Late To The Party: Beyond Good and Evil

Late To The Party: Beyond Good and Evil

Fashionably late…

Is there merit to be found in games from the past?  Thus spake James Batchelor.

ANOTHER E3 has come and gone, and there is still no sign of Beyond Good and Evil 2. Given the hullabaloo the all-too-vague teaser trailer caused in 2008, it’s difficult not to hear the collective gnashing of teeth from fans of the original game.

Obviously, I knew the 2003 original was well-received, but it was one of the many Gamecube games that passed me by. As the momentum behind a possible sequel grew, I borrowed a friend’s copy and saw for myself what the fuss is about.

Clearly, it’s all about quality. For several console generations, it has been apparent that the vast majority of third-party games don’t match up to the sheer quality of first-party titles. Beyond Good & Evil was – and still is – one of the exceptions to this rule.

Touted by some at the time as Ubisoft’s Zelda, I learned that it is more: it’s also Ubi’s Metal Gear Solid, Pokemon Snap and (by the end) Starfox as well. To cram elements of these highly-cherished and varied titles and to do so seamlessly is a feat that few developers have managed.

Good

First off, even today Beyond Good & Evil holds up as a beautiful game. The design of the characters, the tranquil green-centric palette, and the stylised architecture all makes for a unique game world that stands apart from anything else. The game has its own style and, whether you played it seven years ago or seven hours ago, you can tell that it is one that will always be timeless.

The gameplay is less spectacular, but it’s certainly above average. The combat is reminiscent of Starfox Adventures: sleek to watch, but not very complex in its controls. The stealth mechanic may not be as thorough as, say, Splinter Cell’s but it’s solid enough: not too frustrating for those who don’t usually play such titles, but satisfying enough for those who do.

Even the vehicle sections work well. The hovercraft is responsive and fun to drive, which makes exploration an enjoyable pastime. The whole thing is wrapped up in a package that is accessible and means each of the different gameplay modes blend into one.

Focusing on exploration, it is easy to see why so many people compare it to Zelda. There is that highly-coveted thrill every time you discover a new area, and particularly when you discover the treasure at the end of it – even if it is just a snap of a rare animal for the collection. Each cave you pass while travelling through the overworld is a tempting distraction – the mark of well-designed game world.

In fact, the game’s entire universe is well-designed. The concept of an anthropomorphic world is something familiar enough from Disney films, but the atmosphere of an oppressed nation, resistance fighters and seedy gambling dens makes it unique. You find yourself wanting to fight against the DomZ alien force and even the quite-obviously-shady Alpha Sections, and you begin to want to preserve this world and its wildlife.

This is due in no small part to the loveable cast. From the Texan pig Uncle Pey’j to the Rastafarian Rhinos who fix your hovercraft, there are characters who never fail to make you smile. And let’s face it – there aren’t enough Rastafarian Rhinos in games.

The characters also help to keep you hooked on the storyline. While it’s not going to win any writing awards, it strikes all the right emotional cords and keeps gamers motivated to press on to defeat the evil that threatens this world. Like all good narratives, it makes the players feel central to the conflict.

The only downside is that any ‘big twists’ can generally be seen coming but, akin to any enjoyable popcorn film, that doesn’t take away so much impact from them that you can’t appreciate the story the writers are trying to tell.

Evil

If anything, the storyline (and by extension the game) is too short. After the prologue adventure, Jade is given her first assignment for theresistance, explained in three stages. To new players, this comes across as the equivalent to the child quest in Ocarina of Time, so it’s hard not to feel disappointed when you find yourself at the endgame after the third area. Given that the first game leaves you wanting, it is understandable why people are so hungry for a sequel.

It is easy to go to retro games for the first time and enjoy them for what they are since there is such a significant gap between them and the games of today. Go back by just one generation and games have to stand up to tougher scrutiny – after all, why play something so close to the hits of today if it runs on inferior technology?

Fortunately, Beyond Good & Evil still stands up well compared with even some of the best games of this current generation. It’s still well worth a play, and Wii owners in particular have no excuse to miss out thanks to backwards compatibility.