Your Name 2016 Hindi Dub Bluray 480p 720p 1080p [Dual

DISCLAIMER: I'm sorry for not posting the whole thing just the elements that are in this first video, my intention was post everything from the beginning but my HDD died and many files and the video project itself of Part 2 got corrupted (I was forced to split it in two since there were too many tracks and elements and my CPU can't handle them) so before BGE2 team released new exciting stuff soon™ (probably) and all this fade into the oblivion I wanted to share it with you all. I really hope finish the second part in one week from here but since this is internet I'm not posting the rest because someone will took it and what I wanted to show will lack of the proper surprise and excitement I wish to provide. I hope you can understand...
All new findings and/or new info about previous discovered easter eggs are in bold.
Easter eggs/info/details previously revealed anywhere on the web are in italics (well at least all those from english and spanish websites... didn't check other languages, except bgemyth and its forums).
The biggest disappointment was to find out there wasn't a single hidden message/joke on any of those signboards with foreigner text (chinese mostly)...
Oh Kojima! You have spoiled us too much!!!
Also the vast majority of characters in these signboards are flipped which make me wonder if the whole video wasn't mirrored.
- 00:03. Poster of a piglet-hybrid (baby Pey'j?) on the right, similar to the one in the concept art we saw not too long ago. Apparently is written on it: "Get your pet today!" Note the mark in his forehead: is a "tilak" (unless the piglet isn't a he but a she, then is called "bindi"), this particular shape is used by members of the hindu Shakta sect.
- 00:04. Is that white underwear hanging over pants? LMAO!
- 00:04 to 00:11. Feminine chinese voice in the background (didn't bother to try to translate it because all those chinese texts didn't give any meaningful outcome).
- 00:04 to 00:07. Chinese characters behind Ubisoft neon billboard: 防 水 公 司 = Waterproof Company.
- 00:05. 'Montpellier' sign light blink so we can read 'Tellier', for Céline Tellier, colleague of Michel Ancel's.
- 00:05. Chinese characters on the left: 平 = surname Ping; 科 = branch of study; administrative section; 兆 = surname Zhao. Doctor Ping Zhao? Clinic Ping Zhao? Doesn't seems to be proper chinese. 耳 鼻 喉 科 = Ear, nose, throat (Otolaryngology) clinic (doctor).
- 00:05. (This one is a little bit, or way too much, stretched) Guy/girl on the left with black knit cap? beanie? chullo? that resembles an unnamed hillyan that walks in the pedestrian district of BGE1.
- 00:11. Chinese characters on lower right 發 工 程 = Fa's engineering (construction). Chinese character on middle right 信 = letter, mail. Chinese characters from chinese restaurant: 二 = two; 飞 = fly; 会 馆 = hall; guild. Although I've serious doubts about second character.
- 00:11. Chinese guardian lions in restaurant's facade.
- 00:11. This chinese restaurant reminds of Ming-Tzu shop from BGE 1.
- 00:11. Space tuk-tuk on left.
- 00:11. Two bearded men on the right... or man and a woman? Very difficult to discern actually. One of them seems to be similar to the man in baby Pey'j artwork.
- 00:11. Seems to be there are other signboards in chinese in the background but those are extremely blurry to be sure.
- 00:12. Engraving on pig's ring 福 = good fortune.
- 00:12. New character introduced, Zhou Yuzhu. 'Hybrid pig, pretentious collector and ruthless crime boss'. ZHOU = name of the chinese dynasty that lasted longer than rest, also a surname; YUZHU = name of a plant called Polygonatum odoratum or angular Solomon's seal. Nevertheless this pig hybrid is blatantly similar to Zhu Bajie, one of the major characters of Journey to the West, an essential chinese novel (Zhu means "swine", and Bajie means "eight precepts"), since this character is know for his gluttony and propensity for lusting after pretty women.
- 00:14. "Where's your master?" Hybrids are slaves, unlike BGE 1.
- 00:18. Chinese characters on the upper right: 政 府 注 资 中 西 药 行 = Government registered Chinese and Western Pharmacy or Government-registered Eastern and Western Medicine.
- 00:18. Chinese characters on red lamp: 鸡 = chicken; 牛 = ox; 马 = horse. Also contains a taoist symbol, one of the hundred stylistic variations of 寿 (Shou) = longevity, from Shou Xing, ancient chinese folk god of longevity.
- 00:18. New character introduced, Knox. 'Punk-ass hybrid monkey who is always looking for trouble'. In Knox headband: 福 = fortune.
- 00:18. There is an old radio in the table behind Knox. But it's not the same as the one from Lighthouse in BGE 1.
- 00:29. Knox double headband, one green, other red... like Jade and Nino. Let's remember that at one point was considered that Nino was going to be Jade's older brother.
- 00:36. Pey-Jin, idol's name. Now we know the origin of Pey'j name. Jin = gold (in chinese). I wonder if Aunt Geneva made that tasty choco-idol xD xD xD
- 00:41. Knox have four dog tags... is this an allusion/joke to Nornam Reedus in Death Stranding trailer? Although he have six. Or maybe it's a reference to the four chinese blessings: 福 (Fu) = fortune; 禄 (Lu) = prosperity; 寿 (Shou) = longevity; 财 (Cái) = wealth. At times it appears that there are figures engraved on them but perhaps that's only the dirt causing a pareidolia. Knox also carry a key chain with the shape of a monkey head/skull.
- 00:42. Chinese characters on white bottle: 蝟 = hedgehog.
- 00:48. Oh la lá! Ultra advanced jiggle physics... it was worth to wait almost 15 years for the most cutting-edge technology in video game engines to emulate boobs to perfection... take that DOA! xD xD (YES! I know its a CGI video not the game engine)
- 00:48. New character introduced, Li Daiyu. 'Rejuvenated madam who runs Zhou's backrooms'. LI = the second most common chinese surname; DAIYU = treatment, pay, salary, ribbonfish. One thing that catches my attention about her, besides the obvious, is what her official description says: that she is a "rejuvenated" madam. And when we add this detail to the fact that she's wearing a red dress (yes, a very stereotypical one) and a choker with a red jewel, there's only one thought that comes to my mind: did Zhou Yuzhu have his own Melisandre? Did the red priestess allied with this criminal boss because she believes the Lord of Light chose him? Are the clergy of R'hllor enlist alien beings in their crusade against the Night King? Are BGE2 team unconditional fans of GoT? So many questions to answer xD xD xD
- 00:49. Mdisk.
- 00:52. Green grenade with pink monkey skull in Knox's belt. But in later scenes (02:08 and 02:55) we can observe two.
- 01:00. Asian Dub Foundation - Strong Culture starts playing.
