Beyond: Two Souls

One of the greatest story games I've ever played. Played on PS4. Played here. 9.5/10. Play with a controller.

I really wanted to like this game, but it's really bad game play - at least on PC with mouse and keyboard. Sometimes the things the game tells you to do (i.e. press this button or that button) don't work at all (I'm used to games with QTEs, so I know how these work). At some stages, I just had to let time pass for the game to progress because it didn't accept the buttons I pressed. It was incredibly frustrating to progress. After some time, maybe halfway through the game, I just lost interest in even continuing as the story wasn't interesting to enough to keep dealing with the crappy controls.

It's a really, really cool game. Great story, the cinematics are excellent, very action packed. The controls however, SUCK. 90% of the game is literally quick time events. And it's so frustrating because the game has so much promise. If Jodie just had normal controls, this game would have been a masterpiece. There's short stretches of the the game that aren't button mashing and briefly you're like, this game is amazing. If you can pick it up for a few bucks on sale, play it just for the story and visuals. But just be prepared for what it is - a narrative with a lot of button mashing rather than a traditional game.

The story is really good and entertaining, but near the end, it gets a bit harder to stay connected with it. Still, if you're into story-driven games, it's definitely worth playing at least once.

Beyond: Two Souls, developed by Quantic Dream and directed by David Cage, is an ambitious cinematic interactive drama first released in 2013. Starring Elliot Page as Jodie Holmes and Willem Dafoe as her mentor Nathan Dawkins, it tells a nonlinear, emotionally driven story exploring identity, isolation, and the afterlife. The game follows Jodie over fifteen years as she grapples with her bond to Aiden, an invisible entity granting her supernatural powers. Its fragmented narrative jumps between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, emphasizing emotional impact over chronological clarity—an approach that’s bold but sometimes undermines narrative momentum and character depth. Visually, the game was stunning for its time, using advanced facial capture and detailed environments that feel cinematic and immersive. Page and Dafoe deliver grounded performances that anchor the often fantastic plot in real emotion. Gameplay is unconventional, mixing QTEs, context-sensitive prompts, and segments where players control Aiden to interact with the world. While this design supports immersion, it offers limited mechanical depth and challenge, leaving some players wanting more traditional gameplay agency. Despite its constraints, Beyond offers tense moments and meaningful choices, leading to multiple endings. Yet the consequences can feel cosmetic, as many paths converge to similar outcomes. Thematically, the game reflects on life, death, and the need for connection, though it occasionally veers into melodrama and familiar sci-fi tropes. Its emotional sincerity and haunting soundtrack by Lorne Balfe (with Hans Zimmer) add depth and atmosphere. Critically, Beyond: Two Souls divided audiences—praised for its ambition, visuals, and performances, but critiqued for limited interactivity and an uneven story. It’s more interactive film than traditional game, but for those open to its experimental form, it offers a heartfelt, unique experience. Ultimately, it may be flawed, but Beyond: Two Souls dares to be different—and in doing so, it leaves a lasting impression. RATING 9.5/10

I wish I could enjoy the story, I got all the way to the last chapter before giving up. I've tried playing with both keyboard and controller, the movement is awful, and I eventually gave up trying to get through doors, you get stuck on every object, and every door takes minutes of trying to use the awful movement controls to move backwards and try the door over and over, I could only take so much of it.

im only recommending because the game is nostalgic and i love the plot but DAVID FUCKIGN CAGE PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER,, THE CONTROLS SUCK AND IS UNPLAYABLE, THE CAMERA IS LIKE ME TRYING RECORD A BUTTERFLY WHILST BLACKOUT DRUNK AT 9 IN THE FUKCING MORNING, THE CONTROLS R THE WORST IVE EVER SEEN FOR A GAME, WHO IS THE MEGA BRAIN BEHIND PORTING THIS TO PC?? EVEN WITH A CONTROLLER ITS STILL INTOLERABLE. but yeah still a great game, they rlly need to allow for the option to remap controls and to TURN UP THE BRIGHTNESS OH MY GOD I CANNOT SEE FOR SHITE IN THIS GODDAmN GAME. i hate you david cage, more like david rage(baiting gameplay mechanisms is the future of immersive gaming *snort*).....

