There are many different game genres in the industry, catering to niche audiences and the masses alike. At times, developers will attempt to bring about the merging of these play styles, either because it seemed like a good idea at the time, or a possible attempt to rope in more than one buying audience. It can work well, it can fail miserably, and any consumer can bear testament to experiencing both firsthand. Today's game is one of those genre-blending packages, with elements that could have association to any number of diverse titles. Elements such as stealth, puzzles, hovercraft racing, space combat, hand to hand fighting, wildlife photography, air hockey; a bizarre, nigh-incomprehensible mix of gameplay styles. But with all these factors combined, we have what may be one of the best titles that hit the market this last quarter. In the spirit of chocolate and peanut butter, nuts and gum, today's title du jour is Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil.

The premise of the game might best be classified as "aggressive investigative journalism". The player is cast in the role of Jade, a female photographer with a penchant for opposing totalitarian rule. For gamers who enjoy a competent, intelligent, and believably tough female lead, there is no need to look any further than this particular lass, who divvies her time up between cracking heads, outwitting ridiculous amounts of security, and revealing conspiracies to the eyes of the public. Jade is further assisted by her "Uncle" Pey'j, an anthropomorphic pig mechanic, and Double-H, a heavy-hitting freedom fighter with a tendency to shout out passages from a self-help book in the heat of battle. These three form the spearhead in the fight to liberate the planet Hillys from the space-born invasion of the evil Domz, a mysterious race of life-sucking creatures from beyond. In their spare time, Jade and Company also oppose the fascist regime of the Alpha Sections, an army of cylon-esque protectorates who oppose the Domz while ruling the populace with an iron fist.

Really, that's all quite a large plate for one to digest, but the manner in which the game opens, and the swift progression which follows, assures the player that they will rarely, if ever, be left bored and listless. The gameplay styles, as mentioned, are quite diverse, with a lion's share of the game consisting of overcoming obstacles and proceeding forward by pushing buttons, lowering bridges, climbing, jumping and crawling through any which way possible. Stealth is also an important factor, with a focus on sneak attacks, bypassing sentries, and tinkering with security systems. Your sidekick(s) will assist you at times by opening blocked passages, activating mechanisms and elevators, or just smashing the life out of the varied beasties which creep, hop, and flutter between you and your goal. All packaged in a neat little control scheme with a comfortable learning curve.

Other gameplay elements include a hovercraft suited for both battle and racing modes, an impressively powerful thwacking stick with super juju power-up, and a multi-purpose camera with zoom lens. This serves triple duty by allowing a view mode for spying on ne'er do wells, launching of shuriken-like gyrodisks, and photography of Hillyan species. The latter of these activities is the player's primary source of income in the game, as you are assigned a contract job to document the planet's life forms near the beginning of the game. Credits earned from this task can be applied towards anything from additional health containers, healing items, attack upgrades, and various detection devices. The second form of unofficial currency on the planet are giant pearls, outlawed by the Alpha Sections, but considered very valuable at Mammago's Garage, a black market which specializes in hovercraft and spaceship upgrades. Pearls can be acquired from accomplished missions, purchased in markets, "liberated" from the Alpha Sections, or won in various mini-games.

In visual presentation, this title rarely fails to impress, or at the very least, set an appropriate feel for the area in question. Be it a damp, gloomy cave filled with phosphorescent crawlies, a rusted labyrinthine factory, or a lively and vibrant cityscape, the graphics are well done, pleasing, and create a believable world for the player to explore. Hillys is rich with varied terrain and structures, fauna and flora, but what would all this mean if it were not brought to live with accompanying sounds? Rest assured, the aural accompaniment is present in spades, and administered both competently and passionately. From an absolutely top-notch soundtrack, comprised of a Latin/Reggae fusion vibe, to the impressively well-done voice acting, this title is oozing quality and effort on the part of the developers. As an interesting bonus, the PC version includes voice tracks from the game's international release, so if one ever had a hankering to hear a porcine manimal speak guttural German; this would be the ideal product to satisfy that urge.

Overall, one can't help but appreciate the story, characters, and setting of Beyond Good & Evil. This is a title which, while not entirely original, has chosen to combine varied gameplay elements in a refreshing fashion, to craft an engaging experience. Certainly, a game with well-developed characters, intriguing storyline, and entertaining play is not one that should be passed over too lightly, nor forgotten too easily.