A not so long time ago, on a website not so far away, Video Games Chronicle picked up the rumor that French studio Quantic Dream might be working on a Star Wars video game. This was later corroborated by Kotaku. If the rumors are true, it would be surprising to say the least.
Quantic Dream, of course, is the developer behind celebrated interactive adventure titles like Heavy Rain and Fahrenheit, but also the controversial company that just lost a libel lawsuit against French outlet Mediapart (while winning another against the publication Le Monde) after reports and claims of an unsafe, toxic workplace were lodged at the studio in 2018. Not that a studio’s skeletons have stopped Disney and Lucasfilm from working with companies like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft in the past, but Quantic Dream seems like an odd choice even from a gameplay perspective. The studio isn’t really known...
Quantic Dream, of course, is the developer behind celebrated interactive adventure titles like Heavy Rain and Fahrenheit, but also the controversial company that just lost a libel lawsuit against French outlet Mediapart (while winning another against the publication Le Monde) after reports and claims of an unsafe, toxic workplace were lodged at the studio in 2018. Not that a studio’s skeletons have stopped Disney and Lucasfilm from working with companies like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft in the past, but Quantic Dream seems like an odd choice even from a gameplay perspective. The studio isn’t really known...
- 9/23/2021
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
As subscription-based, on-demand gaming services have gained popularity in recent years, both PlayStation Now and Xbox Game Pass have established their positions at the top of the market by offering a variety of content and great value for subscribers. There’s just one burning question demands to be answered: Which one is better?
It’s a tough one. Each has advantages over the other – Ps Now has more attractive pricing plus its library of 700+ titles makes Game Pass’ library of around 200 look paltry in comparison, whereas Xbox Game Pass tends to offer more recent games as well as including first party titles on the day of release.
It’s hard to say which one is better overall, but taken one month at a time, we may get our answer. So join us as we look at what’s been added and what was removed from each service and declare which...
It’s a tough one. Each has advantages over the other – Ps Now has more attractive pricing plus its library of 700+ titles makes Game Pass’ library of around 200 look paltry in comparison, whereas Xbox Game Pass tends to offer more recent games as well as including first party titles on the day of release.
It’s hard to say which one is better overall, but taken one month at a time, we may get our answer. So join us as we look at what’s been added and what was removed from each service and declare which...
- 2/22/2021
- by Jonathan Jones
- The Cultural Post
Video games have been a welcome escape during the Covid-19 pandemic, connecting people without judgment through authentic, collaborative play. When engaging in play, you take on a new perspective, broaden your own, and join communities you may never otherwise have connected with.
“I think it’s important to play games if you want to design them yourself.”, David Cage, founder of French games studio Quantic Dream.
Are you are overflowing with exciting story ideas? Do you possess some natural artistic flair and have played games since you were old enough to turn on the television? Video game design may be your destiny.
In an ultra-competitive industry of creatives, having a qualification is important. Of course, there are those self-taught geniuses who have taken the path less travelled to get to where they are today, but this is not for everyone.
Our advice would be to study, be passionate, be creative,...
“I think it’s important to play games if you want to design them yourself.”, David Cage, founder of French games studio Quantic Dream.
Are you are overflowing with exciting story ideas? Do you possess some natural artistic flair and have played games since you were old enough to turn on the television? Video game design may be your destiny.
In an ultra-competitive industry of creatives, having a qualification is important. Of course, there are those self-taught geniuses who have taken the path less travelled to get to where they are today, but this is not for everyone.
Our advice would be to study, be passionate, be creative,...
- 1/12/2021
- by James Smith
- Nerdly
Disney, more than usual, seems to be dominating the internet lately. The reasons range from controversial to roaringly good, but we’re here to give you some of the latter.
The first trailer for the live-action remake of Mulan has hit the web today and with it, some of our favorite things: fan reactions. Unlike the pot-stirring casting of Halle Bailey, fans of the original Mulan are in for a controversy-less treat. The fact that Mushu, hopefully still being voiced by Kevin Hart, wasn’t present is sure to kick up a little dust, but overall, this is a clean little teaser that sticks to the original animated tale. And the fans seems to agree.
she’s my badass girlfriend, your honour (mulan 2020) pic.twitter.com/ohLo2NlJ4e
— aims robin warrior (@robinshawkins) July 7, 2019
Here’s the trailer for Disney’s #Mulan. Looks stunning, but it needs more singing and Mushu the dragon!
The first trailer for the live-action remake of Mulan has hit the web today and with it, some of our favorite things: fan reactions. Unlike the pot-stirring casting of Halle Bailey, fans of the original Mulan are in for a controversy-less treat. The fact that Mushu, hopefully still being voiced by Kevin Hart, wasn’t present is sure to kick up a little dust, but overall, this is a clean little teaser that sticks to the original animated tale. And the fans seems to agree.
she’s my badass girlfriend, your honour (mulan 2020) pic.twitter.com/ohLo2NlJ4e
— aims robin warrior (@robinshawkins) July 7, 2019
Here’s the trailer for Disney’s #Mulan. Looks stunning, but it needs more singing and Mushu the dragon!
- 7/7/2019
- by Sam Plank
- We Got This Covered
Matthew Byrd Aug 13, 2019
Detroit: Become Human developer Quantic Dream has confirmed they are no longer a PlayStation exclusive studio.
Quantic Dream, the studio behind Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human, and Beyond Two Souls, will officially begin developing new titles for non-PlayStation platforms.
“Quantic Dream is not exclusive to any platform anymore," says Quantic Dream's David Cage in an interview with DualShockers. "So yes, unless there are some specific exclusivity deals on a title-by-title basis, all our games will be released on all platforms at launch.”
In an interview conducted earlier this year, Quantic Dream bosses Guillaume de Fondaumière and David Cage also revealed that they have reached an agreement with Chinese publisher NetEase in order to secure funding for future projects. The trade-off of this arrangement is that the studio will no longer exclusively develop games for PlayStation.
"Our objective is to be present on all platforms where there is...
Detroit: Become Human developer Quantic Dream has confirmed they are no longer a PlayStation exclusive studio.
Quantic Dream, the studio behind Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human, and Beyond Two Souls, will officially begin developing new titles for non-PlayStation platforms.
“Quantic Dream is not exclusive to any platform anymore," says Quantic Dream's David Cage in an interview with DualShockers. "So yes, unless there are some specific exclusivity deals on a title-by-title basis, all our games will be released on all platforms at launch.”
In an interview conducted earlier this year, Quantic Dream bosses Guillaume de Fondaumière and David Cage also revealed that they have reached an agreement with Chinese publisher NetEase in order to secure funding for future projects. The trade-off of this arrangement is that the studio will no longer exclusively develop games for PlayStation.
"Our objective is to be present on all platforms where there is...
- 1/29/2019
- Den of Geek
Quantic Dream, French developer of “Detroit” and “Heavy Rain,” has lost a court battle over employee complaints of harassment. The news was tweeted by French journalist Nicolas Turcev, and found via a ResetEra forum thread posted Thursday morning.
ResetEra forum member Maxime translated Turcev’s tweets.
“[Quantic Dream] just lost a labor court suit against one of the employees at the heart of the photomontage affair from the beginning of the year,” Turcev states. “The act of breaking the employment contract was requalified as a dismissal without any real and serious cause. The studio can appeal.”
The “photomontage affair” refers to a series of crude and inappropriately photoshopped images of employees, distributed via email.
The January 2018 reports from employees over racist, homophobic, and sexist behavior by Quantic Dream made their way to the French media, and were published in outlets Le Monde, Mediapart, and Canard PC. (Note: Some of the images may...
ResetEra forum member Maxime translated Turcev’s tweets.
