Beyond Good & Evil (video game)

Beyond Good & Evil
European cover art depicting the main protagonist, Jade, holding her camera
Developer(s)Ubisoft Pictures
Ubisoft Milan
Publisher(s)Ubisoft
Director(s)Michel Ancel
Producer(s)Yves Guillemot
Designer(s)Michel Ancel
Sébastien Morin
Artist(s)Florent Sacré
Paul Tumelaire
Writer(s)Michel Ancel
Jacques Exertier
Composer(s)Christophe Héral
EngineJade
Platform(s)
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: November 11, 2003
  • EU: November 14, 2003
Windows
  • NA: December 2, 2003
  • EU: December 5, 2003
Xbox
  • NA: December 2, 2003
  • EU: February 27, 2004
GameCube
  • NA: December 10, 2003
  • EU: February 27, 2004

Remaster
Xbox 360
  • WW: March 2, 2011
PlayStation 3
  • EU: June 8, 2011
  • NA: June 28, 2011

20th Anniversary Edition
Switch, PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
June 25, 2024
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Beyond Good & Evil is a 2003 action-adventure game developed and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox, and GameCube. The story follows the adventures of Jade, an investigative reporter, martial artist, and spy hitwoman working with a resistance movement to reveal a sinister alien conspiracy. Players control Jade and other allies, solving puzzles, fighting enemies, obtaining photographic evidence and, later in the game, travelling to space.

Michel Ancel, creator of the Rayman series, envisioned the game as the first part of a trilogy. The game was developed under the codename "Project BG&E" by 30 employees of Ubisoft's studio divisions in Montpellier and Milan, with production lasting more than three years. One of the main goals of the game is to create a meaningful story while giving players much freedom, though the game adopts a relatively linear structure. The game was received poorly when it was shown at E3 2002, and it prompted the developers to change some of the game's elements, including Jade's design. Ancel also attempted to streamline the game in order to make it more commercially appealing.

Beyond Good & Evil received generally favorable reviews upon release, with critics praising the game's animation, setting, story and design, but criticizing its combat and technical issues. The game received a nomination for "Game of the Year" at the 2004 Game Developers Choice Awards. While the game was considered a commercial failure at launch, it has since developed a cult following and is even considered by some to be one of the greatest video games ever made.

A full HD remastered version of the game was released on Xbox Live Arcade in March 2011 and on PlayStation Network in June 2011. A prequel, Beyond Good and Evil 2, is in development and was announced at E3 2017. A hybrid live-action/animated film adaptation is currently in the works at Netflix. Another remaster, titled the 20th Anniversary Edition, was released on June 25, 2024.