‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Spoilers Discussion

In our review of Quantic Dream‘s Beyond: Two Souls we praise the game for a lot of things – ultimately giving the game a score of 4.5 out of 5 – but where the title really shines is its story. Filled with nuance, complexity, and a lot of mature ideas, the story in Beyond: Two Souls deserves recognition for a lot of reasons.

First and foremost, the story in Beyond: Two Souls, like its predecessor Heavy Rain, is shaped by the player, who must make some tough and life-changing decisions for its protagonist Jodie Holmes. And while we would have liked to discuss some of those decisions in our review, we felt it was better to leave the story relatively unspoiled to preserve the experience.

At the same time, the story in Beyond: Two Souls is still worth discussing, as there are so many ways the narrative could go. This is the place to discuss those choices, to compare and contrast them with those made by others.

While the particulars will differ from player to player, the ending to Beyond: Two Souls seems to include two things: a revelation about Aiden and a major choice for Jodie. Aiden, as we learn at the end of the game, was Jodie’s twin brother, who unfortunately died in the womb. However, since, as some say, twins have a special connection, Aiden is still psychically linked to Jodie and able to manipulate objects and people around her.

The other major discussion point in Beyond: Two Souls‘ ending is Jodie’s choice between the ‘Beyond’ and ‘Life.’ If she chooses life, Jodie continues on to destroy the condenser and close the Black Sun, but if she chooses the beyond she leaves the world in pretty bleak circumstances. That choice in particular is worth discussing because it leads to completely different epilogues as well.

Although the ending will be a major topic of discussion for Beyond: Two Souls it isn’t the only one either. There’s honestly so many divergent points within the game that even three or four playthroughs might not reveal everything. In fact, creator David Cage recommends gamers play Beyond once and never again. So feel free to talk about your personal experience or inquire about others’ journey in Quantic Dream’s game without fear of spoilers.

What ending did you see? Did you choose life or the beyond? Did you portray Aiden as a vengeful force or did you try to keep him as civil as possible? And, ultimately, what did you think of the story as a whole?

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Review

Beyond: Two Souls is the latest gaming “experiment” from David Cage’s Quantic Dream studio that, not unlike his previous endeavor Heavy Rain, hits with the promise of revolutionizing video game storytelling. However, while Heavy Rain was a fairy straightforward story, Beyond is anything but. Granted, without Heavy Rain‘s lead, Beyond wouldn’t even be possible, but this is the more accomplished game of the two.

While most will use the term ‘game’ when describing Beyond, it’s more of an interactive story. But that story is one of the most ambitious, nuanced, and complex narratives ever featured in a video game. Told through non-linear vignettes (think Tarantino-style storytelling), Beyond follows the character of Jodie Holmes (Ellen Page) from infancy to fully-fledged adulthood. Of course, Holmes’ experiences are not like that of your average girl, and it all has to do with her “special friend” named Aiden.

Although it is never clearly spelled out who or what Aiden is, we know that he is an entity that is psychically linked to Jodie. Jodie’s connection and interaction to Aiden make up the basis for her entire story, which explores everything from supernatural dimensions to CIA corruption to Native American mysticism. And while the game tackles larger, Hollywood blockbuster-style events, it also takes things to a personal level as Jodie tries to fit in and find love despite her status as an outcast. There are a lot of layers to the narrative; it’s as much a personal journey as it is a horror story, and is better left unspoiled.

Cage’s story alone makes Beyond: Two Souls worth recommending, as it strives for a scope unlike anything seen in a game before. There’s a maturity to Beyond‘s narrative in that it takes Jodie to some very dark places, and gives the player agency in her decisions. There is no good path or bad path in this game either, sometimes the player is presented with horrific or troubling choices and it is up to them to choose what solution is “best.” So, while the game feels restrictive in some aspects, particularly in gameplay opportunities, the various ways in which the story can unfold is very freeing.

That being said, the story’s scope occasionally works against it, as the player will find themselves questioning the purpose of particular storylines and the necessity for the inevitable places the narrative goes. No matter how personally affecting certain sequences are, there are still moments that feel a little out of place, almost as if they are there simply for shock value. But, as a whole, it’s hard not to be impressed with what the team at Quantic Dream was able to pull off.

Even though Jodie is at the center of the story, it is Aiden who makes Beyondstand out from Heavy Rain, mechanically. As a spiritual force inextricably linked to Jodie, Aiden is like a second player character (he can also be controlled by a second gamer). He’s her protector, her friend, and most importantly he’s the mechanic through which the player will solve a large portion of the game’s “puzzles.”

While Jodie herself has some agency in the world of Beyond, that will only get the player so far. In order to progress further the player will have to take control of Aiden in order to do any number of tasks. Say, for example, there’s a locked door in Jodie’s way – a fairly simple obstacle. By taking control of Aiden, the player can move through to the other side of the door and force the lock open by pulling back on both joysticks and letting go. Similarly, Aiden can be used to take control of NPCs, to manipulate electronic objects for Jodie’s benefit, or to punish those people, or other supernatural beings, that are trying to do Jodie harm.

So, while Heavy Rain gave the player control over a single character, and a very small framework in which to work, Beyond adds a new layer with Aiden. That isn’t to say the answers to each puzzle or obstacle are particularly hard to discover, or require complicated button inputs, but switching to a supernatural being to manipulate the world is still a clever mechanic.

Of particular note are sequences where Aiden is called upon not to help Jodie solve a problem, but to protect her. Having direct control of Aiden as he thrashes furniture about and at people is immensely satisfying… within the context of the story, of course. It’s almost as if, for a brief moment, the player becomes Carrie at the prom, and they are free to be as malicious and spiteful as they like. It’s moments like that which typify the brilliance of Beyond: Two Souls as an interactive experience.

When compared to Heavy Rain, Beyond is an improvement in every appreciable way. From the scope of the story to the strength of the visuals, this is an ambitious project that must have pushed the PS3 to its limits. Facial animation in particular is stellar in the game, especially in the eyes. Players won’t just believe that Jodie Holmes is a real character, but that Ellen Page is playing her. Page’s performance, as well as Willem Dafoe‘s, is the new benchmark for outstanding mo-cap, and she deserves all the accolades that are almost assuredly headed her way.

For as much as Beyond takes a lot from Heavy Rain‘s lead, it never tries to simply get by, but instead pushes the ideas explored by its predecessor to their logical ends. The game looks better, plays better, its story is more ambitious and layered, and most importantly the acting is of the highest caliber. When it comes to shortcomings, the game does not skimp on the performances, both those captured and those rendered.

But, there are shortcomings in Beyond: Two Souls. For starters, there will be questions of whether or not Beyond is a game or an interactive movie. Yes, this time around players have a lot more direct control over Jodie and her actions, but there are still plenty of moments where the player is simply flicking the joystick or holding a button. As well, there are things to poke and prod in each varied environment, but typically there is a clear-cut solution to every puzzle. In other words, although the player controls Aiden there are only specific items he can interact with. That’s something gamers must accept going into Beyond, but some will be turned off by the experience because of that.

