Jody's face in some places. And the lighting and effects really blew me away too, god I can't wait for their PS4 title.
I'm very near the end, so gonna wrap this up asap and restart for other endings. This has been a very enthralling and infectious experience so far, what a splendid way to end the generation.

 

^Pretty much all the faces sported that nice translucency effect actually. Depending on where the lighting hit the surface, you got that reddish tint simulating the reflective properties of the blood cells underneath. Really impressive stuff. Basically the cut-scenes of The Last of Us, only in real-time.

 

Yep, the wonder of end console life cycle. I really wish DF can do a full tech analysis on Beyond.

 

the game really that impressive? wow. I guess i will need to borrow my friend's PS3 again. Agh why im now live out of town, so far away from him :/

 

It really is. It also really hammers home just how pint-sized the jump from this generation to the next is probably going to be. (at least in terms of graphics)

 

It really depends who you ask.
Echoes I got were quite the opposite, abysmal game mainly built on QTE (although not too bad of a kind) and a story made of clichés...
On the other hand, as you can read here, there are people who really liked it...

 

I think it really depends on your ability to let go of the traditional notion of what gameplay is supposed to be I think. Not an easy feat considering that's a notion most gamers have pretty much been indoctrinated with over decades. Unpopular opinion I know, but to me The Last of Us was basically a bunch of stodgy stealth segments where reaching the next checkpoint was the only thing ever at stake. Said gameplay segments were sandwiched in-between the fantastic cut-scenes which actually moved the story along. On the other hand, realising that I could play tea party in Jodie's doll house (a party with a nice twist) was infinitely more satisfying and a nice payoff in and of itself. It wasn't challeging, but it was still gameplay.

 

That is correct.

 

Well I've just finished! What a rush . That has to be the most unique 'gaming' experience I've had this generation. I can see why, with a whole generation gaming based around mindlessly shooting things, a game like this would cause hamster wheel bound reviewers issues.

The tech behind it is quite something to behold. The issues it does have and the obvious plot mechanics look like nothing more than the limitations of the platform it is on. Given the extra muscle and memory of the next generation I think that QD will truly throw a magnum opus next.

I thought that Beyond was absolutely fantastic and such a change from the bland tick tock of the COD generation.

 

anyone has played any Visual Novel or Asura's Wrath?
basically this games are like that right? (i have not played heavy rain)

i have watched the lets play video for 15minutes but i still doesnt really get the gameplay. Where is the "real" choice? What i saw just "fake" choices and some jarring camera changes (sometime the camerawork looks good, sometime it looks awkward, i dont know why)

i want to watch more lets play but... i think it will be better if i just ask my friend to borrow his PS3