Facebook – Top 100 FAVORITE Video Games: 30

30: Beyond Good and Evil (PS2/Gamecube/Xbox)
Developer: Ubisoft
Year: 2003

Few games can steal everything from the Zelda formula and then improve upon it, making it better than the game it stole from. Beyond Good and Evil is one such game. From Ubisoft, a company not known for making the best games in the world, BG&E is a perfect example of action-platforming greatness, from the characters to the art style, to the story that drives the two together. And, get this, its juts a hell of a lot of fun, too, with some unique gameplay elements that aren’t seen anywhere else. To call BG&E a “sleeper hit” would be more accurate than you can imagine.

The plot of the game takes place on the mining world of Hillys, a colony run down with fear of the alien invasion constantly being staged by the evil DomZ. By doing undercover work, Jade – the game’s really cool protagonist – discovers a conspiracy that is being overseen by her own government, one which links to deadly consequences. In the end, she must do battle with (not only a giant space whale, mind you, but also) the head of the DomZ empire, all the while discovering her own origins in the process. Now, while I glossed over the plot some, here, it should be noted that this game’s story is deep and overly interesting. Its fun to get to know the characters (in particular Double H, a washed up soldier with a history complex) and see their interactions with each other, as well as the plot.

Graphically speaking, the game looks and feels like a Pixar film, with great style to the character designs and quality voice work to back those models up. While this game takes place on a world with pig men and cat girls, the characters never feel out of place, kinda like how the Kingdom Hearts series makes it OK for anime characters and a talking, anthropomorphic duck to hang out with the human-looking Joh… Jack Sparrow in a Pirates level. All of the game’s architecture screams of European decent, making it all seem realistic within the confines of the game world. Later on, though, when you take your first steps into space (when you see that space whale? breathtaking) the game takes on a much cooler look, the moon fortress in particular. Everything does have a Zelda-style feel (including the awesome soundtrack) but in a more mature fashion.

The gameplay, like a Zelda game, is pretty much “bash surrounding enemies, collect money, explore dungeons, and stomp bosses”-like simplicity; golden and fun as hell. So, the game has a real familiar feel to it, sure, but it has its own style and differences. For one, the game has an innovative and cool photography feature, an element that earns you money, bonus items, and the like. Its more than a simple “FPS-view and click” feature, but more like actual photography. Lighting, angles, and details help get better photos which in the end yield better rewards. Whether this be for the animal picture sidequests or the conspiracy photographs you take to further the game’s narrative, pictures are essential. Speaking of differences and the conspiracy you try to reveal, the stealth sections of the game borrow more from Metal Gear Solid than a Zelda game, being insanely difficult if you are impatient and/or really bad at the game.

All in all, Beyond Good and Evil is one of those games that no one played, but those that did generally loved it. Its memorable characters, inspired narrative choices, and non-annoying vehicular sections make BG&E an entertaining – if not overly forgotten – little game. Its on the cheap, now, and coming in an HD-style rerelease on Live Arcade – and possibly the PS3, too… – with a sequel promised but yet to be shown in any great detail (outside of a basic teaser trailer). Pick up the game and show Ubisoft some love. The franchise may have died without a chance to start, but that doesn’t mean we have to forget about it.

Classic Moment:
Double H is a guy that was kidnapped and reprogrammed to work for the DomZ… well, partially, anyhow. You rescue him before his mind-wipe can be completed. From then on, however, the guy charges headfirst into every battle shouting quotes from “Carlson and Peters” – a manual used by the Hillyan army. Its hilarious, particularly because of the great voice acting, but also memorable because its perfectly fitting for the character. These quotes are typically off-place and non-fitting for situations, but when he nails one (I think they’re random and supposed to be mostly unfit for the situation) it makes you think he is maybe all right in the head again. But, then he goes and shouts again and its all over…

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Added March 30, 2017
No one commented. Alas.
I love this game to pieces and should immediately replay it. There is endless talk of a sequel but it is more or less vaporware at this point. Sadness.
I have the HD version sitting on my PS3, I think. I should give that a whirl in the near future.