Beyond: Two Souls

From video game developer David Cage, maker of Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy, comes one of the most amazing and most entrancing video game experiences I have ever had in my entire life. Without mentioning any spoilers, I'll just say that this game carried me emotionally the whole way through, and gripped me the whole time.

Unlike most video games, this game stars actual actors, Ellen Page & Willem Dafoe. Page plays a girl names Jodie Holmes, a girl linked to a supernatural entity. Dafoe plays a man named Nathan Hawkins, a scientist assigned to study her case. There's not much else I can say without giving away major plot details.

Since the game plays out on a very large scale, it makes sure the player is invested by jumping around to different points of time. If the game followed a linear storytelling method, the segments would drag on. But this system gives the player a lot of flexibility, since no level is similar to the previous one.

I don't usually look at performance by a mo-cap actor or voice overs, but this is a rare exception. Both Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe deliver exceptional performances, both should win some award at the GOTY shows this year. This is also on a large part due to the phenomenal tech team Quantic Dream was working with that allowed the actors to show every facial expression, and every detail of the world around them to further captivate the player.

The gameplay is fluid and rather exciting. Quantic has really stepped it up a notch with the gameplay, allowing for a control scheme that is easy to adapt to, and subtle. In the game, there are segments where you get to play as the entity Jodie is linked to, and these are very fun to play. The entity (which Jodie calls Aiden) can control various things in the world. In some levels, it adds a puzzle game feel to it, giving Jodie a situation where Aidens abilities are used in creative ways.

The soundtrack is beautifully composed, as with Quantics latest venture (Heavy Rain). It's also very emotional, bringing a very powerful reaction out of me.

As to be expected from a Quantic Dream game, the shining quality is the story. This is by far, the best storyline I have ever followed in a video game. You're captivated and involved in the story, and there are no levels I would classify as "filler". Every section serves the story, and the story takes twists in ways I couldn't expect.

Overall, Beyond: Two Souls is a rare game. One that came to me as a large surprise. And while the action oriented fans of the shooter genre will not be impressed by the strange thing called "plot", It's an amazing narrative, one I will easily play again & again.

Polarizing reviews from players for Beyond: Two Souls. I can understand why, as many serious gamers may be disappointed that it's more like a play-through novel than a game. For me and many others however, this is a captivating story that's both unsettling and refreshing. I'm a fan of Choose Your Own Adventure books, so this has enough variability to make it intriguing, yet keeps the story moving along a cohesive direction. A few revelations are predictable, however there are a lot of surprises. The ending has a riveting crescendo followed by very important options for endings. So much of this game is art: directing, action adventure, drama, sci-fi, thriller, music, and a whole lot of heart.

The protagonist can't die in 'Beyond: Two Souls (2013)', an interactive movie from the developers of 'Heavy Rain (2010)', but its side characters can. As a choice-driven experience, that's where it finds its suspense: the knowledge that your decisions directly impact the lives of others. This is one of the game's themes, the fact that you're important to people you may only - in the grand scheme of life - pass by, and it's reflected well within the story. The game follows a woman with a psychic link to some sort of spirit, spanning pretty much all her life via non-linear chapters. The thing's non-linearity, a sticking point among some fans, feels almost arbitrary, as it doesn't really lead to any dramatic irony or foreshadowing, but it isn't disengaging, either. Its elusive, lucid-dream vibe actually helps to communicate the plot, which is supposed to seem like a series of pivotal memories belonging to the lead. Surprisingly, it doesn't hamper the impact of player choices, either, which - while undeniably rather subtle - still shape the outcome of the narrative in important ways. It is a shame that the ending is determined almost exclusively by a two-tier choice presented near the piece's climax, as opposed to a natural extension of the way you've been playing thus far. This doesn't hamper the experience, though; it's compelling, entertaining and unique. Its all-star performances are top-notch, captured naturally with a mo-cap system that mimics on-stage acting. One the thing's best aspects is the ability to play as the spirit connected to the main character. These segments play out almost like puzzles and evoke a point-and-click feel. They also allow the player to directly control the relationship between the spirit and the protagonist. The controls for the latter have been changed slightly from 'Heavy Rain (2010)'. There is no more awkward 'push to walk' mechanic and the movements required of the right thumb-stick are decidedly less precise. The piece is still clunky at times, though. In the end, this is an enjoyable and, even, somewhat affecting sci-fi game. Best of all: it stars Willem Dafoe. 9/10

I have to say i did not expect much of it, but I was blown away. The acting was one of a kind, Ellen Page did a fantastic job, and so did the rest of the cast and crew.

I was not a huge fan of Ellen Page, because I didn't pay enough attention to her movies, but she has won me over, I can now say that I am a HUGE fan.

When it ended, I was speechless, and i was compelled with such emotion, I can't even describe it, I had tears in my eyes and I could not believe it ended. I fell in love with the story and character, it really makes you care for "Jodie" and I would recommend it to everyone, gamer or not, it is a Masterpiece.

10 / 10

Great storyline with a great control. Real actors makes the game better. Game feels like a movie and the dialogues are awesome. With the great graphics, it was an amazing experience that you would like to play again