“[Quantic Dream] just lost a labor court suit against one of the employees at the heart of the photomontage affair from the beginning of the year,” Turcev states. “The act of breaking the employment contract was requalified as a dismissal without any real and serious cause. The studio can appeal.”
The “photomontage affair” refers to a series of crude and inappropriately photoshopped images of employees, distributed via email.
The January 2018 reports from employees over racist, homophobic, and sexist behavior by Quantic Dream made their way to the French media, and were published in outlets Le Monde, Mediapart, and Canard PC. (Note: Some of the images may...
- 7/26/2018
- by Liz Lanier
- Variety Film + TV
Setting “Detroit: Become Human” just 20 years from now is not accidental.
It’s a deliberate choice, anchoring a sci-fi game in the near future. It’s removed enough to imbibe a sense of escapism, a peek into a life we can only imagine, and yet it’s close enough to be woven with flashes of our everyday lives, too.
David Cage and his studio Quantic Dream have crafted a peculiar place, though. “Detroit” falls over itself to expose the extremities of this life – the morality of artificial intelligence, the juxtaposition of privilege and poverty, love and prejudice – but the brushes it uses to paint these extremities are too broad, unable to draw out the subtle nuances needed to flesh out its otherwise compelling story and detailed world.
Despite its sophistication, “Detroit” ultimately sabotages itself, crushing any meaningful messages by hammering them into inelegant vignettes driven by cold mechanics and a...
It’s a deliberate choice, anchoring a sci-fi game in the near future. It’s removed enough to imbibe a sense of escapism, a peek into a life we can only imagine, and yet it’s close enough to be woven with flashes of our everyday lives, too.
David Cage and his studio Quantic Dream have crafted a peculiar place, though. “Detroit” falls over itself to expose the extremities of this life – the morality of artificial intelligence, the juxtaposition of privilege and poverty, love and prejudice – but the brushes it uses to paint these extremities are too broad, unable to draw out the subtle nuances needed to flesh out its otherwise compelling story and detailed world.
Despite its sophistication, “Detroit” ultimately sabotages itself, crushing any meaningful messages by hammering them into inelegant vignettes driven by cold mechanics and a...
- 5/24/2018
- by Vikki Blake
- Variety Film + TV
Say what you want about David Cage and his team at Quantic Dream, but it’s hard to deny the impact their games have had on the adventure genre. Older titles such as Omikron: The Nomad Soul and Fahrenheit still garner mention and discussion on gaming forums, and Heavy Rain remains a much-beloved PlayStation 3 classic, so much so that it got a second life in the form of a re-release on current-gen hardware. Fans of Quantic Dream (myself included) will waste no time expressing their love for the studio’s catalogue of work, but at the same time, it’s hard to ignore the issues that have plagued their titles in the past decade. Uneven writing, unexplained plot holes, and the occasional awkward performance don’t exactly ruin a game, but they leave an indelible mark that stains even the fondest of memories. I still have friends who are quick...
- 5/24/2018
- by Shaan Joshi
- We Got This Covered
“Detroit: Become Human,” the next game from Quantic Dream, has officially gone gold, the developer announced today on the PlayStation Blog. A demo for the action-adventure game is expected to drop on Tuesday.
In the game industry, going gold means production on a game is done and it’s ready to be sent to manufacturers for print. Admittedly, this used to be a bigger deal when games only shipped on discs and had to be completely wrapped up. But in 2018 the term is a little more nebulous, as games can be patched and updated after release. Nevertheless, it’s still a production milestone, usually announced to drum up anticipation for a game’s impending release.
“During these four years, we have gone through all possible states and emotions that the development of such a challenging project induces: the pride of working on something special and unique, the doubt of attaining...
In the game industry, going gold means production on a game is done and it’s ready to be sent to manufacturers for print. Admittedly, this used to be a bigger deal when games only shipped on discs and had to be completely wrapped up. But in 2018 the term is a little more nebulous, as games can be patched and updated after release. Nevertheless, it’s still a production milestone, usually announced to drum up anticipation for a game’s impending release.
“During these four years, we have gone through all possible states and emotions that the development of such a challenging project induces: the pride of working on something special and unique, the doubt of attaining...
- 4/23/2018
- by Blake Hester
- Variety Film + TV
The writer-director of Detroit: Become Human has confirmed the title will be released in 2018.
In an interview with Gamespot, David Cage, of Quantic Dream, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Heavy Rain and the Ellen Page starring Beyond: Two Souls, revealed the PlayStation 4 exclusive would be released in 2018.
“We’ve not announced a date, but it’s going to be next year,” he told Gamespot.
Up till now no official release date or window had been known for the neo-noir thriller.
Announced back in 2015, Detroit is based on a tech-demo the studio released back in 2012 and follows an android called Kara who develops artificial consciousness and escapes the laboratory where she is being held and flees into the city of Detroit.
As with Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, player choices will define how the story progresses with playable characters able to die and the story continuing.
The latest trailer...
In an interview with Gamespot, David Cage, of Quantic Dream, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Heavy Rain and the Ellen Page starring Beyond: Two Souls, revealed the PlayStation 4 exclusive would be released in 2018.
“We’ve not announced a date, but it’s going to be next year,” he told Gamespot.
Up till now no official release date or window had been known for the neo-noir thriller.
Announced back in 2015, Detroit is based on a tech-demo the studio released back in 2012 and follows an android called Kara who develops artificial consciousness and escapes the laboratory where she is being held and flees into the city of Detroit.
As with Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, player choices will define how the story progresses with playable characters able to die and the story continuing.
The latest trailer...
- 6/20/2017
- by Jamie Press
- The Cultural Post
Decorated VFX artist Dennis Muren will discuss his work on the Star Wars franchise during London Film Fesival session.
This year’s Lff Connects programme at the BFI London Film Festival (Oct 5-16) will include a session with Star Wars VFX outfit Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm).
On October 7, the eight-time Oscar-winning visual effects specialist Dennis Muren will be joined by David Vickery and Kevin Jenkins from the now two-year-old Ilm London Studio to discuss working on blockbuster franchises including Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the forthcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Doctor Strange.
A TV panel held on October 6 will feature Black Mirror co-creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones with film-maker Joe Wright, who directed an episode of the latest series, Nosedive. The festival will host the European premiere of three episodes fromthe new series, which is now housed on Netflix
Further events at Lff Connects include a session on video games with writer...
This year’s Lff Connects programme at the BFI London Film Festival (Oct 5-16) will include a session with Star Wars VFX outfit Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm).
On October 7, the eight-time Oscar-winning visual effects specialist Dennis Muren will be joined by David Vickery and Kevin Jenkins from the now two-year-old Ilm London Studio to discuss working on blockbuster franchises including Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the forthcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Doctor Strange.
A TV panel held on October 6 will feature Black Mirror co-creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones with film-maker Joe Wright, who directed an episode of the latest series, Nosedive. The festival will host the European premiere of three episodes fromthe new series, which is now housed on Netflix
Further events at Lff Connects include a session on video games with writer...
- 8/30/2016
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Coming out of E3 2016, it was one of the few gameplay demos that continued to spark conversation long after the lights dimmed in the Los Angeles Convention Center. That’s Detroit: Become Human, Quantic Dream’s new IP and PS4 exclusive that’s rooted in a dystopian future where the line between humans and sentient machines is negligible at best.
While Beyond: Two Souls took the French developer into the realm of the supernatural, Become Human is true science-fiction, cut from the same cloth as Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot. Reflecting on that E3 demonstration, writer-director David Cage took to PlayStation Blog to offer a frame-by-frame breakdown of the game’s branching narrative, its bleeding-edge graphics and facial animations, along with the lead character, Connor the android.
