DO MORE THAN SHOOT.

Byline: Redmond Carolipio Staff Writer

``Beyond Good & Evil'' shows us the power of good storytelling.

Ubisoft's latest adventure weaves together an experience that feels like a modern-day fairy tale - and not your typical action/adventure title. From characters to concepts, this is a title that takes every chance at altering the perception of what a game should be.

First off, we can start with the central character, Jade. You look at the cover and see an attractive female in a futuristic world. But unlike many other female characters, Jade doesn't bounce, carry guns or ooze rampant sexuality. She helps run an orphanage and moonlights as a freelance photojournalist, which means the only thing she shoots most of the time is her camera.

However, Jade is also an accomplished ass-kicker, using her staff and arsenal of martial-arts skills to fend off enemies.

The game's story is also a change of pace - find the truth. The game puts Jade and other characters in the middle of a conspiracy involving the government of her planet, Hillys, and an alien race that constantly sends down bombs and monsters from space. Eventually, Jade finds herself allied with an underground rebel group out to expose the government's true intentions. There's little talk of blowing things up and killing important people - Jade just needs to shoot the right picture and come back alive. What she sees through her lens is an interesting take on a fantasy future.

The planet Hillys itself is a special place, where there are plenty of talking animals. For a good chunk of the time, Jade is accompanied by Pey'j, a stocky, talking pig who helped raise her. She upgrades her hovercraft by going to a garage run by rhinos with island accents. When she checks out a bar, a big cow offers her friend a drink. You get the idea by now. Amid all the talking animals and lush landscapes, ``BG&E'' also throws various visual elements and genres to accentuate the story.

The first thing you'll notice is that the game looks like a 3D platform game. What you might not notice is that the entire game is letterboxed, which means black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. This gives the game a ``widescreen'' movie look and gets players to zero in on what's happening. The game camera constantly changes angles and zooms, always keeping you focused and involved with your surroundings, whether you're in a hovercraft race or infiltrating a factory. Jade's camera is also a nifty piece of work, as she can use it not only to shoot pictures but also as a targeting system for some of the projectile weapons she comes across.

One of the cooler action tricks is random slow motion, which you see at the beginning of the game. You get tossed into your first battle with monsters. Near the end of it, different background music starts playing, and the action slows down for dramatic effect as Jade swings her staff and fights off the enemy. Very cool.

Also welcome is the fact that Jade has useful allies. Pey'j doesn't just follow her around - he can fix things, cut through wire fences and help her fight. Players can tell companions to unleash a special attack that can help set up Jade to deliver the crushing blow. For example, Pey'j can use his ``jet boots'' to leap into the air and shake the ground when he lands. This pops enemies into the air, where Jade can then unleash a slow-motion attack and give enemies the Sammy Sosa treatment.

However, not all is well with ``BG&E.'' The free-roaming game camera has a tendency to get a little too free and put you at an awkward angle. Sure, this happens a little in every 3D game, but with the stuff this title asks of you, it needed a little more precision. The biggest hiccup I noticed is that the game's frame-rate has a tendency to take a dive, which really hurts the consistency of the action - or even just walking around.

But the game still gets high marks because its story is capable of sucking you in. I found myself playing it not simply to beat it, but to see what would happen next. It's a shame that this game probably won't get the hype of the games surrounding it this holiday season, but ``Beyond Good & Evil'' should be near the top of your list.

OTHER TITLES TO WATCH FOR: ``XIII'' (PS2, Xbox, GameCube); ``Medal of Honor: Rising Sun'' (PS2, Xbox, GameCube); ``Legacy of Kain: Defiance'' (PS2, Xbox); ``Prince of Persia'' (PS2, Xbox, GameCube).

BEYOND GOOD & EVIL - Three and one half stars

Platform: PS2, Xbox, GameCube.

Price: $49.99.

Rated: T for teen.

In a nutshell: From characters to concepts, this is a title that takes every chance at altering the perception of what a game should be..

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

no caption (video game: BEYOND GOOD & EVIL)

Box:

TOP 10