QTEs are very problematic and add no value. Controls are bad. this is really just a visual novel with a lot of frustration added in. its a shame. a better focus on playability could have made this an enjoyable game.

If you are playing this game on a PC DO NOT GET THIS GAME!!!! Although the story is great the control on PC is unusable, it is driving me insane!

It's impossible to pass certain scenes with keyboard and mouse, but by the time you learn it you are in action secuences and have to relearn everything with the controller in the middle of chaos. Pretty unconsidered to not warn this at the beginning, or just having optimized the game for keyboard + mouse. I consider this insulting enough to ruin the experience, hence my vote.

I hated the controls, clunky and frustrating from the start. The story dragged so badly at times I thought the game had frozen. Even on sale, this was a painful and disappointing experience. After an hour, I had no desire to keep playing.

THIS GAME IS COMPLETELY BROKEN - DO NOT BUY!!! My god the k+m controls suck balls! In the CIA training area, the game screws me instantly before the animation even plays, restarting over and over again, and the direction you have to move is so poorly indicated - I have no idea what direction to move the mouse for the final kick - no possible direction works. The game is just a series of fixed prompts that you interact with in some seemingly random combination of QTE movements and button presses. And they just dont work half the time. Its horrible to play. Detroit Become Human was not nearly this bad. So far its just an interactive movie with very little going for it.... the story bounces all over the place with no sense of proper storytelling. HARD PASS!

Beyond: Two Souls, developed by Quantic Dream and directed by David Cage, is a cinematic interactive drama that seeks to blur the line between film and video game. Originally released in 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and later remastered for PS4 and PC, it stands as a bold and experimental title that prioritizes narrative, emotion, and performance over conventional gameplay. With a star-studded cast, including Ellen Page (now Elliot Page) as protagonist Jodie Holmes and Willem Dafoe as her mentor Nathan Dawkins, Beyond: Two Souls presents a deeply personal, often supernatural story that explores themes of identity, isolation, loss, and the afterlife. Ambitious in scope and polarizing in execution, the game is as much an artistic statement as it is a piece of interactive entertainment. The central premise revolves around Jodie, a young woman tethered to a mysterious, invisible entity named Aiden. This connection grants her supernatural abilities, which she often struggles to control. The game follows her life over a fifteen-year span, moving between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, portraying her experiences as a test subject, fugitive, and ultimately, a key figure in an interdimensional crisis. However, rather than following a linear path, Beyond: Two Souls opts for a fragmented, nonlinear narrative structure. The story jumps back and forth in time, often abruptly, creating a mosaic of emotionally charged episodes. While this approach allows the game to emphasize emotional resonance over chronological cohesion, it can occasionally hinder character development and dilute dramatic tension, especially for players who prefer a more traditional narrative arc. Visually, Beyond: Two Souls was a technical marvel at the time of its release. The facial capture and character animations are remarkably detailed, bringing subtle expressions and performances to life with rare authenticity. Page and Dafoe deliver compelling portrayals that elevate the material, grounding the often fantastical plot in real, human emotion. The environments are diverse—from sterile government labs and Middle Eastern war zones to suburban homes and bleak homeless encampments—each rendered with a strong cinematic eye. Quantic Dream’s attention to lighting, framing, and environmental detail reinforces the game’s identity as an interactive film, and while its age is now more visible in the remaster, its visual storytelling still holds up remarkably well. Gameplay in Beyond: Two Souls is highly unconventional, and perhaps its most divisive aspect. The player alternates between controlling Jodie and Aiden, the latter operating from a first-person free-floating perspective that can pass through walls, manipulate objects, and interact with the physical world in various ways. These segments provide a unique layer of puzzle-solving and stealth, often influencing outcomes in meaningful ways. The control scheme is minimalist and heavily context-sensitive, relying on analog stick gestures, quick-time events (QTEs), and directional prompts. While this supports immersion and cinematic flow, it limits interactivity and challenge, especially for players seeking mechanical depth or gameplay-driven agency. Despite these constraints, Beyond: Two Souls offers moments of genuine tension and emotional weight. The branching narrative system allows for different decisions and outcomes—though less complex than that of Heavy Rain, Quantic Dream's previous title—creating the illusion of choice and consequence. Multiple endings, shaped by key decisions across Jodie’s life, provide replay value and a sense of ownership over her journey. However, the impact of these choices can sometimes feel superficial, with many scenes leading to similar outcomes regardless of the player's actions. Thematically, Beyond is deeply introspective, often bordering on metaphysical. It explores not only Jodie's personal struggle with her identity and powers, but also the larger question of what lies beyond death. The presence of Aiden, her spiritual tether, serves as both a blessing and a curse—a symbol of her uniqueness, but also the barrier between her and a normal life. The game delves into the human need for connection, the cost of control and manipulation by institutions, and the fear of the unknown. While the storytelling occasionally veers into melodrama and sci-fi cliché—especially in the final third, where the narrative adopts a more conventional “save the world” trajectory—the emotional throughline remains focused and sincere. The audio design and soundtrack, composed by Lorne Balfe with input from the late Hans Zimmer, are excellent throughout. Music plays a significant role in setting the tone, shifting from somber piano-driven moments to intense, orchestral crescendos that enhance the game's emotional and action-heavy sequences. Voice acting, particularly from Page and Dafoe, is nuanced and emotionally grounded, helping to carry the weight of some of the script’s more overwrought or ambiguous moments. Critically, Beyond: Two Souls has always been a divisive experience. To some, it's an evocative piece of interactive storytelling that pushes the boundaries of what games can be, with an emotional core that resonates deeply. To others, it’s a flawed experiment—an over-directed, under-interactive experience that struggles to find balance between gameplay and narrative control. Its nonlinear structure, while artistically bold, sometimes undercuts character growth and narrative momentum. Yet, even its critics often acknowledge the ambition behind it and the risks it takes in pursuit of storytelling innovation. In conclusion, Beyond: Two Souls is a game that defies easy classification. It’s part interactive drama, part supernatural thriller, and part coming-of-age story. It’s often more successful as an emotional experience than a traditional video game, but for players willing to embrace its unconventional form, it offers something truly unique. It’s not perfect—its gameplay is limited, its story occasionally uneven, and its choices sometimes feel cosmetic—but it’s heartfelt, original, and visually striking. In a medium often defined by formula, Beyond: Two Souls dares to be different, and for that alone, it deserves to be remembered. Rating: 8/10

