Beyond: Two Souls

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2884 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,210 out of 2884
  2. Mixed: 324 out of 2884
  3. Negative: 350 out of 2884
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  1. JohnWitten
    Oct 20, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Concept: Tell the story of Jodie Holmes and her connection to the omnipresent and omniscient entity Aiden through a sporadic tale covering most of her life and bridging several worlds, uncovering some surprisingly deep revelations along the way. A true story of finding yourself as much as finding quality and acceptance in others.

    Graphics: Excellently rendered animations and character models, only pulled down in some instances by weaker parallels in still models within the environments. The cinematic work is unparalleled in my opinion, for the most part.

    Sound: Between the haunting and minimalistic melodies and the star studded cast, it's truly hard to find fault with what is present for sound quality.

    Playability: The quick time contextual sequences work out much more fluidly than in previous Quanitc Dream games utilizing similar sequences of control, however the action moments can often make players lost and disoriented- which, while somewhat intended, can still be quite annoying at times when wrestling with control and chaos.

    Entertainment: Despite falling down in the story and gameplay department at times, the game comes together well and has its genuinely impressive and deeply thought-provoking moments of fear, bravery, trust, and sadness.

    Replay Value: High.

    Overall Score: 8.5    … Expand
  2. alvargon
    Oct 8, 2013
    8
    Perfect Graphics, Perfect History, perfect plot, this game is a GOTY. The actors make a good interpretations, the options that Jodie can make in the game are awesome.

