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Beyond: Two Souls Deserved Better Sales
- Thread starter Imbarkus
- Start date
As a game it's pretty crummy. The player getting the most actual gameplay would be whoever's controlling Aiden. The game is extremely visually appealing, and looks great in my opinion. Story and gameplay wise are meh. If they put the story in order instead of all over the place I think it could have been an even more enjoyable experience
I didn't buy it because of Heavy Rain and its awful writing. I didn't buy it because the type of game it is means it's only good for 1 playthrough and I'm not spending $60 on a movie-game when I don't even spend 20-30 on actual movies.
I'm pretty sure most other people didn't buy it either for similar reasons as me or because it was a PS3 game releasing when people were focusing on GTA or the next gen consoles. It should have been a PS4 game.
I'm pretty sure most other people didn't buy it either for similar reasons as me or because it was a PS3 game releasing when people were focusing on GTA or the next gen consoles. It should have been a PS4 game.
Put me in that group.
Damon Lindelof
IrishNinja
Member
oh man, that was a hot mess...still glad i played it, it had its moments but that was a very special level of batshit insane by the closing acts. never did get around to Omikron but i doubt it could top that.
i will never understand wanting genres (much less niche ones) to die, even if they're not for me
Sir Walter Taffy
Member
Graphics are top notch sure, but I have zero ambition to play a game that is just a series of quick-time events. If the story was good
I might have tried it out. Hell, it does have some really interesting concepts in it, but from what I have seen and read about the story, and the execution, of it all seems atrocious.
and if I had a Playstation
I bought it. One of my favorite games ever. I don't understand how people can praise shit like The Last of Us, or The Walking Dead (Telltale) but ignore this game. I just don't get it.
Had a really fantastic story, and probably the best voice acting/acting of the year, easily. Good OST too. For me, it was easily the best game story, and dialogue/writing of the year. It was honestly one of my favorite Willem Dafoe roles ever. His character was just a very cool, likable guy.
Cage made huge strides in gameplay with this too. The whole somalia mission level blew me away. It plays almost like a mix of adventure/point and click, with rhythm games, with TPS, with stealth, and it somehow works.
The game definitely has flaws, but at least its ambitious, and without a doubt, going for something original.
Had a really fantastic story, and probably the best voice acting/acting of the year, easily. Good OST too. For me, it was easily the best game story, and dialogue/writing of the year. It was honestly one of my favorite Willem Dafoe roles ever. His character was just a very cool, likable guy.
Cage made huge strides in gameplay with this too. The whole somalia mission level blew me away. It plays almost like a mix of adventure/point and click, with rhythm games, with TPS, with stealth, and it somehow works.
The game definitely has flaws, but at least its ambitious, and without a doubt, going for something original.
Gintoki313
Banned
I watched a playthrough of it to see if the story would be as good as Heavy Rain's. It wasn't nothing like that. It was all over the place, and Cage (or whoever writes it) tries to make Jodie do WAY too much stuff in one game. I can't take a game seriously if I see a girl go from
.
The graphics are really great. That is one thing I can say about it, some scenes look ridiculously good.
playing in the snow, to military mission, to underground water base, to ber fight (or more like massacre)
The graphics are really great. That is one thing I can say about it, some scenes look ridiculously good.
Krisprolls
Banned
Definitely. The story was already a bit meh, but changing the order definitely broke it.
Not everybody is Christopher Nolan.
I'd also say that I'd totally buy PS4 version of Heavy Rain, especially if the graphic is redone to look better. Throw in some nice Steelbook and I'd pay high price for it.
I'd do the same for Beyond but I'd rather have PS4 version of Heavy Rain if I have to choose between the two.
I'd do the same for Beyond but I'd rather have PS4 version of Heavy Rain if I have to choose between the two.
That's kind of a ridiculous statement. Sales, sadly, indicate little about the quality or value of a product ...
