20th anniversary edition of igamesnews.com

We talk to you about a time that those under 20 cannot know. A time, at the very beginning of the 2000s, when Ubisoft released Splinter Cell, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Rayman 3, XIII and of course Beyond Good & Evil. It is an action-adventure game developed by the Montpellier studio of the French publisher and developer and was originally released in 2003 on Gamecube, PS2, PC and Xbox. And although sales were unfortunately not there at the time, The title has gradually achieved cult statusthanks in large part to its excellent reviews (86% on Metacritic and 18/20 on JV)! We appreciate its vibrant world, its inspired characters and its gripping storyline. All that remains to be seen is if the sauce is still as good in Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary, a remastered edition with numerous bonuses (and modernized graphics).

And 20 years later…

It’s all well and good to call it a classic, but what does Beyond Good and Evil mean? Here, Ubisoft takes us to the planet Hillys, which is falling victim to alien attacks from the DomZ. We’re talking mega-sized creatures that eat pleasure boats and residents who are constantly being kidnapped; in short, things aren’t going well! In the midst of all this, the Alpha Sections – mercenaries armed to the neck – are recruiting wildly and want to give the intruder a beating, but for now, to no avail. In fact, it even looks like someone is taking advantage of the situation… Enter Jade, a young woman trying to make ends meet, being a photographer in her spare time and protecting those she loves. And with the help of the Iris Network (the Resistance) and her uncle Pey’j, a pro-Screwdriver pigman, she will launch a series of reports to uncover the truth.

Simple in appearance, The plot of Beyond Good & Evil has not aged a bit and still enjoys impressive effectiveness as the concise, effective intro sequence clearly shows. After that, it’s hard to remain indifferent to the secrets of the Alpha Sections and the DomZ that are revealed as the adventure progresses. Revelations that also have a very special touch in Jade’s skin. It’s us who capture with the camera what the armored walls of Hillys hide.

Moreover, this race for the truth is reinforced by the title’s density and short lifespan (6-7 hours at a time). Yes, despite its initial ambitions – which are also reflected in the sequel – BG&E is not a big game! In addition to the four large “dungeons” in which Jade has to fire her best shots, there are about ten additional zones on the Ubisoft planet with platforming, infiltration or racing challenges.all on an open map that we travel on the waves aboard our trusty hovercraft. In hindsight, we wish Hillys had more to offer, but it’s just the thing to keep us busy between two reports. Like Metroidvania, new corners are accessible each time you unlock a skill or find a security card.

So we quickly stroll through the pedestrian area and the adjacent waters, immersing ourselves in a coherent, living world with a certain poetry. It is also always a pleasure to discover and photograph the wildlife of Hillys, which allows you to earn credits for each species immortalized and, once the film is over, a pearl (a collector’s item used to improve the hovercraft). The anthropomorphic designs of the inhabitants, halfway between human and animal, also have an intact charm. However, we regret stereotypes that have aged badly, such as the brothers from Garage Mammago, who are exaggeratedly Rasta, or Secundo, Jade’s AI assistant, with the tirades of a Spanish heartthrob from another era. We are pleased that Ubisoft acknowledges “the negative impact of these representations” in an in-game message – which appears when you start the anniversary edition for the first time.

It is in the old pots

In short, there is no doubt that even 20 years later and with no improvement other than the v isuals, Beyond Good & Evil remains a captivating experience from start to finish… In this anniversary edition, we were even surprised by the naturalness of Jade’s movements during the exploration phases, although she did not move an inch. Overall, the game has aged well to very well. Even then, the copy isn’t perfect!

We find the same pitfalls as then: a camera that tends to do anything during fights and in tight spots – especially when it suddenly switches from a fixed shot to manual control. Speaking of action phases, although there are few of them throughout the adventure, Jade’s options in this area remain in the background. The heroine has only one button to use her daï-jo (a stick) and her sequences only vary when you tilt the stick towards another enemy. There is still a special attack, but its loading time (where it is vulnerable) is a bit long, making it difficult to place in the heat of the moment. Finally, we notice some errors in the construction of certain levels, like that famous fuse that allows you to leave the factory!

Those who don’t know the base title will sometimes lose track when solving a puzzle and finding a hidden passage. We also notice some rather long infiltration phases. Ah, and we don’t know if it’s because of the PS5 version, but the hovercraft sometimes moved on its own… This made our task more difficult in the slaughterhouse, where there are countless traps in the water.

That we make the best soups

So yes, the anniversary edition of Beyond Good & Evil “only” transfers the original experience to modern machines and that brings with it certain disappointments, but also certain advantages. We haven’t talked about it yet, but in this version The graphics have been significantly improved, especially everything related to lighting and texture. So, on the 3D models from back then, we see Jade’s hair or Pey’j’s skin nose one after the other. The result is quite coherent and we can say it quite clearly: it is the most beautiful version of the Ubisoft Montpellier classic. However, we do notice a few cases where this “between tradition and modernity” does not fit well, particularly with the character of Double-H (one of Jade’s couples). The angular features are now oddly rounded and both his hairstyle and his eyebrows have a certain realism that does not fit with the rest… Nothing objectionable, of course, but it was still worth mentioning!

For the rest, this version of the game offers impeccable 4K60 frames per second, automatic saves and, for the ears, the re-orchestrations signed by Christophe Héral are little gems (we only regret that certain sound effects remained blocked in 2003). And that’s not all: in addition to a long bonus gallery that tells you everything you need to know about the development of the original title, we are entitled to a unique treasure hunt… This one reveals the link between BG&E 1 and BG&E 2 through the character of Jade and through various bonus items and cinematics. A frankly welcome addition that really excited us. This final quest takes place in the last quarter of the adventure (when you unlock the Beluga) and serves as the final farewell to the heroine and her friends. For fans, it will undoubtedly touch the hearts! Finally, we would like to point out that this edition offers bonus skins for Hovercraft, Pey’j, Double-H and Jade, who also has the right to a camera and a special Daï-Jo. A speedrun mode has also been added.

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