This review was originally released in 2011, and we’re updating and republishing this review to mark the game’s arrival on Switch. N64 Library via Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
Revered by countless N64 owners, Golden Eye 007 often credited with initiating the first-person shooter craze on consoles. Not only did it show that a good first-person shooter could be made for a machine other than high-profile PCs, but it is also credited with creating the console multiplayer FPS phenomenon. In fact, without GoldenEye, a franchise like Halo and call of duty may never have experienced the massive popularity that propelled them into the gaming lexicon.
However, the game industry grows and evolves faster than perhaps any other medium of entertainment and likewise gamers are not usually a fickle bunch. While some titles somehow retain freshness and vitality far beyond their era, the most cutting-edge game of 1997 may not necessarily cut the mustard when placed next to other games. play today. So, after all these years, are you still excited about GoldenEye?
On the surface, Rare’s masterpiece of the 20th century is difficult to distinguish, precariously lying between the dramatic ‘reality’ of the era and its polygonal past. Of course, its production values are still primitive in this day and age: matte textures and characters with permanently clenched cuboid fists were fine back in 1997 on CRT TVs, but they’re gone today. become a hobby.
Still, an appreciation for the low-poly aesthetic has blossomed in recent years, and if you can ignore the obvious limitations, it’s a clean-looking game with a light color palette. gently complements the realism of the environment, the enemies and their excellence. cartoon. It’s still essentially effective, with the classic Bond theme being remade in a variety of ways, true not only for the series but for the GoldenEye movie as well. There’s no keynote, of course, other than a weird grunt or groan, but the sound effects and scores here overcome the sonic limitations of the original platform’s cartridge format. . GoldenEye still sounds great.
Luckily, the game has always had more to offer than flashy graphics and Hollywood flair. Over the years, the FPS genre may have degenerated into linear shooting galleries where players are spoon-fed targets that never go astray anyway, so play GoldenEye with more authentic, open feeling levels would be quite shocking. for many young gamers. Rare also built in a great balanced difficulty system that not only affects the amount of damage the player and enemy AI does, but also adds mandatory objectives in each of those levels depending on on the set difficulty.
Therefore, whether you are new to FPS, veteran or intermediate, GoldenEye has the right difficulty setting for you. This formula encourages you to improve your skills and motivates you to run through the game over and over, elevating things with each play. Indeed, you can peruse GoldenEye’s campaign three times, and each replay will deliver a dramatically different experience than the last. Rarely continue to use this fresh approach to solving problems in perfect darkness and Perfect Darknessbut the system was barely used by other developers until the Wii ‘reincarnated’ Golden Eye 007 in 2010.
While this is really unfortunate, GoldenEye still clings to other less favorable old-fashioned gameplay mechanics. Hold down the shoulder button for more precise targeting at the cost of no maneuverability (save for a sideways step) – while an innovative addition that predates the “iron sight” target – now feels Looks a bit too classic. It could be argued that GoldenEye is designed to be played at a more methodical pace than other shooters, with many missions requiring the player to go completely undetected. But doing so takes more work than it needs to with this stop/start targeting system which feels a bit counter-intuitive if you’ve lived for decades now on a diet of games. play first person two stick.
Of course, for many people, the criticisms above will cover most of the points of contention, because for many, GoldenEye is the most is remembered for its exciting split-screen multiplayer. All those stale images and less-than-convenient goals will all be eliminated when you have three friends involved. GoldenEye’s multiplayer doesn’t quite brag about the dizzying array of options of modern deathmatch shooters, but five distinct modes and their team-based variations each offer a unique opportunity. Unique gameplay to keep things fresh for a long time.
‘Normal’ is your standard deathmatch, while ‘You Only Live Twice’ and ‘Licence to Kill’ shake things up a bit; the former shows the player possessing only – yes – only two lives before they leave the game, while in the latter a single shot from any weapon is enough to kill you (or a single hit). karate tight if you’re caught without a gun, or play ‘Slappers Only’ with no weapons ‘The Living Daylights’ has players scrambling to hold a flag for the longest time, but ‘The Living Daylights’ The new Man With The Golden Gun’ is the most exciting and crazy mode in this mode.
There is only one Golden Gun – a one-shot killer weapon – available in a match, and once a player grabs it, the only way for their opponent to gain possession of the legendary gun is to kill them. to get it. This leads to some frenzied action, where fragile alliances can be forged to take down the holder of the Golden Gun, at which point all cooperation is thrown out the window when A three-way fight for the gun ensues. Using it successfully requires precision and skill, but when that single shot hits the target, you really feel like you’re Bond in the open barrel scene as blood flows down your opponent’s screen.
When combined with the generous aid of arenas, a wealth of weapons and a deep roster of characters from the Bond universe, GoldenEye’s awe-inspiring variations are based on the standard idea of four people trying to trying to shoot each other in the face will take a long time to hold. Its multiplayer mode is fun even now. It’s very basic compared to modern offerings, but the core is powerful – a sentiment that really neatly sums up the entire game.
Some will admire GoldenEye, from the day it came out. Others may appreciate its achievements on a more intellectual level, or find enough fuel in familiarity, nostalgia, and wonderful memories to overlook aspects that today feel slightly raw and ready. However, many others will struggle to click it for years afterward. Like the classic character itself, it’s a product of the times with one or two dodgy joints, but it’s also a game that has had a profound effect on the entire video game industry and is the recalling precious memories for the many fans we include. GoldenEye deserves our respect, if not our love, and is still capable of impressing with the right context.
Conclusion
As a history lesson in how things used to be, and as a split-screen multiplayer game, GoldenEye 007 still delivers the goods where it counts, although some aspects aren’t aged. gracefully as you would expect. Its precise targeting mechanics are unwieldy and somewhat impractical for any controller other than the original (and divisive) N64 pad, and – as with most 64-bit titles , to be fair – the old-fashioned CRT is much nicer on its picture than today’s HD screens. Play around for a while, though, and you’ll quickly find evidence of the subtle deep design that made this game such a game-changer back in 1997. GoldenEye represents a example of true innovation in the first-person shooter genre and its excellent local multiplayer reminds us that there is nothing yet. completely loves to gloat and brag to three friends crammed around a screen.
