Beyond: Two Souls is an interactive drama developed by Quantic Dream, the same developer behind the amazing Heavy Rain. Therefore, anticipation was high for Beyond and in this sense, the game missed its mark but it is still a fantastic game. Going into Beyond: Two Souls, you have to understand that the key feature is the story and not the gameplay. This is because the gameplay comprises completely of QTEs and controlling Jodie walking from one area to the next. Do not expect a fast-paced action game or a slow strategic game, Beyond's sometimes unintuitive or is just downright weird control scheme, especially when controlling Jodie while she's walking, which can be frustrating. Unlike Heavy Rain, the QTEs in this game are not as intuitive or clever as most of the time, they feel like they are in the way instead of complimenting the experience. A lot of the QTEs are simplified down to using only the right stick and you flick it towards the object to interact with it. Even the action sequences and other interaction are boiled down to flicking the right stick or pressing one, at most, two buttons. This simplification causes the player to lose engagement at times.
The story of Beyond: Two Souls chronicles the life of Jodie Holmes, who was born with an "entity" attached to her. This invisible entity can manipulate objects around her, but is a completely separate, self-conscious being from the "Infraworld" called Aiden. Unfortunately, this uniqueness of Jodie causes her to be the object of study by the Department of Paranormal Affairs and through the game, you experience her life and the restriction she has had to experience. It bonds you to Jodie, as you realize how much she has missed out on life, and how evil some people can be. The story will often time skip, alternating between a younger Jodie as you find out her past and the extent of her powers, to an older Jodie who can use her powers more freely. You will live through her whole life but towards the end of the game, because the timeline jumps around so much, it gets hard to keep track of the chronology of the events that has happened and is happening in the current chapter. Even with the timeline which shows where the next chapter is placed on the timeline compared to other chapters, it will soon muddle you up.
The timeline skips ruin the plot to a degree but it doesn't stop it from being intriguing. You will empathize with Jodie and the injustices she has had to endure. When she gets manipulated, you get angry, when she is rejected, you are sad. Quantic Dream has done a great job at bonding the player with Jodie. Your choices in specific sequences will determine which ending you will get, these choices aren't obvious and it only subtly changes the plot, nowhere near the same degree as Heavy Rain, which is why it slightly disappoints. Once you get to the ending where it reveals the true nature of Aiden and the Infraworld, it explained a lot and was a clean conclusion to the plot, whether that is worth everything else is up to you to decide. During the game, you can also control Aiden. The game touts his abilities and how it affects the game but using Aiden to progress is limited to predetermined spots. Aiden can move objects, choke enemies, make a shield around Jodie and heal. Since the game only allows Aiden to perform these actions when it wants to, it's restrictive and ends up being just another big predetermined action.
There are two difficulty levels, the easy difficulty means QTEs are easier and allows Aiden to automatically move to essential spots during his sections to progress the story. Playing on the harder difficulty naturally means QTEs are more involved, and allows you to move Aiden freely, at the cost of some confusing controls that takes time to get used to. Aiden also had these annoying analogue stick controls that you have to use when healing or getting Jodie to relive memories. This is because you have to control two orbs with each stick but it is keeping those orbs in place that is difficult. Action sequences require you to flick the right stick in line with Jodie's movements but it is hard to decipher, unless you play on the easier difficulty which will show a helpful arrow facing the direction you need to flick the right stick at. The stealth sections are pretty fun, even if they are very linear, it gives a sense of satisfaction when you make it through an area.
Lastly, you can play the game in two-player mode, one player will control Jodie and the other will control Aiden. While co-op is cool, this also means that one player will be bored watching the other player play. If you don't have a second DualShock 3 controller, you can use your smartphone as a substitute, although this will simplify the controls significantly. The graphics are excellent but some of the objects appear simplistic in terms of blocky colors which make it seem off. It is also hard to see in dark areas. Also touted on the front cover of the game is that Jodie is portrayed by Ellen Page, and Willem Dafoe also plays a major role. It's pretty cool to see some familiar faces in the game. Overall, while Beyond: Two Souls does not tell a story as captivating as Heavy Rain, it is still an engaging plot. It holds a lot of mysteries and most importantly, it will give you the answers in its stellar conclusion. The gameplay is very passive especially when you are forced to do pointless stuff in order to advance the story and ends up being more of a hindrance than anything but Beyond: Two Souls is worth playing and experiencing.
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