7. Advanced Motion-Capture
All scenes in the game have been motion-captured using a full cast of actors. "It's been done before!" I hear you scream, and to some degree you're right, but as with the likes of L.A. Noire, the animation on a character's face was eerily lifelike, though the rest of their body's actions felt unconvincing. Not so with Beyond, as everything from walking animations to picking up any ancillary objects has been captured perfectly, creating an experience where scenes have definable scripting whichever way you go, yet said scripted elements play out flawlessly. That's one of the biggest rubs for the game, as many have referred to the limited interaction and overall gameplay mechanics as a series of "cutscene-enablers," which I can agree with to some degree. At the same time, though, that's entirely the point. Although for the sake of showcasing the game to a wider audience, the pre-release trailers gave off a rather false idea as to what the majority of the game actually was, instead showing one of a handful of action-heavy set-pieces as opposed to any of the more everyday activities that make up the majority of the game. However, he reason you're playing a Quantic Dream game is for that gradual reveal, and the willingness to get absorbed into a world where every interaction counts more for yourself than the game world. It's a strange concept, but ultimately a rewarding one in terms of creating a unique gaming experience for the player.