Goldeneye 007 was a game changer (pardon the pun) when it came to FPS titles. It showed that the genre could work well on consoles, and its multiplayer proved highly influential. But what would come next from Rareware would surpass that great title and create a new legacy when Perfect Dark released on the Nintendo 64 twenty years ago. Whereas Goldeneye was a licensed game and took from the Bond mythos, Perfect Dark took from 80’s sci-fi such as Blade Runner, as well as 90’s pop culture and created a great blend.
The game was more than just a spiritual successor to Goldeneye, and actively tried new concepts. New gameplay mechanics, new types of weapons and full voice acting were all included here and made for a great experience. The soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope, Graeme Norgate and David Clynick was amazing and still holds up well today. It created a moody atmosphere that was perfect for the game and helped the player truly get into the action. The multiplayer also expanded on what came before, with more intense matches that would prove amazing when the game was re released on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and given online support.
Part of what made Perfect Dark so good however, was its world building. The game went out of its way to create a new mythos that could rival the best and had characters with believable personalities. While Rare was limited with what they could do when it came to Bond, they had full control with Perfect Dark and then proceeded to hit it out of the park. Taking cues from popular television and movies like the X-Files and more, Prefect Dark felt different while also being familiar at the same time and that made things work well.
It was not all perfect, as the game had some issues on Nintendo 64, and wasn’t able to run the best, especially in multiplayer. A port to the Xbox 360 and later Xbox One brought with it many changes, including dual analogue support, revamped visuals and as mentioned online play. It is probably the definitive way to play the game right now, and is a must play if you have not tried it yet. This version of the game has allowed Perfect Dark to age beautifully and will shine for years to come.
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