Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition Review

Two decades after its original release, Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition is here and is the first time I have experienced the game. I never played it at its original release date of November 2003, presumably as I was addicted to the MMORPG genre. This remastered edition offers a fantastic opportunity to revisit (or like me, discover for the first time), a world brimming with creativity, a great mix of gameplay including puzzle solving, humourous characters and an engaging story that kept me wanting to log back in each night.

Hillys, a vibrant archipelago populated by anthropomorphic animals, feels like a living, breathing entity. From the bustling marketplace to the seedy underbelly, each location is meticulously crafted, brimming with personality and quirky details. This remaster enhances that charm with its upgraded visuals that brings Hillys to life in stunning detail, with lush environments and expressive character models that capture the essence of the game’s unique art style.

The narrative is captivating, and I kept wanting to play late into the night to find out what happens next. Players take on the role of Jade, a freelance photographer and unlikely resistance fighter investigating a sinister corporation. The story tackles themes of environmentalism, media manipulation, and cultural preservation, all wrapped in a package that’s equal parts thrilling and humorous. The voice acting is superb, bringing Jade’s wit and determination to life, while her ragtag team of allies – including the wise Pey’j, the hulking Double H, and the adorable orphans – provide constant entertainment.

While the core gameplay of Beyond Good & Evil remains largely unchanged, Ubisoft has implemented some welcome quality-of-life improvements in this 20^th anniversary edition. The most significant is the overhaul of the controls. I am told the original game’s movement and combat could feel clunky at times. This remaster offers a smoother, more responsive experience that makes navigating Hillys and engaging in combat a breeze. I still fought the camera in some sequences, but I learned how to navigate those moments quickly.

The anniversary edition adds some new story and lore expansion. You will want to keep an eye out for new cutscenes and M-Disc collectibles that shed some light on Jade’s backstory and her connection to characters from the long-awaited next game in the series, Beyond Good & Evil 2. Additionally, the inclusion of autosave and skipping cutscenes is a godsend, eliminating the frustration of replaying long sections due to a careless mistake. I did still make use of the manual save points with the compact disc system out of habit.

Despite better graphics, it is still a 20-year-old game and its age does peek through the curtain in some areas. The level design can feel linear at times but was still fun to explore, though the frequent loading screens interrupted the flow of exploration. It is reminiscent of games of that era though so for me, I got used to the transitions pretty quickly. The combat system might feel basic compared to modern action-adventure titles but again, this was 2003’s combat style and it gets the job done. It gave me flashbacks of playing games like Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. These elements may be a little jarring for newcomers accustomed to more open-ended experiences of current gen games.

Overall, Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition is a must-play for any fan of quirky adventure games dripping with nostalgia and doses of humour. The remaster breathes new life into this beloved classic, including some additional story and lore elements for the keen-eyed, making it more enjoyable than ever and worth a playthrough. For newcomers like me, it offers a unique and engaging journey brimming with charm, memorable characters, and a story that continues to resonate two decades later.

This review utilised a PC key provided by Ubisoft ANZ and Beyond Good & Evil: 20^th Anniversary Edition is out now on Steam, Ubisoft Store, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.