It was here that Cage, a self-proclaimed cinephile, likened Quantic’s PS4 title to a “neo-noir thriller,” whisking players to a near-future rendition...
While Beyond: Two Souls took the French developer into the realm of the supernatural, Become Human is true science-fiction, cut from the same cloth as Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot. Reflecting on that E3 demonstration, writer-director David Cage took to PlayStation Blog to offer a frame-by-frame breakdown of the game’s branching narrative, its bleeding-edge graphics and facial animations, along with the lead character, Connor the android.
It was here that Cage, a self-proclaimed cinephile, likened Quantic’s PS4 title to a “neo-noir thriller,” whisking players to a near-future rendition...
- 6/29/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
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John Cusack has made 17 films in four years. We've found the ones that have gone all-but straight to DVD and watched them...
John Cusack is a bit of a Hollywood oddity. There’s no pattern to the type of movie he will choose to do, so he’s always kept us on our toes. Sure, he’ll make a dumb action movie, but that will often afford him the chance to make a few smaller gambles later on. Up until the last few years he’s played the system very well, but recently his ethic appears to have, um, waned? A little?
Since the heady days of Say Anything and Sixteen Candles he’s come to represent a sort of slightly weird-looking, awkwardly charming, offbeat everyman that men aged 18-49 can look at and go 'me'” - which is fine. There’s a place for that, as...
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John Cusack has made 17 films in four years. We've found the ones that have gone all-but straight to DVD and watched them...
John Cusack is a bit of a Hollywood oddity. There’s no pattern to the type of movie he will choose to do, so he’s always kept us on our toes. Sure, he’ll make a dumb action movie, but that will often afford him the chance to make a few smaller gambles later on. Up until the last few years he’s played the system very well, but recently his ethic appears to have, um, waned? A little?
Since the heady days of Say Anything and Sixteen Candles he’s come to represent a sort of slightly weird-looking, awkwardly charming, offbeat everyman that men aged 18-49 can look at and go 'me'” - which is fine. There’s a place for that, as...
- 6/20/2016
- Den of Geek
Building off the excitement generated by the latest Detroit: Become Human trailer, Quantic Dream has announced that they will be bringing Indigo Prophecy to the PlayStation 4 next month. Released in Europe as Fahrenheit, the cinematic mystery will carry a cost of $14.99.
Originally released in 2005, Indigo Prophecy centers around a series of mysterious murders that have taken place throughout New York City. Each of the killings follows a similar pattern: strangers are murdered in cold blood by seemingly possessed individuals. Players step into the shoes of possessed murderer Lucas Kane, as well as detectives Carla Valenti and Tyler Miles as they try to crack the mystery.
Despite the recent re-release of the title on Steam, the version of the game coming to the PS4 will not be a complete remaster. Instead, the game will be coming to the console through the “PS2 on PS4” initiative. In addition to Quantic Dream’s working relationship with Sony,...
Originally released in 2005, Indigo Prophecy centers around a series of mysterious murders that have taken place throughout New York City. Each of the killings follows a similar pattern: strangers are murdered in cold blood by seemingly possessed individuals. Players step into the shoes of possessed murderer Lucas Kane, as well as detectives Carla Valenti and Tyler Miles as they try to crack the mystery.
Despite the recent re-release of the title on Steam, the version of the game coming to the PS4 will not be a complete remaster. Instead, the game will be coming to the console through the “PS2 on PS4” initiative. In addition to Quantic Dream’s working relationship with Sony,...
- 6/17/2016
- by Eric Hall
- We Got This Covered
Remedy
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Length: Approx. 7 hours (plus 80 minutes for the TV component)
Platform & Performance: Xbox One – Solid frame rate, no noticeable bugs, occasional texture pop-in.
If the name David Cage means something to you, and you like what games like Heavy Rain or Beyond: Two Souls were going for – the whole ‘super neat idea trapped in a fumbled execution’ ideology – you’ll grow to admire and perhaps love Quantum Break.
A narrative-heavy third-person shooter, I say ‘admire’ first, because it’s a very hard game to love, despite Remedy creating what is easily one of the most ambitious and riveting projects in gaming history. Over the years, the developer has gone from pioneering ‘bullet time’ with Max Payne, to flexing their narrative muscles in Alan Wake. Both projects were love letters to noir filmmaking and supernatural horror respectively and, with Quantum Break, it’s a nod to action movies of the...
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Length: Approx. 7 hours (plus 80 minutes for the TV component)
Platform & Performance: Xbox One – Solid frame rate, no noticeable bugs, occasional texture pop-in.
If the name David Cage means something to you, and you like what games like Heavy Rain or Beyond: Two Souls were going for – the whole ‘super neat idea trapped in a fumbled execution’ ideology – you’ll grow to admire and perhaps love Quantum Break.
A narrative-heavy third-person shooter, I say ‘admire’ first, because it’s a very hard game to love, despite Remedy creating what is easily one of the most ambitious and riveting projects in gaming history. Over the years, the developer has gone from pioneering ‘bullet time’ with Max Payne, to flexing their narrative muscles in Alan Wake. Both projects were love letters to noir filmmaking and supernatural horror respectively and, with Quantum Break, it’s a nod to action movies of the...
- 4/1/2016
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
Konami/Rockstar/Quantic Dream
With great rendering power comes great responsibility, and thus, over the years, gaming has matured in all sorts of directions. We’ve seen facial detail get way more realistic (and creepy), full bodies either hand-animated or motion-captured used to portray everything from brutal stabbings to intense love scenes, and the medium itself attempt to craft stories that should illicit reactions from the entire emotional spectrum.
That said, it’s been a rocky road to get to this point, and honestly – we’re yet to reach completely smooth ground. You have to admire the work of guys like David Cage and titles like Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, as at least people like Cage are daring to dream, daring to craft something that isn’t just another shooter or another 2D side-scroller. They might fall flat on their faces, but influence is inevitably still seen across future games,...
With great rendering power comes great responsibility, and thus, over the years, gaming has matured in all sorts of directions. We’ve seen facial detail get way more realistic (and creepy), full bodies either hand-animated or motion-captured used to portray everything from brutal stabbings to intense love scenes, and the medium itself attempt to craft stories that should illicit reactions from the entire emotional spectrum.
That said, it’s been a rocky road to get to this point, and honestly – we’re yet to reach completely smooth ground. You have to admire the work of guys like David Cage and titles like Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, as at least people like Cage are daring to dream, daring to craft something that isn’t just another shooter or another 2D side-scroller. They might fall flat on their faces, but influence is inevitably still seen across future games,...
- 3/29/2016
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
Each console generation brings with it a plethora of games, but only a fraction end up being memorable and continue to be talked about years later. Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain – which made its much anticipated PlayStation 3 debut just over six years ago – happens to be one such game, and its impact continues to be felt through titles like Until Dawn.
The third effort from David Cage’s Parisian studio, Heavy Rain became a most wanted release as soon as its tech demo hit the Internet. That’s because, not only did the video hint at something intriguing, but it also featured some of the best-looking facial animations to date.
Although the wait was a long one, Cage and his team delivered, presenting a very good and rather unique experience. One that ended up being quite successful, too, as the game has sold over two million copies. On top of that,...
The third effort from David Cage’s Parisian studio, Heavy Rain became a most wanted release as soon as its tech demo hit the Internet. That’s because, not only did the video hint at something intriguing, but it also featured some of the best-looking facial animations to date.
Although the wait was a long one, Cage and his team delivered, presenting a very good and rather unique experience. One that ended up being quite successful, too, as the game has sold over two million copies. On top of that,...
