Beyond Good & Evil Game Club Episode 3: The Slaughterhouse

Let's talk about the camera

Words: GamesRadar Staff on August 17, 2012

Welcome to the third episode of GamesRadar's Game Club for Beyond Good and Evil! If you'd rather just listen, you can do that below. Join in on the discussion in the comments or you can click here for the MP3! Take your pick!

If you don't know what GamesRadar's Game Club is, you can find out more here. The quick rundown: We're playing Beyond Good & Evil in digestible chunks and talking about what we played on a podcast each week. There will be fun video content interspersed as well, but the real fun is the interaction and the discussion. We'll prompt you with questions that you can answer in the comments below, and we'll all pitch in with our thoughts as well. It's a book club for games, because we love games more than books.

GamesRadar's Game Club Beyond Good & Evil Episode 3

As a reminder, you're only supposed to play until the end of the Slaughterhouse. No spoilers please!

This week's questions are...

Are you still enjoying the game?
Is the camera unbearable?
What did you think of the races?
Does the game still hold up this far in?
Will you see it through to the end?
Are you even still with us?

Talk amongst yourselves, debate, tell us what you think! We love to hear from you.

FOR NEXT WEEK: Beat the game!

Not sure what the Game Club is? Check out the GamesRadar Game Club Hub for more information.

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Krazee - August 21, 2012 11:50 p.m.

Sounds like the HD version of the game is really screwed up. Steam version works fine.
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SlickSubs - August 20, 2012 8:04 p.m.

I just caught up. The Slaughterhouse was painful, after taking forever to get through the main gates and navigate through a series of other frustrating hurdles. Oddly enough, I'm still enjoying the game. I just did not like this area very much. I remember completing the first section, and then feeling my stomach sink when I realized I had to do 2 more branches of this place. The map was terrible, the camera was a constant source of frustration, and the obscure puzzles such as the one with the giant gear ate up entirely too much of my time. The races were enjoyable, and I did like that the idea of the hidden path. It was well hidden too. Does the game hold up? As much as it should, I guess. The camera aside, I think the gameplay is pretty fun, but the hovercraft sections through the slaughterhouse, while nice in theory, fell a little short in execution. I made it this far, and it feels like the game has nowhere to go but up (literally and figuratively) from this point. Looking forward to the moon section, as it seems like the idea has a lot of potential.
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El Dango - August 19, 2012 12:20 p.m.

So I was writing a long comment like everyone else when my internet went FULL FUCKING RETARD and the page blacked out, and now I've kinda lost motivation. Maybe I'll write something again tomorrow..
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El Dango - August 20, 2012 8:11 a.m.

So this is my favourite dungeon cause it's all big and difficult and feels like an adventure while still being disconnected from the story. The HD version has a much worse camera than the originals. Races are awesome, and I like how you have to leave in the middle of a race to get to the thing. I still enjoy the game and I'll definitely go through to the end. BAM!! There you go, late and short response but it's better than nothing.
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garnsr - August 19, 2012 9:50 a.m.

I played through the whole game on PS2 years ago, and tried it again on PSN a little while ago, and the camera made it incredibly hard to play. I don't know why there's no way to invert the axes, but my brain has a hard time turning the right direction after getting used to a different setup in more modern games.
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ExtraCheese - August 18, 2012 5:01 p.m.

I really enjoyed the whole game up to this point, I had no problems with the camera or the map so I was surprised through most of this podcast seeing as you guys werent happy with it. I was however playing the original PC version fro Steam so this may be that the problems were caused by the HD version. I think the music in some parts are incredible, it made the races much more fun for me. I will definately be finishing it, probably tonight if I get the time.
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Silentkit - August 18, 2012 7:48 p.m.

I'm playing the PC version off steam as well. Are you playing using keyboard and mouse? I'm using a PS3 controller and mapping the keys using a program called Xpadder, but the game doesn't seem designed for analog input so controlling the hovercraft is difficult and the camera moves really slow. Do you have the same problems?
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ExtraCheese - August 20, 2012 1:18 p.m.

I was using a keyboard and mouse, yes and I had no trouble with the controls until using the space ship in the next segment of the game
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StrayGator - August 18, 2012 2:36 p.m.

The mp3 link directs to last week's file. fixplztnx. -your friendly neighborhood nudnik.
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Nimitz3d - August 18, 2012 12:08 p.m.

When i first played through the slaughterhouse back in 2003, i really didn't like it ! I was lost, it was long and boring ! I was also really disappointed that there's not much of story and no boss ! For my second playthrough, i knew where to go and the stealth mechanics. It's was so much easier and fun ! I like the level design in the area, particularly the way you have to use the giant fence in different ways to go through the level. There's more cooperative moments like going through the lasers with HH, opening doors, asking him to press a button to access an area or to take a photo of an animal. I read reviews of the original game telling that there were camera issues, i really didn't had any problem back then, but now with HD version, it's just a shame ! I made a video comparing the bugs / camera / missing FX of both versions : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VmX_xUwQIU Races are easy but still fun, it keeps the game fresh, diversed and it densified the gameplay. And as for the giant fence, or Rufus' code in the Akuda Bar, or Pey'j waving at the camera, it was brilliant to go through the race to jump in the slaughterhouse and it makes the universe more real. I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't talk about the "hovercraft chase" when you're going to the slaughterhouse with the big mechanic spider ! It was a change in the gameplay, and really fun ! Sure i'm going to the end ! I hope that you'll talk about sidequests (star key, etc).
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StrayGator - August 18, 2012 11:28 a.m.