- 01:02. Skylight with curious shape. Is one of the variations of the chinese symbol of 财 (Cái) = wealth.
INTERMISSION: For several details we saw until now (Knox headband and dog tags, Zhou's ring, chinese red lamp) it give me the impression they're celebrating New Year. Later, at 01:27, we can see a sign that indicates the probable current date (01-01-2380?), and that, somehow, confirms this supposition, but why chinese are celebrating New Year along with westerns? Their new year is more less a month later.. and no, 2380 isn't chinese Monkey year but Rat. Also I have the hunch that BGE2 team wanted to show this video last year, in the chinese year of the monkey, for all details I previous mentioned about Knox... but this is just a wild guess... nevertheless I found that there was a rumor about the release of a BGE2 trailer in december 2016 by insider Laura Kate Dale... and we can't forget the fact that Ubisoft was celebrating its 30th anniversary, and they commemorate the occasion by giving away many goodies, including SEVEN! full games for PC, one of them was BGE. Could there be a better time than this to unveil the sequel of one of the most beloved games of all time?
- 01:06. Chinese characters: middle horizontal signboard: 椰 林 越 南 菜 館 = Coconut Grove Vietnamese Restaurant; middle vertical: 南 興 隆 顧 繡 窗 簾 = South Xing Long (place name) Gu-style Embroidery Curtains. At the right of this one a couple of signboards, perhaps in hindi, very blurry to be sure.
- 01:06. Advertisement for Mammago Garage. Same Rhino as the one posted in Michel Ancel Instagram.
- 01:07. Hindi words in MammaGo ad: Problem Solving Service = समस्या निवारण सेवा
- 01:07. Green signboard on upper right says "Sky City", "Speed". Regulations for flying traffic?
- 01:07 to 02:27. The whole scene is extremely similar to 2009 leaked gameplay.
- 01:08. Jetpack. Reminiscent of Pey'j's jetboots.
- 01:09. More chinese characters. Upper left: 机 械 防 水 公 司 = Mechanical Waterproof Company. Seems to be the complete signboard from 00:04-00:07. Upper right: 發 工 程 = Fa's Construction (the same from 00:11).
- 01:24. Hindi words upper right: शेंगदाणा तेल = Shengdana (Groundnut) Oil; तीळ तेल = Sesame Oil; ग्ध पाउडर = Guava Powder. The rest is too blurry to read. Also several signboards in chinese in the background.
- 01:25. A glimpse of the giant planet and its rings in the background.
- 01:25. On door of small metal shed: a symbol of bathroom only for hybrids? I really can't deduce what it is.
- 01:25. Starkos Ad.
- 01:25. The city with indian architecture reminds us of that trailer from 2011.
- 01:27. Ad for a death match between a rhino called Capo and a shark named Razer. The ad indicates that the event takes place at 01/01/2380? and therefore BGE 2 develops 55 years before Beyond Good & Evil.
- 01:27. Underneath fight ad, chinese characters too fuzzy to read.
- 01:27. New character introduced, Shani. 'Badass biker and ingenious mechanic of Somalian ancestry'. Shani name reminiscent of 'Shauni', the energy/entity related to Jade in Beyond Good & Evil. SHANI: from African-Swahili roots, its meaning is 'marvelous'... but also is the name of a hindu male deity, a handsome black figure carrying a sword (or another weapon) and sitting on a buffalo (or crow or vulture). Also it refers to planet Saturn in hindu astrology... Probably you're wondering why I'm mentioning the indian meaning of her name since it's stated that she have african origins... well its because she have a couple of features that refers to Hinduism: her chest tattoo in form of lotus flower, that we can watch later, at 02:27, in the forehead of the giant Ganesha statue and seems to be carring prayer beads in her wrist... so, is she hidden something in 'her' pants? :O As Shaka Ponk fans noticed, mainly for that official art where we can see Shani, Knox and unname third pirate, Knox is very similar to Goz, the band's mascot. Also there is a great resemblance between Shani and the vocalist of this group, Samaha Sam. Likewise, Steve, keyboards, is very akin to that unnamed character. Are BGE 2 team fans of this band? In case you were wondering, many Shaka Ponk songs uses strong language and some have a mix of spanish, french and english... The last part doesn't ring a bell to you? BTW, this band have several great songs, so give it a try!
- 01:28. Shani is wearing a ring with a huge green stone. A hint about Jade? We get a better look at 02:55 and 02:59, and a much better view in the previously mentioned official artwork with her.
End of Part 1.
A special thanks to all people from reddit (kschang, rashunxian, Mountainlifter) and GOG forums (BreastSexy, 宅男_杰B) for helping me to translate chinese and hindi text.
Also I want to thank to all fans from this reddit, BGE2 official forums and Discord who made very interesting observations who lead me to discover other stuff I didn't realize previously.
The link to the video in case you want to watch it: https://youtu.be/tNfKYHCXp50

I'm sure many of you are tired of lists and "end of year favorites", but I also feel that there's a general acceptance that 2016 was not a great year for electronic music (at least in mainstream disappointments and well-followed artists not living up to their status with fans). However, 2016 I think instead was a major year for giving footholds to many up-and-coming artists, giving way to surprise releases, or allowing some artists to gain major traction in independent outlets; there are many releases this year that have made 2016 memorable, but this list is compiled of twenty-five albums that I think have continued to push forward electronic music in diverse, engaging, and experimental fashions, but have not gotten some fair attention or fanfare in their delivery.
Note, this list isn't necessarily for a confirmation of end of the year favorites, but rather strong or left-field albums that serve as the odd ones out that would normally be omitted (so, no EPs, and no Matmos, Anna Meredith, Tim Hecker, Julianna Barwick, Jessy Lanza, Roly Porter, Arca, or Huerco S., just to be comprehensive; but please please please check out their albums for this year if you haven’t already, they are all well-regarded for a reason). It’s all subjective, so don’t take the list as comprehensive or definitive, nor those omitted from it.
[25] t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 - 断線 (Disconnect)
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
While certainly not a new name for those who have dove deeper into the realm of "vaporwave" past マクロスMACROSS 82-99, the artist t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 has had a share of releases under the BLCR Laboratories and Dream Catalogue labels this year (namely in the success of partnering with HKE for the ‘2 8 1 4’ project), each sharing in the iconic lush downtempo stylings and gentle, yet layered, dream-like builds inspired by the night life around Japan that have made them a name to watch for. "断線" is one of their strongest releases yet, featuring a thirty-one minute introductory track that echoes back and forth with pitch-shifted vocals and padded percussions to set the tone for the rest of the album.