As well, the minimalistic approach to control prompts – namely a single white or blue dot to signal interactive objects – sometimes works against the game, and makes it hard to discern what exactly the player should do. The same goes for the reaction-based actions (i.e. dodging, kicking, punching, etc.), which sometimes don’t adequately communicate the correct action.

As a whole, though, Beyond: Two Souls is without question one of the most ambitious undertakings of this generation – an interactive experience with a massive scope, tremendous mo-cap performances, and a story that, while a little convoluted in places, competently encompasses several decades of a girl’s very complex life. Controlling Jodie and Aiden makes for a unique combination of mechanics and puzzle-solving, but the limitations of what the player can and can’t do will feel restrictive to some. However, those who embrace the experience will find that everything has a purpose in the end, and that Jodie’s journey is a satisfying one.

READ FULL STORY

The Game Rant Guide: October 2013 Edition

As the holiday season looms closer, gamers everywhere prepare for the impending release of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. There’s a lot in store for current-generation systems before November hits, however, so let’s jump in and take a look!

Kicking off the first day of October 2013 is NHL 2K4 for the PS3 and Xbox 360, followed by Beyond: Two Souls on the 8th, also for the PS3. Up next is the anticipated Pokémon X and Y for the Nintendo 3DS, taking the beloved franchise to the next evolution on October 12th. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes snaps into action on the 18th, with Batman: Arkham Origins hot on the trail on the 25th - both available for all major consoles. Closing out the month on the 29th areAssassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Battlefield 4, both available on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

-

October 2013 Release List

(Note: Based Off North American Release Dates; All Information Is Subject To Change)

Week of October 1st, 2013
Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl (3DS; October 1st)
Flashback (Windows; October 1st)
NBA 2K14 (PS3, Xbox 360; October 1st)
Rain (PS3; October 1st)
Rune Factory 4 (3DS; October 1st)
A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda (XBLA; October 2nd)

Week of October 8th, 2013
Beyond: Two Souls (PS3; October 8th)
Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness (PS3; October 8th)
F1 2013 (PS3, Xbox 360, Windows; October 8th)
Just Dance 2014 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U; October 8th)
Pokémon X and Y (3DS; October 12th)
Skylanders: Swap Force (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U; October 13th)

Week of October 15th, 2013
Valhalla Knights 3 (Vita; October 15th)
Zumba Fitness: World Party (Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U; October 16th)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (PS3, Xbox 360, Windows, Wii U, 3DS, DS; October 18th)

Week of October 22nd, 2013
Sonic Lost World (Wii U, 3DS; October 22nd)
SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton’s Robotic Revenge (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, DS; October 22nd)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies (3DS; October 24th)
Batman: Arkham Origins (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Windows; October 25th)
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (Vita, 3DS; October 25th)
Wii Party U (Wii U; October 25th)

Week of October 29th, 2013
Angry Birds: Star Wars (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Wii, Vita, 3DS; October 29th)
Assassin’s Creen IV: Black Flag (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U; October 29th)
Battlefield 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, Windows; October 29th)
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Windows, 3DS; October 29th)
WWE 2K14 (PS3, Xbox 360; October 29th)
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate (PSN, XBLA; October 31st)
Football Manager 2014 (Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS; October 31st)

October is shaping up to be a killer month for great video game titles! Ranters, what are you waiting to spend your time and money on? Let us know what you’re excited to sink your teeth into in the comments section below! As for me, I’m ready to get the mega evolutions of my favorite classic starters in Pokémon X andY!

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Gameplay Footage & Featurette: Jodie & Aiden in Action

There have been many things said about David Cage, Quantic Dream and Beyond: Two Souls. From the obsession with giving characters true “emotions” to a reliance of on quick-time events, there have been plenty of supporters and detractors of David Cage’s work. The debate as to whether video games should be directly adopting techniques from film will continue to rage, and while we wait for the unanswerable question to die down, we now have new footage from Beyond: Two Souls to help you make up your mind.

Check out the video above (courtesy of Gamespot).

A new entry into the huge amount of available footage already released for the game, the clip is clearly an early build showcasing the scene ‘Hunted,’ where theBeyond: Two Souls‘ protagonist Jodie is on the run from police. The footage doesn’t feature voice acting or facial animations but it outlines the gameplay and construction of the sequence well enough. The game’s central gameplay conceit is that of Aiden, a supernatural force that protects Jodie – and can manipulate environments and possess people.

Towards the end of the footage, Jodie is pinned down by heavy forces and the player must control Aiden as he possess enemies and turns them on one another. The rest of the gameplay is generally quick-time event heavy, showing how combat works and the fluidity of what happens when you both hit and miss certain cues. Strangely, Cage recently claimed that the game had no quick-time events, or at least no more than God of War, Tomb Raider and Uncharted. Based on this footage that doesn’t seem to be the case, so it is not exactly clear what Cage could have meant by his previous comments – unless he has a very specific definition for QTEs.

To accompany the gameplay footage, a behind-the-scenes featurette has also been released putting a spotlight on the art and character creation within the game.

Take a look at the Beyond: Two Souls featurette below:

Inviting fans to look behind the curtain, the featurette shows the creative process in bringing the characters to life and designing the locations that they inhabit. While discussing the journey of the central protagonist, it is revealed that they have designed close to seventy models of Jodie. Interestingly, we get a look at some of the designs in concept form, which include Jodie in a red dress, as a goth ridden teenager, as a homeless traveler, in a white snow suit, in desert military gear as well as what looks like some sort of high-tech sui
Since we get a glimpse at concept art of a submarine later in the featurette, it is probably a safe bet that last outfit is a diving suit. Beyond: Two Souls clearly has a massive scope and puts Jodie in many different environments throughout her journey. Exactly how (and how well) they all come together in the final game still remains to be seen.

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Will Have Co-op Gameplay & Can Be Controlled by Touchscreen Devices

Thanks in large part to the critical acclaim for Quantic Dream’s 2010 interactive drama Heavy Rain, anticipation is high for director David Cage’s upcoming title Beyond: Two Souls. The title in question will feature cutting-edge motion capture technology and a lead performance from Ellen Page (Juno), who plays a girl called Jodi who was born with a gift that might equally be considered a curse.

As was demonstrated in the 35-minute gameplay video showing Jodi’s life on the streets, the single-player campaign will require you to switch between Ellen Page’s character and the strange, invisible entity who has been attached to her since her birth – allegedly called Aiden. Jodi walks around, interacts with people, and sometimes gets into combat, while Aiden serves as a kind of telekinetic power that can get into places Jodi can’t and help to unlock doors and take out security cameras.