Well, well... Turns out that "Uncle" Pey'j is not actually your uncle - - HE IS YOUR FATHER! ohyeahspoilarzsorry. The Slaughterhouse is to this game like the Library was to halo, an overwrought stretch of unnecessary padding. It barely advances the story and doesn't introduce new ideas/mechanics but uses the established ones in ways too convoluted. If it's "factory pt. 2" they could split the puzzles, bosses and stealth sections more evenly between them and let go of the far fetched sections - I had to use a walkthrough to figure out some parts of the slaughterhouse, espacially the "get chased by a torpedo" part. The camera is bad, but not ragequit bad. The races? Didn't bother. As for holding up -I did give up near the end of the factory a while ago and jumped back in because of you guys. (always planned to, but there's always something newer to play). Stay strong, the worst is behind you! BTW- The post-credits scene isn't worth it. I waited ~10 minutes for 3 seconds that weren't funny, provoking or informative, and probably aren't canon.
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thorvath - August 18, 2012 12:58 a.m.

I played catch up this week and zipped through the entire game over the past few days. I really enjoyed it up until the slaughterhouse. The extended use of the hovercraft was mildly annoying but the overabundance of the stealth areas with one shot machine guns started to wear me down. And I got lost a few times here. I'm playing the PS2 version I picked up from the Gamestop back when they were doing firesales on last gen games. So that's like 3-4 years sitting on the shelf lol. The PS3 might upscale it a bit but it holds up surprisingly well I'd say in the graphics department... I checked out a few trailers and other than the models being crisper the HD version isn't jaw droppingly better looking imo. The story is interesting if a bit simple... I guessed who the boss of IRIS was soon as they said their chief got captured. The bonus areas and minigames are really enjoyable (except for the Alpha Section lairs with more stealth) but what stands out most for me is the setting. Maybe it's the anthropomorphic pig and the fact that the hover car looks like it was made by Capsule Corp I get a whole Dragon Ball vibe. The sound track is awesome too. This is already TLDR and I don't want to spoil the ending early so last thing I'll say is: IT HAS A POST CREDITS SCENE! I almost turned it off before I saw it.
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Moondoggie1157 - August 17, 2012 6:58 p.m.

I made it through the slaughterhouse without too much trouble, had to go back and search around for the first photo though, the picture of the Hillyans beyond sucked through tubes... it was a bitch to find. I am still enjoying the game, but it seems to be getting somewhat generic, at least scenery wise... I really thought that with a name like the slaughterhouse, we would be introduced to something that didn't seem like factory number 2... I dunno, maybe it's just me. The camera is alright most of the time, but there have been a few instances where it was a pain in the ass. I still like Jade just as much as always, but there doesn't to be any growth... I know I said that was okay before, but at this point in the game I was expecting something. Some of Double H's banter is pretty funny, but as an ally he is a pain sometimes. The races were fun, but not really a challenge, maybe I got lucky. I will beat the game, I really am enjoying it... I can see why it was such a big deal last gen, but the more I play, the more I see how it has aged, at least design wise.
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Silentkit - August 17, 2012 6:24 p.m.

I'm still enjoying the game, but I kind of agree that while it is a good game, I'm not sure I entirely understand all the fauning over it lately. The level design feels kind of stale and last gen, I really like how you never feel like you're doing the same thing twice. Each challenge feels unique so far, and those two chase sequences were a nice surprise. I've only played up to the point where you *SPOILER* get the spaceship, but it feels like the game really opens up after that, so I'm excited to get back to it. I'll play to the end, but I won't look for all the pearls.
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elppa284 - August 17, 2012 6:16 p.m.

I managed to finish most of the slaughterhouse without much trouble from sheer luck. xD I kept on stumbling into the right place. But those goddamn stingrays. I'm not playing the hd version, so I don't know if that's the problem, but they kept on coming so I thought I had to just run away. But nope. I just had to fight all of them. Also the mine problem you guys are talking about doesn't seem to be isolated to the hd versions of the game. I also spent forever on that francis pearl xD My eyes were twitching by the end. You should do something like Psychonauts next month! Though most people probably played it by now :/
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Jackstraw - August 17, 2012 3:03 p.m.

One of the many reasons this game didn't sell in the first place. Camera was horrible, poorly designed levels, boring story. And yet, every videogame journalist falls all over themselves trumpeting how great it is... I'm guessing these guys will do a game club on Sega's Nights or Jet Set Radio next...
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Hollander_Cooper - August 17, 2012 8:21 p.m.

I'm not a huge NiGHTS fan, but I do love the shit out of some JSR.
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ClockworkBro - August 17, 2012 12:52 p.m.

Guys, I love this segment and keep doing it but the slaughterhouse punched me right in the balls and I have given up. I can't tell if its badly designed or I'm just so used to modern gaming style that it frustrates me. It dosen't need to super baby tell me the answer but a little hint every now and then maybe a camera pan to show me something specific, I don't know. How was I supposed to know to shot that switch through the gears on the other side of everything when I can randomly climb on the pipes and gate itself? Why would I ever think that the way to detonate a mine when told to use a torpedo was to push a box into it? And the way the story continues to escalate, meh. As I said before, I don't know if its just modern perspective magnifying flaws or everyone who loved this game just decided to forget the slaughterhouse ever excited. While I will not make it there with you guys, I'm excited to see how the games ends and if it can pull up out of this tailspin of woe.
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Ljrepresent - August 17, 2012 1:23 p.m.

That accursed gear robbed me of 15 precious minutes of life.
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thorvath - August 18, 2012 1:08 a.m.

Might be drifting into spoiler territory but you should definitely keep at it! If you are just looking to complete the story the slaughterhouse is the last lengthy dungeon and you are more or less done the game really. The final level is fun and pretty short. An hour tops. It made up for the slaughterhouse blues.
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