Remaking the Nintendo/Rare co-production GoldenEye 007 from the Nintendo 64 era is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle, and goodness knows that plenty of developers have tried to capture the GoldenEye feel in new James Bond titles (some more transparently than others – I’m looking at you, Electronic Arts). For this latest take on reviving the GoldenEye name, Activision and Eurocom have gone all out and decided, heck, why not blatantly reinvent the iconic game (while it’s still fun to play now, it is not aging very well) by modernizing the formula and updating the overall experience?
Game: GoldenEye 007
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Eurocom
Genre: First-person shooter
Price: $49.99
Verdict: A solid re-imagining of the original GoldenEye 007.
Pros: Revamped story, multiple control modes, kick-ass cinematic intro
Cons: Motion controls can be difficult when aiming, visuals seem especially muddy at times
Acquired via Publisher
Pierce Brosnan is out and Daniel Craig is in as James Bond in this iteration of GoldenEye, and while the swap may seem superficial, it’s hardly the only change that seasoned players will notice. The entire GoldenEye story has been reworked and updated to meet modern sensibilities. Think of this title not as a remake of the original game or even a video game based on the 1995 film, but more as a new video game based on the GoldenEye story itself. The Cold War angle is out; Bond and Alec Trevelyan (Agent 006) are instead sent to stop the arms dealer Ourumov from selling weapons to terrorist cells. Bond no longer has a handy do-all wristwatch, but instead uses a modern smartphone for his espionage needs. Familiar characters such as Simonova, Onatopp, and Zukovsky turn up, although their exact roles are slightly different than players will remember them. While most of the major story beats are intact, the complete picture has changed.
The biggest change from the original GoldenEye game is, of course, the control scheme. The old N64 trident controller is long gone, having been replaced with four new control options. Most players will probably go for the now-familiar Wii remote and nunchuk combination, although I found that my right hand was a little too shaky to target enemies properly. Seasoned 007 veterans will be glad to know that the game supports the classic controller and GameCube controllers to provide a more familiar control stick option. Once equipped with the classic controller, I found moving through levels and taking out enemies to be much simpler, although my aim was still twitchy with the sensitive right stick. It was easy to over-correct my aim and end up shooting on either side of the target. The Wii Zapper is also supported if you still happen to have one sitting around.
Let’s talk structural changes for a moment. The original GoldenEye title opened with a sweeping pan across the dam facility, and while this new title does the same (so identically, in fact, that it feels like this new game is reaching back and kissing the old one), after this point the action diverts from the Nintendo 64 era. This time around Trevelyan accompanies Bond through the dam facility. The duo hijack the truck that in the old days Bond had to follow behind, and for a brief moment the action becomes an on-rails shooter as 007 rides shotgun. Eventually the two split up and Bond must work his way through to enter the actual complex. Along the way alarms will be tripped, helicopters will be photographed, and many of Ourumov’s goons will be riddled with bullets. Bond will take his share of heat as well, come to think of it, but at least this time around his health regenerates (if this is displeasing, rest easy knowing that there is a “classic” difficulty setting in which Bond keeps any damage he takes as in the old days). I hesitate to mention much more so as not to give away any spoilers. Well, alright, just one spoiler. The original GoldenEye game ended its opening stage with a silent cut scene of Bond bungee-jumping off of the Byelomorye Dam. For the time, it was enough. This new GoldenEye takes things to the next level, establishing this adventure as a proper James Bond cinematic offering. Here’s a clip:
I could go on and on about the single-player storyline and the local and online multiplayer modes as well as the changes to familiar stages and gameplay mechanics, but while talking with friends and colleagues, the only thing that everyone wanted to know was this: does this new GoldenEye feel like the old Nintendo 64 game? Yes, it does. The faces are different and the settings have changed, but this Wii effort is the first James Bond game that I’ve played that feels as if it could sit alongside the original GoldenEye in the pantheon of favored 007 first-person shooters. It’s not perfect and it’s not going to replace the beloved Call of Duty or Halo titles for hardcore FPS aficionados, but is it fun to play in a relaxed setting? Absolutely.
GrE Grade: B
JAMES BOND WILL RETURN
Popularity: unranked [?]
