Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition brings back the cult classic action adventure game that follows the adventures of Jade and Pey’j! Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Review Overview
What is Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition?
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is a remaster of the action adventure cult classic outfitted with enhanced features to celebrate its 20th anniversary! Embark on Jade and Pey’j’s adventure in up to 4K 60 fps, with improved graphics, re-recorded audio, a new speedrun mode, updated achievements, and an exclusive gallery full of concept art, videos, and more! Enjoy unique new rewards as you explore Hillys and discover more about Jade’s past in a new treasure hunt throughout the planet!
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition features:
⚫︎ Classic Action Adventure Gameplay
⚫︎ Improved visuals and graphics
⚫︎ Re-recorded and improved audio
⚫︎ New Speedrun Mode
⚫︎ Updated Achievements
⚫︎ Anniversary Gallery with concept art, videos, and more
For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition's gameplay and story.
 Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition |
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 Steam |
 Epic |
 Ubisoft |
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 Playstation |
 Xbox |
 Switch |
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Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Gameplay Actually Holds Up Its Own Actual Upgrades Across the Board |
Switch is Worst Port to Play Ubisoft Connect Annoyance |
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Overall - 82/100
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is a remaster that not only evokes nostalgia but also improves on what is already considered to be a great game. It successfully enhances everything that the game already has and then some and is quite literally the best version of playing the game on modern systems. There are a few problems here and there, especially for the Switch version, but nevertheless, it scratches the itch that you have if you missed that classic action-adventure gameplay.
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Story - 7/10
The story of the game is untouched; it still follows the epic adventure of Jade and Pey’j as they go around the planet of Hillys to investigate why the mysterious alien-like beings called the DomZ are invading. It’s a fairly mundane premise and story on the surface that starts off quickly and never hits the brakes, then escalates as fast as well.
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Gameplay - 7/10
It follows the classic linear structure but is supported with a sizable world that you can explore and play other mini-games in. The combat may be its weakest aspect, but it’s supported well by the engaging puzzles, interesting progression, and straightforward design.
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Visuals - 9/10
The visuals clearly got an upgrade, even with the HD version that it received a few years ago. The main aspects that the game improved on are the reflections and lighting, which have been heavily improved when compared to the original and the HD version. Other than that, the game supports 4K and plays at 60 fps for most of the versions it’s being released.
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Audio - 8/10
The game advertises that the audio has been re-recorded and enhanced for this version. It clearly shows, as the sound quality is quite good for a game that came out in 2003. It’s not the main aspect where the game shines, but it’s actually noticeably better than the game looks.
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Value for Money - 10/10
For $19.99, Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is an absolute steal for those wishing to scratch that nostalgia itch. However, the game is actually a really good remaster, even for those just wanting to experience the game for the first time. It’s cheap for the effort and enhancements that were implemented into this remaster, which, in itself, is surprising.
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Review: Literally Beyond Good
I’ll be the first to admit that I actually never got to play the original game when it first came out in 2003. I was a bigger fan of its counterparts from other studios like Jak and Daxter, Spyro, and most especially, The Legend of Zelda. But now I feel like I want my childhood back just to be able to experience this game when I was still younger, as I’m sure I would’ve enjoyed it. This remaster of Beyond Good & Evil is a great reminder of the pioneers of action-adventure games and maybe even a prototype to studios looking to expand the open-world genre in their own way.
First off, I won’t speak on the game’s story, as it’s left untouched from the original. It’s definitely the game’s weakest aspect, as it didn’t really have moments that pushed me to keep playing. The story is simple on the surface and quickly escalates to a level of craziness one might expect, especially with a title like Beyond Good & Evil.
Visually speaking, it’s obvious that the game came from the 2000’s, but I was pleasantly surprised with how good the remaster looked. It wasn’t just a simple HD retexture, which some studios still do pretty lazily, but they really enhanced the look of the models, textures, and most especially the lighting. When compared to the older releases, the difference is staggering, and I would like to express my appreciation to the dev team that worked on this remaster because the visual overhaul was definitely well done.
While I’m not the person with the most experience to point out how good a game’s audio design is, it’s without doubt that I can say the audio is definitely great as well. With the game advertising that the game has a re-recorded soundtrack and enhanced audio, it shows since there were times that I noticed that the music was considerably better than what I have grown accustomed to when it comes to older games.