According to Joystiq, Cage revealed at Gamescom this week that Beyond: Two Souls‘ co-op campaign will work in a similar way, with one player carrying out Jodi’s actions and the other carrying out Aiden’s. Control can be passed between the “two souls” of the game’s title simply by pressing triangle. F.E.A.R. 3 had a similar mechanic, with a co-op campaign that allowed one player to control the gun-toting Point Man and the other to take charge of Paxton Fettel’s psychic abilities.

That’s not the only reveal to come out of Gamescom. Beyond: Two Souls can also be played using iOS and Android touchscreen devices through a free app that’s rather suggestively titled “Beyond Touch.” The app is a blank slate that allows the player to control the character by simply sliding their finger around the screen. When you switch to a touchscreen device, however, the game will automatically change into easy mode, suggesting that this isn’t perhaps the best way of controlling Jodi or Aiden.

Obviously much of the story is still being kept a secret, but it seems as thoughBeyond: Two Souls will be better suited to players who like to just enjoy a good story, rather than those who are always itching to take control. Cage has previously said that his game will have no QTEs, but in the next breath added the caveat, “We still have a couple of prompts here and there but no more than in a game like Tomb Raider, Uncharted or God of War” - ironically citing three titles that are known for being QTE-heavy. The gameplay video also showed that Beyond: Two Souls will be largely comprised of cutscenes, and Cage has also said that hedidn’t design the game to be fun, but instead to convey strong emotion.

Do you think the co-op mode will allow for an interesting expansion of Beyond: Two Souls‘ central themes, or would you rather play this game alone?

READ FULL STORY

These Are The Most Pre-Ordered Games Coming Later This Year

This time last year Halo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Assassin’s Creed III were topping the video game pre-order charts, but with the range of exciting new games on the way it’s time to take a close look at which titles that are set for release over the rest of 2013 have convinced gamers to start putting down their cash early.

Pre-order bonuses for some of the games have already been announced, such as the bonus “Free Fall” map for Call of Duty: Ghosts, the Upper Echelon edition of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and the Commander-in-Chief edition, complete with the ‘Merica Gun and Uncle Sam suit, of Saints Row IV. There are plenty of perks to be had when pre-ordering games, and we can now get an idea of which titles are currently winning in the race for pre-order sales.

CVG has released a ranking of the most pre-ordered games to come this year, based on research conducted by data analysis firm Cowen and Co., and despite the ribbing that Infinity Ward has received for putting Riley the Dog at the centre of the promotion for Call of Duty: Ghosts, the canine comrade seems to have won gamers over. Call of Duty: Ghosts is ranked in the number 1 spot with a score of 73, though Cowen analyst Doug Creutz pointed out that the next installment is still under-performing in comparison to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

Perhaps one of the more surprising entries on the list is Ubisoft’s new vigilante hacker game Watch Dogs, which is ranked as the second most pre-ordered game of late 2013 with a score of 69.6. Though Watch Dogs does look great based on the gameplay footage so far, the IP is so far untested and it’s impressive that Ubisoft has garnered so many pre-orders for it without an existing fan base.

With that in mind, Watch Dogs is most likely in third place, not second place, since Creutz emphasizes that the list only reflects sales made since E3 2013. This means that the ranking for Grand Theft Auto V, which is in third place with a score of 58.4 but has been available for pre-order since November 2012, is likely to be very inaccurate (Cowen states that all other projections are between 96 and 97 percent accurate). Grand Theft Auto V may well turn out to have even more pre-orders than both Watch Dogs and Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Battlefield 4 is, somewhat appropriately, in fourth place on the list, and the highest PlayStation 4 exclusive, Killzone: Shadow Fall, is ranked slightly above the best-scoring Xbox One exclusive, Forza 5. Check out the list of the top 20 most pre-ordered games below to see if your most highly-anticipated game made the cut:

Call of Duty: Ghosts (73)
Watch Dogs (69.6)
Grand Theft Auto V (58.4)
Battlefield 4 (54.7)
Killzone: Shadow Fall (30.3)
Assassin’s Creed IV (29.2)
Forza 5 (18.8)
Diablo III (18.2)
Batman: Arkham Origins (17.2)
Dead Rising 3 (15.0)
Ryse (13.2)
Saints Row IV (10.1)
Knack (7.7)
Gran Turismo 6 (5.0)
Beyond: Two Souls (3.3)
Wolfenstein: The New Order (3.2)
Drive Club (3.0)
Splinter Cell: Blacklist (2.9)
The Bureau: Xcom Declassified (0.4)
South Park: The Stick of Truth (0.2)

Let us know which games you’ve pre-ordered or are planning to pre-order this year in the comments. Alternatively, if you never pre-order games then tell us what puts you off the idea.

READ FULL STORY

Ellen Page Comments on ‘Last of Us’ Lookalike; Says ‘Beyond: Two Souls’ is ‘Remarkable’

Easily one of the most-talked about titles of 2013, The Last of Us continues to rack up industry praise (read our review) as well as spoiler-filled debate over the game’s controversial ending. However, long before any players embarked on the suspense-filled cross-country journey with Joel and Ellie, we were all taken-aback by the surprising inclusion of what appeared actress Ellen Page’s likeness in the game.

According to Naughty Dog, the similarities were nothing more than a coincidence, and the studio made subtle changes to Ellie’s in-game model to further differentiate their character after the initial announcement – especially considering fellow PS3 exclusive, Beyond: Two Souls had actually cast Page as its lead. Now, the Juno actress is reflecting on the situation, with a surprisingly candid reaction to Naughty Dog’s original design.

In a Reddit AMA (ask me anything), Page opened-up to fans about everything from her favorite type of “juice” (answer: tequila) to her upcoming role in Bryan Singer’s X:Men: Days of Future Past as well as her recent foray into the video game industry. When asked about similarities between her likeness and Naughty Dog’s design for Ellie in The Last of Us, the actress offered-up a direct comment:

“I guess I should be flattered that they ripped off my likeness, but I am actually acting in a video game called Beyond Two Souls, so it was not appreciated.”

It’d be easy to read Page’s reply as frustration but the actress is known for being down-to-earth and informal in her interactions with media officials, so it’s not surprising she’d be even more candid when interacting with fans. As a result, while she uses terms like “ripped off” and claims the similarities were “not appreciated,” it’s unlikely that the actress is harboring actual animosity toward the fan-favorite Sony studio. Instead, this is probably a case where the non-descript nature of online written communication makes it easy to read into Page’s wording for tension or hostility that isn’t actually representative of her true feelings.

Instead of dwelling on The Last of Us, Page was more interested in promoting the game that she’s actually in – offering high praise for David Cage’s follow-up toHeavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls as well as complimenting co-star Willem Dafoe:

“Making Beyond was an incredible experience. I think what David Cage is doing is really remarkable, the first of its kind and I feel grateful to be involved.”

“We did do our own motion capture. The suits are not that bad actually… it is sort of nice to not sorry about wardrobe. Willem is an incredible actor and I loved working with him.”

