Perfect Dark released on Xbox Live Arcade this week with updated graphics and a $10 price tag. Like a classic back and white movie it shows its age but is well worth spending some time with. Perfect Dark released on the Nintendo64 in 2000 as the spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007. Before Halo and Call of Duty there was GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. They were the shooters that everyone played. If you were a fan of Perfect Dark on N64 then this $10 remastered version is a trip down memory lane that is worth taking. The new HD graphics look way better than the original without completely changing the look and feel of the game.
If you are new to Perfect Dark then you owe it to yourself to spend some time with this classic. Don‚t expect to just jump in and start going if you‚re use to modern first person shooters. You will need to spend a little time finding the control scheme you prefer as well as the settings you are most comfortable with, like auto-aim off and lower sensitivity settings. Perfect Dark heralds from time when gamers learned through trial and error. In the single player you will not find a mini-map or radar. You start in a level and it expects you to find your own way. And, it does not make it easy. There are plenty of doors that do not open of just lead to stands alone rooms. Not only do you have to figure it out for yourself, but after you do then you have the option to go back and try it as a speed run. If you want to top the leaderboards plan to spend a lot of time learning and memorizing the best path through each level.
In verses mode you do not start with a weapon. You can punch your enemies to death but part of playing Perfect Darks verses mode is learning where all of the weapons, ammo, and shields are on each map. Fortunately you can start up a room with a bot or two and learn the maps fairly quickly. In addition to learning maps you need to familiarize yourself with each weapon‚s secondary mode. Many of which can give you the advantage if used well. Proximity mines, laptop guns that can be thrown on the wall as a sentry and guns that ricochet bullets are only a few of the useful secondary features you can use to your benefit.
As a gamer who put dozens, if not hundreds, of hours into playing split-screen multiplayer I love Perfect Dark on Xbox Live Arcade. The updated graphics look good for a 10 year old game and at $10 it is a good deal. With single player speed runs, co-operative play and verses modes there is something for everyone if you will take the time to get use to the control style and unapologetic lack of in-game direction. You have to be smart to play Perfect Dark well, but if you are it is as rewarding now as it was ten years ago.
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A copy of Perfect Dark for the Xbox 360 was provided to us for this review from Microsoft Game Studios.
