Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition review: revisiting a cult classic
I’ve always felt that revisiting an old game you once played as a kid is like meeting an old friend after decades. Sure, you’ll have a great time remembering the good ol’ days. But what if both of you have changed? You have grown and matured over the years. You now have different tastes. You have met newer people. Will your old friend still have that same appeal as he/she once did?
With that subtle insight into my mid-life crisis out of the way, let’s get down to brass tacks. Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is Ubisoft’s way of celebrating 21 years since the original game’s release. Ignoring that little chronological error, does this game still hold water? Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
Graphics
The first thing you have to know about the game is that this is not a complete remaster. So, those expecting a complete graphical and gameplay overhaul like we got with Mafia: Definitive Edition will be disappointed. That said, the graphics have been given a touch-up, and the game looks very good for a 20-year-old title. This difference is quite apparent when we compare it to the 2011 HD Remaster. The lighting looks great, it’s more detailed, and the colours pop.
The world looks as great as ever thanks to its unique aesthetics that blend European locales with futuristic touches. So you get things such as flying cars that look straight from the 80s/90s. This mix of familiarity with the out-of-the-ordinary can also be seen in in-games society, where humans live peacefully with anthropomorphic animals.
That said, it still is a 20-year-old game, so the animations can seem quite stiff and janky. This still looks like an old game and no amount of polish other than a complete remaster can fix that.
Story
The story is where Beyond Good & Evil really shines, and that is why it’s held in such high regard. Beyond its friendly and colourful exterior lies a deep and dark story that deals with mature themes such as human trafficking, conspiracies and the power of propaganda.
The game raises the stakes from the get-go when your peaceful meditation session on the planet of Hillys is interrupted by a meteor attack from an alien race called the DomZ. The DomZ are portrayed as the primary antagonist of the game. Then there are the Alpha Sections, which is the military dictatorship that is in control of Hillys and is battling the DomZ. Finally, we have the IRIS Network, which is either a resistance organisation or a terrorist threat, depending on who you believe. The truth gets unravelled the more you progress through the game.
You play as Jade, a photojournalist who also takes care of orphans and is a proficient martial artist. You live with your uncle, Pey’j, who is an anthropomorphic pig. What starts as a fight to save your extended family from abduction soon sees you tumble down the rabbit hole to uncover the truth behind the DomZ, the Alpha Section and the IRIS Network.
It should be noted that Ubisoft did add a couple of new things to the game. This includes an Anniversary Gallery section where players can learn more about the development process of the game and gain a little more appreciation of what they are playing. Aside from this, there is also a new side quest that ties into the upcoming Beyond Good & Evil 2 that is under development and will serve as a prequel to this story. Finally, there is a Speedrun Mode for those interested.
Gameplay
The gameplay is another area where the game shows its age. Jade can run, jump, and do a little bit of platforming and is on par with most 3D platformers of the time, which is to say that it’s perfectly serviceable.
Combat mostly consists of melee attacks, but it’s pretty much just button-mashing. There is also a super attack, but that takes an annoyingly long time to charge up and can be interrupted by enemy attacks. For ranged attacks, part way through the game, you get a gyro-disk launcher that can be used to disrupt certain enemies and or interact with objects.
Aside from combat and the main story, players are also tasked with photographing various creatures found in the game. This serves as the best way to earn currency, which is used to buy health and powerups.
Aside from walking, players will explore the world of Hillys via their Hovercraft and participate in races and other activities. The map is tiny by modern standards, so it’s a testament to the designers and developers how much they crammed into the little that there is.
To reach additional areas, players will have to upgrade the hovercraft via a garage that only takes Pearls as payment. These Pearls can be thought of as a premium currency, and thankfully, you don’t have to pay real-world cash for them. This is a game from a simpler and more peaceful time, after all. Rather, you get these Pearls to be found, defeating enemies or find them hiding them around the world.
It should also be noted that Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition also adds a few much-needed modern touches to the game. This includes auto-save and the ability to skip cutscenes. It may not seem like much, but it makes a big difference.
Verdict
Ok, confession time. I didn’t play the original Beyond Good & Evil, which was released in 2003. In my defence, I was 14, and I didn’t have a PC or a console back then. However, I did play the HD remaster of the game that was released in 2011. I did so because I was very curious as, up until that point, many game journalists at the time had sung praises of the game. After playing it myself, I started singing those same praises.
The story still holds up well, even after two decades. The graphics might not be cutting-edge, but they are nice and colourful. Sure, the gameplay might not have aged as well, but it’s perfectly serviceable. A part of me really wanted a complete remaster of the game from the ground up. But considering Ubisoft’s current track record *cough*Skull & Bones*cough*, I am glad they didn’t. Overall, Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is now the definitive way to experience this cult classic and a great reminder of how good games can be when developers focus on the details and don’t simply plonk in a vast open world that is blander than an instruction manual for a toaster.
Editor’s Rating: 7.5/10
Pros
- Excellent story
- Pretty art design
- Quality of life additions
Cons
- Poor combat
More Info:
Developer: Virtuos, Ubisoft Montpellier
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Reviewed on: Xbox Series X
We played a review copy of Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition provided by Ubisoft.