Page also touched on her own experience with video games, indicating that she’s no stranger to the medium. She’s even played the recent Tomb Raider reboot:

“I played video games more when I was a kid. I had Sega Genesis and was a HUGE Sonic fan. I also love the NHL games and played them with my brother all time. Then I was super into PlayStation and loved the FIFA games. I recently played my first video game in a while. I played the latest Tomb Raider and really enjoyed it, finished in about 12 hours.”

The Ellen Page Last of Us controversy is certainly bizarre – made even weirder when it was announced she’d star in Beyond: Two Souls. We may never know the full behind-the-scenes details – as mentioned Naughty Dog never officially acknowledged any intention to cast Page for the role of Ellie or modeled the character after her likeness. Fortunately, the actual Ellie performance capture actress, Ashley Johnson, delivers in The Last of Us - presenting one of the more endearing video game characters of 2013.

Of course, PlayStation fans who were hoping to see Page announced for the role can still still look forward to seeing the well-known actress brought to digital life in Beyond: Two Souls.

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Hands-On Preview

It’s not often a videogame features the talent of Hollywood stars like Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, so it’s no surprise that anticipation has been building rapidly for Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls. Though Sony has already released a 35 minute gameplay preview of the game, we got a chance to go hands-on and play through a Somolia-based level during the first day of E3 2013. Does Beyond: Two Souls live up to the hype? Read on to find out.

Vocally and visually, the performance by Ellen Page was stunning and delivered some truly intense emotions. Prior to E3, gamers knew that her character, Jodie, had some special abilities. The Sony Conference brought in the revelation that Jodie had been thrown into a military-based training program, which eventually results in her being sent to Somolia to kill a local warlord.

Though Quantic Dreams has stated that Beyond would have no quicktime eventswhere the game tells players what button to press, almost immediately there was a scene that did exactly that. The rest of the button-based timing event sequences feel very natural, and gamers will be forced to quickly press the correct directional buttons as Jodie fights in hand-to-hand combat, dodging blows and exchanging punches. With no proper on-screen indicator telling them which button to press, the intensity of scenes is amplified as Jodie takes hits as payment for gamers’ incorrect button hits. Such gameplay flowed smoothly and quickly as Jodie fought through a Somolian town in chaos so that she could reach a tower across the encampment.

Near the end of the Somolia level demonstration, Jodie discovers one of the people she had controlled (and consequently had gotten killed) was the father of one of her companions – a small french child armed with only a smile and an AK47. The cutscene to follow had great delivery from both actors and should deeply entrench gamers into the tone and theme of the game, and naturally evolves into a quicktime event which may catch some players unawares. Not knowing when Jodie will be forced into these kinds of events will leave gamers at the edges of their seats, as Beyond seems to allow danger to creep out from more corners than not.

While the graphics don’t always compare to some of the next-generation titles being shown off at E3 this year, it’s accurate to say that Beyond is one of the best looking titles for the current generation of consoles. Quantic Dream has worked well on creating large and complicated environments which give off a natural feel, and the focus on facial animations is highly evident during most of the scenes. The smoothness of the animation lends to each scenes’ credibility, creating an immersive experience which grants Quantic Dream plenty of leeway in developing their narrative.

Beyond: Two Souls looks like it’s going to be a very entertaining game and one of the last flagship titles for Sony’s current console. The button-based events feel very natural, and warping between Jodie and her ability becomes second-nature after just a few minutes of playing the game. Those who have played Quantic Dream’s highly-rated Heavy Rain will be able to immediately adapt to playstyle ofBeyond, and the new game truly does look like it’ll expand on the previous title and go beyond such expectations of entertainment and narrative. The game looks polished and entertaining, and as one of the last major PlayStation 3 releases, it looks like it’ll help the console go out with a bang.

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Special Edition Detailed; Pre-Orders Available Now

As one of the year’s most anticipated games — starring Hollywood A-listers Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe; serving as visionary director David Cage’s follow-up to 2010′s widely acclaimed Heavy Rain; launching exclusively on the PlayStation 3 —Quantic Dream‘s Beyond: Two Souls has exactly the confluence of pre-release pre-requisites that special editions are made of.

We didn’t need the spiritual clairvoyance of protagonist Jodie Holmes to see today’s announcement coming.

Sony has revealed the special edition of Beyond: Two Souls with a brand new image of the edition’s custom casing and a list of the bonus features that player’s will receive. Pre-ordering — which happens to be the only method of acquiring a copy at retail — has begun now, although a final price has yet to be listed.

Exclusive steel book premium packaging
Additional playable scene (30 mins gameplay)
Behind the scenes videos
Game soundtrack
PS3 Dynamic Theme
PSN Avatar Bundle

The jet-black steel casing paints a definitive contrast between the special edition and its standard-edition counterpart: a side-angle close up of Jodie Holmes pitted against a backdrop of radiant bluish hues and encircled by exploding debris. Aesthetic qualities aside, though, demand for the edition may well hinge on the specifics of its most notable offering: an exclusive playable scene advertising 30 minutes of gameplay.

Sony wouldn’t detail the bonus scene; it promised that more information will be revealed “in the near future.” For a game as ostensibly plot-centric as Beyond, however, any scene that has an impact on the 15-year story arc of its haunted protagonist could very well pay dividends to players deeply invested with the narrative. David Cage has been adamant about his desire for players to “define the life of Jodie,” molding her character into a reflection of their choices throughout each and every instance of gameplay. If one minute can make all the difference in the world, what could we do with 30?

The announcement of the Beyond: Two Souls special edition arrives at an opportune moment for Sony and Quantic Dream. The developer raised plenty of eyebrows recently when it showcased 35 minutes of Beyond’s gameplay at April’s Tribeca Film Festival (viewable above). Spoilers were kept at bay with regard to the paranormal plot (Jodie, on the run from authorities, searches to uncover the truth about her ethereal companion, Aiden), but the chemistry between Page and Dafoe (who plays the fatherly doctor Nathaniel Dawkins) was effervescent, evoking some of the poignant drama fans of the game came to know in Heavy Rain.

Should Beyond live up to its expectations when it releases this October, it will fulfill one more justification for offering a special edition: being one helluva of a good game.

Ranters, are you planning to pre-order the special edition of Beyond: Two Souls?

Beyond: Two Souls releases on October 8, 2013, exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

READ FULL STORY

35 Minutes of ‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Gameplay Released

In keeping with Quantic Dream‘s usual strategy, there is almost nothing we know for sure about Beyond: Two Souls, the cryptic develop’s follow-up to Heavy Rain. The story of a young girl and her life-changing connection to an otherworldly entity is as intriguing as any, but those who haven’t had the chance to play the game behind closed doors may not see how that translates to gameplay.

Luckily, that’s been remedied, now that 35 minutes of Beyond gameplay has been released online. Starting with a full-grown Jodie (Ellen Page) struggling to survive winter, the footage makes it clear that this game will be one unique experience.