Absolutely HORRIBLE. The controls are atrocious. It may have a great story line, but not being able to walk in the correct direction for no reason really kills the vibe.

9/10 i only take one point for the controls being very impractical and bad for pc users. out side of that the game is amazing with a great story some good characters nothing to complain about this could be turned into a movie and hit the top of every chart. i would love to see more or another like it.

Good visuals and graphics, but bad writing, gameplay, music. Overall don't play, go play detroit become human and heavy rain.

I wish there was a better way to insert interactivity and fail states into a story based game than quicktime events. But I was still enjoying it.

quicktime events are the only interaction you get, and the controls are clunky and ignore your inputs. requesting a refund.

Interesting story, game play is HORRIBLE. Janky camera, dodgy controls, a boring 'press this button, now press that button'. I was hoping for a proper game, no reason this couldn't have just been done with proper camera and movement.

I see things at night... terrifying things. I tell myself it's only nightmares, but... i know it's not true. Once Pandora's box is open, it can never be closed again. No... it's not nightmares. It's what is about to happen. I've died twice already. I'm not afraid of death anymore.

An absolute piece of... Excellent work! Honestly my expectations about this game weren't so high, first, but after like 2 hours of gameplay I've felt this game is something!It's nearly as great as Detroit:Become Human. I recommend it to anyone who likes interactive movies and to anyone who'd never tried before. The only thing I don't like about this game is the ending where big black sun is premised. Too contrived I'd say. However, the game is still made so well 9/10

Controls are shocking, It took me more then half the game to get used to and even then i'd still mess up sometimes, But for 3 bucks on special, You really can't go wrong.

best story line ever but u need to compromise its controls if you are on keyboard and mouse its bit tricky gotta better if use your controller

Since I've played this game three times, I enjoyed so much and no doubt I'll replay it few more times for achievements. This is my friends review, we played Co-op: "I must admit I have really enjoyed this game. I've found character very convincing in a way you could relatively easily relate to her, especially considering the fact the whole plot started from the childhood. I've had some really panicky moments as well as "aha" moments, but by the end of the first playthrough, felt very satisfied with the experience. It felt like every character was very well made, not a single one was not necessary there. Game looked nice, only issue was that controlling the camera was pretty difficult. Playing it with a friend through Remote Play Together really made the whole experience deeper and more precious as we could discuss those questions that have opened during the story. Would recommend it but also give a heads up: if you have easy time getting into character limit your playtime per day in order to prevent feeling emotionally drained from it".