Metalmurphy
Member
As a game I didn't really enjoy it that much. It's even more limiting then Heavy Rain, I just felt like I was following orders through out the entire game, however, this game is a technical master piece.
Those final chapters were absolutely insane. Best graphics of this past gen by far.
Those final chapters were absolutely insane. Best graphics of this past gen by far.
-MD-
Member
Surely you're not serious?
I'd agree that the game doesn't have any heights as big as Heavy Rain (cutting off your own finger is something i don't think any game this gen has beaten). However, it's much more consistantly great I think. In Heavy Rain there are big blocks of shite that are boring as hell to replay. I didn't have that problem in Beyond.
Honestly, Beyond made me think of Inception more than most movies. Even has one of the same stars, and the same composer.
As a big budget Hollywood film, I think it would be a decent art/action film similar to Nolan stuff. I don't see why not.
JustAnotherOtaku
Member
If only. Like you say, it improves on Heavy Rain vastly and the story is definitely worth experiencing. Definitely one of my games of the year.
comadorcrack
Neo Member
The game would have been better if the individual mission were fleshed out into their own stories and games.
As a whole piece? Wildly incoherent, poorly written and flat out confusing at times.
As a whole piece? Wildly incoherent, poorly written and flat out confusing at times.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
I will admit an affinity for certain titles from the past.
I'm glad to see someone taking it to the next level. These games have very little to do with the ones above.
I'm a 42-year-old man, with some nearly-adult kids. I can't take all these dumb game stories any more. Whatever the story is for Titanfall or Destiny, I can guarantee you it's going to be DOG-STUPID. I will have pretty much SEEN IT BEFORE. And it will have very little to do with LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.
My wife used to watch me play games a lot, in the N64 and even Gamecube era, platformers with lots of exploration and art design. But this extra-long generation spent behind the barrel of a gun has not really bothered to produce much of interest to her.
My son loved Heavy Rain. It was mature but we played it together and it was very affecting for both of us. My daughter got sucked into part of Beyond, but she's working more so I finished it without her... our schedules don't line up for much gaming together anymore.
Anyway, real people and real gamers liked these games. But regardless of the merits of the game type, why would Beyond do so much more poorly than Heavy Rain? Was it long tail that got HR so much sales?
CadetMahoney
Member
Pretty much, interactive stories, focus on facial animations and so on should never be the pinnacle of "gaming" so it's no surprise.
Triggerhappytel
Member
Why is it BS if some people don't think the story was good? I thought the central story idea that Jodie can
communicate with spirits on the other side, and Nathan loses his family in an accident and then, lost and distraut, fanatically spends years trying to find a way to recover their spirits and bring them back
Firstly, you mean Duke Nukem Forever, and secondly, you're being ridiculously hyperbolic.
PapaJustify
Member
I don't get why ones taste is "questionable" because he/she likes Beyond: Two Souls? Even though it was probably not rich with gameplay it was an enjoyable experience altogether. Probably David Cage's writing won't win a prize ever, but it is far from being shit.
You get superb graphics supplemented by stellar, unmatched animations and actor performances.
Beyond is not as much a game as many other games are, but it was definitely a worthwhile experience nobody has to be ashamed of to enjoy.
You get superb graphics supplemented by stellar, unmatched animations and actor performances.
Beyond is not as much a game as many other games are, but it was definitely a worthwhile experience nobody has to be ashamed of to enjoy.
I hate the 'movie experience as a game' style of game, but will admit the guy has great ideas for what he wants to do. Unfortunately he's hamstrung by his inability to actually DO those things - namely pen a coherent narrative - and apparently unwilling to bring aboard those who could do those things. Until that changes, his games are going to stay on my 'don't bother with' list.
I don't remember all that many QTEs...?
-MD-
Member
I honestly didn't even remember that scene (until I searched on youtube), I barely remember anything about HR. Walking Dead did that bit better anyways imo.