Creative director David Cage has made no secret of the fact that Beyond will not be a sequel of any kind to Heavy Rain‘s story or mechanics, and with this gameplay footage, it’s easier to see what he means. Where Heavy Rain took an unconventional approach to building an interactive narrative, the actual narrative of the game was fairly common (murder mystery, with a serial killer twist).

For Beyond: Two Souls, the story seems to be anything but commonplace, and is promising to be even more tense and traumatic than Rain‘s. Following a young girl with a supernatural guardian is fresh enough; add in the Oscar-nominated actress bringing her to life, the loss of parents, an apparent desire to take her own life, all in a campaign longer than Heavy Rain, and it’s no wonder Cage thinks players should only experience it once.

The mind behind this new take on what a video game can be, what issues it can deal with, and how unconventionally it can be constructed while still remaining something people ‘play’ is on a mission; one that seeks to challenge gamers’ perceptions, not just give them a dose of fun.

We don’t yet know just how far Cage will push players with Beyond‘s story and themes (or – *gulp* – its ending) but the gameplay proves nothing is off limits. His studio is nothing if not ambitious, and as can be seen in the most recent trailer, the Film Festival circuit is already taking notice, even if gamers are still waiting for their chance to play. Have a look:

Previous trailer had hinted at the fatherly role Willem Dafoe’s ‘Nathan Dawkins’would be playing for Jodie, and this brief snippet proves that relationship will go much deeper than just a doctor and his patient. Considering how enthralling some of the more memorable story beats in Quantic’s previous games remain, our hopes are even higher with Page and Dafoe driving the action.

How do you feel about this extended look at Beyond? Does it remain one of your most anticipated, or is this a game you’ll prefer to wait and see with? Leave your impressions in the comments.

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Box Art Revealed

In Beyond: Two Souls, players take on the role of Jodie (Ellen Page), a character with a troubled past. As developer Quantic Dream‘s maestro, David Cage, explains Jodie has an otherworldly connection with a supernatural being called Aiden.

With Aiden by her side, Jodie can interact with the game’s environments in ways that are otherwise impossible. Moreover, as she tries to discover Aiden’s true purpose, she must also avoid hot pursuit from various government officials. Chief among them being Nathan Dawkins, who is voiced in the game by Willem Dafoe.

Now, all of this makes up the general basis for Beyond: Two Souls‘ story, but it would be hard to glean that much from the game’s box art, which was unveiled today. Unlike a lot of the sub-par, or downright bad box art that we have seen in the past, though, this game’s image is stark and bold.

The box art doesn’t inform players about the game’s unique experience, which Cage says will be different for everybody, but puts Jodie front and center. As well, it teases the emotional journey the character will undertake, as she tries to understand her supernatural connection with Aiden.

Check out the full box art below [click for high-res version]:

Beyond also promises to be a uniquely interactive experience, akin to that of a playable movie. Quantic Dream’s critically acclaimed game Heavy Rain offered a similar gameplay experience, but this game takes that concept and pushes it even further.

Like a movie one-sheet, the game’s box art gives its two principal actors – Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe – top billing, making sure gamers know the talent involved. After all it is thanks to Page and Dafoe’s motion capture performance that Quantic Dream is able to bring these characters to life, and communicate genuine emotion.

According to Derek Osgood, Sony’s Associate Product Marketing Manager, the box art for Beyond feels “sophisticated, mature, and different from most traditional game packaging, and it really captures the emotion Ellen Page conveyed in her performance as Jodie.”

Regardless of what Sony chose, it was going to be hard to sell a game likeBeyond: Two Souls with a single image, but there’s no denying the box art is eye-catching.

And if gamers want to see more of Beyond, Sony has a screening planned at the Tribeca Film Festival that they plan to live stream at the same time. The live stream will include a Q&A with David Cage and Ellen Page and is slated for the 27th of this month.

What do you think of the box art for Beyond: Two Souls? Do you think the image is intriguing enough to sell casual gamers on the title?

READ FULL STORY

David Cage: ‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Players Will Never Do the Same Thing Twice

As widely venerated as David Cage’s Heavy Rain became when it released in 2011, not all of its frequent attempts at turning The Smaller Things in Life into compelling interactive entertainment were created equal. Be it tooth brushing, shaving or dressing wounds, repetitive tasks that were designed to immerse gamers into the life of protagonist Ethan Mars were received by some as transcendent, by others tedious.

Fortunately for the latter party, it won’t be happening again in Beyond: TwoSouls.

Speaking in an extensive interview with Eurogamer on the creation and development of his upcoming paranormal thriller, Cage discussed the way events will unfold in the game’s single-player narrative. For one, the 15-year story arc surrounding heroine Jodie Holmes won’t be presented sequentially; Cage used the term “chronological disorder” — “like in the film Memento” — to describe how Beyond might jump from Jodie’s adult life in one scene back to her teenage years in the next.

But it also seeks to prevent recurrence — recurrence of a player’s actions throughout gameplay or experiences throughout story.

“[Players will] never do twice the same thing.

“Beyond is not based on patterns and levels. Each moment is different. Each scene offers you a different challenge. Each scene is unique, like you see in a film.”

As testimony to its thematic diversity, Cage claims that Beyond’s E3 2012 train-escape demo — a gameplay sequence wherein Jodie, assisted by her ethereal companion Aiden, leaps from a speeding train in a frantic flight from the law — is the only chase sequence present throughout entire game.

It makes for an appropriate metaphor: Beyond, racing through Jodie’s life, peeling away the secrets behind Aiden and the afterlife, can still jump anywhere at any time. How such a cinematic lens shapes the pacing and tempo of Beyond’s action remains to be seen; however with its Oscar-nominated cast (Jodie is portrayed by Ellen Page while Willem Dafoe was confirmed last month as the scientist Nathan Dawkins) and nixing of the quick-time events that were so pervasive in Heavy Rain, it’s certainly well-suited for a game that’s reportedly longer (at 12-15 hours) than said slow-starting predecessor.

What’s your view of the variety that Cage is infusing into Beyond: Two Souls? Did some of Heavy Rain’s more repetitive elements help create an immersive experience… or induce a deeper sleep?

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Longer Than ‘Heavy Rain,’ No QTEs; Quantic Dream Developing PS4 Game

At the 2012 Game Developers Conference, Quantic Dream‘s David Cage debuted a visually impressive, emotionally wrenching short film/PS3 tech demo titled, simply, “Kara.“ Well worth watching in its own right, Cage’s film also offered gamers their first glimpse at the engine that would go on to power Quantic Dream’s next game, Beyond: Two Souls.

One year later, “Kara” still looks good, but Cage is keen to stress that the underlying engine has been “significantly improved” since the short was completed. Credit that improvement to Quantic Dream’s experience with PlayStation 4. Though Beyond: Two Souls won’t land on store shelves until October, 2013, Cage’s studio is already hard at work on its first PS4 title, and that work has resulted in unexpected benefits for Beyond’s visual presentation.

