9 Incredible Features WASTED On Disappointing Video Games

7. A Non-Linear Story - Beyond: Two Souls

Even the best video game stories play out relatively straightforwardly. Sure, there might be an unreliable narrator here, or a twist there, but the structure of video games as a medium and the control they give players means they can't get too wacky with their storytelling, in the AAA space at least.

Beyond: Two Souls, on the other hand, attempted to prove that developers could push the boundaries of how gaming stories are told, offering a tale that wasn't told in chronological order. It's the kind of thing that could only happen in a game from studios like Quantic Dream or Telltale, whose authored, controlled stories give the writers more freedom.

Beyond embraced the idea as well, hinging everything around these jumps through time in order to obfuscate specific plot points and deliver powerful revelations. Unfortunately, while this element was inspired, Beyond didn't quite have the narrative prowess to capitalise on it. The jumps around in time made the plot difficult to follow, while the writing in general wasn't quite refined enough to deliver the resonant story many were expecting.

Because of this, a remixed edition of the game was released, which put the narrative in chronological order. While this allowed players to comprehend the story, it broke the pacing, and revealed just how much the game was built around its non-linear conceit.