[24] Brood Ma - Daze
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Chaos and frenzy defines Brood Ma's album "Daze", a dystopian-minded album that dissects the disillusionment of modern extravagance and fidelity in virtual media through manic glitch and club productions that primarily build into one another. Tri Angle Records has built up quite a roster this year of signed emergent artists, and Brood Ma certainly fits the label's prescribed aesthetic of perverse, dark and noise-influenced electronic music. Only one track extends past the three minute mark, so prepare for systematic skip and switches that keep you on your toes; as soon as you get comfortable in the progression of a song, it barrels headfirst into another to create an odd sort of dually seamless and disjointed experience.
[23] Mica Levi & Oliver Coates - Remain Calm
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Mica Levi (otherwise known as Micachu) has had a fine career of exploring fringe avant-pop and creating memorable scores for films such as Under the Skin and Jackie; she now has turned her attention to collaborating with Oliver Coates of Radiohead-partnership fame on the Slip Label, and created a release that is supported by Levi's somber and rich production and Coates' densely-layered cellos that flutter in and out among the otherworldy glitched percussion and synthwork.
[22] - DJ ALINA - Maniax
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Time will certainly tell if DJ Alina can keep up the momentum garnered from this year, but the 2016 Ukrainian upstart found niche, but dedicated support in the hands of Dream Catalogue, which released the album under the theme of "hardvapour"; a fringe form of hard dance that focuses on lo-fi sampling to counter the otherwise punk-influenced, oppressive production that rings in your ears even after a track ends. While "Maniax" may not hold its footing among some other releases in the list, DJ Alina is a name to keep track of in the near future, especially if you share an equal love of hardcore, industrial, and vaporwave music in some weird fashion.
[21] Yves Tumor - Serpent Music
Album Stream (SoundCloud)
A surprise highlight that graced some end of the year lists and garnered further acclaim for the experiemntal P A N label, "Serpent Music" is designed to embrace the themes of distrust and anxieties in the world within a blanket of dark-minded psychedelia, folk, and ambient, but also ensuring there is still hope past all the darkness. Yves Tumor warps these influences with broken and eclectic electronic touches that seek to make each track break apart the recordings and samples that supply the emotional core of the album, and often tempts the listener with warmth in spoken word monologues, strings that glisten among low-fidelity feeds, and gentle pads before shattering the spell in a stream of noise and atonal cuts.
[20] Eomac - Bedouin Trax
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
A recent highlight of mine that I found just over three weeks ago, Lakker's own Eomac imbues an humanistic connection to his monolithic style of techno and dub through the samplings of Islamic chant and prayer. A solemn and stark air surrounds the album, allowing progression to be mainly facilitated by fluttering vocal samples and a reserved warmth of the occasional crackling before descending in distorted drums to bring it back to Eomac's usual stylings, but all in all it fits perfectly in the Bedouin Records roster.
[19] Elysia Crampton - Elysia Crampton Presents: Demon City
Album Stream
Crampton defines this album as a pseudo-construction of an epic poem, dedicated to the Severo style, or as she states it: ‘family-networks and communities that have inspired and sustained our survival and collective search for transformative justice’, and the discovered identity developed as a result. “Demon City” initiates a catalogue of artists and friends all compiled on Break World Records, allowing Rabit, Why Be, Chino Amobi, and Lexxi to deliberate across various reggaeton, dancehall, and grime tracks with diverse influences from music across the breadth of South America and Europe.
[18] These Hidden Hands - Vicarious Memories
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Founding the group as techno aficionados that wanted to pair an industrial sound with equally beautiful progression, Tommy Four Seven and Shards have now released their second LP under the name "Vicarious Memories" through Hidden Hundred. The album strides forward with percussive strength to push forward tracks with tribal drums, further backed by light melodies that creep their way in many tracks to offset the sinister tones of noise and glitch influences that permeate throughout the meat of its runtime.
[17] Peder Mannerfelt - Controlling Body
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Peder Mannerfelt and Glasser collaborate on this off-kilter half-ambient half-techno hybrid and create one of the most oddly stimulating albums that come off the backburner this year. The majority of its tracks aren't entirely formed around Glasser's vocals, but her cameos are warped and distorted to formulate an atmosphere that feels pure and entirely human past all the automation, adhering to the album's exploration of human voice and familiarity. The center of the album relies on a large range of techno and dub stylings that Mannerfelt sits best in, settling the listener in a familiar urban mood before the haunting vocals stream in to connect the dots.
[16] Hieroglyphic Being - The Disco's of Imhotep
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Oh look, another techno album. Certainly a familiar name to some, Hieroglyphic Being brought his unique embrace of distorted kicks and glittering synths to bring a vibrant techno album that focuses on addicting grooves that ripple across speakers as opposed to subtle progression, settling comfortably in the Ninja Tune/Technicolour label.
[15] Malcolm Pointon - Electromuse
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Pointon was a pioneer for analog development ongoing from his start in 1969, manufacturing iconic synthesizers such as the Minisonic and honing skills with tape-band music. Unfortunately, the arrival of Alzheimer’s ended his career in electronic music early, and many of his tracks were left undeveloped or forgotten. With the support of the Public Information label, “Electromuse” serves to compile Pointon’s synthesizer compositions and bring them forward both as a memorial piece of history and staple abstract electronic music.
[14] Foodman - Ez Minzoku
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Higuchi (aka Foodman) has built up acclaim in the past for his spastic take on MIDI-managed electronic music, composing glitched out, bubbly beats that evoke a freeform nearly plastic sound across footwork, hip-hop, and experimental pop bases. Released through Orange Milk Records, “Ez Minzoku” continues this trend and creates a mural ode to the Japanese roots his music stems from, while also adventuring into introspective themes of generational identity in the midst of globalization.
[13] Jameszoo - Fool
Album Stream (YouTube)
The debut of the Norwegian artist Jameszoo on the Brainfeeder label sees, as the producer himself puts it, “naive computer jazz” manifest itself, tackling both a minimalistic and intentionally dense aesthetic in its uses of rubbery synths that are supported by fluctuating beat measures and jazz fusion percussion, the latter being one of the only acoustic feeling elements in the album. With “Fool”, there is an almost directionless quality in the music, though that’s not a mark against it; the album succeeds in creating a constantly shifting method of listening that presents odd and new surprises upon each revisit.
[12] SHXCXCHCXSH - SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs
Preview Stream (SoundCloud)
Atypical from SHXCXCHCXSH’s typical releases, the Avian label album focuses on a hazier brand of techno that deviates away from the oppressive, monolithic sound that the duo had previously incorporated into their brand. Dark ambient permeates throughout the fifteen-track run to support its industrialized atmosphere, remaining equally alien but also familiar in its warmth that finds it way into many tracks. Deep melodies occasionally breach the surface amidst the destructive tones and construct engaging interludes as a sonic ‘calm before the storm’.