Despite the success of Heavy Rain, David Cage had no interest in creating a sequel. One of the results of that decision is that Beyond: Two Souls doesn’t useHeavy Rain’s excellent tech, but instead runs on an entirely new engine – an engine that was developed, in part, on PlayStation 4. Speaking at a Beyond: Two Soulsevent in Paris, Cage discussed how PS4 affected development of his studio’s PS3 game for the better.

“We were really happy with Heavy Rain at the time, but when we finished the game, when we were done, we thought ‘hey, we can probably go further,’ and we wanted to try new ideas. So the first iteration with this new engine was used on ‘Kara,’ this short that we did, and it was the first time we used this new engine, but the engine has still significantly improved since Kara, to provide really new features – and all this was quite inspired by the development we did on PlayStation 4.”

“Because of our relationship with Sony, we had access to development kits on PlayStation 4 very early on, and we started developing this engine on PlayStation 4 with crazy features that were usually reserved to CG films, and we were implementing them on PlayStation 4, thinking that it would already be a challenge, which it was. But at the same time, we realized that some of these features could be implemented on PlayStation 3. Maybe not with the same high quality known on PlayStation 4, but they could be adapted to a PlayStation 3 platform.”

“And I encourage you guys to have a look at Heavy Rain again and compare this to the visuals you’re going to see on Beyond. I did that recently – I hadn’t seen the game for two years, Heavy rain – and just comparing the two visuals, you really got the feeling that it’s two games on two different platforms. There’s such a huge visual gap between the games that it’s quite spectacular, and we were surprised ourselves about where we could get with the graphic fidelity with this new engine.”

It isn’t just visual fidelity that sets Beyond: Two Souls apart from Heavy Rain. Cage’s new game is longer than his previous effort, and should last most players between 12-15 hours, according to gameplay lead Caroline Marchal (keeping in mind that Cage believes players should complete Beyond: Two Souls once, andonly once). Equally welcome is news that Beyond does away with the endless quick time events that were the workhorse of Heavy Rain’s gameplay.


“No more quick time events. We didn’t really have problems with quick time events with Heavy Rain, and I don’t think the players who played the game had any problem with that, but we wanted to reconsider the possibility of, instead of saying to the player what he’s supposed to do, how could we get rid of this and let players define by themself, conclude by themself what they’re supposed to do.”

“So, we have a new system that will demonstrate where there is no prompt anymore, where you just analyze what’s going on onscreen and you know what your’re supposed to do without the game having to tell you ‘please press this button or this button.’ So, we still have a couple of prompts here and there, but no more than in a game like Tomb Raider or Uncharted or God of War or whatever – just, all games use some prompts here and there because it’s part of what gamers are used to these days.”

Take a look at Beyond: Two Souls’ refined interface and remarkable presentation in a brand new gameplay video, courtesy of VG 24/7.

Given that Cage and company are already working on a PlayStation 4 project, and that elements of Beyond: Two Souls’ engine were developed on Sony’s new hardware, should gamers expect a PS4 version of Beyond this holiday season? Responding to an inquiry from Eurogamer, Quantic Dream’s Guillaume de Fondaumière noted that “so far,” Beyond is only for PS3. As for that PS4 game, Cage isn’t saying much about it right now, though he tells GameSpot that it is “incredibly exciting, it’s one of the strongest concepts we’ve had at Quantic Dream and we’re really excited about it.” Perhaps the tech Cage demoed at Sony’s See the Future event holds a clue – or, at least, offers an example of just how goodBeyond: Two Souls could end up looking on PlayStation 4.

With an October release, Beyond: Two Souls may very well end up being one of the last PlayStation 3 exclusives released ahead of PlayStation 4′s holiday debut. Knowing that Cage is more interested in challenging players’ minds than “giving them fun,” are you looking forward Beyond? Would you rather play on PS4 than PS3? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

READ FULL STORY

Sony Reveals Their Full Comic-Con 2012 Line Up

Comic-Con may not be a gaming-centric convention like PAX or E3, but there’s still plenty for gamers to divulge in. Sony in particular will be bringing an impressive line-up of games to this year’s SDCC, including demos of unreleased games.

Throughout the weekend (Comic-Con runs from July 12-15th and we’ll be there!), Sony has also scheduled four panels for four of their most anticipated games. These games are Beyond: Two Souls, The Last of Us, The Unfinished Swan, and PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale, wherein attendees can take a load off and learn about upcoming games from the developers directly.

The PlayStation Booth won’t just be filled with demos for first party titles though, as multiplatform games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will be playable at Sony’s booth as well. Those who swing by may also snag a The Last of Us t-shirt, but be quick, they are in limited numbers.

Here’s the full list of games to be present at the convention next week:

PS3 Titles
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (read our E3 preview here)
The Unfinished Swan
Sports Champions 2
Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time (Vita version also playable)
LittleBig Planet Karting
Papo Y Yo
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
The Expendables 2

Vita Titles
Sound Shapes
Retro City Rampage
LittleBig Planet Vita
Jet Set Radio
Guacamelee
Gravity Rush
Ragnarok Odyssey

Panel Schedule
Beyond Two Souls (July 12th, Room 25ABC; 12pm-1pm)
The Last of Us (July 13th, Room 25ABC; 5pm-6pm)
The Unfinished Swan (July 14th, Room 7AB; 11am-12pm)
All-Stars Battle Royale (July 15th, Room 24 ABC; 11am-12pm)

Aside from some development insight, these panels will also feature key people like David Cage and Ellen Page (who stars as the protagonist in Beyond: Two Souls), as well as some sweet swag like limited edition posters from The Last of Us. Sony will also be unveiling two new characters for All-Stars Battle Royale on July 15th, hopefully choosing from our Battle Royale roster suggestions.

Finally, Sony will be bringing its Gran Turismo Academy contest to SDCC. The National finals will take place on Friday and Saturday, at Jolt’n Joe’s in the Gaslamp Quarter, and SDCC attendees have a chance to enter as the 33rd competitor. Winners will take home a GT Academy 2012-designed HumanRacing GT Chassis equipped with the Thrustmaster T500RS wheel and pedal set. Don’t know what any of those words mean? Take a look:

While Sony brought plenty of Vita games to E3, they didn’t put much of a focus on the handheld during their actual press conference and are making up for it here. Coupled with the lack of Vita releases this month, and it’s no wonder some Vita owners are worried about the handheld. These upcoming games should do the trick to squash those fears.

READ FULL STORY

Willem Dafoe Rumored for Supporting Role in Quantic Dream’s ‘Beyond: Two Souls’

Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain was one of the first games to receive a 5/5 review here at Game Rant. Admittedly, the game was plagued with bugs and some bizarre story beats but, overall, the David Cage and company crafted an especially unique experience – where players could connect with their on-screen counterparts in wholly original ways. That said, not everyone loved the game – as many dismissed the title as little-more than an interactive movie (an interactive movie with a lot of plotholes).