    Trolls of metacritic, stop make stupid opinions.
  3. greygoose
    Oct 10, 2013
    8
    The narrative is a bit disjointed, but can I say how much fun it was to play a videogame as Ellen Page?
    It was great. Especially as a person who mainly plays videogames when I'm sick on the couch, I loved not having to memorize 100 controls. Visuals were fantastic. David Cage keep making games.
  4. ShAV
    Oct 20, 2013
    8
    Great graphics, great animation, great story, but the direction is weaker than Heavy Rain. Individual episodes cause delight In the style of David Cage. The pieces of the story of adult Jody different and ambiguous. Too frequent changes of the setting breaks the immersion in the game. Just finished the game a second time to realize all full. Very emotional story. Everyone who from theGreat graphics, great animation, great story, but the direction is weaker than Heavy Rain. Individual episodes cause delight In the style of David Cage. The pieces of the story of adult Jody different and ambiguous. Too frequent changes of the setting breaks the immersion in the game. Just finished the game a second time to realize all full. Very emotional story. Everyone who from the first story seemed strange, I advise you to play a second time.… Expand
  5. birdmannavy
    Oct 13, 2013
    8
    Heavy Rain is a top five game for me so Beyond: Two Souls was a natural must have. However, I have to say I was disappointed with the experience overall. What really does this game in is the story. I felt at times that I was playing a great game, a real five out of five, but then I got to the last quarter of the game--starting when Jodie agrees to work again with the CIA, Doh!--and theHeavy Rain is a top five game for me so Beyond: Two Souls was a natural must have. However, I have to say I was disappointed with the experience overall. What really does this game in is the story. I felt at times that I was playing a great game, a real five out of five, but then I got to the last quarter of the game--starting when Jodie agrees to work again with the CIA, Doh!--and the B movie dial is turned to full blast. Here we have a lowly scientist turned head of some ridiculously gilded defense agency; a mega gate portal to another realm--built despite disastrous results from the first such and equaling a betrayal to Jody by said scientist; laughably bad security at an arctic submarine facility which holds ANOTHER mega gate portal; a boss fight with a non-American military dude who really hates Americans (and women, which Jodie is both); and the real capper, the turning of a likeable character into a madman who would hold the souls of his wife and daughter in torment because he “loves” them too much to let them go. This last insult Cage attempts to justify in the silliest manner by showing that this man got drunk after their deaths. Well Boo-hoo. That being said, most videogame stories generally suck. Heck, Heavy Rain’s sucked, and it’s on my top five! What does that leave us? Gameplay and characterization. Let’s cover the gameplay. I was actually skeptical from the start when Quantic Dream showed us the right thumbstick only QTE’s, and for good reason. Heavy Rain’s QTE’s were awesome, but it seems like these were ditched because someone felt that seeing face buttons appear on screen was distracting. So now instead of knowing how you screwed up you’re left scratching your head--I suppose, as someone else has said already, this could have been fixed by having more than one direction registered as a successful move, or they simply could have displayed the direction they wanted me to press. The problem is that you couldn’t fit these controls to Heavy Rain because the fights in that game were more desperate and dynamic, it wasn’t simply, “Move stick toward dude during slow mo to connect punch, duck or lean back to avoid punch”. Yet you could take the button prompt QTE’s from Heavy Rain and apply them to B2S. Also, I was often frustrated because I had no idea what the designers wanted me to do in a given situation and the player is often yelled at by Jodie to get a move on--A good example: at the embassy Jodie needs to find a “Quiet place” to do something in, we don’t know what it is but standing by the fountain isn’t quiet enough. Turns out you have to find the restroom and go into a stall. Why couldn’t they just say that and, “Here, a star on your screen to show you where it is. Take your time, we won’t yell at you, explore some of the other interesting options we (didn’t) have for you”? The white dots on the screen never turn black to contrast with their environments and doing actions like healing and mind reading are a pain. I can say that I really enjoyed the characters of Jodie and Aiden both and I really like who it turns out that Aiden actually is. I just wish there were more scenes where one didn’t have to call on Aiden to help out. I did relish exacting revenge on the teenagers at the party, but after that did we really need another “Party gone awry”--this time at a bar with the audacity to threaten rape? Couldn’t we just have a scene of poor Jodie enjoying a party? Oh, well, great graphics and fun to be had in spite of it all. 4 out of 5.… Expand
  6. AsboXFlemzo
    Oct 12, 2013
    8
    This game, which is very much a interactive movie have extremely nice moments in the story as well as heart racing action, its no heavy rain but its still good. Graphics and sound are stunning and ellan page is great. Sadley its done in a bad order instead of a normal timeline making the story feel broken. Its give you three choices NICE, being a complete troll by trolling all the livingThis game, which is very much a interactive movie have extremely nice moments in the story as well as heart racing action, its no heavy rain but its still good. Graphics and sound are stunning and ellan page is great. Sadley its done in a bad order instead of a normal timeline making the story feel broken. Its give you three choices NICE, being a complete troll by trolling all the living characters into fear or darn evil and start killing everything that moves. This gives it replay value, im playing nice/ trolling iden the first time jody being a good girl, next time ill play evil iden and dirty jodie. Its not a runner for any awards cage screwed up here, it could of been alot better and its his creative responsibility.… Expand
  7. vrildox
    Oct 21, 2013
    8
    I get why this game has such mixed reviews. It's definitely not for everyone. I had finished the story of GTA5 and rolled right into Beyond the following day. Most people would compare the two and call Beyond a piece of crap. It's like talking about Forrest Gump and having someone ask you if it's as good as Grandma's Boy. They're two totally different films. I keep seeing reviews whereI get why this game has such mixed reviews. It's definitely not for everyone. I had finished the story of GTA5 and rolled right into Beyond the following day. Most people would compare the two and call Beyond a piece of crap. It's like talking about Forrest Gump and having someone ask you if it's as good as Grandma's Boy. They're two totally different films. I keep seeing reviews where people are saying "just play GTA5." They are two completely different games. If you enjoyed Heavy Rain or Asura's Wrath, you'll love Beyond. If you own ten games and they all being with COD, then look elsewhere. And if you're like me, a 28-year-old gamer that's constantly looking for a new experience, than at least give it a shot. I really think there's a lot of fun to be had with this game. Ellen Page is Jodi and her entity is Aiden. YOU, the gamer, are basically Aiden. Getting to play as a benevolent entity is a blast. You can really mess with NPCs. Aiden is very protective of Jodi and that's just one of the many characteristics that mirror how you're feeling while playing. You see Jodi get picked on by a neighborhood kid so you choke the little punk. You sometimes forget that it's just a game. David Cage always said his main objective in gaming was to evoke the players emotions unlike any other game. Sure you are happy when you beat a game or pissed when you die, but what about everything in between. Beyond is one of those "in-between" games. I've played similar games. I'm not saying it's revolutionary, but it's pushing games into unknown territory. I personally loved it.… Expand
  8. CharithaBVB
    Oct 8, 2013
    8
    This is how you make an interactive game. David Cage hit the old nail on the head with this one.
    The only thing that is upsetting is the controls when you have combat scenes, all others was top notch.
    Aiden the supernatural best friend of Jodie is interesting and its always interesting to see how their relationship becomes stronger. A great story, and a very impressive game.
  9. Jellybean15
    Dec 22, 2013
    8
    Three years after the release of the critically acclaimed Heavy Rain, David Cage has finally released his next project, Beyond: Two Souls. With the major amount of publicity its received, given that Ellen Page and Willem Defoe are the games main characters, the question surrounding this game is whether or not it can live up to the hype.

    One of the most impressive aspects of the game is    Three years after the release of the critically acclaimed Heavy Rain, David Cage has finally released his next project, Beyond: Two Souls. With the major amount of publicity its received, given that Ellen Page and Willem Defoe are the games main characters, the question surrounding this game is whether or not it can live up to the hype.

