GENRE
	Action-Adventure
	DEVELOPER
	Ubisoft
	PUBLISHER
	Ubisoft
	WI-FI ENHANCED
	no
	WII EXCLUSIVE
	gcn
	EXPECTED RELEASE DATE
	October 28, 2003
	BUY NOW AT

From acclaimed Lead Designer Michel Ancel, the creator of Rayman, and his team at Ubi Soft comes Beyond Good and Evil, one of the most stylish and original titles scheduled to be released this year. Fans of action-adventures ought to keep reading about this unique game.

media

impressions

The story of Beyond Good and Evil appears simple enough; a ruthless alien race has besieged the exotic planet of Hyllis, and a young reporter named Jade is thrown into the mix. For a more complete synopsis, look at the "From the Horse's Mouth" section below. The basic premise may seem simple, but as the story unfolds, a much larger conspiracy involving the government is revealed, and Jade must search through the lies and deceit in order to uncover the truth and save her planet. Considering the game’s title is the exact same as the noteworthy book by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, expect philosophical messages and undertones with an emphasis on propaganda and journalism ethics as Jade searches beyond the concepts of good and evil in order to uncover the truth.

Examining philosophical arguments is all well and good, but Nietzsche was never this much fun. Beyond Good and Evil is a unique combination of various gameplay elements. The core of the game is played as an action-adventure similar to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Star Fox Adventures; Jade runs around fending off enemies while solving puzzles in areas connected in a gigantic world. Outside of knocking some heads with her Dai-jo staff and solving puzzles, Jade has plenty of things to do: she can take pictures of the various fauna and sell them for goods, or hop on her hovercraft and blow up some baddies on the watery passages of Hyllis, upgrade said hovercraft, download mini-games, and much more. It remains to be seen if all these different forms of gameplay will be integrated seamlessly, but Beyond Good and Evil will nevertheless give players plenty of variety in a vast open-ended world.

Beyond Good and Evil will also give players a few good laughs with its insane personality. Character designs are outrageous and hilarious; how many times have you seen a disgruntled shark in a bar? Pey’j, one of Jade’s sidekicks that accompanies her on her adventure, is a greasy pig-man who enjoys using tools. Aside from Jade and a few others, the inhabitants of Hyllis are colorful and over-the-top, and the same can be said about the game’s visuals.

Beyond Good and Evil is visually stunning. The lighting and particle effects are ingeniously exaggerated and beautiful. The color schemes and use of visual tricks and effects ooze personality and style. The most interesting stylistic choice, which may actually annoy some players, is the letterbox presentation of the game. This means that the entire game is played like a widescreen version of a movie on TV, with black bars on the top and bottom to preserve the theatrical aspect ratio. Some may be put off by this, but I personally think the letterbox presentation adds a classy cinematic feel. The music adds to this cinematic aspect with a sweeping, epic musical score. The only problem I have seen so far with the graphics is an occasional dip in the framerate, but for the most part the game runs at a smooth 30 frames per second.

word on the street

Despite positive impressions from just about everyone that has played it, Beyond Good and Evil isn’t getting as much buzz as some of the bigger titles scheduled this fall, especially compared to Ubi Soft’s other big titles, XIII and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It looks like Beyond Good and Evil will slip into this fall’s packed lineup with little fanfare, which is unfortunate.

press release notes

The planet of Hyllis has fallen under siege by a ruthless alien race. Despite the assurances of the Alpha Section defense squad, the war drags on, terrorizing the once-beautiful planet and crushing the faith of the people. From the rubble of a tiny island rises Jade - a rebellious young action reporter left traumatized by a brutal attack. When Jade is hired by the rebel organization IRIS, she learns that the Alpha Sections are secretly trafficking humans to the enemy. Still wary of who to believe, she sets out to expose the gruesome conspiracy and bring proof to her people.

Armed with her camera, dai-jo staff, and unflinching resolve, Jade plunges into a sinister web to untangle the truth and restore justice to her planet. But as she earns the trust of her beleaguered people, Jade discovers that sometimes, in order to find the truth, you must look beyond good and evil.

• Expose a Sinister Conspiracy: Your mission is to uncover the truth in a world full of deception, where nothing is as it seems and unraveling the truth is the only hope of restoring freedom.
• Become a Rebellious Hero: As an action reporter, you are required to fight using stealth, force, and wits against the only reality you have ever known. You must stop at nothing until the perpetrators are exposed.
• Inventive, Awe-inspiring Worlds: Brace yourself for a journey through the reaches of a strange and ever-changing universe - a place beyond earthly imagination that spans the galaxy and mines your very soul.
• A Masterpiece From the Visionary Mind of Michel Ancel: With unparalleled visuals and imaginative design, Beyond Good & Evil is yet another inventive masterpiece from the creator of the critically acclaimed Rayman franchise.

overall

Beyond Good and Evil isn’t getting as much buzz as some of the bigger titles this year, but that won’t stop it from impressing gamers when it is released. With a huge quest packed with plenty of variety, stylish visuals, and the involvement of one of the most exciting designers and development teams in the industry, Beyond Good and Evil is a game to keep an eye on this fall.