In Defense of Beyond: Two Souls
Written by: Joseph Yaden
Detroit: Become Human is right around the corner, so it seems like a good time to look back on one of Quantic Dream’s most divisive games, Beyond: Two Souls. Following in the footsteps of Heavy Rain from 2010, Beyond had some expectations that, for many, were not met. Gamers disliked the gameplay, even going so far as to calling it, “not a game”, and criticizing the non-linear structure of the story. Across the board, critics referred to Beyond as an unrewarding and muddled mess.
These criticisms come across as unfair, especially since it seems like the reviews weren’t evaluating the game for what it is. I’ve played through Beyond five times all the way through, and I can honestly say it’s in my top three PS3 games. Everything from the performances and facial animations, to the non-linear format kept me engaged.
Contrary to what many media outlets expressed, I liked that the story was told out of sequential order. It was rewarding to piece everything together, as well as a great way to break up the monotony of the “normal” format. The story covers 15 years of protagonist, Jodie’s, life, played by Ellen Page. Because of this, there is never a dull moment in the subject matter, even setting aside the supernatural elements. One of my favorite things about Beyond is the variety, ranging from the gameplay, to the characters, and the environments. Not only that, but when trying to recollect events in one’s life, it makes sense for things to be jumbled.
The Quantic Dream style of adventure game has never been the most popular, but it’s still surprising how badly this game reviewed, especially given the critical success of Heavy Rain. David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream, has an eye for cinematic storytelling, and we can clearly see that as the plot develops in Beyond.
When evaluating the game, the purpose should be taken into consideration. You shouldn’t get mad at the game for not having the most robust combat system because that isn’t the goal. That isn’t to say the game cannot be critiqued, but when hearing people’s gripes, it seems like they weren’t focusing on the vision of the developers. Take something like Monster Hunter World, in which there is a simple, yet fun cooking system. When reading criticisms of the game’s mechanics, I have never heard anyone complain that the cooking mechanics need to be expanded and improved upon. Why? Because that isn’t the focus of Monster Hunter World. It’s just a little neat inclusion. When tying that back to Beyond: Two Souls, I think it is unfair to judge the game so harshly for things it isn’t trying to do.
On the topic of the combat, critics felt that it was hard to read Jodie’s movements, but it didn’t matter because the outcome would be the same anyway. Lucy O’Brien of IGN referred to this as being a “passive participant”. To me, the elegant, simplistic design of the interaction is one of the high points, especially with the combat. In a game where combat isn’t the main mechanic, the solution of time slowing down and having the player react to the movements of the characters by using the thumb-stick is intuitive and responsive. This isn’t Mortal Kombat, it’s a Quantic Dream game.
Yet another thing I hardly see mentioned is the fantastic co-op mode Beyond has to offer. Within the context of the game, Jodie’s brother, Aiden, is his own entity with his own thoughts and personality. It makes sense then, that Aiden should be controlled by another person which is exactly how the co-op mode works. Sometimes both people may not agree with decisions being made in game, but that tension makes sense. Otherwise, when playing single player, all the decisions would be made by one person, which ultimately blurs the difference between Aiden and Jodie.
What about being a passive participant? This was Quantic Dream’s way of avoiding player death or restarting at a checkpoint. There are points where a Jodie gets in seemingly life or death situations, only to be saved by Aiden in the end, even if a button prompt is missed. It may not be the best solution, but I at least give the developers props for trying to think outside the box.
Along with the intuitive design of the combat, there isn’t enough praise for the design of the game as a whole. There is no cluttered HUD or user interface thanks to a minimalist white dot that represents items or people that can be interacted with. This makes it easier to be immersed in the beautiful world that Quantic Dream has crafted.
On top of all that, there is a nifty companion app for phones that allow players to use it as a controller when playing multiplayer on the PS3 version.. The minimalist and simplistic design is carried over to the app for ultimate accessibility. This is a fantastic co-op experience for people who don’t play games as much. I love that it’s designed in such a way that allows for players of all skill levels to participate.
One thing I don’t think Quantic Dream gets enough credit for is the remarkable sense of humanity implemented in Beyond. There’s a point where Jodie must select an outfit for an upcoming date, and they way it’s presented is…dare I say it, BEYOND relatable. When going through the options of clothes, Jodie talks to herself in a playful way, like many people do before a date. Ryan, the love interest, is about to arrive and the player has a few options for clothes that can be worn. If the elegant red dress is chosen, she has an interesting little monologue. “Oh hello Ryan! Oh! Do you like it? Classic? Elegant? Je ne sais QUOI?!? (Literally translates from French to ‘I don’t know what’) Classy. It’s the new me and it shows that i can adapt to ANY situation.” As she says all this, she holds up the outfit up to herself and sounds equally confident and nervous. Part of why this is so effective is because of Jodie’s vocal inflection and facial expression. Sure, it’s a minor thing, but Beyond is full of these little moments that stick out. There’s another notable section where Jodie is going through her angsty teen years, where she can be seen throwing multiple temper tantrums. The acting is superb here, making me think back on the way I acted as a 16-17-year-old. The believability is one of the game’s strengths and Ellen Page should get more credit for her performance.
Please understand that Beyond: Two Souls is in no way a perfect game. Whether it be the iffy performances of the other characters, or maybe the sometimes-flat writing, this game does have its problems. But just as Beyond has its issues, so do the unjust reviews given to it. My hope is that gamers will come around one day, and a story titled, "Beyond Wasn’t THAT Bad", will be published on a huge site, singing all of the praises I just mentioned. We’ve seen it happen before, most notably with The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker, so it IS possible. I don’t know why people hate this game so much, but if you were in that camp, I urge you to look at it again.