Gameplay-wise, it’s very straightforward. The combat isn’t all that interesting, as it plays more like a beat ‘em up with a little bit of dodging involved. However, the gameplay’s biggest strengths are the game’s interesting puzzles, level design, and overall world. The puzzles and the level designs showcase the cooperation between Jade and Pey’j, as you will need each other in order to continue. It’s all very nostalgic, really, as this has become a bit of a dying art in the mainstream gaming market.
The overall world of the game features the planet itself, Hillys, and you will need to navigate the different locations using the duo’s hovercraft. You can tell that this was one of the games that were starting to go with the open-world design by how you navigate the world using a compass and a semi-open design where you can just casually stroll through the different areas in the game. Other than that, the game’s overall world feels alive with the amount of random traffic that it has with the random hover cars, boats, and other vehicles going around.
Overall, this remaster is amazing. It enhances what’s already been a great game back in the day. It’s quite frankly the best way to play the game now, if you could excuse the Ubisoft Connect annoyance and the 60 frames per second lock on higher-end gaming rigs. Just avoid the Switch version, as you might as well have just emulated the original game to avoid the frame drops.
Pros of Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition
| Things Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Got Right |
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Gameplay Actually Holds Up Its Own Actual Upgrades Across the Board |
Gameplay Actually Holds Up Its Own
For a game that came out in 2003, the straightforward gameplay really holds up even after 20 years. Sure, it does have some dated features, like certain animations and menus, but even then, the flow of everything else feels great. Maybe it’s just personal preference, but the sheer number of open-world games that just overwhelm you with their sheer size has been staggering. There’s a certain limit to having too much to do, and I think this game is one of the prototypes for the time when studios were starting to experiment with bigger settings.
While the combat isn’t very interesting, the engaging puzzles and other interesting mini-games that the game has are enough to keep you going without feeling bored. It’s actually surprising how "open" the game is when you start it, and I was even more surprised when I felt compelled to take pictures of the different living things there are in the game. It may be the nostalgia of wanting to play the classic games that made me love video games in the first place, but regardless of that, it was able to keep me interested longer than most open-world games nowadays.
Actual Upgrades Across the Board
The game looks amazing, especially when you see how it is in comparison to its older versions. The devs responsible for the 20th anniversary edition did a great job of enhancing the visuals without butchering the overall aesthetic and tone of the game. Other than the game being able to support 4K resolution and running at 60 frames per second in most of its versions, the anniversary gallery is a welcome addition to the game, where you can find the story behind Beyond Good & Evil’s development.
Cons of Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition
| Things That Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Can Improve |
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Switch is Worst Port to Play Ubisoft Connect Annoyance |
Switch is Worst Port to Play
Now, the remaster is amazing for the improvements that were already mentioned. However, the Switch version of this game is a wasted opportunity. Sadly, this version is locked at 30 frames per second and even has frame drops in segments where there are a lot of particles and a lot of moving models, which happens a lot in the combat segments. The best way to play the game is if you have a handheld PC like a Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and the like. Just don’t purchase the Switch version and go for the other console versions instead.
Ubisoft Connect Annoyance
One annoyance is the need to create a Ubisoft Connect account just so you have access to achievements and even the game. You can circumvent this by going offline for a moment and opening the game, but even then, it’s an annoyance to deal with, especially when you just want to play the game.
Is Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Worth It?
Absolutely Beyond Worth It (Except the Switch Version)
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is an absolute gem from the pile of remasters that we’ve been receiving since. Ubisoft went above and beyond to pay homage to a classic series that’s quite frankly been missing since its last trailer back in 2018. It’s one of the old nostalgia-infused games that’s quite special, as even with the dated features, it still holds up amazingly well. For $19.99, this game is absolutely worth it and it actually IS the best version of the game out so far if you can look past a few minor issues. However, avoid the Switch version if you want the best experience.
| Digital Storefront | |||||
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| Steam |
Epic |
Ubisoft |
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| Playstation |
Xbox |
Switch |
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| $19.99 | |||||
Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition FAQ
What languages are supported in Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition?
The languages supported in the game for interface and subtitles are **English, French, German, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Italian, Portuguese (Brazillian), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified), and Chinese (Traditional).
However, only English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Spanish are supported with audio.
Is a Ubisoft Connect account needed to play Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition?
No, however, this will mean that you have no access to the updated achievements that the game has.
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Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Product Information
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| Title | BEYOND GOOD & EVIL - 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION |
|---|---|
| Release Date | June 25, 2024 |
| Developer | Ubisoft |
| Publisher | Ubisoft |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic Games, Ubisoft), PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Action, Adventure |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | E10+ |
| Official Website | Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Official Website |
