Subculture Times Video Review: Beyond Two Souls

For those whose eyes hurt from reading reviews, prepare as your eyes shall now hurt from watching reviews, too! Subculture Times also makes video reviews. Check out our review for Beyond Two Souls

Beyond Two Souls

What defines a video game? The control? The completion of a story because of a player? The levels of enjoyment a person experiences? The concept of a video game, like art, seems to become more abstract every day. Technology now allows games to parallel movies and incorporate cinematic elements into telling a story. But to compare video games to art, in some, perhaps elitist, perspectives, would mean lowering the standards of one or raising the bar for the other. It's a difficult debate to argue and defend. Thus, for this review and potentially those following it, Subculture Times may cease to give a score (we're still experimenting on style, so feel free to accompany us on this journey) . Rather than turning video games further into a commodity by quantifying their value with an arbitrary score, this review will only examine the game in regards to its mechanics, gameplay, narrative and everything else that makes or breaks the experience. In the end, it's up to you, the individual, to decide the final score.

With Heavy Rain and the Telltale's well-received Walking Dead episodic adventure, the surge and popularity of narrative-focused video games are undeniable. From the folks who brought you Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls is the latest release from Quantum Dream.

The story surrounds Jodie Holmes, a woman whose entire life is bound to the lingering entity she calls "Aiden." Aiden's presence has not only guaranteed Jodie's constant surveillance, but Jodie's "powers" mark her as a pariah amongst the world. None, least of all Jodie herself, understand Aiden or his origins and it consequently erupts prejudices of danger and caution from all those around Jodie.

Beyond Two Souls is first and foremost a modern bildungsroman about Jodie. The game takes place throughout moments in her life, offering glimpses into her troubled childhood, her military training and even her time spent homeless. Jodie and Aiden's journey spans across America and even overseas. The narrative also unravels in non-sequence. One minute, players will control Jodie, say, at a grand soiree of military officials only to then find her, within the next half hour, as a teenager arriving at a birthday party.

This form is initially convoluted in regards to telling a cohesive tale, but the plot itself  is an enigma meant to be uncovered by the player throughout the course of the game. It helps that the story gracefully transitions from one segment to the next. In creating this non-sequential narrative, Quantum Dream accomplishes several impressive feats: Beyond Two Souls rightfully balances action and suspense versus slower and more thoughtful moments. The flow from suspense to stealth to dialogue or vice versa  are captivating respites puzzle-pieced together within a grand narrative. And Beyond Two Souls incorporates this pace beautifully and artistically into its story.

The broken timeline also perfectly reflects the plot as a coming-of-age story. Beyond Two Souls achieves this by highlighting impactful phases in Jodie's life. The always-looming consequences of the journey offer deep and meaningful reexaminations for her character. What serves as her truth one moment is completely shattered in the next. Quantum Dream breathes life into Jodie, her character and the journey, making Beyond Two Souls' already excellent narrative and characters that much more significant.

Of course, the power of a strong video game narrative depends on the strength of its actors as much as its gameplay. 2013 already boasts several top-quality, triple-A titles, all of them sporting excellent voice work and motion capture. Beyond Two Souls, however, easily sets a new standard. In tandem, the motion capture and voice work fall nothing short of cinematic bliss.                

Ellen Page is the fulcrum to Beyond Two Souls. Now while Quantum Dream director David Cage said he wrote the main protagonist with her in mind, Ellen Page's performance is the essence of Jodie Holmes' character. The moments of happiness, life, death, despair and confusion are portrayed to such a perfect pitch, Ellen Page often over shadows her fellow actors and actresses. This is not a sleight to her fellow cast members however. In fact, Willem Dafoe honors the game with a stellar performance as Nathan Dawkins. And even some of the more minor actors, such as Kadeem Hardison and David Coburn, demonstrate their excellent acting prowess through their characters.

Beyond Two Souls blur the very lines between video games and movies; it's sometimes easy to forget you're playing a game because transitions between cutscenes and gameplay are cohesive and seamless. Adding to the cinematic aesthetic of Beyond Two Souls, the visuals, the environments and the characters all look amazing. Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, through the extensive motion capture, are technologically  mirrored within the game. The digital avatars bear such a similar resemblance to the real life actors.

Even with motion capture and green screens, Beyond Two Souls meshes a graphically polished world with the grime of a mature narrative. The end consequence is a noir-like painted America. Landscapes are stunning, yet whether the suburbs, Arizona desert or snow-white cities, Quantum Dream manages to craft these locales to reflect Beyond Two Souls darker themes.

