Poll: Buying Beyond Two Souls? Strong female protagonist included and discussion.

[Specter Von Baren]

I've seen footage, and it started off promising with the Ellen Paige character as a little girl getting tested.

Then unfortunately I got treated to a patented crazy Cage fight scene, where an adult Ellen Paige is fleeing from the cops and then has a kung fu match with them on top of a speeding train in the middle of the rain. You know, because cops just blindly hurl themselves into danger when apprehending a suspect. Instead of, say, stopping the train or whatever.

Also, even with prominent actors the performance acting is still terrible. Everytime I heard Ellen Paige say 'Aiden' I just cringed.

(This isn't directed at you Shinji, just a jumping off point)

This is actually part of what I dislike about this game just from the buzz around it.

Prominent actors.

Screw that noise. I'm honestly almost insulted by people talking about hollywood actors being in games because it means the fantastic voice actors that have been working hard and giving us great performances like Tara Strong and Liam O'Brien are still not getting the respect they deserve, especially after working on many games for years without even being credited for their voice work.

People that are specifically hired to do voices because they have good voices and are good at acting through their voices are somehow NOT who you'd most want to do voice work in a game? Seriously?

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I've seen footage, and it started off promising with the Ellen Paige character as a little girl getting tested.

Then unfortunately I got treated to a patented crazy Cage fight scene, where an adult Ellen Paige is fleeing from the cops and then has a kung fu match with them on top of a speeding train in the middle of the rain. You know, because cops just blindly hurl themselves into danger when apprehending a suspect. Instead of, say, stopping the train or whatever.

Also, even with prominent actors the performance acting is still terrible. Everytime I heard Ellen Paige say 'Aiden' I just cringed.

(This isn't directed at you Shinji, just a jumping off point)

This is actually part of what I dislike about this game just from the buzz around it.

Prominent actors.

Screw that noise. I'm honestly almost insulted by people talking about hollywood actors being in games because it means the fantastic voice actors that have been working hard and giving us great performances like Tara Strong and Liam O'Brien are still not getting the respect they deserve, especially after working on many games for years without even being credited for their voice work.

People that are specifically hired to do voices because they have good voices and are good at acting through their voices are somehow NOT who you'd most want to do voice work in a game? Seriously?

It's just another case of David Cage fetishizing the movie industry, while at the same time insulting the video game industry. He does it all the time, and even in his games it's completely obvious that he'd rather be making a movie or a TV series instead. Of course no one outside the video game industry would let that talentless hack actually write anything.

 

[King Billi]

Dude I just really don't like his writing, or his directorial style as he chooses to call it. And he thinks he's better than every other developer out there, just because he thinks his "movies" should be taken more seriously than a game with actual gameplay. He paints himself as some kind of suffering auteur stuck in the video game industry when he really wants to be writing movies. So yeah, I don't like his games because his writing is plain bad, and I don't particularly like him because he constantly looks down on talented developers and the video game industry in general.

Who the hell cares what he thinks?

So what if the guy has a passion for his own work that borders on arrogance, at least he cares about what he creates.

If his lack of talent is perfectly represented in the games his company makes so keep your complaints directed there. There's no reason to make it a personal attack on ONE guy who's done nothing to you or anyone else other than hold an unpopular opinion.

You also make it sound like his opinion actually has some influence on the rest of the industry... I don't think so. All these other talented developers are still making whatever games they want regardless of his "looking down" on them, they just leave him to do his own little thing over at Quantic Dream.

So once again who the hell cares what he thinks?

 

[Casual Shinji]

This is actually part of what I dislike about this game just from the buzz around it.

Prominent actors.

Screw that noise. I'm honestly almost insulted by people talking about hollywood actors being in games because it means the fantastic voice actors that have been working hard and giving us great performances like Tara Strong and Liam O'Brien are still not getting the respect they deserve, especially after working on many games for years without even being credited for their voice work.

People that are specifically hired to do voices because they have good voices and are good at acting through their voices are somehow NOT who you'd most want to do voice work in a game? Seriously?

Yeah, and Kojima seems to be taking a bite from the same mushrooms, with his "Look, look, I got Kiefer Sutherland in my game - Aren't I cewl?!"

That while there are now loads of highly talented voice actors who can match most of what Hollywood has to offer. I'll point again to The Last of Us. And the joke of it all is that David Cage is constantly presenting himself as the developer pushing realistic performances in games, and all the while developers like Naughty Dog and Ubisoft are casually whizzing past him.

And yet, I'm still probably gonna buy Beyond: Two Souls. I remember seeing the demo footage and thinking "Oh my God, this is terrible!" Then I played the demo and I was like "Oh my God, this is terrible... I LOVE IT!" The Tommy Wiseau levels of entertainment in the demo alone were off the scale.

 

[Azure23]

Dude I just really don't like his writing, or his directorial style as he chooses to call it. And he thinks he's better than every other developer out there, just because he thinks his "movies" should be taken more seriously than a game with actual gameplay. He paints himself as some kind of suffering auteur stuck in the video game industry when he really wants to be writing movies. So yeah, I don't like his games because his writing is plain bad, and I don't particularly like him because he constantly looks down on talented developers and the video game industry in general.

Who the hell cares what he thinks?

So what if the guy has a passion for his own work that borders on arrogance, at least he cares about what he creates.

If his lack of talent is perfectly represented in the games his company makes so keep your complaints directed there. There's no reason to make it a personal attack on ONE guy who's done nothing to you or anyone else other than hold an unpopular opinion.