    One of the most impressive aspects of the game is the graphics. Although the game wouldn't be considered beautiful with popping colors, the graphics themselves are beyond impressive in terms of detail. The character designs are amazing, capturing everything from the character's pores, to their hair, and even to the details of their clothes. The amount of detail and color in this game make it an absolute beauty to look at, and make it one of the most graphically impressive games of the current console generation, if not the best.

    Another aspect of the game is the story. Unlike Cage's last game, Heavy Rain, the game features only one protagonist, Jodie Holmes, played by actress Ellen Page and the ghost tied to her, named Aiden. The game follows Jodie's story from age 9 all the way to 24. The game features multiple chapters which are more jumbled and mixed up than a Quinton Tarantino film. Luckily, the game has a time line as a loading screen, which shows you when each chapter happened, making the story surprisingly easy to follow. In the first couple of hours, the story wasn't as engrossing as I would have liked, and I wondered exactly how some of the chapters were significant. Luckily, as the chapters filled out, all the events became important in their own way, and it's actually better that the story is jumbled up because it helps make some events in the story later down the timeline more clear and easy to understand. If the story were to be viewed in order, it would have significantly weakened the experience.

    One disappointment I've heard from fans is that the story isn't like Heavy Rain's style. In Heavy Rain's story, the game had an enormous amount of endings, which were all affected by the choices you made throughout the story. The multiple endings and in game choices encouraged multiple playthroughs if you wanted to get all of them. What made the game more exiting was the ability to kill off your characters, as well as the shocking twist near the end.

    Then there's Beyond's story. The game does have multiple endings, but the choices in the game that affect what ending you get are made within the last thirty minutes of the game. There are certain actions you can make in the story that make some of the endings slightly different, but that's it. However, I personally loved the change up. The reason why is because Heavy Rain's story was a little short, given all the work that was put into the multiple story arcs, which I had no problem with. However, because the story in Beyond was a single story arc, the story had a lot more room for the drama and impact. In this case, Beyond delivers, ultimately making it emotional, intense, heartfelt, and humorous on a couple of occasions. Also, the story is longer than Heavy Rain, making more room for the drama. So, I personally don't mind the change, but I know others will, so whether or not the game's story is good depends on your preferences.

    Next is the gameplay. The gameplay is similar to Heavy Rain, using the Face buttons to control speech choices during conversations and decisions, while using quick time events for the action. The quick time events in Beyond are actually based on moving the right analog stick in the correct direction. There aren't any on screen prompts, so you have to judge which way to move the stick, based on Jodie's momentum whenever the action slows. I've heard complaints that the direction isn't always clear, but I never had a problem with it. Plus, the slow down prompt always gives you enough time to adequately judge where to go.

    One thing I was disappointed with was the balance of quick time events and cinematic gameplay. Heavy Rain had a nice balance, usually having a quick time event segment every hour or so, with cinematic gameplay filling out the in between sections. In Beyond, the game would sometimes go on for hours without any quick time events or action. Despite the great story, the gap sometimes left me impatient for more.

    In this game, you don't control just Jodie, but the Aiden too. His gameplay mainly consists of messing with objects in the environment, as well as the ability to posses or kill people. As Aiden, you float around the area, and look for the next object to mess with (usually presented with a white dot), or look for the next person to kill or possess (usually presented with a red or orange silhouette). Aiden's controls are floaty at first, but get easier to handle over time.

    Ultimately, the game was incredible. When I reached the end, I was impressed with both the story as well as the gameplay and in the end, I can say my expectations with this game were satisfied.    … Expand
  10. HONDOMAN
    Oct 15, 2013
    8
    This is the epitome of a good game. You could tell the developers really cared about what they were putting out. The whole time I was playing this I thought, how is the PS3 even capable of rendering these amazing images? It was so stunningly beautiful and well thought out. The acting in this is superb. Whether it's Ellen Page, Willem Dafoe and even the actress who played little Jodie wasThis is the epitome of a good game. You could tell the developers really cared about what they were putting out. The whole time I was playing this I thought, how is the PS3 even capable of rendering these amazing images? It was so stunningly beautiful and well thought out. The acting in this is superb. Whether it's Ellen Page, Willem Dafoe and even the actress who played little Jodie was amazing. The perfect hybrid of a game and a cinematic.… Expand
  11. Stoneyzatiger
    Nov 25, 2013
    8
    Beyond: Two Souls is a good game. It is an entertaining journey that allows us a glimpse of future interactive entertainment.

    We know people are very different. The can all enjoy different kinds of Movies, Games and sports. Our tastes are different. When reviewing a game like Beyond, its easiest to compare it amongst the relative small amount of games that inhabit that genre(s) and    Beyond: Two Souls is a good game. It is an entertaining journey that allows us a glimpse of future interactive entertainment.