Those unfamiliar with Quantum Dream's track record may be surprised to find Beyond Two Souls a game "lacking gameplay." It's true the majority of gameplay consists of navigating Jodie, quick time events, traversing around a room as Aiden to tip something over, and using the face buttons to decide what kind of response Jodie should  give another character. But Beyond Two Souls is first and foremost driven by its the narrative; the gameplay is secondary, supplementing the experience of Jodie's adventure. Quantum Dream reinforces this concept through two difficulty settings at the main menu, one of those settings being geared to an audience who does not play games often or at all.     

This aside, Beyond Two Souls follows the suit of Quantum Dream's previous title, Heavy Rain. Players, as Jodie, navigate the game space, interacting with people and sometimes items to forward the narrative. At almost any time, players can control Aiden. Aiden can phase shift through walls, manipulate objects, and sometimes possess the weak-minded. Players will control Jodie for the majority of the game, but will often switch between Aiden and her to solve small puzzles. The other mechanics of gameplay revolve around quick time events. Some actions require players to press the right series of buttons to complete a segment, while the right stick, and sometimes the sixaxis,  is used in combat sequences. The combat system may seem simple, but it's handled really well and looks extremely stylish.

Beyond Two Souls does a better job than Heavy Rain in managing frivolous gameplay. While there are a few moments where Jodie is able to roam around, trifling through everyday items, it doesn't become a chore to progress the game. Instead, interacting with the environment often proves to unveil more about the world and characters.

Beyond Two Souls will immerse and envelop players into the experience. Sure, there are those that will say gameplay is limited. However, the mechanics of controlling Aiden and the quick time events are meant to supplement the narrative. Beyond Two Souls is an impactful journey brought on by the crisp, fantastic visuals, the deep, compelling narrative, high-quality voice work and acting, and the balanced pace throughout the game.

Stay tuned for Subculture! 

Grand Theft Auto V Review

Welcome back to Los Santos. Home of the rich, the poor, the famous, the wicked and everyone else in-between.

Treading on the busy sands of Vespucci beach, the celebrity-focused lanes of Vinewood, the Sandy Shores desert, and the socially dilapidated neighborhoods of Los Santos, Rockstar is back with its newest installment to the infamous franchise, Grand Theft Auto.

Enter Grand Theft Auto V. 

This newest GTA drops players into the vast, pseudo-Californian world of San Andreas. Though a digital replica in its landscape, GTAV's satire bleeds the essence of what composes modern American culture. San Andreas is a towering monolith of celebrity obsession, capitalistic narcissism,  internet culture, and government corruption to name just a few of the lingering themes. It borders the pastiche, but as every Grand Theft Auto game before, it is bathed in extreme parody. 

This humor alongside Rockstar's expertise  deliver the entity of San Andreas. Rockstar crafts a living and beautiful world players can easily immerse themselves into. Desert highways are vast, craggy mountain regions are filled with hikers, wildlife and anyone looking to get lost and Los Santos is a breathing reflection of contemporary L.A. Rockstar, after only five years since the last installment, really shows what their efforts are capable of. GTAV looks stunning. The graphics aren't the best around, but Rockstar completely nails the aesthetic of San Andreas. The Los Santos tenements look lived in, the beaches are crisp galleries of sand and ocean, and the underwater flora and fauna are some of the best around. 

However, Even with the mandatory install for console versions, textures and objects sometimes can't keep up with the player. But considering the scope of the game world and the technical limitations of current consoles, it's easily forgivable. Again, San Andreas is massive and it's amazing there are no load screens throughout the adventure.

The soundtrack, like San Andreas itself, is varied and vibrant, catering to over a dozen stations ranging from rap, reggae, pop, alternative, jazz and even punk music. On top that, the denizens of San Andreas believably go about their daily lives. Cruising through the city, you will see npcs practicing yoga, going to local coffee shops, talking on their cell phones and so much more.

The voice work of these npcs, and from everyone else for that matter, will further draw players into the world. It is synonymous with the excellent writing Rockstar is known for. If San Andreas initially drew people to the world, the atmosphere will tether those players to this game for a very long time. From Los Santos to  Blaine County, San Andreas is as a well developed a character as the main protagonists.  

For the first time in the series, the narrative spans across three central characters: Franklin, an ambitious ne'er-do-well vying to leave the pyramid scheme of the gangster life, Michael, a rich retiree already bored of retirement and the incessant nagging of his family, and Trevor...

Well Trevor is a grenade in a hand basket ready to explode in all directions at any moment. Similar to Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, each character has personal stats that upgrade over the course of the game. For example, running, swimming or biking can increase stamina, while fighting or playing tennis will increase strength. Ultimately, the difference between Mike, Trevor and Frank revolve around their base skills: Michael is better at handling firearms, Franklin is a pro when it revolves around cars, and Trevor has a strong affinity for helicopters and planes.