This game actually disappointed me because how complex and complicate the plot went out... but it was actually good at the beginning till the middle of the story, i think the game devs could actually made this game Gold if they approached it with a much more linear plot rather than putting too much subplot in the game (I know they did that so there could be more endings) but i'd enjoy more less of those, overall still a good concept for a video game (This is literally stranger things before stranger things) and the ending actually blew me , but still a good game, i rate this 7/10

Absolutely great game! Has great story line, emotional, touching, thrilling moments,.. everything is so damn good, except for the control, been struggling with QTE actions lmao. Tried play with both keyboard and controller. In overall: a 9.5/10 masterpiece ❤️

Just started playing a few hours ago and I love it, the story and all is pretty interesting

got it for like £2 during steam sale. definitely a really good game (even if its not on sale). if you like games such as "Deteroit: Become Human" etc, this would be right down your alley.

literally one of the best stories i've ever experienced in gaming history. the only thing im afraid of now, is i'll never be able to find another game as good. like the first dose of a hard drug, this game pulled me in and didn't let me go until it was over. now, im sitting here in my chair, just wondering how Jodie is. did my choices make her that happiest she could be? i finished it in one day, 10.5 hours, it felt like i lived life right along side Jodie. i related to her a lot of ways, and Aidens perspective really make you feel like you're there, helping her through the environment, with her every minute, it doesn't feel like Jodie's the main character, it feels like Aiden is. Absolute masterpiece 10/10

Great interactive video game movie which managed to touch me little crybaby at several occasions. Best played with controllers. Tried it first with keyboard and mouse but that was not well implemented. But I do not mind, controllers are better suited for such kind of games. Story sends you around a variety of beautifully designed locations which are usually fun to explore. Soundtrack is great and so are the visuals and the acting of the characters.

Игра супер, крутая и вообще в целом доволен играми Quantic Dream - играл в Heavy Rain, Detroit и вот щас решил пройти Beyond Two Souls. А теперь по порядку. Игра удивляет своим сочетанием удивительных, интересных и увлекательных сюжетов, но отсутствием супер-пупер подробного ЛОРА (Спойлер - так у всех игр квантика, но у них такой жанр и стиль). Играешь, влюбляешься в главного антагониста и других персонажей игры, переживаешь, задаешься вопросами по типу "а почему это возможно, а как это возможно, а какие механизмы у этого, ну и вообще - что такое инфрамир, по каким законам он функционирует и проч и проч". Разумеется, на что-то из этого вам эта игра ответит, но это лишь толика. Ещё конечно тут дело во мне - меня настолько заражают игры квантика, что например уже после Детройта - захотелось больше изучить первоосновы киберпанка (привет Ф. Дик) и вот это вот всё. После этой игры скорее всего захочется почитать, чем вдохновлялись авторы. Кстати, интересный факт, для Кейджа - одного из создателей игры и сценария, эта игра очень личная. Сюжет задумывался во время тяжелого периода в его жизни, когда он сам потерял одного из близких ему родственников. Подытожу тем, что мои мысли - это скорее не структура, а поток эмоций, мыслей и чувств, которыми я обуреваем после прохождения этой игры. Так что, предлагаю её к вашему вниманию, дерзайте!)

The story seemed okay, for the amount I played, but the controls were frustrating. There were times when it seemed like no matter when or how long I pressed the button prompted on the screen, it wasn't the right time or amount. It was impossible to enjoy the story because I was too busy getting frustrated over every other movement.

