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Beyond: Two Souls - Review Thread

S

simplythebest

Banned
I was sort of expecting scores across the board after playing the demo. Just like with Heavy Rain, if you are only in it for the gameplay you might as well not bother. I am, however, only interested in the story so I will struggle through any gameplay elements to watch Ellen's and Mr. Dafoe's performances.
 
S

Spookie

Member
Almost bought this at full price but put the money towards BF4 now. I tried the game and enjoyed it but I'd rather not get burned by a 40 quid paperweight. It's a lot of money to ask our of a pc gamer. If it were closer to 20 quid I might be tempted.
 
E

EmptySpace

Banned
kurbaan said:
Sterling is a tool. His emotion and polygon video should have told you yo never take him seriously with this game.
Click to expand...

that is why EmptySpace has a lot of problems with some of these reviewers of this game. as someone has said, the game will be judged mostly on how cage presents himself.

and it shows.

a lot of these reviewers have been making fun of the game way before the embargo. all from "we need emotions" to "feelings", very evident yet silent jabs even from that joystiq guy - “We’ve hired real Hollywood composers to ensure that there is a piano playing during the sad goodbye scenes.”

their agenda seems to be that they just hate cage and his statements, and have judged the game on that basis. they played the game not to experience it, but to find every flaw they can find to solidify and justify their perception of him. these reviewers give a lot of negative reviews, but they don't make fun of the games before embargo lifts with such specificity and worse, they are making fun of the game by straight-out inferring to cage's statements. that's how anyone can tell that these reviewers had an agenda going into this game.

and the amount of hypocrisy is just astounding.
 
D

dragonbane

Member
yami4ct said:
I think, if I'm interpreting it right, it's seems to be showing that you have a very narrow path of control. It kind of looks like the game is redirecting the player when they hit invisible walls rather than the player swooping everything around. Would fit with the complaints that the game forces you down very specific paths.
Click to expand...
No it doesn't do that. The entire section is open.


BurnOutBrighter said:
Damn, looks like David Cage is his own worst enemy. All the ambition, none of the execution :(
Click to expand...
Depends on who you ask.
 
S

Sats

Banned
Does anyone else get excited at being a part of something like this? Don't get me wrong, I loved being a part of the "PERFECT OUT OF PERFECT" storm that was TLOU, but when a game is getting such mixed reviews that are on all ends of the spectrum, I think it is truly special.
 
SEGAvangelist

SEGAvangelist

Member
Glad I cancelled my preorder on this. I still want to try it once the price drops, though. QD has been disappointing me since Omikron, but I like that they keep experimenting.
 
Riposte

Riposte

Member
Basch said:
Seems some reviewers are using this game as a scapegoat to not so subtly exert their influence on what a game should be. How depressing and downright juvenile. Without giving any names away, I agree that the medium is being held back because of pretentious pricks like some of the aforementioned reviewers.

It's obvious they have a bone to pick. Its just sad to see that they decided to take it out on this game rather than in an editorial as it should be. This only discourages artists from really opening up and will limit what we get out of games in the future.
Click to expand...

Sounds like they are doing their jobs. If a "type of game" leads to bad results, they shouldn't spare it just because it is "different". We would be so lucky if novelty wasn't a deciding factor in so many reviews.
 
T

Timeaisis

Member
Zafir said:
I'm not sure what half of the reviewers were expecting from a David Cage game... It's not really a surprise it's more like an interactive movie after his previous games, nor is that a bad thing really...

That is rather subjective though. I mean, Heavy Rains story had it's flaws, but I don't think it was bad, unemotional, or boring.

Not to mention, you seem to be holding Heavy Rain to far higher standards than even the movie industry. Most movies don't have amazing stories, and yet, they still get funding, and aren't down right panned.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but you got to realize the movie industry reviewers have a lot more variation in opinion than game reviewers. Just check a site like rotten tomatoes. The variance in opinion is very wide. Unlike game reviewers, where they objectively tick off things of their list of "good game material". My point is just that if QD makes games like this, their going to be reviewed as if they were movies -- with a wide variation of opinion. Frankly, the impact and draw of a story is a very subjective experience.
 
A

anddo0

Member
Got the game in shrink wrap right in front of me.

I expected mixed reviews. Some are harsher than others. I enjoyed HR, and thought the demo for BTS was enough to warrant a purchase.. For those who bought it, happy gaming. I can't blame others for sitting on the fence waiting for a price drop, or not getting it at all.
 