- 3/1/2016
- by Chad Goodmurphy
- We Got This Covered
Telltale
Across the late 2000s, games seemed to suddenly realise they could throw you into all sorts of horrible moral quandaries, just to watch you squirm. Directors like David Cage would hit and miss through extremely divisive games like Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, whereas developers Lionhead and Rockstar would inject more subtle consequences for actions you didn’t even know were being monitored in Fable 2 and GTA IV respectively.
However, like any entertainment medium, all that’s left to do once the cards have been dealt is go bigger and better every time. More harrowing choices, more awful consequences, more feelings, dammit.
It’s resulted in some of the most memorable moments in gaming history, and not always ones you have full control of – or even for the most tasteful of reasons – although providing it got everyone talking, that was probably the end result anyway.
You can be the judge on...
Across the late 2000s, games seemed to suddenly realise they could throw you into all sorts of horrible moral quandaries, just to watch you squirm. Directors like David Cage would hit and miss through extremely divisive games like Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, whereas developers Lionhead and Rockstar would inject more subtle consequences for actions you didn’t even know were being monitored in Fable 2 and GTA IV respectively.
However, like any entertainment medium, all that’s left to do once the cards have been dealt is go bigger and better every time. More harrowing choices, more awful consequences, more feelings, dammit.
It’s resulted in some of the most memorable moments in gaming history, and not always ones you have full control of – or even for the most tasteful of reasons – although providing it got everyone talking, that was probably the end result anyway.
You can be the judge on...
- 11/28/2015
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
Both of game designer David Cage’s cinematic, interactive dramas are coming to PlayStation 4. His telepathic tale Beyond: Two Souls, originally released in 2013, will make its way to the PlayStation Store next week. It will be followed by a port of Heavy Rain, where players will once again be faced with the horrors of the Origami Killer on March 1st, 2016.
The games are known for their dark, choice-driven storytelling and high production values, with Beyond: Two Souls boasting a stellar voice cast headed by Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe.
While not a lot is known about the update of Heavy Rain, next week’s Beyond: Two Souls remaster will feature several new features to enhance the experience. These include 1080p graphics with motion blur effects as well as improved lighting and shadows, improved controls for action sequences, and use of the DualShock 4 Speaker.
Another main addition will be that once...
The games are known for their dark, choice-driven storytelling and high production values, with Beyond: Two Souls boasting a stellar voice cast headed by Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe.
While not a lot is known about the update of Heavy Rain, next week’s Beyond: Two Souls remaster will feature several new features to enhance the experience. These include 1080p graphics with motion blur effects as well as improved lighting and shadows, improved controls for action sequences, and use of the DualShock 4 Speaker.
Another main addition will be that once...
- 11/20/2015
- by Joseph Banham
- We Got This Covered
Quantic Dream, the developers of Beyond: Two Souls and Heavy Rain, have announced a new title, Detroit: Become Human.
I don't know if many people remember, but David Cage had his studio release a short tech demo years ago that showed an android looking character. That character finally came to life in this new title, Detroit.
The android is givin life and sets out to explore this fascinating new world, but she quickly learns what the rest of us know. The world sucks, especially since she seems to be stuck in Detroit of all places. Okay, slight joking aside this is what the game focuses on. The harsh reality of growing problems within the city.
There wasn't much else explained about the game, so we will have more details soon!
Detroitgame Newsparis Games Weekquantic Dreamplaystation 4PS4...
I don't know if many people remember, but David Cage had his studio release a short tech demo years ago that showed an android looking character. That character finally came to life in this new title, Detroit.
The android is givin life and sets out to explore this fascinating new world, but she quickly learns what the rest of us know. The world sucks, especially since she seems to be stuck in Detroit of all places. Okay, slight joking aside this is what the game focuses on. The harsh reality of growing problems within the city.
There wasn't much else explained about the game, so we will have more details soon!
Detroitgame Newsparis Games Weekquantic Dreamplaystation 4PS4...
- 10/27/2015
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Dustin Spino)
- Cinelinx
It’s Paris Games Week. Sony shunned Gamescom earlier in the year due to its proximity to E3, giving Microsoft the chance to fire off a few shots in the console war without reply. Now the roles are reversed and Sony gets to stand on the stage and give a conference knowing that Microsoft won’t have much of a presence to counter with. With Gamescom traditionally being a pretty big deal for Sony, this likely won’t just be a throwaway show. Expect an E3-style conference with a more European slant; less dollars and cents, and probably a few slightly more out there ideas.
Sony shows have been interesting lately since, in stark contrast to Microsoft, we have very little idea what any of their first and second party studios are actually doing. It’s been very quiet on that front from Sony, so there could very well...
Sony shows have been interesting lately since, in stark contrast to Microsoft, we have very little idea what any of their first and second party studios are actually doing. It’s been very quiet on that front from Sony, so there could very well...
- 10/27/2015
- by John Cal McCormick
- SoundOnSight
Aaa (triple A) video games and the people who play them need to get over their embarrassing and childish insecurity. If I spent as much time getting in shape as gaming culture spends defending their chosen art form from mostly imagined assaults, I would have the abs of Ryan Reynolds. “We’re art too!” everyone cries, as if accusations otherwise are even worth entertaining, and as if the only qualifier for validity and purpose is recognition by artistic and critical bodies that weren’t built to accommodate you in the first place. “Cinematic” gets thrown around every day, and less than an adjective it’s become a badge of pride that means “we’re like movies too, we deserve your respect”, but no one seems to stop and think whether a game that’s like a movie is even a good thing. If video games are an apple pie, and...
- 1/29/2015
- by Michelle
- SoundOnSight
Sound On Sight Podcast, #400: Final Episode featuring ‘Inherent Vice’ and the Top 10 Movies of 2014 with guests Adam Nayman and Kate Rennebohm
This is it, folks. After 400(!) episodes, Ricky and Simon decided to wrap up the Sound on Sight podcast. To send it off in style, they take a look back at the very best films of 2014, with some help from a variety of former guest- and co-hosts. Smack dab in the middle, with the help of special guests Kate Rennebohm and Adam Nayman, they go deep on Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, the biggest missing piece in their 2014 moviegoing. It’s a nearly three-hour blowout, because it didn’t seem right to go out small. Cheers!
P.T. Anderson Week Spotlight Red States and Blue States: Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love and an Ode to Godard The Case against Paul Thomas Anderson ‘Inherent Vice’ a narcotic vision that demands...
This is it, folks. After 400(!) episodes, Ricky and Simon decided to wrap up the Sound on Sight podcast. To send it off in style, they take a look back at the very best films of 2014, with some help from a variety of former guest- and co-hosts. Smack dab in the middle, with the help of special guests Kate Rennebohm and Adam Nayman, they go deep on Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, the biggest missing piece in their 2014 moviegoing. It’s a nearly three-hour blowout, because it didn’t seem right to go out small. Cheers!
P.T. Anderson Week Spotlight Red States and Blue States: Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love and an Ode to Godard The Case against Paul Thomas Anderson ‘Inherent Vice’ a narcotic vision that demands...
- 1/18/2015
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Fahrenheit (aka Indigo Prophecy) is a PS2 game that you probably didn’t play from the visionary game designer, director and writer, David Cage of the studio Quantic Dream. His mission was, seemingly, very simple; forgo traditional video game stereotypes and attempt to create something more akin to an interactive movie. This is a game about storytelling, and character, and dialogue, and emotion, and not cover-based shooting, recharging health bars or jumping on mushroom people’s heads. The gameplay is essentially boiled down to walking around and talking to other characters, not unlike a classic point and click adventure game, with action scenes taken care of through quick time events. This affords the game more time to concentrate on building up relationships and raising the drama through conversation.
It has a terrific opening gambit; your character murders somebody in a cafe restroom and has no idea why they’ve done...
It has a terrific opening gambit; your character murders somebody in a cafe restroom and has no idea why they’ve done...