[11] Ash Koosha - I AKA I
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Koosha utilizes his unique brand of glitch music to meditate on his asylum within London, and conceptualize synaesthesia within a sonic platform, focusing on fluid, almost playful production that darts back and forth between Persian and Western influences to construct an album that never stays in one place and constantly shifts to a new type of sound. As a follow-up to his “Guud” album and “Comma” companion mix, it finds a well-fit spot as one of the first sound collage releases through the Ninja Tune label.
[10] Dedekind Cut - $uccessor
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Dedekind Cut (FKA Lee Bannon) has substituted an affinity for jungle and hip-hop for a matured dark ambient and post-industrial sound, culminating in an album that he cites as a dedication to all of his influences, including Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Juliana Huxtable, and Erik Satie, among others. Released dually through NON Worldwide and Hospital Productions, the album shows a strong affinity for nuanced progression and separations of sound, while honing an edge that sets it apart from his ambient contemporaries throughout the year and allowing Dedekind Cut to come into his own away from prior aliases that had defined the artist before.
[9] Ian William Craig - Centres
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
“Centres” combines William Craig’s operatic vocals with the warmth of an analog production style to create a gorgeous ambient-noise album that wears the influences of Fennesz and Hecker on its sleeve. Through measured tape deck cassette manipulation and minimalistic use of synthesizers, guitars and swells, there is an ancient, clouded beauty that surrounds the whole of “Centres” and supplies listeners with rich textures and moments of grandeur to keep an ear for across explorations of drone and post-classical, or the distorted definitions thereof. It marks the first release for the artist on the FatCat label, featuring other modern classical contemporaries.
[8] Makam - Than Sadet
Album Stream (SoundCloud)
Inspired from a trip to the beach of Than Sadet in Thailand, Amsterdam-based artist Makam set out to make an album of the same name that echoed the meditative and poignant experiences that he had discovered from his frequent visits there. Positioned with a variety of house rhythms, glimmering with warm textures, and featuring light touches of tropical infusion throughout, “Than Sadet” explores in concept successfully a shining, spirited soundscape and its mystic real-world counterpart. The album shares a release in the Dekmantel Records roster.
[7] Botany - Deepak Verbera
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
An underdog feature on Western Vinyl, Botany prepares his third album with sanguine, mellow ambient and freeform jazz fusion, coupling acoustic variations teeming with intricacy and warmth, along with looping pads and synths that lull and envelop through a floating sense of sound. Tying in Hindi influences to structure the album’s thematic interpretation of light and its various meanings and values, Botany also subtly uses “Deepak Verbera” as a means to decode and recreate E. Campos’ lost analog recordings based on “entities made of light that transmitted information to him through vibratory tones”.
[6] Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani - Sunergy
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Buchla enthusiast K.A. Smith had a fantastic year through her acclaimed album “EARS” and her featuring in thought-provoking documentaries from FACT, Google, and FRKWYS that explored innate subsects of music, the protection of nature, and human energy. To add to her rising status as a modern electronic virtuoso, she collaborates with the revolutionary and legendary Suzanne Ciani, a veteran of Buchla manipulation through RVNG International’s ‘FRKWYS’ program to create a vast, spiraling soundscape titled “Sunergy”. Across three experimental tracks that take analog production to methodical heights, the release allows each artist to bring their own enthusiastic sound design into the mix and discerns a perfect pairing among two masters of a craft separated only by generations.
[5] Equiknoxx - Bird Sound Power
Album Stream (SoundCloud)
Pushing forward dancehall with a duality of inventive, and sometimes disquieting rhythms, Jamaican group Equiknoxx heralded in a parade of new followers through support from Modern Love label heads Demdike Stare and Andy Stott. Collectivizing cuts from live shows all the way back from 2005 and reformatting them for digital and vinyl release, Bird Sound Power utilizes a raw dancefloor intensity to reel in listeners and keep them prisoner in the oddities of club sound the duo can manifest.
[4] FIS - From Patterns To Details
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Less mentioned this year in relation to “Third Law” from fellow noise aficionado Roly Porter, FIS released “From Patterns To Details” via Subtext as a study into the harmonious values that intertwine between designs of natural order and systems of technological engineering. FIS designs his music as akin to building landscapes from the ground-up, an ancient arterial progression that utilizes feral distortion to showcase the conjunction of nature and human progress, while shielding synths that eventually break their cages and flood through tracks in fierce, lo-fi flashes, heralding in breathtaking moments in their well-awaited appearance.
[3] Babyfather - BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow
Album Stream (Bandcamp)
Alright, so this is probably one of the only few albums I deliberated on actually featuring, along with Sunergy (due to the fame that comes with EARS); they are fairly popular in comparison to the others and are featured in many end of year lists. But “BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow” seems to be an album that many have trouble finishing, purely because of its eclectic style, themes of faux-nationalism and deceit, and surprise ear-piercing noise interludes (it may also be because of the five minute intro on how “this makes me proud to be British”, and its consistent appearance throughout the album). Dean Blunt has been a controversial figure in the realm of electronic music for his brisk, direct style of experimental and audio-visual centric electronics that shares many cues with Ferraro and Actress; however with the Babyfather moniker and a partnership with Hyperdub, he enlists Arca, Micachu, and Idris Elba to define the conflict of British identity in an environment populated by Brexit commentary, political hypocrisy and surveillance, and the ongoing fears of censorship.
[2] Katie Gately - Color
Watch the music video for the single “Lift” here
An instant connection can be drawn to Katie Gately’s approach to avant-pop and glitch with similar minded peers like Holly Herndon and Laurel Halo, especially with its appearance on the noise label Tri Angle; however, while their music remains cautious of technology and seems to invoke a feeling of looming doom, Gately remains triumphant in her approach to maximalist club outings and utilizing her voice not as a means to cut away the distortion and noise, but invoke and guide it as her vocals crackle and dance in and out as an instrument itself to add to the auditory equation. “Color” is coy, aggressive, and nuanced all in one addictive package, and sets itself apart from both the pessimistic mindsets and the all-too safe pop electronics among musicians that have wormed their way into apex popularity this year.
And now…
[1] Arca - Entrañas
Hey, guess what..
As much as I’d like to shoehorn in Arca into a post whenever possible, here’s the real number one.
Shackleton & Ernesto Tomasini - Devotional Songs
Album Stream (YouTube)
Separated from the derelict cut of dub that gave Shackleton his place as truly forward-thinking musical artisan, his display of minimalism still shines here in a stripped-down, and yet harmonious vocal heavy album courtesy of collaborator Ernesto Tomasin on Honest Jon’s Records. The duo utilize the four tracks to contemplate modern affinities of religion and contemplations of Hedonism in the event of a godless world. While the subject matter provides controversy, “Devotional Songs” remains largely spiritual in its design, rewarding listeners with an abstract nature of warped church compositions and isolated choirs that still tickles the brain after initial review.
