Beyond Two Souls Review Roundup: Does Willem Dafoe, Ellen Page Game Live Up to Hype? [Trailer]

Beyond: Two Souls is the latest game from Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream, and it is one of the most ambiguous games to come out this year. The game features extensive motion capture and voice work from Oscar nominated actors Willem Dafoe and Ellen Page, but so far the game's critical reception has been mixed.

Gamestop, in their positive review of the game, note that the game's narrative and combat is tight and allows players to easily get sucked into the story of Jodie and her ghost companion Aiden:

"Beyond forces you to play within tight boundaries. However, such restrictions don't hinder your engagement. You need quick reflexes in the action sequences, which makes it easy to become immersed in the back-and-forth fights, and there is even freedom in certain segments that lets you attack or avoid gun-toting soldiers, depending on how violent you want Jodie to be. The greatest strength of the confining controls surfaces during the quieter moments. Instead of watching an awkward, silent dinner play out, you're a part of it, and you can feel the suffocating atmosphere as you cut steak and drink water."

IGN, in a more critical review of the game, notes that the game is far too passive, and the decisions left in the hands of gamers are oftentimes trivial compared to the decisions the game forces on players:

"Scene by scene, Beyond: Two Souls is compelling enough, principally thanks to a remarkable performance from Ellen Page. But never before have I felt like such a passive participant in a video game, my choices and actions merely icing on a dense, multi-layered cake. Playing Beyond is a memorable experience, yes, but a good video game it is not; and while the credits were rolling I admit to thinking I would have been happier to sit back and watch a movie version that was eight-and-a-half hours shorter."

However, for those who are able to look past the lackluster interactive aspects of Beyond: Two Souls, there's a worthy experience to take part in that reflects on life's big mysteries, as Inside Gaming Daily noted.

"One of Beyond's strengths is how it doesn't spell out the short- and long-term repercussions of your interactions and conversation choices. This results in significant replay value, particularly given the varied possible end-game scenarios. Much like Heavy Rain, Telltale's The Walking Dead, and life in general, the best intentions might not lead to the best outcomes."