- 1/8/2015
- by John Cal McCormick
- SoundOnSight
The makers of Remember Me return with the episodic adventure game Life Is Strange. Here's the first reveal trailer...
Last year's Remember Me had its share of flaws, but there was also much to enjoy in it: a beautifully-designed future Paris, and an engaging Sf premise where a new-fangled device can manipulate and erase memories.
Next year, French developer Dontnod Entertainment will return with Life Is Strange, an episodic third-person adventure game with its own intriguing story. It takes place in a small town in Oregon, where two high school friends, Max and Chloe, are trying to discover the whereabouts of a fellow student who's mysteriously disappeared.
The twist is that Max isn't just any other high school student: she has the ability to rewind time, Braid style. Those who've had a hands-on preview of Life Is Strange have described it as being a bit like Telltale's The Walking Dead series with added time travel,...
Last year's Remember Me had its share of flaws, but there was also much to enjoy in it: a beautifully-designed future Paris, and an engaging Sf premise where a new-fangled device can manipulate and erase memories.
Next year, French developer Dontnod Entertainment will return with Life Is Strange, an episodic third-person adventure game with its own intriguing story. It takes place in a small town in Oregon, where two high school friends, Max and Chloe, are trying to discover the whereabouts of a fellow student who's mysteriously disappeared.
The twist is that Max isn't just any other high school student: she has the ability to rewind time, Braid style. Those who've had a hands-on preview of Life Is Strange have described it as being a bit like Telltale's The Walking Dead series with added time travel,...
- 12/18/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Reviews for David Cage's Beyond: Two Souls were mixed, but one level was genuinely powerful and thought-provoking, Joe writes...
Last year's PlayStation 3 exclusive, Beyond: Two Souls, wasn't a massive critical or commercial success. Heavy Rain, David Cage and Quantic Dream's 2010 project, was always going to be a tough act to follow, winning multiple Game of the Year awards for its combination of highly interactive way of storytelling and gameplay.
Beyond was criticised as feeling like a step backwards, with the game more about activating cues for the next cut scene as opposed to being truly interactive. There is truth in these claims; for the vast majority of the time, it's more 'find the right thing and do it properly' as opposed to letting you do your own thing.
The story has been similarly panned and rightly so: Beyond jumps back and forth across the timeline of one girl's life,...
Last year's PlayStation 3 exclusive, Beyond: Two Souls, wasn't a massive critical or commercial success. Heavy Rain, David Cage and Quantic Dream's 2010 project, was always going to be a tough act to follow, winning multiple Game of the Year awards for its combination of highly interactive way of storytelling and gameplay.
Beyond was criticised as feeling like a step backwards, with the game more about activating cues for the next cut scene as opposed to being truly interactive. There is truth in these claims; for the vast majority of the time, it's more 'find the right thing and do it properly' as opposed to letting you do your own thing.
The story has been similarly panned and rightly so: Beyond jumps back and forth across the timeline of one girl's life,...
- 8/27/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Quantic Dream’s supernatural-infused thriller, Beyond: Two Souls, could be on its way to PlayStation 4, if a leak by Swiss retailer alcom.ch is to be believed.
The listing itself advertises the title for Sony’s current-gen console with a placeholder box art to boot. And while it’s always good to err on the side of caution when it comes to this brand of speculation, the fact that another Swiss retailer, World of Games, posted a similar listing lends credence to this re-release becoming a reality.
Admittedly, rumours of a Beyond: Two Souls port have been on the cards for some time; for instance, back in April, an eagle-eyed NeoGaf user spotted a reference to the narrative-driven title on a programmer’s portfolio. That said, the post was removed from the video game forum shortly after it appeared.
After all, it’s understood that the French studio is currently working on a PS4 title,...
The listing itself advertises the title for Sony’s current-gen console with a placeholder box art to boot. And while it’s always good to err on the side of caution when it comes to this brand of speculation, the fact that another Swiss retailer, World of Games, posted a similar listing lends credence to this re-release becoming a reality.
Admittedly, rumours of a Beyond: Two Souls port have been on the cards for some time; for instance, back in April, an eagle-eyed NeoGaf user spotted a reference to the narrative-driven title on a programmer’s portfolio. That said, the post was removed from the video game forum shortly after it appeared.
After all, it’s understood that the French studio is currently working on a PS4 title,...
- 7/8/2014
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
The idea of a game being replayed is nearly always par for the course for any player, and it most definitely goes quadruple if you’ve just purchased the likes of Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes. Being that its average runtime seems to be around the one hour mark you’re going to need to squeeze every bit of content out of it to get your money’s worth.
Then you have guys like Heavy Rain writer and director David Cage stating upon the game’s release in 2010 that he would prefer you only play through the title once, thereby having to live with whatever choices you made for all eternity. Yet most of us genuinely want to go back through any game, for a whole plethora of different reasons; anything from the sheer joy of the games’ mechanics, to character design and art direction or just to see certain...
Then you have guys like Heavy Rain writer and director David Cage stating upon the game’s release in 2010 that he would prefer you only play through the title once, thereby having to live with whatever choices you made for all eternity. Yet most of us genuinely want to go back through any game, for a whole plethora of different reasons; anything from the sheer joy of the games’ mechanics, to character design and art direction or just to see certain...
- 4/7/2014
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
The PlayStation 3 exclusive Beyond: Two Souls has passed the 1 million units sold mark, according to developer Quantic Dream. The cinematic adventure title was released worldwide back in October.
The news was revealed via a ‘word cloud‘ post on the developer’s website, as the game reached 1 million sales just before Christmas. Quantic Dream also took the time to thank fans for supporting their latest effort
While the number seems impressive, it’s worth noting that Beyond: Two Souls is currently lagging behind Quantic Dream’s previous title, the 2010 released Heavy Rain, in terms of sales. That game passed the 1 million mark in just over two months following its launch.
Although I have not played Beyond: Two Souls yet, it’s always a good thing to see an original IP do well. The games developed by Quantic Dream and David Cage are not always the most well-received, but it appears that...
The news was revealed via a ‘word cloud‘ post on the developer’s website, as the game reached 1 million sales just before Christmas. Quantic Dream also took the time to thank fans for supporting their latest effort
While the number seems impressive, it’s worth noting that Beyond: Two Souls is currently lagging behind Quantic Dream’s previous title, the 2010 released Heavy Rain, in terms of sales. That game passed the 1 million mark in just over two months following its launch.
Although I have not played Beyond: Two Souls yet, it’s always a good thing to see an original IP do well. The games developed by Quantic Dream and David Cage are not always the most well-received, but it appears that...
- 1/13/2014
- by Eric Hall
- We Got This Covered
2013 was an interesting year for games, particularly in its delivery of solid, compelling narratives. While the landscape has been full of sequels and spiritual successors (not a new trend), there has been no lack of deep storylines to scratch the more intellectual itch of gamers everywhere.
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
After terrifying PC gamers the world over with the harrowing Amnesia: The Dark Descent, developer Frictional games handed the reins of responsibility over to Dead Esther creators The Chinese Room, whose profoundly Victorian writing sensibilities lend a very different sort of horror to Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. Scrubbing away the dank gothic dungeons of the predecessor for a brassy steampunk vibe and replacing the supernatural with the scientific, the underlying story is a slow burn that manages to work its way under the player’s skin and nest there for the duration. Not to say that the usual...
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
After terrifying PC gamers the world over with the harrowing Amnesia: The Dark Descent, developer Frictional games handed the reins of responsibility over to Dead Esther creators The Chinese Room, whose profoundly Victorian writing sensibilities lend a very different sort of horror to Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. Scrubbing away the dank gothic dungeons of the predecessor for a brassy steampunk vibe and replacing the supernatural with the scientific, the underlying story is a slow burn that manages to work its way under the player’s skin and nest there for the duration. Not to say that the usual...
