SNAP HAPPY
Ubisoft is fleshing out our knowledge of Beyond Good And Evil 2
Beyond Good And Evil 2 has been bobbing around on the tides of game development for ages. Announced in 2008 and intermittently confirmed as definitely-not-cancelled over the following years, we only started seeing evidence that the project might emerge after Ubisoft offered up a cinematic trailer at E3 2017. Gameplay footage has been even harder to come by—until recently. Ubisoft has shared a smattering of pre-alpha footage, giving fans a peek at both combat and ship maneuvering. This is not only good news for those who want to know what this game might entail; it’s also an act of reassurance for people more accustomed to the game bumbling along in development hell.
Beyond Good And Evil 2 is a prequel nowadays. It takes place a few generations before the events of the original, and is set to offer both singleplayer and online co-op. It’s a world of genetic hybridization, social injustice and piracy.
The combat footage is staffcentric, which should please devotees of the original game. The leap in technology since the original came out in 2003, also means those twirls are now based on motion-capture data, so in-game actions are based on real-life expertize.
“[It’s] a bit like the first BGE,” says creative manager Jean-Marc Geffroy of the staff combat, before talking about the character’s movements. “We are working on all the mechanics of locomotion, how the
it looks to be a very different prospect to the original
character is moving. We have the jetpack—it’s a good way to move in 3D. Actually, you can also board the ship.”