Understanding the deeply layered world of Beyond: Two Souls

Beyond: Two Souls is the creation of David Cage, known for his award-winning game Heavy Rain. I am fascinated by Cage. What he aims to achieve through the medium of video games are both exceptional and immensely intriguing. To therefor understand Beyond, I propose we take a look at it through the eyes of its Maker.

My work is about emotion and how we can trigger different types of emotion within an interactive experience. D Cage

Beyond: Two Souls is a psychological thriller that aims to leave an imprint on the mind of the player by immersing him/her in a deeply emotional story. Cage is known for his view that video games should provide a wider range of choice for gamers than just shooting zombies and mindless killing. Beyond focuses on two themes; accepting who you are, and the question of what happens after death. The emotional quandary of finding meaning in death and the struggle of self-acceptance are two issues that we all face at some point in our lives. For a game to be able to reflect the inner conflict those two questions can cause, are absolutely fascinating. Cage understands the fundamental ability video games have to engage its users in a way unlike watching a movie or listening to a story is able to do.

“It's a fantastic medium. It's crazy what you can do with this thing, because the relationship you have with experience is so different from what you have with anything else. You watch a movie, you're just passive. You watch a story, and it's a story that's told to you. But when you're in a game, you can tell the story. You can decide what you want to happen. And you can make up pretty much your own story based on your choices and your moral decisions. That's fascinating.“ Cage on gamesindustry international

This does not mean that Beyond: Two Souls will only focus on delivering an emotional story to gamers. The game will also feature exquisite action ,set in an extremely suspense flavoured world. You play as Jodie Holmes, a young woman who possesses supernatural powers through a psychic link to an invisible entity. This sets the stage for an experience of icy terror and paranormal intervention that will have players on the edge of their seats. With Cage’s promise to push the boundaries of what the Playstation 3 can deliver, gamers can expect a virtual world that borders on the uncanny valley.

Beyond: Two Souls will be a game that provides emotional resonance, as well as innovate action. Check out the trailer for a glimpse into this fascinating world. The game is set to release on PS3 in 2013.

Han’s Twitter | Blog