- 12/18/2013
- by Carl Lyon
- FEARnet
Beyond: Two Souls has proven to be a very divisive game so far, with critics and fan-reaction being split somewhat down the middle, although more seem to be falling into the “what the hell is this?!” side of the debate, as oppose to congratulating David Cage and his team at Quantic Dream for their efforts.
David Cage is a man so loving of his own creative vision that there’s a small, cult-like following around his creations. Such a figure is always going to create controversy, but even if when reading this you’re firmly in the Hate Camp, always remember that the best art forms, especially wen it comes to film, have always had controversial creators behind them.
In this world of annually-regurgitated franchises featuring bladed assassins or skull-faced mercenaries, we need a figure like Cage to play with the boundaries of gaming as a medium. Having a skilled...
David Cage is a man so loving of his own creative vision that there’s a small, cult-like following around his creations. Such a figure is always going to create controversy, but even if when reading this you’re firmly in the Hate Camp, always remember that the best art forms, especially wen it comes to film, have always had controversial creators behind them.
In this world of annually-regurgitated franchises featuring bladed assassins or skull-faced mercenaries, we need a figure like Cage to play with the boundaries of gaming as a medium. Having a skilled...
- 11/1/2013
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
PC gamers in the 90s were “treated” to dozens of “interactive movies,” threadbare games that exploited the technology of the time—in this case, the one-two punch of CD-rom capacity and video compression—in order to deliver Hollywood-style narratives at the expense of interactivity and compelling gameplay. They promised Tinseltown production values, but usually would up being more Ray Dennis Steckler than Steven Spielberg, and weren’t much fun to boot.
The spirit of these “interactive movies” lives on with David Cage and the team at Quantic Dream, who offer gorgeous visuals and deeply compelling narratives in their games, usually at the expense of deeper gameplay mechanics. Heavy Rain used this model to tell the troubling tale of the Origami Killer, and now Beyond: Two Souls uses a heady stew of star power, gorgeous visuals, deeply emotional moments, and arrhythmic storytelling to deliver an emotional experience that may be lacking in deeper gameplay,...
The spirit of these “interactive movies” lives on with David Cage and the team at Quantic Dream, who offer gorgeous visuals and deeply compelling narratives in their games, usually at the expense of deeper gameplay mechanics. Heavy Rain used this model to tell the troubling tale of the Origami Killer, and now Beyond: Two Souls uses a heady stew of star power, gorgeous visuals, deeply emotional moments, and arrhythmic storytelling to deliver an emotional experience that may be lacking in deeper gameplay,...
- 10/25/2013
- by Carl Lyon
- FEARnet
Dear video game industry,
I have to tell you something. I know this may sound like a breakup letter, but it is not. You still make me laugh. You still make me cry. You still make me full of anger, rage and happiness. You still make good sandwiches and tell me that my ass looks good in those jeans. This is a letter of frustration; a letter of loving hatred. Oxymoronic I know, but I feel the need to point out your failings – as well as your more favourable bits – so our future together can be as fruitful as possible.
I recently travelled to London for the Eurogamer Expo – the mecca for the people who love you. Walking in and wandering around is like a surreal lucid nightmare. Waves of humanity, bright flashing lights, colourful posters.The walls are plastered with aliens, grizzled soldiers, cartoon animal thingys and people with...
I have to tell you something. I know this may sound like a breakup letter, but it is not. You still make me laugh. You still make me cry. You still make me full of anger, rage and happiness. You still make good sandwiches and tell me that my ass looks good in those jeans. This is a letter of frustration; a letter of loving hatred. Oxymoronic I know, but I feel the need to point out your failings – as well as your more favourable bits – so our future together can be as fruitful as possible.
I recently travelled to London for the Eurogamer Expo – the mecca for the people who love you. Walking in and wandering around is like a surreal lucid nightmare. Waves of humanity, bright flashing lights, colourful posters.The walls are plastered with aliens, grizzled soldiers, cartoon animal thingys and people with...
- 10/20/2013
- by Daniel Hobbs
- Obsessed with Film
Beyond: Two Souls' release on the PS3 has caused a good deal of mixed reactions from gamers, and I'm not entirely sure what the problem seems to be. Is it the people who hold a vendetta against David Cage, so they simply won't say good job to him? Are they mad that this is a Sony exclusive? Did the hype get to them and this game underwhelmed them? I ask these questions because I couldn’t help but do a little research into the matter and find a bit of contradicting remarks from fans and professional reviews.
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I decided to go look at various websites, read various reviews, and look at the comments for the game. Then something clicked for me and I remembered that a similar game was recently praised that did the same thing as Beyond. The game goes by...
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I decided to go look at various websites, read various reviews, and look at the comments for the game. Then something clicked for me and I remembered that a similar game was recently praised that did the same thing as Beyond. The game goes by...
- 10/15/2013
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Dustin Spino)
- Cinelinx
As a medium, video games are constantly evolving. Every year, new ideas and techniques come to fruition, although experimentation is something that we don’t see a lot of. That’s due to the need for sales, and the unproven quality of new intellectual properties and unique products. With that said, developers like David Cage and his team at Quantic Dream are seemingly unafraid of doing their own thing and forging their own technological roads. After all, the European studio gave us the great PlayStation 3 exclusive, Heavy Rain, and now they have followed that triumphant effort up with Beyond: Two Souls.
Simply put, Beyond: Two Souls is unlike just about every other video game in existence. In fact, it’s actually more of an interactive film than a game. Sure, player input is required quite often, but it’s rarely anything strenuous. Controlling Page lookalike Jodie Holmes is accomplished through...
Simply put, Beyond: Two Souls is unlike just about every other video game in existence. In fact, it’s actually more of an interactive film than a game. Sure, player input is required quite often, but it’s rarely anything strenuous. Controlling Page lookalike Jodie Holmes is accomplished through...
- 10/15/2013
- by Chad Goodmurphy
- We Got This Covered
When Beyond: Two Souls was first announced, I was rather unsure what it really was. They were marketing it as an action oriented title, then slowly crept into it being a story driven title. Luckily they showcased the story driven part more and I became interested in it. This is what the game is, a long story that will make you go through emotions at the snap of a finger. It has its hiccups, but the game should go down in the books as one of the best titles ever made.
Console: PS3
What We Played: The Entire Game, plus several alternate timelines.
The game revolves around a character named Jodie and a spirit that Jodie calls Aiden. The beautiful thing about the game is that even the way you play it has a part in the story. The story is played out of chronological order, and takes place over 15 years of Jodie’s life.
Console: PS3
What We Played: The Entire Game, plus several alternate timelines.
The game revolves around a character named Jodie and a spirit that Jodie calls Aiden. The beautiful thing about the game is that even the way you play it has a part in the story. The story is played out of chronological order, and takes place over 15 years of Jodie’s life.
- 10/14/2013
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Dustin Spino)
- Cinelinx
With one eye open, dribble pouring from the side of my mouth, my head fighting to stay upright and sleep engulfing me like a cloud of depression; this was not me going home on the night bus at 4am after a heavy nights drinking, but rather the state I was in as I approached the ‘’trilling’’ climax of Beyond: Two Souls.
Having been a huge fan of ‘Fahrenheit’ and ‘Heavy Rain’, I was looking forward to David Cage’s new movie/game offering. I was looking forward to it so much, I accidentally ordered the Special Edition from two different outlets. But what followed was something that can only be described as a crashing disappointment.
There is so little in Beyond: Two Souls that can be described as a game, it is a wonder that it’s not been investigated under the Trade Descriptions Act. Pretentious, dull and a cluster of clichés,...
