Two generations ago the spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark was arguably the best shooter to have ever graced the consoles. Bursting with so much content at the time, it required a compulsory memory upgrade if you intended on playing the full game. Ten years on and 4J Studios, the team behind the XBLA Banjo remakes have worked their magic and given Perfect Dark the treatment it so rightly deserved. Times have changed though, we no longer need four controllers or a big enough TV to accommodate split screen, and rounding up four friends for a good old fragfest is a thing of the past. With almost a decade in between the remake and its original launch on the N64, does this classic stand the test of time?

The Name’s Dark, Joanna Dark

Set in 2023 you take control of Carrington Institute’s top agent, Joanna Dark, as she attempts to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation DataDyne in the midst of an interstellar war between two races. Sound crazy? It is, and to be honest it’s hard to take the story seriously when you tie in the production values of a game that’s essentially ten years old. You’ll travel to various locales and meet some truly wacky characters on the way. Throw in some impressive gadgetry and the fact that in no time the bullets start flying and well… that’s why we’re here, isn’t it?

Reinvention Not Necessary

Unless you’ve made it your mission to avoid first-person shooters in the last decade, the first thing you’ll notice right off the bat is how dated the game’s mechanics feel. Precision is off when judged by today’s standards and it’s where Perfect Dark begins to show its age – though that’s not to say it isn’t enjoyable. The game’s just as fun and rewarding as it was many years ago, despite the dated engine and finicky aiming. On the plus side, the control scheme has been carried across wonderfully and feels right at home on the 360. Best of all it plays like it was made with dual analogs in mind, while the thoughtful addition of familiar button configurations: “Spartan” and “Duty Calls”, are a nice touch for the gamer that doesn’t like to stray too far from home.

Who'd have thought playing a ten year old FPS would feel so natural.

There’s a wide variety of weapons available, and almost every single one is bundled with a secondary fire mode. The Laptop Gun for example works well on its own as every assault rifle should, but when doubled up as a deployed sentry gun, say at the entrance of a soon to be opened door, well… you get where I’m going. You’ll get a kick out of seeing enemies react to well placed gunshots, and shooting guns out of said enemies’ hands never gets old. Despite it’s age, the game’s mechanics hold up marvelously and make for some truly enjoyable moments.

Ahead of it’s Time

4J Studios have done the game proud; fans of the original will be happy to know the game has been left practically untouched, albeit the visual facelift. One problem with the 2000 release were the occasional slowdowns, even with double its original memory, the N64 had a hard time keeping up when the screen eventually got crowded. While the remake runs better than ever at 60 FPS and gets rid of these problems for the most part, I did run into the odd hiccup now and again. Not something you expect from a console two generations younger.

The single player boasts seventeen missions, each with a set amount of objectives to complete. Three difficulty types are available from the jump (Agent, Special Agent, Perfect Agent), and a fourth (Perfect Dark) when unlocked. Pushing up the difficulty setting of course improves the rate at which enemies deal damage, but also gives you more objectives on missions providing for a fuller game experience. Playing the game on a lower difficulty can be a missed opportunity, leaving loads of room for error and easily mowed down enemies in your wake.

The mission variety provides a nice change of pace, some levels have you disguising to get through the front door unnoticed, a welcome break from the usual running and gunning. There’s also the odd optional way of completing a mission; choosing a particular exit on some missions affect your starting place in the next. These little touches go a long way and are very rewarding, especially with a game this old.

The odd stealth mission provides a nice change of pace.

The maze-like level design soon becomes confusing, and due to the repeating hallways you could’ve sworn to have already walked that oh-so-familiar route. Coupled with the fact that there’s hardly any direction whatsoever, and it’s not hard to become lost within a level full of dead ends and locked doors. You’ll often find yourself failing key objectives resulting in an abortion of the mission and tears of frustration, though once the routes are learned you’ll have a blast running back through them trying to score your best time for the online leaderboards. The enemy AI is hilarious to watch, they seem set on staying true to their initial decision and once a target is sighted they never seem to follow it; even if you’ve since moved, allowing for some easy take downs.

Swimming in different modes, the fun doesn’t stop there with Perfect Dark. Online and offline co-op is available if you wish to play through the campaign with a friend, and Counter Operative makes for some interesting match-ups. The latter sees one player as Joanna while another spawns and continuously respawns as the enemy in attempt to stop her finishing the level. An interesting twist on things and a personal favourite, I find it surprising that after all this time it hasn’t been adopted into more modern shooters. It’s an enjoyable option for those willing to try something different, and the predictable AI is soon balanced when you match up against an equally skilled opponent.

Those sleepless nights are back!

Finally, the mode everyone wants to hear about, the endlessly customisable super-duper Combat Simulator (aka the Multiplayer or the reason I lost a lot of sleep as a lad). Jammed with options there’s six multiplayer game modes, sixteen maps and 43 weapons including some classic throwbacks from GoldenEye 007. In addition to the game’s split screen, Rare and 4J Studios have taken the fragfest online and as nostalgic as four-player split screen is, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I never could stand the player that continuously kept glued to my screen, working out my whereabouts on the map. Overflowing with options the multiplayer component is as fun and frantic as ever, and for only 800 Microsoft Points you’d be hard pressed to find a deal like this elsewhere.

More Than Just A Lick of Paint

4J Studios have done a tremendous job as expected and have given Perfect Dark the same high-end treatment that has graced the Banjo remakes. Running at a full 60 FPS, Joanna’s been given a full makeover and while these aren’t the greatest by today’s standards, fans of the original will appreciate the visual upgrade; especially when standing side by side with its N64 counterpart. Mouths are still inanimate; instead, characters will shake their fists at one another and the voice acting will leave even the sternest cringing. All in all you have to commend 4J Studios for the work done here, Joanna’s never looked this good and it’s probably the only reason to keep that N64 in the attic.

Still Perfect?

Let’s face it, this was made for the person who remembers Perfect Dark and fans of the original will be all over this. Newcomers to the game should feel free to jump in with both feet, while running on old source it’s still oozing with charm and can be appreciated by most for what it achieved so long ago. As far as console shooters were concerned back then, GoldenEye set the bar, Perfect Dark perfected it and this XBLA remake is possibly the best way to relive this timeless classic.

Ever found yourself on the fence about buying a new game? This should get you off it! Watch the opening minutes of Perfect Dark after the break.

The rejected Goldeneye sequel for the N64 would later become Perfect Dark, the critically acclaimed success that kept me and my best friend up, night after night. While a remake of the classic Goldeneye 007 is now a mere pipe dream, this my friend is no fantasy.

Rare have opened the floodgates this week by releasing a batch of new screens from the XBLA remake of Perfect Dark and have set in motion tongues wagging across the world. Sadly the game won’t be available until early 2010, which is understandable by the sheer amount of work the team at Rare and 4J Studios have put into these glorious HD remakes (comparison gallery below). Can you believe it’s nearly been 10 years since we first laid eyes on Miss Joanna Dark?

Capcom have just released a new gameplay trailer for Dark Void and have gotten me all excited for January – as if I wasn’t already. I really hope this game delivers on all fronts, like many of you I’ve had my eye on it for a while now. At least we know one thing is certain, you wouldn’t want to look up and see this guy whilst hanging from a ledge. Watch out you Watchers!