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!
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. 
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.