Actually, pretty good. I came to this game with the lowest expectations possible, because is a david cage game, and i was pleasantly surprised...mostly. The game is MOSTLY good, but oh boy the quality is all over the place. Here is the thing, if you want to do your game super hyper realistic, you are gonna fail, you are gonna have uncanny moments, some cutscene to action transitions feel, most unnatural. The ui could have been better ( using pointy arrows instead of dots is such an obvious fix to the ui i don't know how they didn't think of it). The extras are very interesting, and it shows it was a passion project for the director.

Jumped into this after Heavy Rain, and I can't stand it. There is absolutely zero immersion with how the game is divided into micro-stages split up by a screen showing how statistically common your choices are. Think LiS, but the review screen is every 3 to 10 minutes. I'm sure the story is cool, but I find I don't really care at this point. The action also feels infuriating, not fun. This game goes beyond quick time events and adds another feature that requires you to aimlessly search around for targets. It is super annoying to have a character shouting for help while you're just searching for interactibles in a space, trying to figure out what the hell the designers wanted you to do. Comes across as very poorly designed to me. Just watch someone else play it so you don't have to deal with the annoying gameplay.

Love the story, love the looks of the game - but the controls, oh my god the controls! Sometimes it decides you should press buttons that have never been used before, sometimes you press them and still don´t succeeed (looking at you stupid rockface that made me fall off a bunch of times) Sometimes you are just expected to figure out the controls for yourself. It really makes it obvious that this is a console port and nobody had PC controls in their mind when coding this.

I'd like to talk about this game based off the merit of it's story, but I can't because the QTE's which this gameplay is dependent on literally doesn't work. No matter how hard I shake my controller, or my mouse the QTE's for that do not work. The gamplay in general, feels really wonky too, and the game literally has a 15 minute long training montage which has you doing QTE after QTE and it's insufferable. The story in the short time I did play wasn't very captivating either. I got this game 90% off, paying only $2.99 and it was still so bad I asked for my money back. Screw you David Cage :)

An emotional journey I’ll never forget. Beautiful story, amazing acting, and moments that made me cry five times. One of the best narrative games ever. 11/10.

This seems like it would be a great story, but the controls for this game are the worst I've ever seen.

the story seems really interesting which really sucks because the god awful controls make it completely unplayable. It is so god damn awful im refunding the game and if you care about the story go watch some youtuber do it and dont give money to a game this poorly developed

Freaking love the story!! and Supranatural theme It gives me a bit of a Stranger Things vibe, but overall, this game is Sick 9.5-10

Seems like a cool game, but the QTE's ruined my immersion and killed any fun I was having.

The weakest game of David Cage. I can't say, that it's very bad, the game really has a big potential, but unfortunately loses it in the 2nd half of the game. I played Beyond in chronological order (so should you, because the way the developers wanted player to play it initially is really cursed and strange as f) and the first half has intrigued me indeed, but I think that the main plot has gone in the wrong way since the African mission. The game could be much better, if only authors made up something more thoughtful, holistic and also ADDED A CULMINATION (because now there isn't one). But anyways this game is definitely worth your 1$ on sale :D

This game is beautiful, in every aspect possible. As a true fan of Detroit : Become Human I wanted to give this one a try and oh boy did I loooove it. This is the type of game that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the time, you will cry with Jodie, the main character, but also smile with her. I simply cannot recommend it more, a true masterpiece.

Nice Solid Story, Nice Character, Nice Concept sometimes gameplay can be rough but all together pretty good.

В этой игре достаточно неплохая свобода выбора а еще не так херово с камерой как в других играх квантигдрим. (Выборы, выборы /// кандидаты --- п...)

Story was good, gameplay and QTE can be confusing at times. Got this game for $3!

One of the best story game I had played, Picked this up for $1.99 worth every penny, Highly recommend this game. 10000/10 Must play

Wild storytelling. Love the comparison of how other players chose different paths.

Game has a good concept but to me poor execution. Controls are sluggish and QTE horrendous, if you still wanna go QTE nowadays, response need to be good and in this case it isn't. Overall moving around is pain, I totally get the idea of playing the girl and aiden being tied to her but it's a no for me. Sad, I would have liked to like the game.

Mouse dosnt work half the time when trying to do movements, key bored might work might decide its not just play it with controller dont bother with mouse and key bored