During Ubisoft’s press conference at E3 2017, the company showcased Beyond Good & Evil 2, the long-awaited “prequel” to the 2003 original. Taking place in a new solar system (aka System 3), the game introduces new characters such as the monkey-manKnox, heroine Shani, and what appears to be the antagonist of this prequel, the kingpin pig Zhou.
The time period is the 24th century. In the Milky Way galaxy, System 3 is at the heart of colonization and interstellar trade due to the creation of Hybrid slaves. According to Ubisoft, the colonists have brought with them the “rich and diverse spiritual and cultural heritages” from the planet Earth of old. However, private enterprises struggle with each other over controlling resources to obtain more power.
That’s all we know of the story for now, but Ubisoft says that players will rise from the status of a lowly pirate to a legendary captain. The cinematic trailer sees Knox escaping the clutches of Zhou on the back of a flying motorcycle piloted by Shani. Armed with a laser pistol, Knox shoots at armored hovercrafts manned by police as they’re pursued along the crowded airways of a futuristic city.
The theatrical trailer is action-packed to say the least, with Shani and Knox juking rockets, dodging other aircraft, and using jump jets to take control of a police hovercraft, all leading up to the destruction of a titanic armored ship patrolling the city. These two characters, it seems, have no respect for the local authority.
Eventually the two return to their team in the desert with a stolen disc at hand. After discovering its contents, Shani indicates that the solar system depicted in the disc’s hologram will provide her gang with “true freedom.” After that, we see a huge pirate ship-like carrier rise from within a blanket of clouds covering the planet below, and head for the stars beyond.
Ubisoft says that the game can be played solo or with friends “in a vast and seamless online playground.” Unfortunately, Ubisoft wasn’t forthcoming about any details regarding the prequel, such as the platform destinations and release date. For now, fans can provide their input and help shape the game’s outcome by signing up with the Space Monkey Program here.
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