Having been a huge fan of ‘Fahrenheit’ and ‘Heavy Rain’, I was looking forward to David Cage’s new movie/game offering. I was looking forward to it so much, I accidentally ordered the Special Edition from two different outlets. But what followed was something that can only be described as a crashing disappointment.
There is so little in Beyond: Two Souls that can be described as a game, it is a wonder that it’s not been investigated under the Trade Descriptions Act. Pretentious, dull and a cluster of clichés,...
- 10/14/2013
- by Amarpal Biring
- Obsessed with Film
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
What is life after death? Do we enter an unseen realm when we die? Is there life beyond life as we know it, or do we just rot in the ground while our loved ones grieve, willing to do anything to communicate with us once more? These are the focal themes elegantly and emotionally explored throughout Beyond: Two Souls (Developed by Quantic Dream, the creators of 2010’s critically and commercially acclaimed Interactive Drama Heavy Rain).
Now before I even start tossing out my subjective thoughts on the game, I want to make perfectly clear that isn’t a hackneyed review written by an author who is going to step up on a metaphorical soapbox and preach for five paragraphs about a personal opinion of what defines a video game. Truthfully, I side with Director David Cage in that no one is qualified to arbitrarily define what a game is,...
What is life after death? Do we enter an unseen realm when we die? Is there life beyond life as we know it, or do we just rot in the ground while our loved ones grieve, willing to do anything to communicate with us once more? These are the focal themes elegantly and emotionally explored throughout Beyond: Two Souls (Developed by Quantic Dream, the creators of 2010’s critically and commercially acclaimed Interactive Drama Heavy Rain).
Now before I even start tossing out my subjective thoughts on the game, I want to make perfectly clear that isn’t a hackneyed review written by an author who is going to step up on a metaphorical soapbox and preach for five paragraphs about a personal opinion of what defines a video game. Truthfully, I side with Director David Cage in that no one is qualified to arbitrarily define what a game is,...
- 10/11/2013
- by Robert Kojder
- Obsessed with Film
The Hollywood stars of PlayStation 3's latest game Beyond: Two Souls describe how they adjusted to the new discipline
"By its very nature, there cannot be a plot in a game," George Lucas said a few weeks ago. It is a curious claim from the man who, in 1982, founded LucasArts, a video games company lauded for its story driven titles.
Some of Hollywood's finest disagree, increasingly attracted to games for the storytelling and acting opportunities. Beyond: Two Souls, written and directed by auteur creator David Cage, and starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, is released this week on PlayStation 3.
While actors have lent their voices to games before – Liam Neeson appearing in Fallout 3, or Samuel L Jackson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, for instance – this is one of the first times a fully acted performance has been captured, using technology similar to Andy Serkis's turn as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings.
"By its very nature, there cannot be a plot in a game," George Lucas said a few weeks ago. It is a curious claim from the man who, in 1982, founded LucasArts, a video games company lauded for its story driven titles.
Some of Hollywood's finest disagree, increasingly attracted to games for the storytelling and acting opportunities. Beyond: Two Souls, written and directed by auteur creator David Cage, and starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, is released this week on PlayStation 3.
While actors have lent their voices to games before – Liam Neeson appearing in Fallout 3, or Samuel L Jackson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, for instance – this is one of the first times a fully acted performance has been captured, using technology similar to Andy Serkis's turn as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings.
- 10/9/2013
- by Matt Kamen
- The Guardian - Film News
Quantic Dream writer/director David Cage creates richly cinematic adventure games that aspire to tell emotionally powerful stories. He’s been trying to perfect his own brand of interactive storytelling for nearly a decade, with decidedly mixed results. His games all have a similar feel, eschewing traditional control schemes for timed button presses and dialogue options, leaving the player free to focus on the narrative. Players have a large amount of choice, with their decisions greatly affecting the direction of the story. The problem is, I’ve never felt like he’s had particularly interesting stories to tell.
His 2005 game...
His 2005 game...
- 10/9/2013
- by Aaron Morales
- EW.com - PopWatch
1. Drone Filmmaking: A few weeks ago, the people at DSLRPros.com loaned Indiewire's Bryce Renninger their Ultimate Cinema Edition Aerial Kit. Renninger took it out a few times and recorded some aerial shots. He's written about his experience and has come up with a beginner's guide to drone filmmaking in 5 steps. Read his tips here. And if you want some inspiration, check out these films which show you what drone filmmaking can look like. 2. Beyond: Two Souls: There's a new thriller starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, but it's not coming to the theaters or to VOD. It's "Beyond: Two Souls" and it's a video game for the PlayStation3. Written and directed by David Cage, the founder of the French studio Quantic Dream, "Beyond: Two Souls" aims to elevate video game storytelling to the level of art (or at least transmedia), but, according to The New York Times review, the "leaden writing" drags it down.
- 10/8/2013
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
David Cage follows up on the success of Heavy Rain with Beyond: Two Souls, a hugely ambitious action-adventure that spans 15 years in the life of Jodie Holmes, a girl bonded to a mysterious entity called Aiden. Cage's Quantic Dream has pulled out all the stops in making Beyond an experience that's more like a Hollywood movie than any game before it.
Willem Dafoe and Ellen Page bring some serious acting cred to their roles as government scientist Nathan Dawkins and Jodie respectively, while Cage - who developed a hefty 2,000 page script for the project - is focusing as much on story and character as engaging gameplay.
Digital Spy sat down with Dafoe and Cage to discuss Hollywood's relationship with video games and whether or not the format can be classed as an art form.
Willem, how did this all come about for you?
Willem: "David, he showed me the script,...
Willem Dafoe and Ellen Page bring some serious acting cred to their roles as government scientist Nathan Dawkins and Jodie respectively, while Cage - who developed a hefty 2,000 page script for the project - is focusing as much on story and character as engaging gameplay.
Digital Spy sat down with Dafoe and Cage to discuss Hollywood's relationship with video games and whether or not the format can be classed as an art form.
Willem, how did this all come about for you?
Willem: "David, he showed me the script,...
- 10/4/2013
- Digital Spy
This past week, a demo for Beyond: 2 Souls was released, the latest game from the renowned French studio Quantic Dream, makers of the underdog sleeper hit Heavy Rain. If you’re unfamiliar with Quantic Dream, you should know first and foremost that there is nothing else out there like their approach to game design. Director David Cage is an opinionated man, some even prefer the term pretentious, but regardless of your viewpoint, he brings something highly ambitious to the table; Interactive Drama.
Similar to his previous games Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy, Beyond is the furthest thing from a conventional video game you can possibly play, to the point where people bicker left and right as to whether the studio is even creating games. Instead of shooting the same generic enemies or partaking in some other conventional method of gameplay, Quantic Dream primarily has you interacting with context sensitive button presses and dialogue mechanics,...
Similar to his previous games Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy, Beyond is the furthest thing from a conventional video game you can possibly play, to the point where people bicker left and right as to whether the studio is even creating games. Instead of shooting the same generic enemies or partaking in some other conventional method of gameplay, Quantic Dream primarily has you interacting with context sensitive button presses and dialogue mechanics,...
- 10/1/2013
- by Robert Kojder
- Obsessed with Film
by Matt Hawkins
With all this talk about the PS4, there are a few key PS3 releases that people still care about. Alongside Dark Souls 2, there's also "Beyond: Two Souls."
Not surprisingly, it made an appearance during Sony's Gamescom presser. Though what was a surprise were the two bits of info that Quantic Dream founder David Cage revealed.
First, it supports two-player, co-op multiplayer. One player controls Jodi Holmes, aka Ellen Page, and the other is able to take the reigns of the entity know as Aiden. Is there a split screen then? Nope. Instead, whomever wants or needs to take control can do so by simply hitting triangle on their controller and that character will be the focus on screen.
