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Beyond: Two Souls - Review Thread

P

patjburns89

Member
LAA said:
Wow pretty shocked at reviews...
Out of curiosity, what were the reviews like for Heavy Rain?

Heavy Rain is probably one of the most memorable experiences on PS3 to me, so I was expecting Beyond to be at least more of that. Hope thats still something I can expect.



Yeah... I like what Jim says a lot, but that... I can't forget that.
Click to expand...

I think Heavy Rain had close to an 87-88 Metacritic rating (grain of salt). My guess is that it will be lower here.
 
F

funkystudent

Member
I wish we got this kind of varied review reaction for a lot more games.

Its not to see different opinions instead of everyone acting like its the best or worst shit ever!
 
GetemMa

GetemMa

Member
jschreier said:
yet another game that showcases the valuelessness of review scores
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I am pretty sure it is just "value"

I knowness...I am suchess a "grammar nazi"

I think saying that you can't quantify your enjoyment of something by giving a number on a scale is completely absurd.
 
F

Foshy

Member
Mh, the only review that unsettles me is Jim's. I usually agree with him.

Doesn't matter, game has already shipped and will be mine tomorrow :)
 
C

CrunchinJelly

formerly cjelly
Game Central 4/10: http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/08/beyond-two-souls-review-heavy-rain-part-2-4138850/

As the game went on we began to realise that, particularly with the episodic nature of the storytelling, what it reminded us of was not a movie but a pop-up book. You can play with the small number of interactive elements all you like but the meat of the story is still predetermined and relatively inconsequential compared to the visual novelty of the experience.

In terms of graphics and actors’ performances there’s almost nothing to touch Beyond, but in terms of an enjoyable game, or even just an interactive story, it barely even approaches B-movie level.
Click to expand...
 
E

Endo Punk

Member
As expected all over the map. Though I am very surprised with the 9 from GS and 5/5 from Rev3. Beyond definitely seems to to be the type of game that if you accept it for what it is you will have a great time.
 
D

DerZuhälter

Member
Derrick01 said:
After reading the NY times and destructoid review it's now 100% confirmed that Cage needs to step down or at the very least remove his total control over a project. He NEEDS a team of writers next time.
Click to expand...

Well to his defense, considering the choice possibilities Heavy Rain was still admirable overall in terms of story. Yeah some scenes where rough around the edges and felt linguistically unnatural, but uneven VA-performances pronounced these shortcomings even further.

Does Beyond offer different endings as did Heavy Rain or is it a linear experience without impactful choices?
 
M

Mdk7

Member
I can't stand Cage and his claims, yet i was NOT expecting reviews like these.
Pretty surprising IMHO.
 
J

Jackpot

Banned
jschreier said:
yet another game that showcases the valuelessness of review scores
Click to expand...

Are you going to spam that in every review thread now?

Add like before, many reviews give reasons for their conclusions. Review score is just a number that equates to the positive/negative tone of the review.
 
V

ViewtifulJC

Banned
DerZuhälter;85308928 said:
Well to his defense, considering the choice possibilities Heavy Rain was still admirable overall in terms of story. Yeah some scenes where rough around the edges and felt linguistically unnatural, but uneven VA-performances pronounced these shortcomings even further.

Does Beyond offer different endings as did Heavy Rain or is it a linear experience without impactful choices?
Click to expand...

Instead, the game play is really about making decisions and watching them unfold. Should Jodie play with dolls? Should Aiden choke Jodie’s adoptive father? Should Jodie exact vengeance upon teenagers who banished her from their party?

Those 23 endings notwithstanding, the choices don’t seem to have much effect on the story. In the scenes that I did replay, the emotional beats were basically the same, regardless of what I instructed Jodie to do. My repeated efforts to rebuff one character after misguidedly kissing him seemed to have no effect.

But choice is wildly overrated in video games. Interactivity does not demand that all games become Choose Your Own Adventure stories. The decisions you make in Beyond are still significant, and they allow for a collaboration among player and designer that isn’t possible in other forms of storytelling. The point of the choices in Beyond is not to make the game replayable but to make you emotionally invested in the story.

Yet other recent games have done this more successfully. If you are curious about video games that treat you as an adult and are emotionally cathartic, play Journey, Papo & Yo, The Walking Dead and Gone Home, to name a few.

Beyond: Two Souls is a misstep for Mr. Cage and Quantic Dream, but its failings are not the result of the limitations of Mr. Cage’s preferred medium. That it is interesting at all hinges on its interactive nature. It would be one of the worst movies you’ve ever seen, even though Ms. Page and Mr. Dafoe give fine performances.
 
H

Heyt

Banned
Polygonal emotions sure work wonders on Tara. I allways found her reviews honest and balanced, I'm intrigued how could she fall for this one, will watch later.
 
N

nelsonroyale

Member
I am looking forward to playing the game. Review scores don't much to me with this one, since many reviewers don't seem to be able to cast aside there person prejudices with these games. To be honest the scores make me a little more interested if anything.
 
R

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
Some of the most mixed reviews I've ever seen but I expected as much. I've been on a complete media blackout so I'll be going in fresh when I get done with work today.
 
R

Radec

Member
xw2Vpu6.jpg


Not bad..
 
D

Derrick01

Banned
DerZuhälter;85308928 said:
Well to his defense, considering the choice possibilities Heavy Rain was still admirable overall in terms of story. Yeah some scenes where rough around the edges and felt linguistically unnatural, but uneven VA-performances pronounced these shortcomings even further.

Does Beyond offer different endings as did Heavy Rain or is it a linear experience without impactful choices?
Click to expand...

There's 20-something endings apparently. But when the writing is so bad I don't see how it matters.
 
S

Sn4ke_911

If I ever post something in Japanese which I don't understand, please BAN me.
lol mc shea reviewed for gamespot he gave this a 9 and was one of the lowest scores for the last of us with an 8.
 
semiconscious

semiconscious

Member
Gintoki313 said:
That NY Times review is interesting.
Click to expand...

pretty much nails my feelings about cage's approach. i want to support cage, because he's interested in going places many developers won't; otoh, i'm not always all that impressed with the results :) ...

was already in 'get when cheaper' mode, & this guy's relatively sympathetic take on the game pretty much confirms the wisdom of that decision...
 
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