Looks like there's a Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition
Jade empire.
Ubisoft classic Beyond Good & Evil is getting another re-release, according to a listing which has popped up via the US game ratings board.
An ESRB listing shows the Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition as coming to Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S (thanks, MACOS380).
Ubisoft has yet to announce this new re-release, or detail what it might contain. Eurogamer has contacted the publisher for comment.
"This is an action-adventure game in which players assume the role of a reporter accompanied by a pig-like companion investigating a conspiracy on the planet of Hillys," the description reads. "From a third-person perspective, players explore fantasy locations, take photos of evidence, solve puzzles, and fight robot and alien enemies."
Yep, that sure sounds like Beyond Good & Evil.
"Combat is sometimes fast-paced, with players using melee weapons (e.g., staffs, torches) to strike stylised enemies that generally break apart or vanish into puffs of smoke," the listing continues. "One boss battle depicts a squid-like alien stabbed in the eye, with yellow-green splatter effects."
Spoilers! (Not really.)
The ESRB concludes with an age rating of 10+, for animated blood and fantasy violence.
2023 is indeed the 20th anniversary of Beyond Good & Evil, the brilliant sci-fi adventure that captivated a cult following upon its original release. A re-release this year makes sense - especially considering the ongoing wait for any news on its long, long-delayed sequel.
First released in 2003 for GameCube, PC, PS2 and Xbox, Beyond Good & Evil was later released in 2011 for PS3 and Xbox 360. If you own that version of the game on Xbox, you can still play it today via backwards compatibility.
The years since have seen repeated signs of life for Beyond Good & Evil 2 - but the project has been hit by various difficulties, and still seems some years away.
In 2020, Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel left video game development behind to work on a wildlife sanctury. Earlier this year, further staff changes at studio Ubisoft Montpellier came to light as the company was investigated due to high levels of burnout and sick leave. And in July, the team lost its creative director, after the sad death of project lead Emile Morel.