The interactive movie genre of gaming is a contentious one to say the least. Traditional gamers baulk at the lack of real-time action, while film buffs tend to get frustrated if the storytelling doesn't flow. Heavy Rain had this polarising effect on people and Beyond: Two Souls, from the same developers, is likely to follow suit. In the search for that essential balance, Beyond: Two Souls does a lot of things right without ever hitting that sweet-spot. It is a considerable step up from Heavy Rain and if anything will serve as yet another solid foundation for similar games to build upon.
Easily the best feature of Beyond are the graphics that almost transcend the virtual world with stunningly motion-captured renditions of actors Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe displaying the subtleties of facial expressions like never before.
I'm not going to enter into the storyline because I believe that the game needs to be experienced with no spoilers.
The actual gaming element of this "movie" exists purely in quicktime events that involve the timely press of the correct button to trigger the next piece of action. That, and exploring areas with the possibility of unveiling pieces of the story. Other than that, you can pretty much put your controller down and enjoy the masterful cinematography.
Though it deserves praise for moving this genre in the right direction, Beyond: Two Souls doesn't quite find that elusive game-movie balance.