Honorable Mentions:

• Mumdance & Logos - Mumdance & Logos Present Different Circles
  
• Carla dal Forno - You Know What It’s Like
  
• Kassem Mosse - Disclosure
  
• Marie Davidson - Adieux Au Dancefloor
  
• Eaves - Verloren
  

All new findings and/or new info about previous discovered easter eggs are in bold.
Easter eggs/info/details previously revealed anywhere on the web are in italics (well at least all those from english and spanish websites... didn't check other languages, except bgemyth and its forums).
The biggest disappointment was to find out there wasn't a single hidden message/joke on any of those signboards with foreigner text (chinese mostly)...
Oh Kojima! You have spoiled us too much!!!
Also the vast majority of characters in these signboards are flipped which make me wonder if the whole video wasn't mirrored.
- 00:03. Poster of a piglet-hybrid (baby Pey'j?) on the right, similar to the one in the concept art we saw not too long ago. Apparently is written on it: "Get your pet today!" Note the mark in his forehead: is a "tilak", this particular shape is used by members of the hindu Shakta sect. Confirmed in the Space Monkey Report #1 to be baby Pey'J.
- 00:04. Is that white underwear hanging over pants? LMAO!
- 00:04 to 00:11. Feminine chinese voice in the background (didn't bother to try to translate it because all those chinese texts didn't give any meaningful outcome).
- 00:04 to 00:07. Chinese characters behind Ubisoft neon billboard: 防 水 公 司 = Waterproof Company.
- 00:05. 'Montpellier' sign light blink so we can read 'Tellier', for Céline Tellier, colleague of Michel Ancel's.
- 00:05. Chinese characters on the left: 平 = surname Ping; 科 = branch of study; administrative section; 兆 = surname Zhao. Doctor Ping Zhao? Clinic Ping Zhao? Doesn't seems to be proper chinese. 耳 鼻 喉 科 = Ear, nose, throat (Otolaryngology) clinic (doctor).
- 00:05. (This one is a little bit, or way too much, stretched) Guy/girl on the left with black knit cap? beanie? chullo? that resembles an unnamed hillyan that walks in the pedestrian district of BGE1.
- 00:11. Chinese characters on lower right 發 工 程 = Fa's engineering (construction). Chinese character on middle right 信 = letter, mail. Chinese characters from chinese restaurant: 二 = two; 飞 = fly; 会 馆 = hall; guild. Although I've serious doubts about second character.
- 00:11. Chinese guardian lions in restaurant's facade.
- 00:11. This chinese restaurant reminds of Ming-Tzu shop from BGE 1.
- 00:11. Space tuk-tuk on left.
- 00:11. Two bearded men on the right... or man and a woman? Very difficult to discern actually. One of them seems to be similar to the man in baby Pey'j artwork.
- 00:11. Seems to be there are other signboards in chinese in the background but those are extremely blurry to be sure.
- 00:12. Engraving on pig's ring 福 = good fortune.
- 00:12. New character introduced, Zhou Yuzhu. 'Hybrid pig, pretentious collector and ruthless crime boss'. ZHOU = name of the chinese dynasty that lasted longer than rest, also a surname; YUZHU = name of a plant called Polygonatum odoratum or angular Solomon's seal. Nevertheless this pig hybrid is blatantly similar to Zhu Bajie, one of the major characters of Journey to the West, an essential chinese novel (Zhu means "swine", and Bajie means "eight precepts"), since this character is know for his gluttony and propensity for lusting after pretty women.
- 00:14. "Where's your master?" Hybrids are slaves, unlike BGE 1.
- 00:18. Chinese characters on the upper right: 政 府 注 资 中 西 药 行 = Government registered Chinese and Western Pharmacy or Government-registered Eastern and Western Medicine.
- 00:18. Chinese characters on red lamp: 鸡 = chicken; 牛 = ox; 马 = horse. Also contains a taoist symbol, one of the hundred stylistic variations of 寿 (Shou) = longevity, from Shou Xing, ancient chinese folk god of longevity.
- 00:18. New character introduced, Knox. 'Punk-ass hybrid monkey who is always looking for trouble'. In Knox headband: 福 = fortune.
- 00:18. There is an old radio in the table behind Knox. But it's not the same as the one from Lighthouse in BGE 1.
- 00:29. Knox double headband, one green, other red... like Jade and Nino. Let's remember that at one point was considered that Nino was going to be Jade's older brother.
- 00:36. Pey-Jin, idol's name. Now we know the origin of Pey'j name. Jin = gold (in chinese). I wonder if Aunt Geneva made that tasty choco-idol xD xD xD Confirmed in the Space Monkey Report #1 to be Pey'Jin.
- 00:41. Knox have four dog tags... is this an allusion/joke to Nornam Reedus in Death Stranding trailer? Although he have six. Or maybe it's a reference to the four chinese blessings: 福 (Fu) = fortune; 禄 (Lu) = prosperity; 寿 (Shou) = longevity; 财 (Cái) = wealth. At times it appears that there are figures engraved on them but perhaps that's only the dirt causing a pareidolia. Knox also carry a key chain with the shape of a monkey head/skull.
- 00:42. Chinese characters on white bottle: 蝟 = hedgehog.
- 00:48. Oh la lá! Ultra advanced jiggle physics... it was worth to wait almost 15 years for the most cutting-edge technology in video game engines to emulate boobs to perfection... take that DOA! xD xD (YES! I know its a CGI video not the game engine)
- 00:48. New character introduced, Li Daiyu. 'Rejuvenated madam who runs Zhou's backrooms'. LI = the second most common chinese surname; DAIYU = treatment, pay, salary, ribbonfish. One thing that catches my attention about her, besides the obvious, is what her official description says: that she is a "rejuvenated" madam. And when we add this detail to the fact that she's wearing a red dress (yes, a very stereotypical one) and a choker with a red jewel, there's only one thought that comes to my mind: did Zhou Yuzhu have his own Melisandre? Did the red priestess allied with this criminal boss because she believes the Lord of Light chose him? Are the clergy of R'hllor enlist alien beings in their crusade against the Night King? Are BGE2 team unconditional fans of GoT? So many questions to answer xD xD xD
- 00:49. Mdisk. Confirmed in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 00:52. Green grenade with pink monkey skull in Knox's belt. But in later scenes (02:08 and 02:55) we can observe two.
- 01:00. Asian Dub Foundation - Strong Culture starts playing.
- 01:02. Skylight with curious shape. Is one of the variations of the chinese symbol of 财 (Cái) = wealth.
