There are times we certainly miss the original Xbox era. Some of us around the PlanetXbox360 office are still dedicated Halo 1 fans, while others clamor for a little something more off-beat, like Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath. But this week we were served a reminder that a classic can always make a turnaround, no matter how off the wall it truly is. And that game, folks, is Beyond Good & Evil HD. First introduced way back in 2003 (eight years!), the game tells the story of Jade, a girl who really gets a kick out of the color green (she even has green lipstick) and works alongside her uncle, a walking and talking pig named Pey’j, as they team up to take on an invading alien force, simply known as the DomZ. Part of the game consists of platforming elements, while others have you jetting around in a hovercraft, exploring the huge world you’re dwelling. There’s also a little Pokemon Snap-like photography as well, should you feel the need to earn a few extra bucks snapping pics of exotic wildlife.
Click the above image for new Beyond Good & Evil HD screenshots.
There’s definitely some essence in Beyond Good & Evil HD found in later games, and to see the inspiration come back into the fold in a downloadable format is a welcome sight. Sure, the story’s a little iffy, and the dialogue a little lame for its own good (why can’t Jade’s computer dude say the letter J?!), but overall it’s a wondrous experience. The game plays quite well overall, a nice hybrid of types that all mesh together into an astounding world. When you first start off, you’re introduced to the basics, including some cool multi-directional combat (and an inspired boss battle). The other pieces fall into place, including some dungeon dwelling and boat racing (not Hydro Thunder, but something that’s equally energetic). It held up just fine eight years ago, and nothing’s changed here. That’s probably because the gameplay is backed by a superbly restored presentation.
Click the above image for new Beyond Good & Evil HD screenshots.
The audio is excellent, complete with mostly strong voicework and musical themes. We also dig the Mamago theme because, well, it’s so groovy, mon. But your eyes will be treated to the best treat. Ubisoft’s taken the game and completely remastered it for HD (hence its subtitle), complete with fast animation, a lusciously designed world, vivid animations (Jade’s slo-mo stuff is dazzling) and, of course, little pieces of humor that can only be concocted by the folks at Ubisoft. Some more elements for replay value would’ve been nice, but there’s still plenty to do here, and Achievements to unlock. But just owning (and enjoying) the game in itself is a reward, as it’s a comfortable reminder that some folks do still care about their classics, rather than letting them rot away in a used game store somewhere. Beyond Good & Evil HD is a finely crafted remake that’s well worth the 800 Microsoft points. Buy it for yourself…and then your pig uncle.
Click the above image for new Beyond Good & Evil HD screenshots.
