Beyond Good & Evil HD [360]

Posted March 7, 2011 by Jen Allen.

I missed Beyond Good & Evil when it first came out. It was at a time when I didn’t play many games, and somehow Beyond Good & Evil passed me by. A problem that affected more than just me, looking at the game’s early sales figures. Which is why this HD release feels important: a lot more people really need to experience the wonders of this adventure.

Set on the distant planet of Hillys, you play Jade, a young but plucky photojournalist. Following similar themes to many other games, the land is oppressed by a military dictatorship by the name of the Alpha Sections. Jade is initially subservient – with the main aim of simply acquiring money through her photo skills rather than anything else – but it’s not long at all before she finds herself embroiled in a sinister plot of human trafficking, and the action kicks up a notch.

The story is impressive. It brings about echoes of Enslaved (although, of course, BG&E was first) and its emotive style is delivered to perfect effect. Jade’s relationship with her Uncle Pey’j is a particular delight, but one that I won’t elaborate on for fear of spoiling it. Double H, another ally, also provides some much needed lighter moments, with a keen sense of humour throughout various pieces of dialogue.

It’s the nature in which you play the game that feels a little more dated, and a little more reminiscient of a title that’s now getting on for eight years old. For the most part, you’ll find yourself wandering around areas that are dungeons by another name, solving puzzles as you go while also navigating a few stealth segments. These might infuriate briefly, but they’re not too taxing, fortunately, and they’re quite well implemented.

While you run around as Jade, your partner needs an eye kept on them at all times, and with the tap of the Y button, you can control their actions too. Frustratingly, the AI is prone to getting stuck. Numerous times I found myself having to run back to an earlier section because my colleague ended up stuck to a wall. This was particularly annoying in a timed sequence where, although I didn’t run out of time, I still felt pushed for it.

Problems also arise with the camera, which manages to feel both too loose and too strict at different moments within the game. When using the hoverboat to explore some of the water-based areas of the game, controlling the camera is particularly awkward. It’s frustrating in a game that is still so close to brilliance.

Despite these blips, it’s difficult not to love what Beyond Good & Evil sets out to achieve. Even the musical score is pitched perfectly, managing to conjure up imagery of a mystical far-away land while also incorporating some sort of fast-paced (possibly French) rap music during appropriately fast racing sequences. The added photojournalism side of things that feels criminally underused in so many games is a lovely touch, as wandering around snapping photos of creatures might technically be a form of collection quest, but it feels more thrilling than that, and is never once chore.

Nostalgia does a lot to our minds, but it’s worth remembering that games weren’t perfect eight years ago, either. While it’s not a perfect title, however, it is tremendously enjoyable. I still loved the 10 hours or so I had with it more than I’ve loved countless other retail releases, and at a mere 800 points, you’d be daft not to delve into a bit of modern gaming history.