INTERMISSION: For several details we saw until now (Knox headband and dog tags, Zhou's ring, chinese red lamp) it give me the impression they're celebrating New Year. Later, at 01:27, we can see a sign that indicates the probable current date (01-01-2380?), and that, somehow, confirms this supposition, but why chinese are celebrating New Year along with westerns? Their new year is more less a month later.. and no, 2380 isn't chinese Monkey year but Rat. Also I have the hunch that BGE2 team wanted to show this video last year, in the chinese year of the monkey, for all details I previous mentioned about Knox... but this is just a wild guess... nevertheless I found that there was a rumor about the release of a BGE2 trailer in december 2016 by insider Laura Kate Dale... and we can't forget the fact that Ubisoft was celebrating its 30th anniversary, and they commemorate the occasion by giving away many goodies, including SEVEN! full games for PC, one of them was BGE. Could there be a better time than this to unveil the sequel of one of the most beloved games of all time?
- 01:06. Chinese characters: middle horizontal signboard: 椰 林 越 南 菜 館 = Coconut Grove Vietnamese Restaurant; middle vertical: 南 興 隆 顧 繡 窗 簾 = South Xing Long (place name) Gu-style Embroidery Curtains. At the right of this one a couple of signboards, perhaps in hindi, very blurry to be sure.
- 01:06. Advertisement for Mammago Garage. Same Rhino as the one posted in Michel Ancel Instagram. Confirmed in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 01:07. Hindi words in MammaGo ad: Problem Solving Service = समस्या निवारण सेवा
- 01:07. Green signboard on upper right says "Sky City", "Speed". Regulations for flying traffic?
- 01:07 to 02:27. The whole scene is extremely similar to 2009 leaked gameplay.
- 01:08. Jetpack. Reminiscent of Pey'j's jetboots.
- 01:09. More chinese characters. Upper left: 机 械 防 水 公 司 = Mechanical Waterproof Company. Seems to be the complete signboard from 00:04-00:07. Upper right: 發 工 程 = Fa's Construction (the same from 00:11).
- 01:24. Hindi words upper right: शेंगदाणा तेल = Shengdana (Groundnut) Oil; तीळ तेल = Sesame Oil; ग्ध पाउडर = Guava Powder. The rest is too blurry to read. Also several signboards in chinese in the background.
- 01:25. A glimpse of the giant planet and its rings in the background.
- 01:25. On door of small metal shed: a symbol of bathroom only for hybrids? I really can't deduce what it is.
- 01:25. Starkos Ad. Confirmed in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 01:25. The city with indian architecture reminds us of that trailer from 2011.
- 01:27. Ad for a death match between a rhino called Capo and a shark named Razer. The ad indicates that the event takes place at 01/01/2380? and therefore BGE 2 develops 55 years before Beyond Good & Evil. Confirmed to be a shark hybrid in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 01:27. Underneath fight ad, chinese characters too fuzzy to read.
- 01:27. New character introduced, Shani. 'Badass biker and ingenious mechanic of Somalian ancestry'. Shani name reminiscent of 'Shauni', the energy/entity related to Jade in Beyond Good & Evil. SHANI: from African-Swahili roots, its meaning is 'marvelous'... but also is the name of a hindu male deity, a handsome black figure carrying a sword (or another weapon) and sitting on a buffalo (or crow or vulture). Also it refers to planet Saturn in hindu astrology... Probably you're wondering why I'm mentioning the indian meaning of her name since it's stated that she have african origins... well its because she have a couple of features that refers to Hinduism: her chest tattoo in form of lotus flower, that we can watch later, at 02:27, in the forehead of the giant Ganesha statue and seems to be carring prayer beads in her wrist... so, is she hidden something in 'her' pants? :O As Shaka Ponk fans noticed, mainly for that official art where we can see Shani, Knox and unname third pirate, Knox is very similar to Goz, the band's mascot. Also there is a great resemblance between Shani and the vocalist of this group, Samaha Sam. Likewise, Steve, keyboards, is very akin to that unnamed character. Are BGE 2 team fans of this band? In case you were wondering, many Shaka Ponk songs uses strong language and some have a mix of spanish, french and english... The last part doesn't ring a bell to you? BTW, this band have several great songs, so give it a try!
- 01:28. Shani is wearing a ring with a huge green stone. A hint about Jade? We get a better look at 02:55 and 02:59, and a much better view in the previously mentioned official artwork with her.
- 01:30. 'Hybrid Power' poster in the bottom right.
- 01:32. That's not Ganesha, is the Trimurti. Also we can see Gopurams in the back (Hindu temple tower that usually marks the entrance to the temple complex) and many more hindu inspired buildings appear later.
- 01:35. If one squinches the eyes very very hard probably will believe that the white stain in the square part of the large ship to left is the Alpha sections logo.
- 01:35 to 01:39. Many ships look like boats, an obvious hint to the aquatic world of Hillys.
- 01:38. A glimpse of Shani's chest tattoo. Thanks to a post of one of the artist that work in the trailer we can deduce what its written there. The upper text says: "Those who fly solo have the strongest wings", part of a quote from unknown origin. The word underneath it seems to be something like "...licaya/o".
- 01:39. Could be the Beluga? Right under police ship.
- 01:39. The big ship with white and turquoise patterns in lower left, have a painting at its side of a skull with open mouth and red eyes... we watched the same decal in some vehicles in Space Monkey Report #1 live stream. The ship at its left have a painting too of what it seems to be a head's bird (maybe an eagle? or perhaps an albatross?) but can't figure out the rest. If it's really an albatross... could be a hint to Albator? Captain Harlock was known with that name in french speaking countries to avoid confusion with Captain Haddock, one of the protagonist of the comic "The Adventures of Tintin", an extremely popular caricature in those nations. According to its wikia the name was proposed by Eric Charden, who designed the French version of the 1978 series introductory song, in memory of one of his friends, who has the name of that bird as alias. Also that ship is vaguely similar to the first design of the Arcadia, Harlock's pirate spaceship.
- 01:39 to 01:41. Sewers expelling its contents to the lower part of the city... yuck!
- 01:49. Buddhist monks walking in a footbridge between buildings.
- 01:56. "The Ijesas as rule have no distinctive marks; they are mostly plain-faced; some families, however, are distinguished by having on each cheek 5 or 6 horizontal lines. They are closely drawn, and much longer than any Oyo mark." (Johnson, Samuel. (1921). The History of the Yorubas. p.108) Are the marks in Shani's face tribal scars from Yoruba people, specifically the Ijesa family? However they aren't exactly as those described in the book, and she've somali ancestry, according to her official description, meanwhile Yorubas are mostly from Nigeria and Benin, countries at the other side of Africa.