Glass Rebel
Member
"It's better than most X" is a surefire way to make me look into the other direction. It's code for "It isn't that shit".
Gintoki313
Banned
Have you ever heard of a few games called Call of Duty, Skyrim, or Dead Island? All has flaws but still sold over a million. That statement doesn't hold up well.
Relaxed Muscle
Member
For a straight to Blu Ray movie it did quite well then.
Tinfoilhatsron
Banned
So you are going to ignore people with legit critisms of a game's story? Why don't you explain why it is a good story. (Not sarcasm, I really want to have a discussion on this)
The whole combat training thing. Also the whole floating around as a ghost thing wasn't very deep. Just like pulling stuff and that's it, nothing in the demo made it seem like there would be clever puzzles involving this mechanic.
Ill buy this game at some point, second hand, to experience the story. But it can wait.
When Quantic Dream finally hires a good storyteller, I'm confident they will make something great.
I have nothing against David Cage, I like his passion and I agree with a lot of his opinions on games, but he really isn't good at telling stories. He did get slightly better since Fahrenheit, but I just wish he would delegate the writing to someone else at this point. I don't even think he's half bad as a director, he got some pretty good performances out of the actors in Beyond, and the actual cinematography in some scenes was okay, too. It's really frustrating that these games have such terrible writing...
I have nothing against David Cage, I like his passion and I agree with a lot of his opinions on games, but he really isn't good at telling stories. He did get slightly better since Fahrenheit, but I just wish he would delegate the writing to someone else at this point. I don't even think he's half bad as a director, he got some pretty good performances out of the actors in Beyond, and the actual cinematography in some scenes was okay, too. It's really frustrating that these games have such terrible writing...
Nah.
It fails as a game, as a movie and as a hybrid.
Ellen Page and pretty graphics are not enough to compensate the other portion of it.
I like you
It fails as a game, as a movie and as a hybrid.
Ellen Page and pretty graphics are not enough to compensate the other portion of it.
I like you
Yes, the aside where she fights native american ghosts and the part where she saves a pregnant homeless woman were really metaphors for the human condition. and super powers.
Sidewinder
Member
I pre-ordered the Steelbook, so I did my part!!1 I'd like to see some sales data, I hope it didn't bomb too hard ;(
Was moved to tears by it on 2 occasions...when she sang
and when she tried to
.
It definitely was a good game in my eyes, but as a movie it'd be mediocre at best.
Oh and Heavy Rain was better.
Was moved to tears by it on 2 occasions...when she sang
"Lost Cause" from Beck
jump off a ledge
It definitely was a good game in my eyes, but as a movie it'd be mediocre at best.
Oh and Heavy Rain was better.
PapaJustify
Member
While many people here mention the price: Here in Europe it went to retail for around $40. I pre-ordered for 32 EUR.
ShockingAlberto
Member
I am playing it now and it's just...not good.
Maybe it pays off incredibly at the end, but it's just filled with terrible choice after terrible choice. Cage has no idea how to let interactivity and cinematic quality play off each other and the two are just glued together to expose the weaknesses of both.
For example, you can go from an attempted suicide to an attempted rape to singing on the street because they had no idea how to gate pacing and wanted to fit in every homeless trope they could in one chapter. It's just wall-to-wall "You should feel something here, but don't think about it, because then it will fall apart" moments.
I feel if the game sold any copies, it probably sold too much. It likely does a lot to encourage big-budget narrative-driven titles in video games by its existence, but in terms of actual execution, it hurts the idea more than it helps.
Maybe it pays off incredibly at the end, but it's just filled with terrible choice after terrible choice. Cage has no idea how to let interactivity and cinematic quality play off each other and the two are just glued together to expose the weaknesses of both.
For example, you can go from an attempted suicide to an attempted rape to singing on the street because they had no idea how to gate pacing and wanted to fit in every homeless trope they could in one chapter. It's just wall-to-wall "You should feel something here, but don't think about it, because then it will fall apart" moments.
