Best port of "Beyond Good and Evil"?

[courtesi96]

Thus far this has appeared on Windows, Game Cube, XBox, and PS2. All of them have gotten really good reviews. But which port reigns supreme?

For the uber collectors out there - feel free to rank them in order if you can't just pick one.

[roushimsx]

If you have component cables for your Gamecube, the GC port comes in tops, though it still looks great in 480i. Xbox version's colors are just a bit less vibrant IIRC. PS2 version is the "Worst", and by "worst" I mean the least excellent of the four. It's still an amazing game but the PS2 version simply has a higher frequency of "fall through the world" bugs and the graphics aren't as solid overall as the other two ports. I believe Gamespy did a comparison between the three back around the time the game came out.

The PC version's lack of proper gamepad support really hurts it. I know some people prefer the PC controls and I know you can use JoyToKey, but it's just an extra hurdle to getting into the otherwise awesome game.

I'm actually meaning to do completely playthroughs and screencaps of the Xbox and GC versions sometime in the next few months.

[klausien]

Roushimsx gave you all the information needed.Just a warning that you may need to reort to eBay to get the Gamecube version. Finally got nice looking one a couple months ago at a GameStop after a good 3-4 year search.

[Cryomancer]

Does the PC version have higher resolution options etc? Joy2key is not the biggest hurdle to overcome to play the game to be honest. I played the xbox version a few years back and enjoyed it, I was thinking PC if I ever decided to replay.

[maxlords]

I played it on the Xbox and HATED the controls....

[Cornelius]

I played it on PC and never noticed any control issues using keyboard and mouse. I played on the PC a LOT more at that time, though, so I didn't even consider what a joypad would be like.

[heybtbm]

Well, the Gamecube version was going for quite a bit on ebay back in the day. It was easily 2 to 3 times more expensive than the PS2 or Xbox versions. Therefore I always assumed the GC version was better in some way. I've never played the PS2, Xbox, or PC version, so I wouldn't know.

[Mr. Smashy]

If you're playing on an HDTV, the Xbox version looks best since it's the only console version that supports 480p, though not widescreen. If you're playing on an SDTV, the GameCube version is the best choice.

[maxlords]

Ironically I read this thread this morning and realized I'd seen the GC version at a yard sale....this morning. I went back and bought it for $3 complete :) Guess I'll give it another try.

[roushimsx]

If you're playing on an HDTV, the Xbox version looks best since it's the only console version that supports 480p, though not widescreen. If you're playing on an SDTV, the GameCube version is the best choice.

I could have sworn that the GC version did 480p as well, but I just double checked the package and didn't see it listed. Apparently it is supported, though (http://jordashe.info/2007/10/09/gamecube-titles-that-support-480p169/), so if you've got a Wii (and thus access to cheaper/more readily available component cables) then it's all gravy. Then again, maybe HDTVArcade (http://www.hdtvarcade.com/hdtvforum/index.php?autocom=custom&page=gamecubeac) and the back of the package is correct.

[Mr. Smashy]

I could have sworn that the GC version did 480p as well, but I just double checked the package and didn't see it listed. Apparently it is supported, though (http://jordashe.info/2007/10/09/gamecube-titles-that-support-480p169/), so if you've got a Wii (and thus access to cheaper/more readily available component cables) then it's all gravy. Then again, maybe HDTVArcade (http://www.hdtvarcade.com/hdtvforum/index.php?autocom=custom&page=gamecubeac) and the back of the package is correct.

I own it for the Xbox and the GameCube. I wished it worked in 480p for the Cube but it doesn't.

[TonyTheTiger]

Since the later revisions of the Gamecube removed progressive scan a lot of later releases that do support it have no mention of it on the packaging. So conflicting information isn't all that uncommon.

What is it that makes the GCN version more expensive than the others, though? I can't imagine that something like negligible visual differences would be enough to do it.

[joshnickerson]

What is it that makes the GCN version more expensive than the others, though? I can't imagine that something like negligible visual differences would be enough to do it.

I've dubbed this phenomenon the "Nintendo Tax", after stopping at a local pawn shop one time and seeing identical stacks of Cube and PS2 titles next to each others, but the Cube games were marked $8 each while the PS2 was marked $5. It extends even to the retro titles, as I see the SNES versions of games far more expensive than their Genny counterparts.

[GM80]

The most annoying technical issue with BG&E (Xbox version, at least) is that while most of the visuals are widescreen, it doesn't run in widescreen. That is, it's all 4:3 letterboxed. If you've got it running in 480p on a 16:9 set, it is particularly annoying, resulting in a thick black border on all sides of the game. You can use your TV to expand it to 16:9 but you lose the crisp progressive scan visuals that way.

Oh well.

[Norizo]

This reminds me- does anybody know of any sites out there that periodically set up graphics comparisons for games across different platforms?

[courtesi96]

so far it looks like the gamecube is taking the lead!

[heybtbm]

I own it for the Xbox and the GameCube. I wished it worked in 480p for the Cube but it doesn't.

