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.

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