In the future (four hundred years or so), you will have to take on the role of a female photojournalist in order to sift through a thick plot and large storyline. In this future you will be armed with your friends, a stick and a camera (yes, a camera). Well that's the way it would be if you were playing Beyond Good and Evil.

The graphics in Beyond are outstanding. The lighting is just right to successfully convey the location of your character, but even though the lights and shadows of BG& E are impressive, the amount of detail in the levels leaves something to be desired.

The characters are nothing to scoff at though. The level of detail in Jade (the photojournalist) and her friends (not to mention the enemies) is outstanding. I couldn't help but notice the amount of effort that went into making these characters. One of the characters that will help you along the way, Pey'j, is a half-human/half-pig character, and the model for him is astounding.

The lighting and detailed characters lend a major hand to the cinematic feel for the entire game. Also adding to the movie feel of Beyond Good and Evil is when the battle sequences start moving in slow motion -- and wonderfully enough, this somehow doesn't affect the combat system. There isn't any real lag in the controls and it looks beautiful.

Beyond Good and Evil is offered in three languages: English, French and Spanish. Unfortunately I am not fluent (by any means) in French or Spanish -- so I am not sure how well the translation is or how it sounds in the game. So I will talk about what I do know -- the English version.

The voice-acting is fairly right on. The lip synching also seems to be better than most games I have seen on the system -- of course this is all within the cut-scenes. The entire dialog within the game itself is text based.

Beyond's music has a great feel to it and pipes up at just the right moments. The style is appropriate for each location within the game. The music has a good habit of revving up just as the action picks up.

Beyond Good and Evil's main attraction is the deep story that Jade must work through in order to uncover a sinister plot that is effecting her planet, Hillys. In the year 2435, Hillys is under attack by the DomZ -- an alien race that is at war with humans. Thankfully there is the Alpha Section -- an elite group of military personnel who keep Hillys safe.

But Jade soon finds herself involved with a resistance movement against Hillys' government. The resistance believes that the government is in league with the alien threat and they mean to prove it. Being the investigative reporter that she is, Jade cannot help but try and find the truth.

Okay, that's enough about the story. If I get any deeper into it, then I will ruin the many twists and turns the game's story has to offer.

As a photojournalist, Jade is never far from her camera. It is by fulfilling various jobs with this camera that Jade is able to gain new assets in her search for the truth. For instance, the first mission you are given is to take pictures of 10 species found on the planet (for cataloging purposes). Once Jade has submitted 10 different creatures, she will be able to use a digital zoom for her camera.

Jade also has the use of a stick, which can be powered up and used in a fight. Of course, you will have to learn how to do this on the fly because the game doesn't offer any kind of training mode. BG and E slides from its opening movie straight into a fight sequence and you may find yourself (well, I did anyway) waiting for the movie to continue as the evil aliens begin to beat the film out of Jade. Once I realized that I was in control of the character, I started button mashing my way to the end of the battle.

Eventually I was able to get a handle on the controls and transitions, but at first I had no idea what I was doing.

As Jade, you also have the ability to use some companions who will join her on most of her quest. One of these companions is Pey'j, another one is a rogue Alpha Section member. Some of the obstacles that lie in Jade's path can only be removed by the use of her companions, so remember this if you ever find yourself stumped by some odd situation. Talk to your traveling buddy and see what they have to say.

Beyond Good and Evil is a long game, it isn't necessarily hard -- though some parts are tougher than others. It just has a long story with many complex twists in it. As far as the difficulty of the opponents is concerned, they seem to be just right. The baddies don't seem to be overwhelmingly hard, but don't just roll over and die at the sight of your stick.

Beyond Good and Evil's control scheme took a little getting used to and it had to be done quickly seeing as you are thrust into a battle without warning or preparation almost as soon as you start the game.

With aspects of stealth, combat, vehicular combat, and more, it will become a handful to learn and use each of these assets well, but with a lot of practice and determination (not to mention time), it can be done.

Beyond Good and Evil is an interesting game with a deep plot and a different take on the action aspect. Because of this it stands out as a game to remember. It is a good buy, and if nothing else then it is definitely worth renting -- but be prepared to put a lot of time into this game.