Furthermore, the game can also be played in either single or multiplayer with a smartphone, thanks to a free iOS/Android app. Instead of virtual buttons, the screen will essentially become a touchpad.
With all this talk about the PS4, there are a few key PS3 releases that people still care about. Alongside Dark Souls 2, there's also "Beyond: Two Souls."
Not surprisingly, it made an appearance during Sony's Gamescom presser. Though what was a surprise were the two bits of info that Quantic Dream founder David Cage revealed.
First, it supports two-player, co-op multiplayer. One player controls Jodi Holmes, aka Ellen Page, and the other is able to take the reigns of the entity know as Aiden. Is there a split screen then? Nope. Instead, whomever wants or needs to take control can do so by simply hitting triangle on their controller and that character will be the focus on screen.
Furthermore, the game can also be played in either single or multiplayer with a smartphone, thanks to a free iOS/Android app. Instead of virtual buttons, the screen will essentially become a touchpad.
- 8/23/2013
- by MTV Video Games
- MTV Multiplayer
Beyond: Two Souls has some prestigious Hollywood talent simmering beneath its video game guise. Not only has David Cage’s interactive title made an appearance at the Tribeca Film Festival, it also stars Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe as the two central characters. And just yesterday, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe will lend their composing flair to the game’s soundtrack; a fully-orchestrated two hour score.
Without doubt, this is a significant addition to Beyond: Two Souls. With filmic résumés that encompass the likes of Inception and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Zimmer and Balfe have excelled in creating some of the most memorable soundtracks in modern cinema. Not to mention, the composing pair have also dabbled in the medium with their work on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – which, incidentally, was their last video game effort together.
And, as it turns out, the...
Without doubt, this is a significant addition to Beyond: Two Souls. With filmic résumés that encompass the likes of Inception and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Zimmer and Balfe have excelled in creating some of the most memorable soundtracks in modern cinema. Not to mention, the composing pair have also dabbled in the medium with their work on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – which, incidentally, was their last video game effort together.
And, as it turns out, the...
- 8/23/2013
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
At the Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany, Quantic Dreams’ head honcho David Cage announced that the upcoming supernatural thriller Beyond: Two Souls will incorporate smartphone and tablet play. This integration will serve as the focal point for the game’s ‘Dual Mode’, which will allow a pair of players to switch between the two lead characters – namely Jodie and the otherworldly Aiden – by pressing triangle at anytime during gameplay.
Though it won’t facilitate simultaneous play per se, Cage believes that the ‘Dual Mode’ will add a new layer of gameplay options to Beyond: Two Souls, particularly during the title’s more challenging modes. The mechanic itself draws upon his own experiences with 2009’s Heavy Rain – Beyond’s spiritual predecessor – in that he understood why many people played the game with a friend spectating. Subsequently, ‘Dual Mode’ is designed to encourage a gameplay relationship that will involve both you and...
Though it won’t facilitate simultaneous play per se, Cage believes that the ‘Dual Mode’ will add a new layer of gameplay options to Beyond: Two Souls, particularly during the title’s more challenging modes. The mechanic itself draws upon his own experiences with 2009’s Heavy Rain – Beyond’s spiritual predecessor – in that he understood why many people played the game with a friend spectating. Subsequently, ‘Dual Mode’ is designed to encourage a gameplay relationship that will involve both you and...
- 8/22/2013
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
When listing game designers that have their unique spin put into their products, a few names pop to mind, such as Suda 51, David Cage, and of course American McGee. Famous for American McGee’s Alice and its sequel, Alice: Madness Returns, McGee’s twisted version of Wonderland has taken gamers on some of the most disturbing rides of their lives. Despite the many interpretations of Lewis Carroll’s initial novel, McGee’s remains the most inspired, twisting Wonderland into a world that resides somewhere within Alice’s head, corrupted by her insanity after a tragedy that leaves her without a family.
Recently, McGee and his development company, Spicy Horse, have begun to branch out into using Kickstarter to fund their future projects. Although OZombie, an adventure contained within a warped version of Oz, failed to reach its goal, a new campaign seeking to produce short films based on the...
Recently, McGee and his development company, Spicy Horse, have begun to branch out into using Kickstarter to fund their future projects. Although OZombie, an adventure contained within a warped version of Oz, failed to reach its goal, a new campaign seeking to produce short films based on the...
- 7/25/2013
- by Christian Law
- We Got This Covered
Beyond: Two Souls is one of the most highly-anticipated games of the year and it is almost upon us. To amp you up even more for the game's release, Sony has unveiled a special behind-the-scenes video on the making of the game. Featuring stars Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe and writer/director David Cage, you can check it out in the player below. From the visionary mind of David Cage, director of the award-winning Heavy Rain , comes the most powerful emotional experience on PlayStation 3. A singularly unique psychological action thriller delivered by A-list Hollywood performances, Beyond: Two Souls takes you on a thrilling journey across the globe as you play out the remarkable life of Jodie Holmes. Born with a connection to a mysterious entity with incredible powers, Jodie was...
- 7/9/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Last week I read an article where George Lucas and Steven Spielberg gave their predictions of where videogames will be within the next five years, give or take. Spielberg believes videogames will not be completely immersive until they are a three-dimensional experience. Microsoft is allegedly working on that. Lucas thinks videogames will soon be revolutionised by a game that relies on emotional investment instead of acts of violence. David Cage is always pushing towards that. What the cinematic giants predict isn’t farfetched or impossible, but I think their film making expertise will always skip a beat when applied to videogames.
This is because films are passive when compared to videogames, which rely heavily on interactivity. I can sit down and watch a film for two hours and watch the hero succeed in his mission without feeling like I have to get involved but I can’t sit down for...
This is because films are passive when compared to videogames, which rely heavily on interactivity. I can sit down and watch a film for two hours and watch the hero succeed in his mission without feeling like I have to get involved but I can’t sit down for...
- 6/26/2013
- by Lee Chesnalavage
- SoundOnSight
By Miguel Concepcion
Sony's latest presentation of 'Beyond: Two Souls' elicited its share of "What the…?" reactions. Seeing Jodie Holmes (played by Ellen Page) in an African combat setting made one wonder if David Cage and his team sold out to 'Call of Duty' audiences. Yet you need to remember that 'Beyond' spans 15 years of Jodie's life and this scene was merely one of many episodes of the game. If you were still hoping to follow this woman's life as a social outcast, Sony's latest trailer assures that 'Beyond' will have more than enough of that.
I was part of that group of gamers who actually liked the fixed camera exploration and Qte-intensive gameplay of 'Heavy Rain'. I was also didn't mind that, despite the overselling of choice and multiple outcomes, most of the chapters ended the same way. That's what I suspect will be the case for 'Beyond: Two Souls'.
Sony's latest presentation of 'Beyond: Two Souls' elicited its share of "What the…?" reactions. Seeing Jodie Holmes (played by Ellen Page) in an African combat setting made one wonder if David Cage and his team sold out to 'Call of Duty' audiences. Yet you need to remember that 'Beyond' spans 15 years of Jodie's life and this scene was merely one of many episodes of the game. If you were still hoping to follow this woman's life as a social outcast, Sony's latest trailer assures that 'Beyond' will have more than enough of that.
I was part of that group of gamers who actually liked the fixed camera exploration and Qte-intensive gameplay of 'Heavy Rain'. I was also didn't mind that, despite the overselling of choice and multiple outcomes, most of the chapters ended the same way. That's what I suspect will be the case for 'Beyond: Two Souls'.
- 6/19/2013
- by Clint Mize
- MTV Multiplayer
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