So my daughter started playing platformers. It's quite cool actually, she's pretty good but not that good as to beat them by herself, so every now and again she turns to me for help with a hard enemy or an unforgiving platform section or whatever. I guess this is the kind of parent-child bonding us nerds get to do.

She went through The Maw and Mini Ninjas recently, and I guessed I'd pass on some of my old(ish) time favorites to her.

Thus, just a few days ago we finished Beyond Good & Evil. Needless to say, she adored the whole thing.

As for me --you know how nostalgia makes us remember those old games as much more than they actually were? Like, they were ground breaking back in their time, but by today's standards they pretty much suck? This has happened to me quite a few times. Sins of the Fathers isn't anywhere near as "mature" and "atmospheric" as I liked to remember (and yet its puzzles were every bit as inane and frustrating =( ) and I can only imagine what a massive crush I had on Alone in the Dark to even bear with it. Jesus that crap is unplayable. Even Metal Gear Solid 2 feels unbearably broken gameplay-wise, and the storytelling makes me feel so embarrassed I'm actually thankful the horrible gameplay puts me off so badly.

Now don't get me wrong, those were some of my favorite games ever, and I have a great deal of respect for them; but they can't even compare to the games I have now. I wouldn't go through them again with a gun pointed to my crotch.

Which brings me again to BG&E. This game is OUTSTANDING. And note I'm saying "is", because it's every bit as good as it was back then. Maybe even better. The gameplay is flawless; it's pure, out-and-out bliss to play, even if the camera is honestly bad --it's just that much fun. The stealth sections are surprisingly fun (considering that stealth mechanics are even today a universally broken aspect in games), and those parts where you run towards the camera (an idea that's so terrible I would never forgive in any other game) not only are enjoyable but are also probably the most adrenaline-pumpingly awesome sections of the game.

About the only thing I could complain about is the world not being bigger and having more sidequest. Including more of those where you run towards the camera =P

And the storytelling, Jesus, I didn't even remember it was so great. I can't believe I actually forgot some of the cutscenes, since I don't think I've seen stuff this powerful in gaming ever --not considering these surprisingly effective dramatic moments are being thrown in the middle of a generally light-hearted, humorous, child-friendly story. BG&E is like the anti-MGS, that way looking. The closest comparison I can think of for the whole experience are the best of Pixar movies, like Finding Nemo.

So, I usually love to

Pros: The game is well crafted for its age, and the graphics while dated are buoyed up by the art style. The characters are more engaging than game characters usually are. The world that has been crafted is engaging, and the story is interesting enough that I found myself playing just to learn what happened next. Cons: This is obviously a console port and has numerous control, camera, and mechanics issues that stem from that. The mechanics get a little bit stale, and the combat is extremely simplistic.

this is a game where action and rpg meets well the story line is actualy decent MUSIC-the sound track of the game is good not great but good even for a pc game most cosel to pc games they take the original and converte it to midi format like final fantasy 7 and 8 but this one they take the original and leave it graphics- im not a gammer who really cares for graphics its the fu that counts but if i had to look at it graphicaly i would say for an early original ps2/gamecube./pc game it looks very well done you hardly notice rendering which is the only thing that throws me off i cant stand it for some reason. story: if you havent played it before it is interesting funny at times and very well written most rpg/action game dont have a story to follow it just go here go there go back there to go here ect but this one has a good story and worth checking out game play replay/ it is really replayable it is just too much fun my final score 7/10 some people dont know how to review a game lol just kidding

Good RPG game. A five star in my estimation. Has some very comical characters and dialogue. Very good storyline about a girl trying to save her planet helping an undergound, grass roots organization. Good cut scenes to enhance the game play. Easy combat and movement play. I did like the boss fights. They were challenging, but a first timer coule eventually get through them. Some areas were somewhat hard to figure out what you were supposed to do, but all in all was not too difficult. Does make you think about your strategy. Somewhat linear, there are some "quests" you have to do before you can get to other areas. Not very good replay value, but does take some time to get through everything, so for the price a good value.

I first heard of Beyond Good and Evil about 3 years ago, when it was featured in a video games magazine's Top 10 underrated PC games list. Because of that list, I had been looking to buy the game, but found it difficult to find in shops because it wasn't particularly well known. I saw it here on Gamers Gate and so had to try it for myself. I have to say that it doesn't disappoint when the age of the game is considered. The graphics are still reasonable today, and the controls are very easy to pick up, and become intuitive very quickly. There are not many better games that are available for £3.99. For fans of adventure games - Beyond Good and Evil is a must!

I remember hearing about this 6 years ago but never actually played it. So six years later here it is on GG for 5 bucks, I figured why not, I'll eat ramen instead of Subway today. Wow, what a nice surprise! If you're into action/adventure games, give this one a try. The graphics hold up reasonably well, the story is fleshed out, game mechanics are fun. Sure, it's short and the combat system is very simple (and sometimes the stealth missions can get annoying) but it's well worth the five bucks.

Beyond Good and Evil is a magical game. It will take you from your little room and bring you to an universe of faery. Even if there are parts of that game which are kind of Lara-Croft style, the characters are lovable, and action is not forgotten, with a handful of fine bosses, plenty of different games in the game, plenty of action and really likable graphics. I advise particularly to offer this game as a gift, as there is no much violence and as it will please to girls and childs (over 7-8) I cannot understand why this masterpiece did not reach a wider audience in the game charts. It's a must-have !!! For a bad senior gamer like I, you should count on 15 hours to finish the game.