Following the eye-popping tech demo/short film Kara, Quantic Dream showed up at E3 2012 with an all-new game, Beyond: Two Souls, that looks to hoist the interactive narrative bar further and features an incredibly lifelike performance from Academy Award nominee, Ellen Page. However, Page isn’t the only fan-favorite thespian set to take to the virtual Beyond: Two Souls stage as Spider-Man alum Willem Dafoe is now rumored for a major role in the ambitious project.

According to a report over at Bro Gamer, Dafoe will appear alongside Page in the game (which had, for some time, been rumored to feature both a high profile Hollywood actress and actor pairing). That said, neither Sony nor Quantic Dream have confirmed the report – meaning that, at this point, gamers might need to take this one with a grain of salt, at least until more official information is available.

It doesn’t help that much of the Beyond: Two Souls storyline (and gameplay for that matter) is still under lock and key – with only a cutscene-heavy E3 teaser trailer and 22 minutes of demo gameplay footage to go on. Eager gamers might be quick to assume that Dafoe will, once again, add to his law enforcement repertoire (as he did in American Psycho as well as Inside Man) and play a refashioned version of the S.W.A.T leader character shown during the E3 media briefing – but that part looks to be pretty limited (too small for such a high profile name).

Other speculation surrounds the possibility that Dafoe will voice the disembodied, but playable, character Aiden (i.e. the “other” soul that is coupled with Page’s Jodi); though, it’s much more likely that the iconic actor will actually portray a larger antagonist – such as Jodi’s yet-to-be revealed pursuer (possibly an affluent mad scientist – much like Norman Osborne in Spider-Man).

As mentioned, we’ll have to wait for official confirmation on Dafoe’s role but, regardless, Beyond: Two Souls already has big name acting talent attached – which should be especially exciting for fans of character and narrative in the industry. As the “Are Video Games Art?” debate continues to rage on amongst non-gamers and passionate industry supporters, it’s encouraging to see outsiders (as well as the critical community) looking to game design as a legitimate medium to tell stories and explore characters.

READ FULL STORY

Willem Dafoe Officially Joins ‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Cast

Willem Dafoe has officially joined the cast of Quantic Dream‘s Beyond: Two Souls. Dafoe will be joining a cast that already includes Ellen Page, as the game’s protagonist Jodie Holmes.

Dafoe will play Nathan Dawkins, a government scientist that is trying to help Jodie understand her supernatural abilities. However, there appears to be something more sinister about Dawkins’ agenda, beyond just helping Jodie.

In Beyond: Two Souls‘ story, Jodie can see and interact with a supernatural entity, named Aiden, that has been following her nearly all her life. She and Aiden are linked in such a way that the player will have the ability to manipulate objects within given spaces.

Dafoe was rumored for the Beyond: Two Souls’ cast back in June of 2012, but it was only this weekend that Quantic Dream officially confirmed his involvement. Although Dafoe’s character has just been revealed, he has apparently been working on motion capture for the game for quite some time. In addition to the Willem Dafoe reveal trailer above, Sony also released a new trailer wherein Dafoe talks about his character and his experience working on the game.

If there is one thing to be said about Quantic Dream’s forthcoming project it’s that the game is certainly ambitious. Their last project, Heavy Rain, was a unique experience, almost like an interactive movie, and Beyond appears to build upon that foundation.

In addition to pushing the boundaries of what a game can be, Beyond is shaping up to be a project that features some top name talent. One of David Cage’s main goals in game development, as outlined in his appearance at Sony’s PS4 event, is to accurately capture true emotion. What better way to deliver true emotion than with accomplished actors like Page and Dafoe?

What do you think about Willem Dafoe joining the cast ofBeyond: Two Souls? How do you see Nathan Dawkins’ character arc playing out?

READ FULL STORY

David Cage: ‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Release Date Will Be Announced Soon

If there’s one in-road for next-gen PS4 information that’s almost as good as Sony it’s first party developers. If Sony wants to hit the ground running – presumably this Fall – they’ve likely already provided dev kits to first party guys like Naughty Dog, Media Molecule, and Guerrilla Games and maybe even those third party devs, like Quantic Dream, that have been favoring Sony in recent years.

Obviously, Sony has trained any members of these various teams in the arts of careful PR dodging, but there’s still the likelihood of a slip up. That’s why when Quantic Dream’s David Cage – the man behind the forthcoming Beyond: Two Souls – showed up at D.I.C.E. he was grilled about the PS4.

For as hard as IGN tried, they were unable to get anything too revelatory out of Cage, who chose to tout the still-viral PS3 rather than talk PS4. And even when asked about the PS4 not playing used games, Cage was very diplomatic in his response:


“On one hand, I understand consumer’s position. Games are expensive. When they buy something they want to be able to trade it, most of the time to buy more games. I can understand that point. On the other side, I understand the point of the industry. Each time you buy a used game, this is money that doesn’t go into the pocket of the people that took the risk to create this, to finance it, to develop it. This is also unfair. So I don’t know what is the right answer. I don’t know if making this impossible [to play used games] is the answer. Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. Maybe it’s more about explaining and about telling people who really love games that if they buy used games, there will be a day where there won’t be any new games at all.”

He didn’t say much to reveal if such a feature was headed to the PS4, but discussed both the pros and cons for consumers and publishers. He is a developer after all, so any new game purchases are likely to be his preferred source of income.

Cage’s upcoming game, Beyond: Two Souls, has been quite a mystery since a big reveal at Sony’s E3 2012 Press Conference, and a brief showing at Comic-Con. But some new information might be on the horizon.

When asked about a Beyond: Two Souls release date, Cage revealed that the game is almost in beta and will come out this year. In fact, he revealed a release date will be announced soon.

Deciding to say “soon” leads us to believe that Cage might be making an appearance at the Sony ‘See the Future’ event that takes place on February 20th. That is believed to be ground zero for PS4, and by extension next-gen, talk, so what better place for Cage to hype up his publisher’s new system.

Moreover, we wouldn’t be surprised if Cage revealed that Beyond was targeting both PS3 and PS4 for release. The game does look phenomenal – especially the motion capture work done on Ellen Paige (who plays Jodie Holmes). We’ll hopefully learn more in less than two weeks.

When do you think Beyond will hit store shelves? Will David Cage announce a release date at the ‘See the Future’ event? Might the game be a PS4 release?

READ FULL STORY

Sony: PS3 Has Not Yet ‘Peaked’, Next-Gen Impacting Current Gen Projects

It’s no secret that both Sony and Microsoft have begun work on their next-gen consoles. While neither will outright admit it, or provide concrete details about their highly anticipated machines, gamers know that 2013 should see these new consoles’ coming out parties.

However, at least as far as Sony is concerned, the company has to temper expectations for a next-gen console with a current-gen console that is still performing quite well. It’s something that Sony has already addressed – the idea that the PS3 still has a lot left to give – and they are apparently struggling to balance development resources constantly.