- 02:01. You can already see the gas giant in the background.
- 02:05. Radio Cheeta: could be the name of Tarzan's chimpanzee mascot in the 1930s-1960s movies... but there is a more meaningful reference: the first pirate radios from Sweden (Radio Syd = Radio South) and Denmark (Radio Mercur) started their transmissions back in 1958. They transmit from international waters. The name of the vessel they used was... Cheeta I.
- 02:08. Grenades in Knox's belt. Now suddenly a red one appear.
- 02:11. Knox belt have a star à la cowboy.
- 02:15. Wilhelm Scream.
- 02:20. Letters upper left side: Thanks to a recent post from a part of the team involved in the creation of the trailer, we can figure out what is written here: GADIVVAH. Apparently is an anagram of "Vaghvadi", name of a small village in western India. How is this related to BGE 2? I don't have the remotest idea...
- 02:21. Parts of the environment are destructible. Confirmed by Michel Ancel on Trailer Breakdown video.
- 02:25. Knox and Shani stole the patrol #12.
- 02:27. Another deity of Hinduism, Ganesha, also the name of this city. Sanskrit on Ganesha's head: ॐ गम गणपतये नमः = Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. A rough translation: Om Salutations and Prostrations to Lord Ganesha. This mantra invokes the Lord Ganesha to remove every impediment in your life and in your works. But after a careful comparison seems to be a different set of hindi characters, something like ॐ दु or द् or even द, the last character seems to be म. A research of mantras with those characters result in this one: ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः but the problem is that this one is dedicated to another deity, Durgaa, and I really doubt BGE 2 team would make a mistake like this, so, obviously, I didn't identify them correctly. In other hand this mantra did appear in the tech demo... however in a concept art of the same statue the hindi text on it is completely different: स्वागत हे = Welcome. So probably each statue show a different mantra or depending on the houday these may change... or those are just placeholders...
- 02:29. Environment reminiscent of 2008 Teaser.
- 02:29. Lower right: That building more or less resemble to the Nutripils Factory. And it looks like they're mining along that massive fracture in the landscape. Something that Michel Ancel pointed out in the engine demo (12:15).
- 02:34. Buddhist stupas. Apparently the sanskrit text on them is स्वागत हे = Welcome. Orientation of planet rings is a tad different. Seems like quite some time has passed (moon progressed in orbit, likely some hours).
- 02:35. There is a building in the background, to the right, that it appear like the Slaughterhouse. Though I'm almost sure is a temple, the layout is vaguely similar.
- 02:47. The Gada, the Space Monkey spaceship.
- 02:48. Text in tamil on Gada bow: It is very tough to read and I can only glean the first two characters of the word. So, it can be either, தங்கம் which reads "Thangam" meaning gold, or திங்கள் which is "Thingal" meaning Monday or the moon. But when using images from tech demo is hindi (this is similar to the case of Ganesha head texts): हनुमान के गदा = Hanuman K Gada. In english "Hanuman's Gada". Hanuman: monkey hindu deity, Gada: club weapon he use. Hanuman is a deity in Hindu religion and quite revered, so usually it would be "HANUMAN-JI KA GADA", "JI" is for respect.
- 02:51. Space Monkey Logo has two kanjis, left one is 勇 = Brave and the right one is 爱 = Love. Chinese character upper side: 无 主 链 = transliterate to "No owner Squad".
- 02:54. Buddha statue in the back.
- 02:55. Pearl on the table. Confirmed to be a pearl in the Space Monkey Report #1. Knox carries grenades on his belt. Carcharodon Sapiens (Shark Human, like Francis or Rufus).
- 02:55. Monkey statue near pearl... more likely is Hanuman (after all, this ship is named after him).
- 02:55. Guy with bionic eye similar to the one in artwork from Gamereactor video (01:22 to 01:41).
- 02:55. Bearded dude next to shark hybrid similar to the midget from character line-up 01. Although he crossed arms in the same way as Peepers.
- 02:55. Pirate in hammock apparently is the same unnamed character from BGE header website (the one with Knox and Shani); besides him another Buddha statue.
- 02:55. Guy with gray hair in the foreground reminds me of Peepers but actually is a character from the artwork with that Pirate of the Caribbean pirate lady... plus he's using a jetpack.
- 02:55. Possibly a Daï-Jo staff on a stand near Dakini. May just be a Katana or another weapon. Confirmed to be the Daï-Jo in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 02:59 Upper left side of shark hybrid: ornaments in ship's structure or statuettes, possibly hindu deities, since seems to be the trend here. One could be Hanuman and the other Ganesha.
- 02:59. Mammago Rhino with a BARRANCO D-53 EQUIPPED WITH CUTTING HAMMER! Confirmed in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 02:59. The girl near rhino seems to be the same from character line-up 01.
- 02:59. A Box of K-Bups, completely restores your energy. Confirmed in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 02:59. There's also an old radio behind the K-Bups... actually it's the same model of 00:18. I think these radios are related to Radio Cheeta somehow. Perhaps in this digital world they use analogical signals to get privileged intel without nobody noticing...
- 02:59. Monkey statue on left.
- 03:01. New character introduced, Dakini. 'Mysterious Captain of the Gada...' DAKINI is a type of spirit in Vajrayana Buddhism. The Sanskrit term is likely related to the term for drumming, while the Tibetan term means "sky goer". The dakini (and the daka) appeared in medieval legends in India as a demon in the train of Kali who feeds on human flesh. They are comparable to malevolent or vengeful female spirits, deities, imps or fairies in other cultures.
- 03:03. Mdisk, close up of text, unconfirmed, possibly Hillys or System 3/4/T(?). Confirmed to be System 4 in the Space Monkey Report #1.
- 03:03. Dakini's prosthetic arm looks similar to Adam Jensen's (Deus Ex)... or perhaps she's an alchemist? xD xD xD
- 03:03. The skull on ship wheel looks very authentic. Check those details!
- 03:08. This frame shows some object (space gate?) with an inscription in sanskrit that reads तत्त्वमसि = Tat Tvam Asi, a Sanskrit phrase, translated variously as "Thou art that," (That thou art, That art thou, You are that, or That you are, or You're it) is one of the Mahāvākyas (Grand Pronouncements) in Vedantic Sanatana Dharma." Sanatana Dharma is the original name for Hinduism. Moksha means freedom, liberation. Is the goal of Hindu life. It is equivalent to Enlightenment, Nirvana (Buddhism) and Jivan Mukthi (Yoga) or "True Freedom". Moksha is the end of one's cycle of death and rebirth (and therefore of suffering), and the unification of the individual consciousness (atma) with the supreme or universal consciousness (Param-atma) also known as Brahman in Hinduism.