    We know people are very different. The can all enjoy different kinds of Movies, Games and sports. Our tastes are different.
    When reviewing a game like Beyond, its easiest to compare it amongst the relative small amount of games that inhabit that genre(s) and not necessarily to the wider range of peers it could rank against.

    I like to watch films(UK English) and I like video games, and having the two combined was a treat. While watching movies there are generally two things that frustrate me about a good story; The inability to choose a different cause of action to the one chosen in the film, and the length of the film. Beyond: Two souls and Quantum Dreams Studios have solved this.
    Imagining a Lord of the rings where we could have more control over the characters fate. On the flip side, It may eliminate the nostalgia of having read the books(Although they ended up being very different anyway).

    I can imagine a future where movies cross to the line and become more interactive. With DVDs came the ability to change camera angles etc. although I still haven’t used it or seen it. Why? Well, other than it being possible to catch a better glimpse of a side-boob the feature is generally uninteresting. The ability to change the run of the story based on what we would do and how I feel at the time is what we I am really looking for.

    Talking about the silliness of Beyond’s plot and the holes in the story would take a whole page to describe. I will leave the game magazines to plough through that. That is all inconsequential in comparison to the Audacity of Quantum Dreams to tell a story so provoking to the imagination is admiring.
    The plan this time around I guess, was to make amore empathetic and emotional ride for the gamer/viewer, to take the next step into the Future entertainment realm. It was a very good attempt. And it was fun to watch. Those who ever remembered “Alive” can see how this deal plays out with real life actors whose days –as technology rapidly advances in the years to come will be numbered.    … Expand
  12. SJ-ULTI-Reiews
    Dec 7, 2013
    8
    Beyond: Two Souls is a very unique game, the graphics and facial design are quite impressive. The gameplay really puts you in the game and what is annoying at first becomes really fun. This game really focuses on story and gameplay instead of multiplayer and all the social crap that other games use. Ellen Page, Willem Dafoe and the rest of the voice actors where great at deliveringBeyond: Two Souls is a very unique game, the graphics and facial design are quite impressive. The gameplay really puts you in the game and what is annoying at first becomes really fun. This game really focuses on story and gameplay instead of multiplayer and all the social crap that other games use. Ellen Page, Willem Dafoe and the rest of the voice actors where great at delivering outstanding performances, some of my favorite characters where Jodie, Stan, Tuesday(Elisa), Ryan, Nathan, Walter, Jimmy, Cole, an obviously Aiden. Beyond: Two Souls has a really immersive world and was fun to get the platinum after four playthroughs. Overall Score= 83/100… Expand
  13. SirPFS
    Oct 10, 2013
    8
    First of all, this game is not for everyone... I don't know about you guys, but if i would have wanted an action game, i would not have bought Beyond Two Souls.Don't buy this game thinking you'll play a great action game....THIS IS NOT.
    From Quantic Dream, the guys who brought us Heavy Rain... what did you expected?
    Its true that this game is more like an interactive movie, and this is    First of all, this game is not for everyone... I don't know about you guys, but if i would have wanted an action game, i would not have bought Beyond Two Souls.Don't buy this game thinking you'll play a great action game....THIS IS NOT.
    From Quantic Dream, the guys who brought us Heavy Rain... what did you expected?

    Its true that this game is more like an interactive movie, and this is why i love it. I want more of these games. So different from all the game i normally play.

    I had some issue with the control at the beginning, but nothing serious. I did not encounter any ''Game breaking" or "immersion breaking" glitch. My gameplay was smooth and really enjoyable.

    Graphics are amazing, music is intense, moving.. and the story was way better than any movie you'll go watch in theater.    … Expand
  14. CHarv24
    Oct 11, 2013
    8
    Complete the story before making judgement. This game will be one of the most alienating games ever, you'll either love it or hate it personally I enjoyed it. There's a lot of confusion with the jumping timeline and you won't really understand what's going on for too much of the game, but that "Aha!" when you complete it and everything makes sense really makes it mark. Like Heavy RainComplete the story before making judgement. This game will be one of the most alienating games ever, you'll either love it or hate it personally I enjoyed it. There's a lot of confusion with the jumping timeline and you won't really understand what's going on for too much of the game, but that "Aha!" when you complete it and everything makes sense really makes it mark. Like Heavy Rain there are many endings you can find, the graphics/facial movements are top notch and the story (once it all comes together) really effects you. The gameplay is a bit over simplified and there are some quirks when controlling Aiden, but overall its definitely worth a try.… Expand
  15. RCFProd
    Oct 12, 2013
    8
    An 8 is as high as I could go. The game captures emotions well and has soundtracks that truly fit the game. However, the story isn't always as well written. It's not as bad as some say it is, the game differs in a good way. There are enough PS3 games around so, in my opinion, there was enough room for QD to do it a bit differently, and in my opinion, with Aiden and the type of controlsAn 8 is as high as I could go. The game captures emotions well and has soundtracks that truly fit the game. However, the story isn't always as well written. It's not as bad as some say it is, the game differs in a good way. There are enough PS3 games around so, in my opinion, there was enough room for QD to do it a bit differently, and in my opinion, with Aiden and the type of controls they did a good job.