Even though Gara might believe the PS3 hasn’t run its course that apparently is not stopping Sony from devoting studio resources towards the next-gen. Furthermore, the company’s new handheld, the PlayStation Vita, also occupies a certain amount of resources, stretching the company even thinner.Speaking with CVG, Sony’s Managing Director of PlayStation UK, Fergal Gara, claims the PS3 still has a ways to go before it “peaks.” When looking at the numbers, Gara believes that Sony’s console is holding up better than others, and therefore is apprehensive about completely abandoning the PS3.

“If you look at continental Europe, PS3 hasn’t even peaked yet. Why would you run away from a console business when you’re not even top of the hill? We’re certainly not going to run away from it.”

While Gara wouldn’t provide any clues as to where Sony is headed for the next-gen – will it be disc-based, how much of an improvement will it be over current-gen, how much will it cost – he makes a good point about keep gamers’ focus on some of Sony’s exciting new content. Yes, as Gara points out, the company doesn’t have a big triple-A game for Christmas (although PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale fans might disagree), but they have some intriguing titles slated for 2013.


“We don’t have to talk to the same audience all the time. We have a stronger play on family this Christmas, and for the core games we will leverage third parties a bit more. I’m convinced we’ve got some great games coming out next year, such as The Last of Us and Beyond.”

Games like The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls are important parts of Sony’s current-gen slate, and will presumably help keep the PS3 going whilst next-gen talk significantly ramps up. There are also a few multiplatform titles (likeBioShock: Infinite and Tomb Raider) that many gamers are eager to get their hands on.

Current-gen is by no means dead, but at some point keeping the PS3 afloat is going to conflict with next-gen work. Just look at this past E3, where developers were showing off new and exciting titles like Star Wars 1313 and Watch Dogs, but couldn’t give concrete answers about what consoles they might launch on.

Gara might believe that the PS3 hasn’t reached its peak, but for a lot of gamers, and maybe a lot of developers, it’s time for the next-gen.

Do you agree with Fergal Gara’s comments about the PS3 not having peaked yet? Should Sony hold off on next-gen talk until after games like Last of Us and Beyondhave launched?

READ FULL STORY

David Cage: Play ‘Beyond: Two Souls Once – and Never Again

Quantic Dream’s upcoming Beyond: Two Souls might not have everything in common with Heavy Rain – the story extends through 15 years; our protagonist, Jodie Holmes, explores connections to the afterlife as well as the physical world; and the action, judging from the gameplay foortage released so far, has been markedly magnified – but the two share at least one common thread: David Cage’s desire to immerse players in another life.

And in life we only get one playthrough.

That’s the logos behind the director’s latest comments to Videogamer, where he suggested that gamers play Beyond: Two Souls once – and then never again. It was the same prescription Cage gave years ago for Heavy Rain: Decision making and choice are great. They allow players the freedom to chart their own course through a character’s life. But just how could that illusion, that sense of real connection with the path we choose, possibly hold up if we explore every conclusion in a multi-ending story?

“It’s the same approach as for Heavy Rain: Play it once and then don’t replay it. You can if you want, but I think the best way to experience the game is really to make choices and then never know what would have happened if you’d made a different choice. Because life is like this, and Beyond is the life of Jodie Holmes.

“For me, it’s more interesting to have players defining the life of Jodie – this is your version of the life of Jodie. And you can talk to other people and see their versions, and compare what you did, what you missed, what you saw, but never know what would have happened if… I think that’s the beauty of the thing.”

And we’ve heard before how seriously Cage is approaching Beyond’s weighty themes. The director was inspired to write the story of Jodie Holmes after losing a close relative, and in the interview he explains how the game is driven by the concept of explaining what comes after death, albeit outside of religion:


“Death is something really strange. I mean, you have the concept of death when no-one around you has died, and you understand that it’s very sad. But when you lose someone close, you have a totally different approach to it. Suddenly it takes on a whole different light. I have never been very interested in religions, I just say that they are nice theories. And one day I was thinking about what death could be, without religions, without God sitting on a cloud, or whatever. Can we have another explanation for that? This is what drove me to write Beyond.”

For most gamers, however, deciding whether or not Beyond deserves another playthrough will likely be harder than Cage lets on. Because at the end of the day let’s face it: the game is still with us, still staring us down from the shelf or the coffee table.

The replay choice is easy for an engaging singular narrative like Assassin’s Creed, a sports simulator like Madden, or game devoid of storytelling altogether such asWords with Friends – but is it really worth knowing “what could have been” in a Mass Effect, Heavy Rain… or Beyond?

READ FULL STORY

‘Beyond: Two Souls’ Focused on Challenging The Mind, Not Fun

For most video game creators, “fun” is an essential element of everything they make. Most creators work long hours to convey fun to their (hopefully) widespread audiences and to have their work described as such. And in fact, most video game boxes would give a thesaurus entry for the three-letter noun/adjective a run for its money.

But as is well-known, there are most creators… and then there’s David Cage. The quixotic founder of Quantic Dream is renown for having his own industry prerogative – Cage already claimed that he doesn’t care if his games received as art – and his most recent title, 2010′s Heavy Rain, was hardly concerned with the popular tropes of fun, action, and all-out excitement (yet it still received a perfect score in our Heavy Rain review).

It’s not surprising, then, that Cage’s upcoming drama Beyond: Two Souls would exhibit a similar theme. We already know action has a more prominent role in the star-studded affair, but in a recent interview with Edge, Cage expressed a profound disinterest in plain-and-simple fun – he wants wants Beyond: Two Soulsto “challenge the mind”:

“My goal is to surprise people, to give them something they want without knowing they want it. I want to create an emotional journey, a unique experience.

“I am not interested in giving them ‘fun’, I want to give them meaning; I don’t want to challenge their thumbs, I want to challenge their minds.”

And for David Cage himself, there’s personal reason why Beyond is less concerned with the ephemeral, and more with the spiritual, the emotionally-resonant: the game happens to be his direct response to the death of a close relative. How or in what way this shaped the narrative wasn’t delved into, understandably, but Cage hopes that the 15-year story arc of Jodie Holmes, Beyond’s protagonist, combined with groundbreaking technology and Ellen Page’s exhaustive motion capture work for the role, will generate an unparalleled bond between player and character. (Perhaps the feeling of two souls, if you will.)

Cage knows his approach is different, that it might not be for everyone. He’s not afraid to admit it. But in the end, pouring his vision – his soul into a game is what he truly values most:


“Maybe this is irrelevant or just overly ambitious. Maybe this is not what most people out there actually want. But this is the goal I set myself withBeyond: to create something different.”

Ranters, what do you think of David Cage’s focus for Beyond: Two Souls? Can “fun” still intersect with dramatic, emotional, meaningful, or, as Cage seems to be going for, spiritual?

READ FULL STORY