LTTP or ‘late to the party’ pieces are opportunities for me to catch up and write about games I missed out on the first time around. They may contain spoilers.
I didn’t get the fervour around the Beyond Good & Evil 2 teaser. What was the significance of that pig? I’ve heard the title “Beyond Good & Evil” before and I knew it was a PlayStation 2 era title. I also recognize that it was a cult classic but it’s one of the rare titles that I drew a blank on; I had no idea what it was about and kept it that way. For whatever reason, I trusted the opinions of the masses.
I figured Beyond Good & Evil HD was the ideal way to check out the cult classic. I picked it up when it was discounted a few years ago but I sat on it for years. Now as the sixth console generation winds down, I decided to clear out the digital back log and finally play it.
I’m not sure why I waited so long because Beyond Good & Evil is fantastic. It was a pleasant surprise and I’m ashamed for sitting on it for so long. Thankfully the game held up so well, waiting an extra year or so didn’t hurt it one bit.
The game wasn’t an immaculate game by no means. It had its issues but they were easy to overcome. The camera was too close in spots and Jade walked with an unusually robotic posture — they were ultimately issues rooted in the times.
Timeless qualities like the well realized world filled with colorful and unorthodox characters reminded me of what we lost from the big publishers these days. Who is going to allow a game featuring talking Jamaican rhinos in an adventure game where the main character has to snap pictures in order to save the world?
Combat wasn’t the game’s strong suit. Every encounter was a walk in the park and that was fine with me. The game in its entirety was a pleasant journey; it was all very easy to digest. Unfortunately there was one challenge I had to overcome by cracking open a GameFAQs walkthrough.
Voice work was something I didn’t expect to be execute as well as it was. Pey’j, the rhinos, the stereotypical french hologram? I liked them all. Jade though, her performance was inconsistent and I attributed it to the way they animated her in cutscenes. Things just didn’t sync up properly.
The HD remaster itself was solid. It ran well and it looked sharp. I only encountered a single “game breaking” bug but it was quickly resolved with a reload of the game.
Beyond Good & Evil HD isn’t required playing but I would consider it a classic. I strongly believe it was ahead of its time with the quality of its production. Only minor niggles keep it from a truly modern game. I would love to see a sequel and I hope Ubisoft will produce one in due time. For now? If you’re looking for a solid adventure game, I highly recommend this 2003 classic.
Verdict:
Highly Recommended
For more information on Beyond Good & Evil HD, visit the official website.
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