Their uniqueness does not end there as all three characters have a special ability. Another new addition to hte franchise. As gunfights or car chases grow in chaos, both Michael and Franklin can slow things down to give players the edge. Mike, much like Max Payne, can use bullet-time to paint and mow-down all the enemies in front of him. And when inside of a car, franklin can weave through streets and traffic with the utmost ease. Last but not least, there is Trevor's  rage ability. 

If Trevor seems to be a special case of manic and sociopathic tendencies, it's simply because he embodies those ideals. And, ya know what? So does his special ability. Trevor's rage makes the unpredictable psychopath almost invulnerable. Bullets, rockets, grenades, and car crashes are nothing but flesh wounds for the raging Trevor. 

Having three central characters with different stats and different abilities changes Grand Theft Auto  into something more than its predecessors. The copy and paste formula of open world mayhem is reassessed through Franklin, Trevor and Michael's diversity. Their abilities are a welcome change that spell fun for an already excellent franchise. Not to mention, having three central protagonists, playable at almost any time, allows a deep and constantly changing narrative. Sharing an affinity for danger and profit, the trio of malcontent's criminal proclivities eventually draw them to one another. 

In Rockstar fashion, Grand Theft Auto V tells a lengthy story. Spanning over 50 hours, GTAV is an action-packed, yet well-paced narrative surrounding ambition, greed, loyalty and violence set loose upon San Andreas. Each mission is not only fun and varied, but essential as they expand and develop the personalities of the troublesome trio. We find what drives and motivates these characters as well as what pisses them off. And boy, no one should ever piss off Trevor. 

Thankfully when things go awry and the shit hits the fan, Grand Theft Auto V's controls are tight and responsive in all aspects. The driving is the smoothest it's ever been within a GTA game. Helicopters and planes remain a fun and often destructive mode of transportation. and water- vehicles ably glide through the turbulence of the rivers and oceans. The twitch-flick auto-aim of GTAIV returns but is better polished and tweaked, adding real weight to the guns and to combat. It's easy to see Grand Theft Auto V as a very ambitious game. Luckily for GTA fans and players looking to jump into the series, this game delivers above and beyond. 

The graphics are fantastic working in perfect cohesion along side an amazing atmosphere, voice work and soundtrack.The open-world truly feels open to exploration and adventure. The combat, driving, and flying mechanics are precisely tuned. The narrative is well-paced, yet intense and gripping throughout the campaign. And the choice to disseminate San Andreas among three central characters with different abilities and stats was a brilliant addition as it allows for a shifting, dynamic narrative and different play-styles.  

GTAV's layers of depth create such a rich ambiance. San Andreas is easily one of the most realized worlds of this year, sharing the limelight with Bioshock Infinite's Columbia and the American wasteland in The Last of Us. Grand Theft Auto V is bound to keep you playing for hours upon hours as this latest game is the best in the franchise and a strong contender for game of the year.

Grand Theft Auto V gets 5 outta 5. 

Movie Review of The Hamiltons (2006)

We are back on track. We had some technical issues but that's behind us now.
And its October! My favorite month, so I will be bringing you more movie reviews. Just in case you don't know about who we are, here is our Youtube page. And how did you find us? let us know in the comments section, or somewhere.

Now to the review. I watched The Hamiltons, a horror film about a normal family that has a dark secret. Yes, you guessed it, they kill people. It's a horror film, what you expect? The Hamiltons recently lost their parents and now they have to look out for themselves. The protagonist is Francis, the youngest of 4, who doesn't seem to be like the rest of his siblings. The movie's main plot is about Francis and how he interacts with his family, and how he views what they do. Good movie, had a little bit of everything you would want in a horror film, maybe not a lot of suspense, but in a movie like this you don't need it much.
As I was watching it kept reminding me of another movie, and I couldn't think of what it was, until about halfway through I remembered: I had already seen this! I just forgot. What this means is that this movie is good, but forgettable. There is nothing that will make you remember this movie after about a month, theres no unexpected plot twists, or really innovating shots or anything really. The movie is very safe, they didn't want to go for anything crazy.

Final words, good watch, fun movie if you like horror, just don't expect anything new from it. It is rated R, although I felt it could had easily been PG-13. Back when Blockbuster was a thing, this is the movie you pick up when you have no idea what you want to watch, you just know you want to watch a horror film, its that kind of movie.

Movie Score:

• 6/10
• A (O.W.L.)