Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition is one of the best remasters a fan could ask for. Released as part of the celebration for a franchise that has been teasing a sequel for nearly two decades, it unfortunately still has not delivered on that promise.
The original Beyond Good & Evil arrived during a peak period for platformers, a time when adventure games often combined narrative-driven story elements with platforming. Notable examples of this genre include series like Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank. Beyond Good & Evil distinguished itself by incorporating an investigative photographer element.
The game’s story centers on Jade, who lives with Pey’j in a lighthouse that serves as a home for orphaned children. The world of Beyond Good & Evil is under threat from an alien species known as the DomZ, who attack the population and abduct people to steal their life force. Jade and Pey’j have taken in numerous children orphaned by these attacks. In her quest to uncover the truth about the DomZ and as an investigative journalist, Jade embarks on a mission to reveal the conspiracy behind the disappearing locals.
While it was initially leaked long before any official announcement, no one expected Ubisoft to completely remake the game’s character models and textures. They have essentially retained the core aspects of the game, including gameplay and level design, but have greatly improved the visuals. Each main character in the game has undergone a significant upgrade in design. For example, Pey’J looks entirely different now. Jade has also received a substantial update to her character design, making her appearance comparable to games released during the PS3 generation.
The gameplay retains its classic action feel, with controls and movement remaining the same. This is the kind of result I had hoped for with the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, yet we all witnessed the disappointing outcome when Ubisoft decided to completely remake every component of that game. This version of Beyond Good & Evil strikes a fine balance between a remake and a remaster. However, one drawback of this upgrade is the increased system requirements, making the game more demanding compared to the original release. Despite this, the improvements offered here make the sacrifice worthwhile.
Given that the game was released more than two decades ago, its gameplay can feel dated by today’s standards. This is to be expected due to the age of the game. The mission design remains entirely linear, and the minimal gameplay upgrades can make the experience a bit tedious. Although the visuals are now quite solid, they do not fully alleviate the outdated gameplay elements of the original. While the game may feel significantly dated compared to current-generation standards, those with nostalgic memories of the original will likely enjoy revisiting it.
Beyond Good & Evil has always been noted for drawing inspiration from other series, including The Legend of Zelda. It strikes a balance between semi-open world exploration and linear levels. While the map does not offer much interactivity, exploring the world remains enjoyable. Interacting with NPCs provides snippets of lore that enhance the overall experience and offer insight into the game’s world.
Fans of the original may recall the dramatic cliffhanger at the end of the first game. To bridge the narrative gap between this game and the anticipated sequel, Ubisoft has added new missions. While these additional missions may not be engaging enough to justify a full playthrough, they should serve as a temporary measure during the long wait for the sequel, which has not been canceled.
I was pleasantly surprised by how well the game runs on a portable device like the Steam Deck. It performed smoothly without any major issues, although some bugs in the PC port can cause the game to crash. I encountered this problem on the Steam Deck as well, resulting in a minor loss of progress. However, the new quality-of-life enhancements, such as the addition of an auto-save feature alongside the manual save system, helped mitigate this issue.
Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition Game Information
- Price: $19.99
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Platform: PC (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
