Your other assignment will launch you into the game's story. Without giving
too much of the plot away, suffice it to say that the war is not exactly what it
seems and that Hillys' own government is not being honest with its people. An
underground news network known as IRIS suspects that something is going on, and
soon enlists Jade's help in trying to unravel the conspiracy. The plot is more
sophisticated than most game storylines, and even makes a statement by
demonstrating the importance of the role of a free press. You can also expect a
few plot twists as the story makes its way to its culmination.
 |
| Your hovercraft serves both as a transport and as as
your vehicle for races and battles. |
The story is further brought to life by the game's interesting menagerie of
characters. Each is filled with personality and brought to life by excellent
voice work. Pey'j's devotion to Jade is obvious and his enthusiasm is inspiring
- and this is all coming from a talking pig, mind you. Even minor characters are
full of personality, and it's always fun in the game to come across a new
character.
Hillys is an intriguing and beautiful world - part Venice, part Naboo, and
entirely fascinating. The water effects and reflections look fantastic, and the
colors, textures, architecture, and characters all give Hillys its own unique
look and feel. Air and water traffic, and the various animals roaming the land
and sea help bring the world alive, making it more than a pretty picture. Add an
excellent soundtrack with a myriad of musical styles and you get a world with
far more personality than found in most of the video games out there.
Gameplay itself is heaviest on the stealth and puzzle solving aspects. You'll
need to infiltrate many guarded locations to continue your investigation and get
photographic evidence, so you'll need to stay out of sight most of the time.
There's enough of this in the game that if you don't enjoy stealth games you
won't have fun with BGE. The game's puzzles are pretty straightforward and many
fall into the same general categories, so most players won't find themselves
getting stuck at certain points in the game. Some puzzles will require you to
enlist the help of other characters, but this is a simple matter of asking for
their help in the right spots as they seem to know what to do for you on their
own.
In addition to your time spent sneaking around on foot, you'll also have the
opportunity to pilot a couple of vehicles. For most of the game the vehicle will
be your trusty hovercraft. The hovercraft comes equipped with a laser gun, and
can be upgraded to include special weapons, increased armor, or speed boosters.
You generally use the hovercraft to travel between the locations in Hillys, but
there are some hovercraft specific missions as well which include battles,
chases, and races. These are a fun change of pace, but the chase and race
missions can run a little on the long side and failure means starting over from
the very beginning.
Most gamers won't have too much trouble making their way through the game,
especially if they’ve played a console game or two. However, BGE should be
viewed more as an entertaining experience than a test of reflexes or wit. If
you're looking for a change of pace from the usual gaming fare, then you should
definitely consider giving the world of Hillys a visit.
In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated:
85%. If you value story and
atmosphere in your games, then you will enjoy the way Beyond Good & Evil
transports you into its fantastic world. If you value fast-paced action above
all else or dislike console-style games, then you should probably pass up on the
chance to visit the planet Hillys.
System Requirements: Pentium III 700; 64 MB RAM; 32 MB
Video RAM; 4x CD-ROM; Mouse.
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