Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is an action adventure game that places players in the role of Jade, a photojournalist on the planet Hillys who investigates mysterious alien attacks while documenting the world around her.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on exploration across the islands of Hillys using a hovercraft for travel between locations. Players control Jade as she infiltrates enemy bases belonging to the DomZ aliens and the Alpha Section forces, relying on stealth to avoid detection and her camera to capture evidence or photographs of wildlife that can be sold for resources. Combat involves the daï-jo fighting stick for melee attacks against creatures and enemies, with basic combos and charged strikes that feel responsive on modern hardware. Partners such as Pey'j and Double H accompany Jade at times, assisting in fights and puzzle solutions while sharing upgradeable health bars. Puzzles often require environmental interaction or collaboration with these characters, and photography serves as a central mechanic for both progression and earning currency. The remaster enhances these systems with smoother controls, higher frame rates, and quality-of-life additions like autosave and the ability to skip cutscenes.
Game Modes
The primary experience follows the original single-player campaign, where players progress through the story by completing objectives that mix infiltration, combat, and investigation. A dedicated speedrun mode lets players test their skills on timed runs through the full adventure, complete with updated achievements to track performance. An additional treasure hunt subquest sends players searching for collectibles across Hillys that unlock cosmetic rewards and reveal more about Jade's backstory. The anniversary gallery functions as a separate viewing area filled with development materials, concept art, videos, and developer notes that provide insight into the game's creation without interrupting the main action.
World and Characters
Hillys presents a distinctive blend of futuristic and pastoral settings, with floating islands connected by hovercraft routes and populated by a mix of human and animal-like residents. Jade's adoptive family includes the boar-like Pey'j and the armored Double H, both of whom play key roles in supporting her investigations into the DomZ threat and the questionable actions of the Alpha Section. The narrative unfolds through a series of missions that encourage thorough exploration and careful observation rather than direct confrontation at every turn.
Is It Worth Playing?
This edition delivers the complete original campaign with meaningful technical upgrades that make it run at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second on Xbox Series consoles, along with a remastered soundtrack and refined audio. The new speedrun mode and treasure hunt add replay value for those who have finished the story before, while the anniversary gallery offers exclusive content for longtime fans. New players benefit from the improved controls and autosave features that reduce friction in the classic adventure structure. The game suits anyone interested in a focused single-player experience that balances photography, light stealth, puzzle-solving, and straightforward combat within a compact campaign length. Overall, the 20th Anniversary Edition stands as a polished way to experience or revisit this action adventure title on current Xbox hardware.
