I am writing this right after seeing the end of the game. To put into words the joy, heartbreak, anger, and everything else I am feeling is to underestimate the absolute cinema my ears and eyes have been blessed by.
Glaze aside, the premise of the game is as the following: Us, as the main character Jodie, are linked to a spirit-like entity name Aiden. You are treated differently, and forced to be separated from your family. You explore the world as someone with an uncontrollable, unpredictable, and very powerful companion. There are different episodes of her life that you control through decisions that can impact the entire story.
I think every since i got into videogaming, the part of gaming that I thought was the absolute coolest wasn't FPS, Indie, even action and adventure. It was the ability to choose your own path in a game, pave your own story, and live with the consequences of your actions. I believe that to this date, this is the best embodiment of that EVER. Now I've played games like the Walking Dead Series, (AMAZING GAME BTW CHECK IT OUT) but as good as that storyline was, it pales in comparison to the Beyond Two Soul's storyline.
I think what makes gaming so touching and enjoyable to me is that it mimics the way books and movies create a new world with endless possibilities, however in videogames YOU are able to take the wheel. And that is what makes Beyond Two Souls such a beautiful game.
HOWEVER...
although this game has one of the greatest gaming storylines OAT, it does come with a caveat. Its gameplay can become repetitive and stale, and its "combat" is unique, but also often unfair and unexciting.
To expand on that, the gameplay consists of walking around, clicking 1, 2, 3, 4, or mouse commands. Luckily the game also has a second feature, which is where Aiden comes in. You can control Aiden as well as Jodie by switching from her to Aiden throughout the episodes. This adds a puzzle element to the bunch. However 90% of the time using either Jodie or Aiden often feels unintuitive and either too straightforward or too out of the way. The combat is also unlike other games where (on PC) you hold down and moving your mouse in the way that the character in the game is trying to swing or dodge to. Although I think that is a nice relief from basic aiming and clicking combat, I think at many times it is frustratingly unclear where you are attacking or dodging, and even when you fail, It doesn't seem to change the outcome of the situation no matter what. And when you aren't in combat or in a chase sequence, your mainly only walking to the next prompt at a frustratingly slow pace. The gameplay itself is definitely the biggest downside of this game.
So the question is: Does the amazing story make up for the tedious and underwhelming gameplay?
In this rare occasion I would say yes, it absolutely does. The roller coaster of emotion and feelings is definitely worth the boring wait in line to get on the ride.
92/100 WOULD RECOMEND
Small notes for if your thinking about purchasing this:
Price:
I got this on like a 90% sale or something, and I am aware this game is very expensive. I would recommend waiting for the seasonal steam sale, but this is coming from a kid who doesn't make a consistent salary, so if you do, I would argue this game is worth saving up for.
Content:
This game does involve TOPICS of sex and sexual assault. Brief, unrevealing, and un-graphic nudity. Parents, do with that knowledge what you will.