    The negatives are that the beginning and ending seem the only interesting part as what's in-between doesn't seem as relevant. The great soundtracks seem to be repeated too often, but it was far from game breaking. You have to really focus on which controls you use when you have to defend yourself against a punch or an obstacle in slow-mo. You seem to be using the right direction with your right analog stick, but sometimes you still get to taste the punch. That could've been better. But overall it seemed like a story that will stick for a while. The ending is different class.

    Beyond Two Souls does well, but It's pricetag for what it delivers is a bit too much. The story isn't all that long. It is a nice game, but a very expensive movie. If you play games often you won't have much problems with the controls in the game.    … Expand
  16. thedarkestdie
    Oct 12, 2013
    8
    It's more like 8.5/10 for me. This game truly shows the ambition that David Cage has put into his games. The story was great and despite its non-chronological style, I easily put all the pieces together and understood and throughly enjoyed it. That being said I will say that I was uncomfortable at how the story jumps all over the place during the first quarter of the game or so. It failedIt's more like 8.5/10 for me. This game truly shows the ambition that David Cage has put into his games. The story was great and despite its non-chronological style, I easily put all the pieces together and understood and throughly enjoyed it. That being said I will say that I was uncomfortable at how the story jumps all over the place during the first quarter of the game or so. It failed to ease me into the story due to this awkward method of storytelling. However I eventually got used to it and quite a few of the individual chapters are very moving emotionally, making the game that much more interesting.

    The restriction of freedom however is something that made me shudder. In previous games made by Quantic Dream such as Heavy Rain choice had some significant repercussions, such as the permanent death of a character if you fail a fight for example, Getting locked up in jail or walking away. These significant changes in the plot are not emphasized as much in Beyond Two Souls, with your choices in dialogue and gameplay not making much of a significant impact later on in the story. There are moments where this proves to be wrong but they are few and far between.

    The Combat and exploration also feel a bit restrictive. Aiden's ability to pass through matter is annoyingly hampered during certain sections and the "tether" that connects him with Jodie can make exploration a chore. The combat likewise has been stripped down to a simple left,right,up,down gameplay mechanic utilizing the right analog stick while time is being slowed down to allow you chose the right direction along with some simple analog stick controls for Aiden. It's fairly readable for the most part, but it can be unreadable at times making mistakes almost unavoidable. However it doesn't matter because for the most part things usually work out for Jodie and Aiden adding on to the fact that the failure usually doesn't affect anything as much as it should.

    Overall, despite its glaring issues, the game truly sings during its last few chapters (I cried during one of the many endings) adding true emotion that challenges even the climatic endings of Heavy Rain. The story can be uncomfortable at first but once you piece it all together you can truly appreciate the ambition
    behind this entertaining and emotional experience as you try to unfold what lies beyond.    … Expand
  17. glauber
    Oct 13, 2013
    8
    Despite the mixed reviews about the game I have to say I'm loving it beautiful graphics (if not the best on this generation) and a great history.

    I've never played any Quantic Dream title, but after BTS I'm sure I'll give Heavy Rain a try.
  18. Kayllen
    Oct 15, 2013
    8
    I cant believe the score's critics are giving this game.
    Beyond 2 Souls is a good game but its not a game for every one.
    Graphics: very good and character models look very good. voice acting and script/story: As you would expect from the makers of Heavy Rain the story is good and all of the actors do a great job especially Ellen Page who happens to be my favourite actor. game play: Now    I cant believe the score's critics are giving this game.
    Beyond 2 Souls is a good game but its not a game for every one.
    Graphics: very good and character models look very good.
    voice acting and script/story: As you would expect from the makers of Heavy Rain the story is good and all of the actors do a great job especially Ellen Page who happens to be my favourite actor.
    game play: Now this is were the game get hated a lot as you know this is some what of a interactive movie so the game play is good in some parts bad in others.
    over all conclusion: Beyond 2 Souls is a good game and is a change because people have been begging for a change from over the top shooter and game like Beyond 2 Souls is the game and if your a person who can love a game based on its story then this is the game for you I had fun with the story.
    I give it a 8 I hoe the scores get better because people need to wake up and realize they complained for a new different game and now they got it.
    score: 8/10    … Expand
  19. HyunJ
    Oct 20, 2013
    8
    What happens after death, what is there in the beyond? These are the questions that Quantic Dream's new title tries to ask. Beyond Two Souls is an incredibly beautiful game with a very beautiful and emotional storyline with a few surprising twists thrown into the mix. Is this game really worth your time? Well... it really depends on what your looking for these days in gaming. If you expectWhat happens after death, what is there in the beyond? These are the questions that Quantic Dream's new title tries to ask. Beyond Two Souls is an incredibly beautiful game with a very beautiful and emotional storyline with a few surprising twists thrown into the mix. Is this game really worth your time? Well... it really depends on what your looking for these days in gaming. If you expect some AAA gameplay in this game, its not here (The Last of Us is a great alternative of storyline and gameplay). Also if you hated David Cage's previous title Heavy Rain due to the QTE's and slow gameplay then chances are you won't like this title either, this is stuff you should expect in a Quantic Dream game.