I feel if the game sold any copies, it probably sold too much. It likely does a lot to encourage big-budget narrative-driven titles in video games by its existence, but in terms of actual execution, it hurts the idea more than it helps.
I agree OP. My favourite game of this year (together with TW101, I honestly can't choose between them).
- The story was great. Cage learned from his mistakes and I couldn't find any plotholes in this game, as opposed to the plothole infested Heavy Rain. There were some weak moments and questionable character developments, but I was intrigued and wanted to know how the story would end so I couldn't put down the controller. That for me is a pretty good sign that the story was good.
- Voice acting was some of the best of this gen, if not the best. Loved Jodie's character, and the relationships she built with the other characters were believable. I had a hard time making some of the choices you had to make. Yes I played Last of Us but Beyond tops it, in my opinion.
- Pacing was great, although the Navajo chapter felt incredibly out of place and would've fit better as DLC. I understand the placement of the Navajo chapter and it's significance in Jodie's development, but it dragged on too long and it was too much of everything. Only weak point of the game, imo.
- Loved the scrambled timeline. After each chapter you can check the timeline during the loading screen and see where the part you just played/are going to play fits in the story. Really makes you go "OHHH that's why this one thing just happened!" or "Ohh now we're finally going to see why Jodie did that thing". It also helped balancing gameplay between the more action oriented parts and the story oriented parts in which you don't really do much. It would be boring to play kid Jodie for the first half of the game and then only play adult Jodie for the rest of the game.
I can go on and on about this game and why I love it so much. Honestly, I think people are focusing way too much on Heavy Rain and are comparing it (unfairly) to that game. People who are complaining about "lack of choice" need to stop staring at Heavy Rain and realise that Beyond is a game about Jodie's (and I guess Aiden's) life. You only influence small parts of that. Heavy Rain was about choices and "how far are you willing to go" and stuff like that.
I understand some of the critism that people have towards Beyond though. It's really kind of a "hate it or love it" kind of game. But I do believe that critics were too harsh on it.
- The story was great. Cage learned from his mistakes and I couldn't find any plotholes in this game, as opposed to the plothole infested Heavy Rain. There were some weak moments and questionable character developments, but I was intrigued and wanted to know how the story would end so I couldn't put down the controller. That for me is a pretty good sign that the story was good.
- Voice acting was some of the best of this gen, if not the best. Loved Jodie's character, and the relationships she built with the other characters were believable. I had a hard time making some of the choices you had to make. Yes I played Last of Us but Beyond tops it, in my opinion.
- Pacing was great, although the Navajo chapter felt incredibly out of place and would've fit better as DLC. I understand the placement of the Navajo chapter and it's significance in Jodie's development, but it dragged on too long and it was too much of everything. Only weak point of the game, imo.
- Loved the scrambled timeline. After each chapter you can check the timeline during the loading screen and see where the part you just played/are going to play fits in the story. Really makes you go "OHHH that's why this one thing just happened!" or "Ohh now we're finally going to see why Jodie did that thing". It also helped balancing gameplay between the more action oriented parts and the story oriented parts in which you don't really do much. It would be boring to play kid Jodie for the first half of the game and then only play adult Jodie for the rest of the game.
I can go on and on about this game and why I love it so much. Honestly, I think people are focusing way too much on Heavy Rain and are comparing it (unfairly) to that game. People who are complaining about "lack of choice" need to stop staring at Heavy Rain and realise that Beyond is a game about Jodie's (and I guess Aiden's) life. You only influence small parts of that. Heavy Rain was about choices and "how far are you willing to go" and stuff like that.
I understand some of the critism that people have towards Beyond though. It's really kind of a "hate it or love it" kind of game. But I do believe that critics were too harsh on it.
Really ? Heavy Rain and Beyond 2S are two of the best games I've played this gen.