Remember a time when Ubisoft used to make games that weren’t The Crew, Far Cry, and Assassin’s Creed? Apparently so does Ubisoft itself, sometimes, since earlier this week saw the launch of the not so secretive Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition. I say ‘not so secretive’ because lest we forget, it had already been temporarily released accidentally last November – a move which forced the publisher to acknowledge the remaster’s existence via tweet. Well, the finished version is now finally out for all major platforms, and it’s actually pretty good. It looks better than ever thanks to 4K 60fps visuals, true, but the core game underneath is just as magical as it was two decades ago. Those not familiar with Beyond Good & Evil might be left wondering what all the fuss is about. Originally planned to be the first part in an eventual trilogy by its creator Michel Ancel, it tells the story of photojournalist-turned-action hero Jade who, with the help of charming companions like the boar-like Pey’j, must embark on an adventure to fight back against the evil alien overlords above. This outline of the story barely scratches the surface, though. Beyond Good & Evil is the type of game that must be played to be grasped fully, purely because it can’t be pigeonholed into just one genre. Jade’s adventure will see her bash about baddies using her trusty Daï-jo staff one minute, while the next she’s zooming in for the perfect shot down her camera lens in the hopes of snapping a curious creature. Having dipped back into it as part of this modern remaster, there’s a real sense that the team at Ubisoft Pictures wanted to throw everything and the kitchen sink into this truly original sci-fi story. The basic bones of it absolutely owe a great debt to early 3D The Legend of Zelda titles, but the photography mechanic offers up a new spin to gameplay that gives players something other to do in the world than just killing.
Chile Con Carne Speaking of the world, even 20 years on, it’s impressive just how well-realised the planet of Hillys actually is. Now cleaned up to look clear and sparkling (albeit coated in an appropriately blue tinge filter), it’s now much easier to appreciate the environmental design that was previously stuck behind 480p resolution. Whether it’d be interior spaces such as the Black Isle and Mammago Garage early on or the more open, built-up areas Jade and Pey’j get to zoom through from the comfort of their hovercraft, it’s easy to see why Beyond Good & Evil is visually considered to be one of Ubisoft’s best hidden gems. Admittedly, the combat hasn’t aged as well as some other of its 3D platforming peers from the early 2000s. I was all in on Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank series when I had a PS2, for example, and as recent-ish HD collections for those titles have shown, blasting away aliens using Ratchet’s gauntlet of creative weapons never stops feeling natural. Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition doesn’t play quite as fluid as that. However, I would describe Jade’s nature to dodge, jump, and staff swings as perfectly fine, with enemy fights merely acting as a stepping stone in which to get to more surprising story beats and exciting character arcs. Another thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about jumping into Beyond Good & Evil via this remaster is just how obtuse it can sometimes be in its mission design. Is this primarily a linear adventure? Of course, as was traditional for action-adventures of this era. However, I can see how easy it’d be for players unfamiliar with the game to get stuck or where to go next, without the use of a guide. This is despite there being dedicated map for each reason. Yet even in this new version, though, it isn’t always reliable when it comes to differentiating between level, direction, or places you’ve already been. In fairness, this isn’t an issue exclusive to Beyond Good & Evil but rather the era as a whole, and Ubisoft’s game is by no means the worst offender. The pessimist in me would suggest that the entire reason Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition is to stoke up (or at least reintroduce) excitement for the previously announced sequel which is apparently still in development. But even if Beyond Good & Evil 2 doesn’t come to fruition, it’s now nice to have the original game stand on its own, with a fully re-orchestrated soundtrack and enhanced visuals; it’s a beautiful thing. Regardless of whether you’ve played the game before or if you haven’t, there’s no denying that Ubisoft has done a very nice job in cleaning Jade’s adventure up for modern systems. The result is an amazing way to experience just how fresh Beyond Good &