    Beyond tells a story of girl named Jodie Holmes through her life ages 8 23. All her life she is attached to an entity named Aiden that protects her throughout the entirety of her life she tries to understand her entity's purpose here and understanding more on what lies beyond. This game is purely made for its story and the story here is exceptional, in addition, the performances by Ellen Page as Jodie Holmes and William Defoe as Nathan Hawkins are both amazing. The storyline here doesn't have as many plot holes like Heavy Rain does so that's relief. The story is very emotional and even more so with Heavy Rain and touches on a lot of sensitive subjects such as death, losing loved ones, and reconnecting with those we have lost (which I'm sure will make many shed some tears, I sure as hell did). It has an awesome plot that will keep you hooked for hours until the very end. However the only problem I had with the story was the way it is told. The game starts out in medias res and from there the story starts to jump around the place. For example, you would start out with Jodie in her childhood then jump into her in the military, then back to a kid, then teen and then suddenly you're wanted by the police. I kind of understand what kind of direction David Cage is going for doing a Tarantino style of direction, but all that does is make the story a little bit inconsistent. The connections between the story line is comprehensive yet I feel that the story being told in a linear format would've been a lot concise.

    Beyond Two Souls was meant to be played as an experience and not for its pulse pounding gameplay which I'm not sure why people expect this from someone like David Cage. You have everything you expect from a game like this: linear structure, QTE's and button prompts to do certain thing around you. My favourite addition and mostly everyone else's favourite addition to the gameplay has to be Aiden. You are able to switch between Jodie and Aiden at any time during the game and as Aiden you are free to travel through matter, move objects, possess things and even suffocate people. This leads to test your morales in this game, for example, I was given a choice to get back at some kids that were bullying me. You have the option to get revenge or simply stay out of it. I chose to get revenge, while it was power inducing at first, let's just say there were a couple fatal and unfortunate events that have occurred. Even with Aiden's freedom you can't travel too far or else it hurts Jodie because of the entity connection and all that (I guess everything had its limits, right). Also the quick time events have been changed, everything has been moved to the right stick of the controller. The scheme is that you follow Jodie's movements with the right stick. At times it is hard to tell where Jodie is moving at time and can be frustrating for some but it didn't bother me the least because even if you fail all the QTE's the story still goes on. Since this is a Quantic Dream game, your actions can affect the entire story so there is some replay value within if you're interested in finding out what happens in another way of playing the game. There are also confirmed 12 different ways you can end this game (which is the same amount in Heavy Rain) and if you're a trophy hunter, good luck with a lot of playthroughs and grinding.

    If you pre-ordered this game at Gamestop (or wherever you pre-order your games) you were promised to receive extra content, right. Yes we did let's list what we got: Additional gameplay, PS3 Theme, Avatars, and a Soundtrack (containing four songs, umm....) kind of a lacklustre pre-order if you ask me and the soundtrack while beautiful and haunting but really...only four songs. I remember in heavy rain there were at least sixteen songs and that's four times the amount than in Beyond. I expected a bit more from my pre-order other than a steelbook case.

    Overall, Beyond Two Souls is well polished game with only a few bugs and texture pop-ins that isn't enough to break me out of the experience. Amazing and emotional story, memorable characters and haunting score. If you love games with a rich emotional story, I recommend Beyond Two Souls.

    PS: Please provide feedback and like if this was helpful.