You also make it sound like his opinion actually has some influence on the rest of the industry... I don't think so. All these other talented developers are still making whatever games they want regardless of his "looking down" on them, they just leave him to do his own little thing over at Quantic Dream.

So once again who the hell cares what he thinks?

Woah there tiger, you asked why so much vitriol is directed at Cage, I told you my personal opinion. As a gamer I will always support the product first, and draw the majority of my opinions from the quality of that. However it is pretty much impossible to separate creation from creator, especially from once as high profile as Cage, and he has said some pretty shitty things about his fellow developers, things that his lukewarm games don't really back up. That's it. Done.

 

[RubyTuesdays]

The gameplay is going to range from nonexistent to unfun, and David Cage can't write a "strong female lead" without a gratuitous nude scene.

Deny it all you wish, but you know it's going to be true.

I imagine the small amount of press coverage that'll surround Dafoe and Page's involvement might make the media realize games are sort of a thing for grown-ups now.

This is the exact same hype that has surrounded every single Quantic Dream production ever created, and it hasn't come true ever. Why do you think this is going to be the turning point? What do you expect is going to happen?

 

[Smooth Operator]

I'd try it if it wasn't another QTE movie "game", but as it stands that would just make me pull my hair out so it's down to watching a walkthrough.

And maybe not even that, David Cage's writing is something I don't much enjoy.

 

[crazygameguy4ever]

i tried the demo and found it extremely frustrating.. its less a game and more of a computer animated movie with quick time events..and its just to annoying to keep playing long. not worth buying

 

[Eve Charm]

hmm kinda sad, I borrowed my manager's sony copy that came in today and been having some fun with it. Kinda loving the Carrie feel to it. Only problem so far I kinda see is that While I'm being on more the medium side it probably doesn't make a difference how I act as it jumps from story part to story part.

 

[StriderShinryu]

For me personally, having an interesting and developed female lead is definitely a plus, everything else considered equal. The issue, as has been brought up numerous times in this thread so far, is that Beyond Two Souls may not be a game on par with others and thus all other things may not be equal. I'm not a particular fan of Cage's approach to game design or his lackluster storytelling (given that it's the focus of his games, there's no reason for it not to be top notch).

If the game is bad, or even typical Cage fare, that's enough negatives right there to outweigh any admitted good will that having a developed female lead would engender with me.

 

[Splitzi]

David Cage is a failure of the game design.

Seriously though, I don't understand how people see David Cage as a good writer. Did they "experience" Heavy Rain or Indigo Prophecy? They're so poorly written and have plot holes larger than the Pacific Ocean. I don't mind QTE's being used to base a game off of, but sometimes it seems like it's "Press Up to continue watching movie."

A lot of people dislike the guy because he seems to think he's the savior of the video game industry. Everything he does is infallible but other developers are shit and interactivity; the concept that makes games what they are, is an utterly useless idea, and we should all play movies instead.

 

[BernardoOne]

David Cage is a failure of the game design.

Seriously though, I don't understand how people see David Cage as a good writer. Did they "experience" Heavy Rain or Indigo Prophecy? They're so poorly written and have plot holes larger than the Pacific Ocean. I don't mind QTE's being used to base a game off of, but sometimes it seems like it's "Press Up to continue watching movie."

A lot of people dislike the guy because he seems to think he's the savior of the video game industry. Everything he does is infallible but other developers are shit and interactivity; the concept that makes games what they are, is an utterly useless idea, and we should all play movies instead.

To be fair, Beyond is much, much better written that the other two(I got the game early.I believe Im halfway through). Its still far from a masterpiece, but is definitively a great improvement.

 

[Splitzi]

To be fair, Beyond is much, much better written that the other two(I got the game early.I believe Im halfway through). Its still far from a masterpiece, but is definitively a great improvement.

Great! No, seriously. I believe that the games he makes have their place in the industry and I'm happy he finally created something worth playing. But remember, halfway through was when Indigo shit the bed.

 

[Eve Charm]

Ya I finished it, it is definably better then the other two and really damn good as it own. It still has the part or two where David cage is a terrible writer when they want to do like " omg this is a reveal of something important"

Anyway sticking to my damn guns, expect this to be thrown around when people ask for different then the standard protaginst and how well or not well this sold, comparing to heavy rain.

 

[Lunar Templar]

nope and two reasons why
1) no PS3
2) don't like David Cage

 

[kommando367]

I'm renting the game because I like the action sequences in Quantic Dream games.

 

[Foolery]

Nope. Didn't care for Heavy Rain or Indigo Prophecy and I doubt I'll enjoy Beyond Two Souls. I'd rather play something like Asura's Wrath. In my opinion it does a better job of combining cinematics and gameplay than any of David Cage's titles. Like playing an anime.

 

[King Billi]

Ya I finished it, it is definably better then the other two and really damn good as it own. It still has the part or two where David cage is a terrible writer when they want to do like " omg this is a reveal of something important"

Anyway sticking to my damn guns, expect this to be thrown around when people ask for different then the standard protaginst and how well or not well this sold, comparing to heavy rain.

That's encouraging to hear as I wasn't as impressed by the demo as I expected to be. It felt like the controls were much more limited than those in Heavy Rain(and given the style they were never very extensive). I imagine it's an attempt to make the game aspect seem less overt but I actually felt the common criticisms for Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain of them being interactive movies which I'd never agreed with before seemed very evident with this.

I gather this game is more episodic than the other two games isn't it? With the narrative jumping around to different points in time? Perhaps that kind of narrative style is beneficial to David Cages writing style as each chapter can be viewed largly independently without a clear overarching narrative with which to screw up with plot holes and such.

I'll be sure to check it out when it's released down here.