Well, the weather's finally starting to get warm. Flowers are starting to bloom. Cherry blossoms are exploding from tree branches. Must be time for another heart-breaking glimpse of the long-brewing follow-up to Beyond Good & Evil.
The mark of a better video game, for me, is that it lingers in my mind. I think about it after I'm done playing with it. It adds something enriching to my life, to my mental catalogue of experiences. The bad games don't stick with me. I mostly forget them. I don't think about them. It's curious then, that just two days …
Okay, okay. This is one of those times where there's kinda no real "news," and yet it's still worth mentioning because, well, Beyond Good & Evil 2.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--wbFffmy2--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18f4hf20wrifypng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--HAUT-Dfj--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18f4hf20wrifypng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--JzMChZGY--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18f4hf20wrifypng.png, (large)])
Acknowledging the profound disappointment at the delay of Rayman Legends release on the Wii U—a holdup that seems to have no other reason than to wait for the Xbox 360 and PS3 editions to launch this fall—Ubisoft Montréal has decided to release the game's Online Challenges mode early, for free, to all Wii U users. The…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--zxaYFBRc--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18ef9xfyb1umujpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6_3INfqH--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18ef9xfyb1umujpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--pvz6oC78--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18ef9xfyb1umujpg.jpg, (large)])
Rayman Legends—hotly anticipated as one of the best third-party games coming to the Wii U—was supposed to hit the Nintendo console in two weeks. But, Ubisoft announced a six-month delay for the game last week so that work can be done on porting it to the Xbox 360 and PS3—and Wii U owners have been up in arms ever…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--JJQ6Y2Ak--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/185861rcrm7c1jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LD0jztHM--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/185861rcrm7c1jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ypgffHHG--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/185861rcrm7c1jpg.jpg, (large)])
Fans of Beyond Good & Evil have been waiting a very long time for a sequel.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--hm1iYo_S--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18rbppcdx9c86jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yUuN17ZA--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18rbppcdx9c86jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--d7P090I6--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18rbppcdx9c86jpg.jpg, (large)])
It's been a virtual flood of leaks and glimpses this week for Beyond Good & Evil 2. There've been comments about tech requirements and a screenshot of the sequel's gameworld. Now, a video flythrough of the environmental design has popped up.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ucEO-QTb--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17m0gj7qxxbp1jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VBBAG0jr--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17m0gj7qxxbp1jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--CX0yVDNl--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17m0gj7qxxbp1jpg.jpg, (large)])
We've already heard that Michel Ancel's Beyond Good & Evil 2 is in development, though it sounds like it might have to wait until the next generation of consoles for release.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--jvf1gcyb--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/17lwhra9iuf2ajpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--CuPTqZIz--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/17lwhra9iuf2ajpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bcIaLQaV--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/17lwhra9iuf2ajpg.jpg, (large)])
I speak a little bit of French. Just enough, in fact, to get the gist of what Rayman creator Michel Ancel is saying in this interview. The Ubisoft developer confirms work continues on the long-awaited sequel to cult favorite Beyond Good & Evil, but also says that it'll need better tech than is currently available.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--JYrFhvIK--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j0ywh9btv59jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--1dzauHXL--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j0ywh9btv59jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--p0p5lOEm--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j0ywh9btv59jpg.jpg, (large)])
Listen: the first thing you need to know about the music in the newest Rayman game is that it's got some kickass virtuoso kazoo playing.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_rSYAktp--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18rcwqhife2otjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Nyx0vxMu--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18rcwqhife2otjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ReNlN4sQ--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18rcwqhife2otjpg.jpg, (large)])
Over the weekend, Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel gave a talk at the Montpellier in Game conference in France. As a treat, he showed off some concept art and footage from the game's sequel, the long-in-development Beyond Good & Evil 2.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--IW1RJ17u--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j16nm5i8kgcjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--J5Wj0bTQ--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j16nm5i8kgcjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--5z3nZ8aB--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j16nm5i8kgcjpg.jpg, (large)])
2011 has already seen the release of one Rayman game— Rayman 3D for the 3DS. It was good fun, but that is unsurprising, given that it was a 3D port of 1999's Rayman 2: The Great Escape. In Rayman: Origins we have a bona-fide new Rayman game.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yYERBMVv--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j20z8028c0mjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DrgoYmbR--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j20z8028c0mjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--usf2DBOG--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j20z8028c0mjpg.jpg, (large)])
After countless attempts to bring limbless platforming wonder into the 3D world, creator Michel Ancel returns to knock Rayman down a plane and craft one stunner of a 2D platformer in Rayman Origins.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--uDs1oPgL--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17n1rd2aivqawjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KCw60-Ba--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17n1rd2aivqawjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--JDE1D249--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17n1rd2aivqawjpg.jpg, (large)])
When an in-development game like Beyond Good & Evil 2 goes quiet, even for just a few months, any word that it's still alive is comforting. Especially when we get status updates like the one game designer Michel Ancel provided.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--YOsVwEJm--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18s41uijgqb52jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7Hs0vvv4--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18s41uijgqb52jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mVwEGKgd--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18s41uijgqb52jpg.jpg, (large)])
We first posted the news of a sequel to Beyond Good & Evil being in pre-production last night. Since then, though, we've been able to take a good look at the original source of the news, an interview in French magazine JeuxVideo, and glean a few more bits of info from it. Firstly, the interview wasn't just with Michel…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--vVPnF7mH--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18s41ng0p559ojpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--XI_LIVTe--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18s41ng0p559ojpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--8Z0Wu9az--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18s41ng0p559ojpg.jpg, (large)])
It's OK. Rub your eyes. I did. But it's true: Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel has told French magazine JeuxVideo that work on a sequel to one of the past decade's most underappreciated titles is underway. And not just underway, but it's been underway for around a year now, with 10-12 staff toiling away on…
