Whenever a remaster, like Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition, is released, it’s a quick take on just how time has flown by. It may only seem like yesterday that we powered on our older consoles for the first time and booted up a much-loved classic, but that, sadly, isn’t the case. Twenty-plus years have passed since Ubisoft’s cult classic video game Beyond Good & Evil launched in 2003. And just like powering on those older machines, 2003 doesn’t feel all that far away. But it is. And time and technology have changed, even if we try not to.
Which makes Ubisofts re-remasters and re-release of Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition such a timely and welcome affair. Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition hasn’t exactly lain dormant either, with an HD Remaster released during the PS3 and Xbox 360 era and a missing in action sequel still, we assume, in development. So while we’re all still waiting for some news on that front, we can at least relive the adventures of Jade and Pey’j – while introducing it to a new generation of gamers – without having to pull out our old systems and hope they still work.
This 20th Anniversary Edition of the game fits firmly into the remaster category. Ubisoft have added some extras and quality-of-life changes but has firmly left the gameplay and story as is. Which is exactly what we want with a remaster and is perfect both for fun and preservation needs, even when the technology powering it is showing its age.
The biggest additions here are the visual updates and the addition of an Anniversary Gallery.
The Anniversary Edition is a visual step up from the original version and the HD Remaster. The changes are, quite simply, gorgeous with higher-resolution textures and better-looking models. The game, if you’ve played it before, looks exactly as you remember it, just better. For everyone else stepping into it for the first time, the stylised, slightly cartoony take on the world is splendid.
There’s a new, dynamic lighting system included that makes a huge difference to the game’s various areas while the reflection effects on water are scrumptious. It all comes together to bring the game’s expressive characters and humour to a fun life.
The game’s story, about a photojournalist recruited into a resistance against an alien invasion, remains a fun and compelling one. It’s full of great characters, writing and a whole lot of heart. And the gameplay is a great match.
Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition mixed up a variety of play styles, from melee-based combat to stealth to exploration to photojournalism, to a fantastic degree. The surprising standout is the photography side-quest that has you taking pictures of the planet’s life-forms for money. It kept me pulling out my camera in every area, trying to get the perfect shot and fill up my bestiary. For posterity of course.
Your companions aren’t just for show or to bounce dialogue across either as Pey’j, and some of the other characters who will join you at various times, also help in combat, specifically with special moves that can make all the difference in a fight. I did, however, feel like some of the stealth sections lasted a tad too long.
The Anniversary Gallery is a wonderful addition to the game and, as I’ve said many times about remasters and retro collections, really needs to be a standard going forward. You’ve got everything from production sketches and notes to video clips taking you behind the scenes of how Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition was brought to life.
There are some issues with the game, though none of it is game-breaking.
Some of the game’s animations look awkward, specifically when Jade is sprinting, making her look like a really stiff line-backer and there’s visual shimmer on water surfaces that could do with some tweaking. The camera can also be finicky in combat, leaving a lot of blind spots during a fight.
The most noticeable technological limitation of the time is the games segmented design. Every new area or room you run into needs to be loaded in. Loading times are fast, and while I accept that it’s a product of its time, it can get a bit tiring when running quickly back and forth between areas.
The Switch version of the game runs at 30fps but it’s not a consistently stable frame rate with drops scattered across areas or when dealing with certain effects. It’s far from problematic but it is there nonetheless. Other platform versions of the game, namely PC, PS and Xbox run at 60fps, for instance. That said, I’ve really enjoyed my portable time with it.
Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition may be twenty-something years old, but it still has a fantastic world to explore along with great, if dated, game mechanics. Overall the game is incredibly charming and fun and if you haven’t played it before, Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is now the definitive way to experience it.
Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Trailer
Read more of our reviews here https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/category/review/
You must be logged in to post a comment.