    TY!    … Expand
  20. Mudville
    Oct 21, 2013
    8
    Good game makes you fill like you are in a movie with such great graphics. Even though the storyline might confuse some gamers since it is not in order.
  21. Beyondorlife
    Oct 26, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Really touching storyline, great animation, however the gaming experience should be longer and more challenging. Overall, I hope there will be second part of beyond though!! Enjoyed this game really much an JOdie's life is really inspiring. She kept stay forward eventhough she is a treated like a guinea pig.… Expand
  22. Kelliente
    Nov 3, 2013
    8
    As an interactive novel, I "couldn't put it down." I deprived myself of sleep and finished it in two nights. It's great. You wish you had more freedom to explore in some places, but then the game wouldn't be what it is.
  23. cmcelhatton
    Nov 5, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Personally I think that the story was good, could have been better but over all I enjoyed it. The storyline revolves around the idea of a human being tied to a spirit or entity from birth. The spirit allows the human host to exhibit what we might define as telekinesis, remote viewing and possession. In this case the human host is Jodie, a girl who ends up growing in a secretive institution bent on understanding her incredible extra-sensorial powers.

    The game narrative uses the stratagem of flashbacks to gradually bring more insight into the story as it progresses. However while flashbacks may have value in an actual movie, here I think it was overdone. Regardless as the game progresses we discover more about Jodie’s past and what eventually leads her from a rather reclusive child, to angst riddled teen and troubled young adult.

    While the acting, captured meticulously via advanced motion capture, is superlative thanks to excellent work by Ellen Page (Jodie) and Willem Defoe (Nathan), I felt that the emotional build-up between scenes comes across as somewhat disjointed. This in my opinion is a pity, as there is material in there for a good solid story, but hopelessly garbled up with several, small, careless flourishes made for reasons that lay beyond my comprehension.

    For example, the Ryan (Eric Winter) character is central to some important scenes within the game. He is the first CIA contact Jodie is introduced to as well as a possible romantic interest. This would-be love affair develops into the dinner scene. Jodie receives a phone call from Ryan asking her why she did not reply to his invitation to go with him on a date. Jodie discovers that the invite was an email which she could not have read on account of Aiden causing her laptop to crash. She then invites Ryan for dinner but Aiden plays up horribly making Ryan feel uncomfortable to the point that he leaves but not before making it obvious he has feeling for her. Later in the game as part of a CIA mission we get Ryan sending Jodie callously off to assassinated a person of interest he defines as a Warlord and who turns out to be an innocent man. Ryan loves Jodie and he’d do something like that? It simply doesn’t make any sense.

    There are other disjoints that simply do not add up, for instance the Nathan/Jodie rapport throughout the game. From several flashback scenes, we get the impression that Nathan really cares about Jodie. When Jodie is young, Nathan loses both his wife and his daughter in a tragic car accident; Jodie uses her powers to allow a grieving Nathan to listen to the voices of his recently deceased wife and child. You would think this single anecdote would bring them closer on a familial level.

    While Jodie represents research potential for him, and Nathan is even willing to place her in harm’s way to close a dangerous rift into the infraworld, you still get the impression that these decisions are taken heavy heartedly and in the awareness that only Jodie can get the job done; this feeling of genuine concern occurs repeatedly across a number of scenes.

    So this keeps adding up, that Nathan would never do things that might harm Jodie. Yet later in the game, Nathan allows CIA operatives to knock her out cold an bring her back to him when she goes to visit her natural mother, and there again does absolutely nothing when a General decides to put Jodie into a forced coma because she has become too dangerous to let go. Towards the end, you are suddenly treated to a Nathan who apparently never really overcame his grief for the loss of his wife and child and who heartlessly finds a manner to trap their spirits indefinitely within a containment field. He is suddenly portrayed as being so maddened by this obsession that when Jodie reveals that the spirits he is containing are suffering because of his actions, he snaps at Jodie telling her she is lying. So the caring, almost gentle Nathan is now a raving schizoid?! If he cared so much for Jodie, showing it repeatedly, wouldn’t this love if anything have allowed him to diminish his sense of loss over time? Would not Jodie have to some extent become the adoptive daughter he needed to mend his grieving heart?

    The problem of whether to rubbish this game would not present itself if the story was totally bad, but it’s not the case. We have a storyline here that holds a tonne of potential but which really needed some serious rewrites of what I consider important details that fail to gel by the end of the game.

