Beyond: Two Souls

Beyond: Two Souls is a 2013 interactive drama developed by Quantic Dream and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, later remastered for PlayStation 4 and Windows. Directed by David Cage, it tells the non-linear life story of Jodie Holmes, a young woman tethered since birth to a mysterious entity named Aiden, across roughly fifteen years presented out of chronological order. Starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe through extensive performance capture, the game leans heavily on cinematic presentation, branching choices and quick-time-style action, with the player able to control both Jodie and the incorporeal Aiden to manipulate the environment, possess characters or attack. The story ranges across a paranormal research lab, military operations, life on the run and the CIA, blending supernatural thriller with intimate character drama, and offers numerous branching outcomes shaped by player decisions. Reception was sharply divided: critics praised the production values, acting and emotional ambition, while others criticised the disjointed structure, limited interactivity and an uneven narrative. Like Quantic Dream's earlier Heavy Rain, it became a flagship example of the 'cinematic, choice-driven' style of game, and a frequent reference point in debates about how far games should blur into film. It was later re-released on PlayStation 4 and, in 2019, on Windows via the Epic Games Store and Steam.