D

dragonbane

Member
Pyronite said:
This is officially the first time I've ever agreed with Derrick.

David Cage should not be writing games. I enjoyed Fahrenheit (despite the poor writing) but despised Heavy Rain, and it sounds like this one is even worse (is such a thing even possible?).

I'm cool with him making games for people who enjoy them (even if I question your taste in storytelling), but I'm not cool with him being heralded as anything more than a poor writer.
Click to expand...
Oh Beyond is much better written than Heavy Rain. It's probably not good enough for 2013, but if you go into Beyond just for the main story you are not doing in right anyway. The main attraction are the character scenes, which are expertly done IMO.
 
T

Toxi

Banned
Surprised to see such mixed reactions to it, especially compared to Heavy Rain (Which got fairly positive reactions across most of the board).

Bamelin said:
flame_shield_activate7osso.gif
Click to expand...
I love that gif.
 
F

Fine Ham Abounds

Member
Odrion said:
It's 2013 and we're still having the "Is it a game?" Argument. Seriously? After stuff like Asura's Wrath and The Walking Dead? Or fuck, with the booming Indie Game industry that's around? This idea of games not being games has been ridiculed sense Nintendogs became huge on the DS, stop this line of thinking.

Anyways, these extremely polarizing reviews are pretty exciting!
Click to expand...

Technically, all that's necessary for something to be a game is to have rules.

Quality of execution goes a long way to making people receptive to experiments. Pushing of the envelope is essential in all endeavors, but people require results to be convinced.

Nothing positive or negative said about these experiments are surprising. The fact that these discussions are prevalent to the point of exhaustion tells us there may be a good reason for continuing to have them.
 
M

MrHicks

Banned
this game is getting a hard time for "not being a game" (i kinda agree)
BUT

i fucking HATE all of the GOTY and awards that the walking dead received
at least review "NON games" consistently fucks sake
 
D

dragonbane

Member
yami4ct said:
Then that GIF seems purposely goofy and a bit misleading. Just swinging the camera and horse around like a crazy person. Not exactly sure what it's trying to say.
Click to expand...
That you are in control. I didn't want to prove that the section is open, just that you have as much control as during the horse parts in something like The Last of Us. It's open though.
 
M

Miles Quaritch

Member
Reviews are pretty much what I expected. Doesn't matter though, people who enjoyed his past games seem to love it and that's good enough for me.

Hyped as hell to play the game...only three days left.
 
E

EmptySpace

Banned
Riposte said:
Sounds like they are doing their jobs. If a "type of game" leads to bad results, they shouldn't spare it just because it is "different". We should be so lucky if novelty wasn't a deciding factor in so many reviews.
Click to expand...

and people wonder why, in the triple a space, there are only games like titanfall.

jaffe called out sterling months ago, when sterling bashed cliff bleszinski for the triple a comments. jaffe said game "journalists" give titanfall 60+ awards during e3 and praised the division for its graphics and whatnot, then the same people go on and on about how the triple a games are always so stale.

a studio is trying its hard to be unique and have a say in the triple a space, yet these "journalists" just make fun of the studio in such childish ways.

yes, even tlou was a safe game. it's got zombie-killing and shooting as its primary mechanics. it played to the "the walking dead" crowd.
 
A

AlphaK

Member
Toxi said:
Surprised to see such mixed reactions to it, especially compared to Heavy Rain (Which got fairly positive reactions across most of the board).

I love that gif.
Click to expand...


It seems like regardless of the initial reviews, a lot of people shit on HR after the fact.
 
Y

yami4ct

Member
dragonbane said:
That you are in control. I didn't want to prove that the section is open, just that you have as much control as during the horse parts in something like The Last of Us. It's open though.
Click to expand...

Ah, I kept seeing the GIF brought up in a different context (the post I quoted). That's fine. Sorry I didn't read the whole thread. Carry on.
 
A

anddo0

Member
User33 said:
This is all I needed to read to confirm my suspicions about the game. Cage hasn't changed at all.
Click to expand...

Damn you for quoting that.



MrHicks said:
this game is getting a hard time for "not being a game" (i kinda agree)
BUT

i fucking HATE all of the GOTY and awards that the walking dead received
at least review "NON games" consistently fucks sake
Click to expand...

WKD won GOTY because it's WKD.
I enjoyed the game, got 400 days. But I totally get why it got reviewed differently.
 