- 03:08. The ship at middle lower left resemble a whale, the space whale: Megaptera anaerobia. Probably a Cargo Frigate we watched at Space Monkey Report #1.
- 03:10. Dakini likes to decorate her steering wheel with feathers and stuff?
- 03:11. Yama, is the god of death in Hinduism but it might be the name of a character in the game also.Is Yama the pirate that have his face painted like a skull we saw in an artwork that Ancel posted in his Instagram? Although he stated he's mexican and there's a cross tattooed in his forehead, and an inscription behind his head that says "Jesus en ti confío" which means "Jesus I trust you" and another tattoo in his right hand that says "Wolf". The meaning of Dakini and Yama name made me think... what if these aren't their real names? what if these are the names that Space Monkey members adopted once they become free? That these are a way to represent what they want to be or what they aspire to become?
- 03:14. Green eyes, call back to Jade. Jade's mother?
- 03:14. "True freedom lies Beyond" reference to the game title.
- 03:16. "Redemption" by Christophe Héral sets in, BGE 1 OST.
- 03:30. Three planets/moons in the background... the Gada has three engines... HALF LIFE 3 CONFIRMED! xD xD xD :v
The Albator Connection in BGE 2
For several details in the premiere trailer it was suggested that all these hints are related to the anime Space Pirate Captain Harlock, known as Albator in french speaking countries. That anime was so popular in France in 80s that french people call them the "Génération Albator"... After a careful comparison it turns out that the connection between both runs deeper. Here a list of references and hints to Albator in the premier trailer:
1. In Space Pirate Captain Harlock, known as Albator 78 in France, ships are deployed in the same way as we watched in the tech demo of BGE 2 and concept artworks.
2. The Arcadia, Harlock's pirate starship, known as L'Atlantis in France, have a ship wheel with a skull on it, similar to the one in the Gada.
3. The Gada itself which looks very much alike the Arcadia: the idea to create a spaceship that resemble a contemporary battleship.
4. In Gada's bridge, Knox greet their pirate mates in the same way Albator accustom to salute: extending two fingers to the temple and then move the hand, while keeping this same pose, towards the person who want to greet.
5. In Albator 78, chapter 17: The Skeletal hero, we found a skeleton similar to the one in the Moksha hologram. Also the ship he commanded was trapped in a phenomena similar to the one that surrounds the Moksha gate. Something similar happens in Captain Harlock Endless Orbit SSX, known as Albator 84 in France, where just before Harlock and crew reach Arcadia, from the utopian place in mythology, they get trapped for a while in a starship graveyard where lie all those who before them tried to reach this legendary realm.
6. In the final shot when the Gada emerges from its hideout in the clouds, its remarkably similar to Albator 84 ending.
7. One of the main plots of Albator 84 it's the search of Arcadia, a mythical utopia, the space paradise. In BGE 2 one of the main story lines seems to be the journey to Moksha, the hindu paradise.
Although several of these hints are common clichés on sci-fi and piracy imagery, others are more specific and at least create a reasonable doubt... in case you aren't convinced already. Nevertheless, there are many more examples of Harlock references, this time in BGE 1, but that's a story for another time and another video (already working on it ;D).
"Do Hybrids Dream of Cloned Sheep?"
When Ancel posted the now mythical eye that watches the city in the intro of Blade Runner, with the legend "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...", it trigger something that was swirling around in my head for some time. Probably some, or many, of you already noticed the relations between Blade Runner and BGE 2. In any case let me show you the deep connections between them:
1. Replicants: As we read in the entry text of Blade Runner movie, Replicants are robots (androids) nearly identical to humans. There are used as slave labor, and in the hazardous exploration and colonization of other planets... also as combat force and to provide human pleasure... Now we have the Hybrids: anthropomorphized animals that are used as slave labor, and in the hazardous exploration and colonization of other planets... also as combat force and to provide human pleasure...
2. The concept artworks and the premiere trailer we watched are so embedded with Blade Runner atmosphere that in many cases one could erase BGE 2 logo and put in its place Blade Runner and you could fool anyone who isn't aware of this game. The flying vehicles, the glowing neon chinese billboards and different signs in other languages, the futuristic grunge, dirty environment (well just the first part of the trailer), are some of Blade Runner trademarks.
3. The fact that there are almost only artificial animals in Blade Runner it's comparable to the concept of artificial creation of hybrids in BGE 2.
4. The desire to create a multicultural city in BGE 2 also resounds with Blade Runner vibes.
5. Even there is a scene, the first 11 seconds of the premiere trailer, were the camera tilts down in that dirty alley, that it's remarkably similar to the scene, in Blade Runner, where Deckard go out to his department's balcony and watch the city outside.
6. The term "Tannhäuser Gate", in, perhaps, the most moving death monologue in the entire film history, is almost certain that alludes to Wagner's opera, Tannhäuser, an adaptation of the legend of a medieval german knight and poet. The myth says that Tannhäuser found Venusberg, the subterranean home of Venus. So we can conclude that the Tannhäuser Gate refers to the gates of Venusberg. In BGE 2 we found the Moksha Gate(?) in a Mdisk map. Moksha, as we read before, it's the equivalent of Nirvana, a place where one achieve True Freedom. As we can observe both places are intimately related as entries to mythological zones, although Venusberg its more a place of carnal desire meanwhile Moksha its the opposite.
How much of this was created on purpose and how much was a subconscious inspiration? That, my friend, is the real question...
Also there are some scenes in the debut trailer and artworks practically identical to scenes of The Fifth Element: the chase scene very similar to the taxi chase scene of 5th Element. Concept art of a flying merchant ship very much alike to the chinese food flying ship of 5th Element.
Thanks to: - kschang, BreastSexy, 宅男_杰B, rashunxian: for their help with chinese translation. - Mountainlifter: for his help with many texts in sanskrit, chinese and tamil. All fans from BGE reddit, BGE 2 official forums and BGE Discord (especially Johanson69, who previously created a quite complete list of easter eggs), whom made very interesting observations which lead me to discover other stuff I didn't realize previously.
A very special thanks to: The original team who made this wonderful game called Beyond Good And Evil! The current BGE 2 team, who are creating the sequel of one of the most beloved game of all times! Ubisoft Big Boss, Yves Guillemot, who still support BGE project, despite all the difficulties had to go through!
And most grateful to: Michel Ancel, for never give up the dream... the dream Beyond Good And Evil...
Links to the videos in case you want to watch them:
Part 1: https://youtu.be/tNfKYHCXp50
Part 2 & Final: https://youtu.be/yVcWbl3WBHg
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... attack hybrids on fire on the moons of Yagu-tomu. I watched countless ships glitter in the dark near the Moksha gate. Did all those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain? Or will you join me... to lived them together?" Dakini