    Regardless “Beyond Two Souls” is a great effort and well worth going through. One may find fault with some aspects of the narrative but the inherent potential within, means I would gladly see it transferred to a traditional movie format. Obviously provided that the disjointed details in the narrative are corrected and that both Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe keep their roles.    … Expand
  24. Canadainwiteboy
    Nov 9, 2013
    8
    beyond two souls was a fun experience for me i enjoy story driven games as a change from generic fps games a lot. the story was very well pecied together, although having the sequences out of order took me a while to get used to the first 3 missions were confusing as hell and i found it difficult to get into it but i grew to like it and it became eaiser and i more acustmed to it. althoughbeyond two souls was a fun experience for me i enjoy story driven games as a change from generic fps games a lot. the story was very well pecied together, although having the sequences out of order took me a while to get used to the first 3 missions were confusing as hell and i found it difficult to get into it but i grew to like it and it became eaiser and i more acustmed to it. although some of the sequences i found were either way to long or much to short i enjoyed the parts where jodie was a young teenager as it explained why she acts the way she does when shes and adult. but some of the other parts such as ranch mission were WAY to long and wish i could skip them but overall the cutscenes were actually enjoyable to watch and the game never froze for me. the only thing keeping me from giving this game a 9 or higher was the choices. unlke ferinheiht and heavy rain i didnt feel like i was making alot of choices through out the game i know that there we multiple endings but i felt like that was the only part were you really get to see your descions was the end. i guess i can complain about the ending on that note because there were so many possible endings but i have to say that overall i liked heavy rain more but i very much so enjoyed beyond two souls… Expand
  25. Xumari
    Dec 7, 2013
    8
    Very great game except for the storyline's evolution. As it happened with Fahrenheit, the game gets you from the very beginning, but as it goes on it loses its charm. Very predictable plot (at least for me), and incongruous endings with the storyline. They left a lot of unloose ends.
    Excellent gameplay as happened with Heavy Rain, with the addition this title allows a cooperative game.
  26. Greeklover
    Nov 10, 2013
    8
    I really loved this game the story was moving the graphics were great and voice acting very good (i am a fan of ellen page too) about the gameplay it may not be the usual fast paced game everyone likes but i didnt find myself getting bored or anything...the only thing i disliked were the controls on the fight scenes mostly because I was not sure in some cases in which direction i wasI really loved this game the story was moving the graphics were great and voice acting very good (i am a fan of ellen page too) about the gameplay it may not be the usual fast paced game everyone likes but i didnt find myself getting bored or anything...the only thing i disliked were the controls on the fight scenes mostly because I was not sure in some cases in which direction i was supposed to move the character but overall a great game … Expand
  27. draculabakula
    Dec 5, 2013
    8
    The story is pretty generic but is really well told. The quality of the graphics varies throughout the game which was a little distracting for me. The game and story gave me a strong Metal Gear Solid vibe, Many people have stated that the second half of the game falls off because it jumps all over the place. For instance, there is a chapter where you go to an underwater base. This is theThe story is pretty generic but is really well told. The quality of the graphics varies throughout the game which was a little distracting for me. The game and story gave me a strong Metal Gear Solid vibe, Many people have stated that the second half of the game falls off because it jumps all over the place. For instance, there is a chapter where you go to an underwater base. This is the type of scenario that would be it's own independent movie in James Bond and they condense it to a chapter in this. I would have liked to see the game expanded in many different ways. It's short (about 7-10 hours). It has multiple ending to encourage replay but the story seems to more or less unfold in the same way each time.… Expand
  28. TiTA
    Dec 8, 2013
    8
    Great story, its have cool atmosphere and graphics, but something was missing. Very regret whatm this is complete-forget, not like Heavy Rain. So? Heavy Rain was better.
  29. rugumbi
    Dec 9, 2013
    8
    This Game is great and downright beautiful. but you have to bare this in mind Quantic dream's last title Heavy rain did it a little better I like "OH man if I don't make the right decision I'm going to up." While Beyond: Two Souls had those moments but they didn't carry as much weight:

    Overall They game is great game I recommend you give it a Try
  30. Tzyt
    Jan 1, 2014
    8
    Comparing it to Heavy Rain, David Cage's previous project, Beyond: Two Souls lacks the feeling of the player's actions altering the story, as well as having an often confusing plot. However, the game makes up for it with gorgeous visuals and, more importantly, a great performance by the cast (a huge improvement over Heavy Rain), especially by Ellen Paige in the lead role.
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Awards & Rankings

92
#92 Best PS3 Game of 2013
3
#3 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
5
#5 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 98 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 98
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 98
  3. Negative: 8 out of 98
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 28, 2013
    50
    There doesn't ever seem to be any real impact of the player's decisions, actions or failures. [Jan 2014, p.76]
  2. Level7.nu
    Dec 12, 2013
    40
    Beyond: Two Souls is a capital failure as both a story and as a game. The adventure plays itself and the player is left to push the right buttons in the right order. The story you are rewarded with is a mess of odd writing and poor directing choices from a game creator that obviously wants to create great art but seems to be incapable of doing so. Even fans of Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain should prepare for what is unfortunately a monumental disappointment.
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  3. RPG Fan
    Nov 24, 2013
    88
    A story every Playstation owner should experience.
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