E

equippedwithtowel

Member
EmptySpace said:
and people wonder why, in the triple a space, there are only games like titanfall.

jaffe called out sterling months ago, when sterling bashed cliff bleszinski for the triple a comments. jaffe said game "journalists" give titanfall 60+ awards during e3 and praised the division for its graphics and whatnot, then the same people go on and on about how the triple a games are always so stale.

a studio is trying its hard to be unique and have a say in the triple a space, yet these "journalists" just make fun of the studio in such childish ways.

yes, even tlou was a safe game. it's got zombie-killing and shooting as its primary mechanics. it played to the "the walking dead" crowd.
Click to expand...

There are great P&C games which are widely acclaimed.

This doesn't have to be one of them.
 
T

Totobeni

An blind dancing ho
BurnOutBrighter said:
Damn, looks like David Cage is his own worst enemy. All the ambition, none of the execution :(
Click to expand...

Yup, I think the main problem with Cage is that he just want to make his project more into big Hollywood movies but don't have the storytelling or good film direction abilities to support himself in this, Cage/Sony need to hire some real writers and a real director if they want to pull this off if that was his goal was.
 
M

MrHicks

Banned
aeolist said:
twd had good writing
Click to expand...

how does good writing get you 10/10 9/10 GAMEPLAY scores all over the place???

reviews are mostly into parts
story
gameplay
sound
etc etc etc

all these fucktard reviewers gave TWD top scores in the gameplay department not just "story"

the actual gameplay (what little of it there is) is ABYSMAL
 
S

SneakyStephan

Banned
Idk why you'd want to make an interactive movie to begin with.
It has to be 10 hours long or more (or cost 10 euros like a movie ticket, but that is apparently out of the question for hollywood's even greedier cousin) which means the story pacing will be terrible, no way around that.

+ the more you try to salvage the pacing the less interactive the game will become and the less of a game it will be.

Games should focus on building worlds (and filling that interesting world with awesome gameplay), not telling character's stories.
 
B

BurnOutBrighter

Banned
"Choices feel inconsequential" is unfortunately the biggest letdown. This is the whole point of making an interactive movie - that the viewer can change the outcome. If the biggest plot points are fated, then my input is meaningless.
 
S

sunnz

Member
SneakyStephan said:
Idk why you'd want to make an interactive movie to begin with.
It has to be 10 hours long or more (or cost 10 euros like a movie ticket, but that is apparently out of the question for hollywood's even greedier cousin) which means the story pacing will be terrible, no way around that.

+ the more you try to salvage the pacing the less interactive the game will become and the less of a game it will be.

Games should focus on building worlds (and filling that interesting world with awesome gameplay), not telling character's stories.
Click to expand...

Yea, no variety pls!
 
E

EmptySpace

Banned
equippedwithtowel said:
There are great P&C games which are widely acclaimed.

This doesn't have to be one of them.
Click to expand...

1) those games are not in the triple a space, and have obviously lower production values. say what anyone will, but production value helps.

2) most good point-and-click games are from 20 years ago.

3) most indie p&c games do not sell as much, do not get exposed as much, do not get played by as much people.


beyond is a big push for the p&c genre. if a game like this can thrive, then games like walking dead (which is not even triple a) can get greenlit. p&c games won't be limited to indie, 2d, whatever. the games in the triple a space are so focus-tested it is not even funny.
 
A

aeolist

Banned
MrHicks said:
how does good writing get you 10/10 9/10 GAMEPLAY scores all over the place???

reviews are mostly into parts
story
gameplay
sound
etc etc etc

all these fucktard reviewers gave TWD top scores in the gameplay department not just "story"

the actual gameplay (what little of it there is) is ABYSMAL
Click to expand...

who actually does this besides ign?
 
B

Basch

Member
Loctope said:
Bit much to suggest a poor score is some sort of premeditated attack on the genre or the type of game?? (though reviews are obviously subjective)

Could it not be that the game just isn't THAT good, Heavy Rain was actually quite well received after all.
Click to expand...

Did you read the reviews? And Heavy Rain came out when games were averaging an 85. I don't necessarily consider that a good score. An 85 now is a lot stronger than an 85 then. Regardless, its not about the scores its about some of the criticism leveled at the game for being what it is.