Confirmed. 480i only for the GC version. I just tried it in my Wii and Gamecube (both using component cables). No 480p.

[Leo_A]

The most annoying technical issue with BG&E (Xbox version, at least) is that while most of the visuals are widescreen, it doesn't run in widescreen. That is, it's all 4:3 letterboxed. If you've got it running in 480p on a 16:9 set, it is particularly annoying, resulting in a thick black border on all sides of the game. You can use your TV to expand it to 16:9 but you lose the crisp progressive scan visuals that way.

Oh well.

You're supposed to stretch it, thats how to get 480p to be widescreen, its not flagged as widescreen and is natively 4:3. Only hd is going to be outputted as 16:9 without the need for it to be stretched by your display.

[heybtbm]

You're supposed to stretch it, thats how to get 480p to be widescreen, its not flagged as widescreen and is natively 4:3. Only hd is going to be outputted as 16:9 without the need for it to be stretched by your display.

Is that why you have to stretch the Wii on a widescreen display? Sounds like it.

[Leo_A]

That's exactly why.

[GM80]

You're supposed to stretch it, thats how to get 480p to be widescreen, its not flagged as widescreen and is natively 4:3. Only hd is going to be outputted as 16:9 without the need for it to be stretched by your display.

Believe me, I understand how it usually works, but this particular title outputs a 4:3 image with a smaller widescreen image letterboxed inside it (black bars across the top and bottom). That is, it's not some out-of-proportion 16:9 image waiting to be stretched.

There's a good discussion of the particular title here, with some relevant pics in post 6:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/video-gaming/154531-beyond-good-evil-widescreen-yes-anamorphic-no.html

Stretching horizontally results in a too-wide image which is still letterboxed, and you have to also stretch vertically (losing resolution) if you want the visuals to fill the screen.

[Leo_A]

Thanks for the clarification, I understand what you meant now.

[calthaer]

Part of the reason the GCN version (which is the one I played, although I own PC, GCN, and PS2 versions of the game) may be more expensive:

-It was a more limited print run because the GCN wasn't selling so well

-The Wii is backwards-compatible with the GCN, and now more people want what was in that smaller print run

I believe it's more a supply-and-demand issue rather than something that's substantially different between the platforms.

[Rob2600]

How about load times? Based on experience with other ports, the GameCube version should load the fastest.

[roushimsx]

The most annoying technical issue with BG&E (Xbox version, at least) is that while most of the visuals are widescreen, it doesn't run in widescreen. That is, it's all 4:3 letterboxed.

I believe the reason they went for the matted 4:3 image instead of an anamorphic one was because of the overwhelming prevalence of 4:3 tvs 5 years ago vs. widescreen tvs today. It's not a technical issue with the game so much as an artistic decision to make the game presentation identical across all platforms.

They probably didn't realize just how lucky they were to dodge the fanboy bitch and whine bullet (http://www.destructoid.com/bioshock-is-cropped-in-widescreen-cuts-off-top-and-bottom-of-view-39898.phtml) by not having an option to toggle. If you have a widescreen tv or monitor (which most people do anymore), then you're going to have to stretch it, yea... but it's really not that big of an issue (unless your tv's scaler sucks, of course).

Condemned kind of threw me for a loop initially with its forced widescreen, too (I play PC, Xbox, GC, and PS2 games on a 4:3 LCD typically).

Hey, it still looks good! Just snapped this from the Xbox version:
http://images.roushimsx.com/TV2008082413090700.jpg

Only thing that irks me is that instead of being able to crop my shots down like that, I have to leave them in 4:3 because of the way the subtitles overlay. Darn p's, j's, q's, g's, and y's dip into the black region :(


How about load times? Based on experience with other ports, the GameCube version should load the fastest.

There's no real difference between the GC and XBox load times from what I can tell after doing a quick comparison. In the first few areas you're looking at a load duration of 3-4 seconds, which is quicker than the load times in, say, Metroid Prime (and it's not like those were very long to begin with).

Haven't gone back to check the PS2 version. Yet.

p.s. PC version is $5 on Steam right now (http://www.steampowered.com/v/index.php?area=app&AppId=15130). If you haven't got GameTap (which it's also on) and want to check out the PC version, you can't beat that price. Wound up gifting a couple of copies for friends earlier this morning.

[videogameking26]

I own the PS2 version, thought it looked and played great

[erik]

I would disgree that the Gamecube version is the best. It does not support 480p! WTF?? I just tried playing it, no pro-scan at all. I also have the PS2 version and it does have 480p and the difference is quite noticeable. As for which version is the best, probably Xbox. I recently sold that one because Microsoft will probably never add to the 360 BC list. That is the only reason I no longer have the Xbox version.

[c0ldb33r]

They're all great. Just get the cheapest.

I own the Gamecube and xbox version. I can't tell the difference between the two.

[Nature Boy]

If I were you I'd balance price and controller.

I bought the GC one back in the day because (a) they were clearing them out ($15 I think I paid) and (b) I loved me my Wavebird...

[Buns34]

I like the controls on the Gamecube version, but the PS2 version looks great upscaled on the PS3.