Just Dance game- which was soon followed up with a new trailer Beyond Good & Evil 2; this game is apparently a prequel to its predecessor, and is being described by Ubisoft as a “spiritual successor”. This game is set in System 3, a “vast solar system” that serves as a “hub of interstellar colonization and commerce”- the game’s trailer showed of the city of Ganesha, which according to game lore, was founded by colonists from India.
https://youtu.be/Q2U1M5LB2D8
In BG&E 2, players will be designing their own character- a space pirate of any species they so desire. I’ll be honest: I’m a little apprehensive about Ubisoft’s description of System 3 as being a “massive, seamless online environment”- does this mean always-online DRM? Does this mean the game becomes unplayable when Ubisoft decides that it’s no longer profitable? Games with elements which are dependent on online features have the funny tendency to vanish when their servers shut down. If the original Beyond Good & Evil were dependent on online servers, it would’ve never become a cult classic.
Frankly, I find this a little concerning. While I recognize that Ubisoft wants to make a game with long-term profitability (and having online elements is a great way to secure this), it also means that if the game doesn’t sell well enough, it runs the risk of vanishing into the ether. A while ago, I wrote about the death of one of my favorite games, Scrolls– a card game from Mojang, it’s no longer playable anywhere. In spite of the fact that Mojang created one of the biggest games in the world, it wasn’t enough to keep Scrolls available- will this happen to BG&E 2? I certainly hope not.
The original Beyond Good & Evil was an adventure that put players in the shoes of Jade, a photojournalist whose job is to photograph various species of creatures in the game; along the way, she uncovers a vast conspiracy. The game garnered plenty of critical acclaim for its cast of characters, sense of humor and story but wasn’t exactly a hot seller. It became a cult classic and is now receiving a sequel after fifteen years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81-I1P40T74
This new game’s space setting does have me excited. While I confess to not having played very much of the original, I have to say that I’m looking forward to exploring the game’s crowdsourced universe; Ubisoft has partnered with Hitrecord to commission artwork, music and more for the universe of Beyond Good & Evil 2. Want to write a song about space pirates? They’re looking for those. I really like the idea of letting fans create lore and official art for the game- and the fact that creators will actually be getting paid for their crowdsourced work seems like a step in the right direction.
What do you think? Is Beyond Good & Evil 2 looking promising? Are you worried about its future, in spite of the fact that we don’t have a release date yet? Am I completely wrong in everything that I’m saying? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up and follow @1RuleBeCool on Twitter.]]>