Let me put it this way. If you say that it is an emotionally resonant thrill ride and state that a game has never given you such feelings, you shouldn't then turn around and be like, "But it is a bad game." So on so forth. It just reeks of desperation on the reviewers part on trying to maintain their idea of what a game is.
 
E

equippedwithtowel

Member
MrHicks said:
how does good writing get you 10/10 9/10 GAMEPLAY scores all over the place???

reviews are mostly into parts
story
gameplay
sound
etc etc etc

all these fucktard reviewers gave TWD top scores in the gameplay department not just "story"

the actual gameplay (what little of it there is) is ABYSMAL
Click to expand...

Show me the money.

Which mainstream sites still do category breakdowns, and gave that to TWD.
 
S

simplythebest

Banned
this isn't a game that is easy to review because just like a movie it depends only on your enjoyment of a narrative. Another thing is that Beyond has a very weird but interesting kind of story-telling, so it was obvious that some were going to like it and others hate it because it was not what they were expecting.

Why do you think games like Pokemon and COD always get good scores even though they all are simply more of the same over and over again?
 
S

SneakyStephan

Banned
sunnz said:
Yea, no variety pls!
Click to expand...

You can have endless variety with gameplay mechanics and setting, why sacrifice the gameplay for a half assed poorly paced movie.
If you want variety there are movies and books to fill the storytelling/elaborate character exposition niche.
 
N

nib95

Banned
SneakyStephan said:
Idk why you'd want to make an interactive movie to begin with.
It has to be 10 hours long or more (or cost 10 euros like a movie ticket, but that is apparently out of the question for hollywood's even greedier cousin) which means the story pacing will be terrible, no way around that.

+ the more you try to salvage the pacing the less interactive the game will become and the less of a game it will be.

Games should focus on building worlds (and filling that interesting world with awesome gameplay), not telling character's stories.
Click to expand...

I feel sorry for people who have such creatively vapid viewpoints. Variety as they say, is the spice of life. Game creators should focus on whatever the hell they want their games to focus on, more so if there is a market for what they're creating, for which their definitely is for QD's games.
 
D

Derrick01

Banned
EmptySpace said:
and people wonder why, in the triple a space, there are only games like titanfall.

jaffe called out sterling months ago, when sterling bashed cliff bleszinski for the triple a comments. jaffe said game "journalists" give titanfall 60+ awards during e3 and praised the division for its graphics and whatnot, then the same people go on and on about how the triple a games are always so stale.

a studio is trying its hard to be unique and have a say in the triple a space, yet these "journalists" just make fun of the studio in such childish ways.

yes, even tlou was a safe game. it's got zombie-killing and shooting as its primary mechanics. it played to the "the walking dead" crowd.
Click to expand...

You don't get points for trying, you get points for doing. David Cage is a master of the former and a complete bust at the latter.
 
S

SparkleMotion

Member
Does anyone know what the "Duo" control method is? None of the reviews I've read seem to mention it. Is it worth playing two players with my girlfriend, or does it just hamper the experience?
 
M

Motley Grue

Banned
MrHicks said:
all these fucktard reviewers gave TWD top scores in the gameplay department not just "story"

the actual gameplay (what little of it there is) is ABYSMAL
Click to expand...

Well duh... everybody knows that having zombies means a whole extra 3/10 added to whatever score the game actually deserves.

Yes, I'm being cynical about the gaming media and gamers. Sue me.

Still happy I have the CE of Beyond.
 
Acquiescence

Acquiescence

Member
MrHicks said:
how does good writing get you 10/10 9/10 GAMEPLAY scores all over the place???

reviews are mostly into parts
story
gameplay
sound
etc etc etc

all these fucktard reviewers gave TWD top scores in the gameplay department not just "story"

the actual gameplay (what little of it there is) is ABYSMAL
Click to expand...

I liked TWD, but I didn't appreciate the fact that, for a game that placed as much emphasis on choice as it did, it didn't matter squat in the end. You could see a formula develop as a result, and that just eradicated any tension the game could've had if there wasn't such a masquerade going on. 'SAVE THIS PERSON or SAVE THIS OTHER PERSON' just became 'THIS PERSON CAN DIE NOW OR THEY CAN DIE AN HOUR LATER or 'THIS OTHER PERSON CAN DIE NOW OR THEY CAN DIE AN HOUR LATER'! Oh yeah, that's a real moral quandary right there.

Heavy Rain created an illusion of choice at many points too of course, but at least there were still plenty of choices that mattered, and it had more than one fucking ending!
 
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