As gamers, we’re used to having our nostalgia screwed around with. Too often do companies release half hearted titles labeled as sequels or remakes while cashing in on our memories instead of creating quality that made the originals so great. So it’s not surprising that many were sceptical towards Eurocom’s and Activision’s reimagining of Goldeneye, the N64 classic that’s been updated for the Nintendo Wii. But rest assured, this new title isn’t trying to be something it’s not. Not a straight remake and definately not a faux sequel with an actual “golden eye,” (I’m looking at you, Goldeneye Rogue Agent,) but a standalone experience inspired by the old school gem. The forumula has been shaken AND stirred, but does it fill the huge shoes, (or martini glass?) of the original?
So with this new version of Goldeneye, we need to throw out some expectations right out the bat. No, Pierce Brosnan isn’t starring, that role is filled by current Bond actor, Daniel Craig. No, the stages are mostly redesigned and hardly resemble the old ones save for a few iconic sections. No, Bond doesn’t retain his old gadgets, and is strictly a fisticuffs kind of guy this time around. And yes, both online and single player have some modern aspects such as class based online matches, regenerating health, experience points and iron sight aiming, (which comes with an annoying auto target function, but more on that later.) But before the fanboys cry that this is Call of Duty with a James Bond skin, everything that was lost is replaced with so much that works so well.
So with some of the differences in the new game comes some familiarity as well. Retelling the story of the film with edits to fit the Daniel Craig mold, moments like the jump from the dam and the bathroom scene from the facility stage are faithfully recreated with a few sections from the films that weren’t in the first game such as a freefall dive into a moving plane. Most scenes add a level of interactivity with quick time events which will keep the best agents on their toes, and makes changes to the core narriative to distance itself enough to feel like a new experience. With the inclusion of well done, fully customizable motion controlls as well as Classic and Gamecube control support, this game is easily one of the most intuitive titles on the Wii and further pushes this title out of the original’s shadow. Plus, you can’t blame the “crappy controls,” if you suck this time.
It’s been years since I’ve played a single player campaign in an FPS that didn’t feel like an afterthought to the multiplayer. Much like the N64 version revolutionized single player FPS experience on consoles so long ago, this title brings back a solid, focused and varied treck through Bond’s missions that had me hooked from beginning to end. A true 00 agent needs to know when to pick a fight, and the campaign highlights this perfectly. If you want to be a gun toting badass throughout the entire game, feel free to do so, but expect a hell of a fight, because enemies will call for reinforcements that will make the stage much harder than it has to be. The game encourages and rewards stealth when necessary, with melee attacks that consist of more than karate slapping each other.
Taking hints from the original, the game retains a curve that adds additional objectives to each stage on top of bringing on stronger enemies depending on the difficulty chosen. Thankfully, one change for the better is that these bonus objectives give an alert through Bond’s smartphone whenever he’s near one, so the pain of having to hack one particular computer in a stage full of computers is gone. The phone is essential for bonus objectives, since it’s the only real gadget 007 gets. Need to hack a computer? Photograph clasified documents? Record private conversations? Bond’s got an app for that. And don’t worry if you miss an objective, gone are the days where the entire stage has to be restarted for failing. You’ll just continue on a lower difficulty. For the purists, a 007 Classic difficulty was added that does away with magical regenerating gunshot wounds and brings back this strange relic called a health bar. You better scower the stage for body armor and play smart, because that health has to last for the whole stage. It’s very challenging, but one of the most rewarding experiences a game has offered this year. It’s just a shame that you can’t play with classic health on normal or easy difficulties. I mean really, was that too much to ask?
Long before online gaming dominated multiplayer gaming on consoles, Goldeneye was the best way to get a group of friends together and shoot it out. Eurocom tries to recreate the split screen magic of the original with a varity of game modes, cheats and stages. Four player local matches play smoothly with a cast of characters that bring unique abilities to the fray. Certain soldiers will have different types of weapons such as mines or grenades, and some classic bond villians offer more than a familiar face. The coolest is the infamous Oddjob, who can actually through his top hat of doom for an instant kill. Not that kills are all that hard to earn anyway, because characters die too fast for my taste, once again catering to the regenerating health.
Since it’s practically a requirement, online play was also added to the newest game. Most of the split screen modes like death match carry over on top of new modes like a Hero Mode that pits heroes vs. villians in all their game breaking glory. The amount of modes is nicely complemented by a level up system that unlocks new modes the more you level up. Lag is kept to a minimum and most of the games I played were about as fun as the local matches I’ve had. It’s too bad that most of the game’s flaws lie in the multiplayer modes though. As expected, it’s hard to find friends and games take awhile to start up due to the Wii’s limitations. Voice chat isn’t even an option for the three people with a Wii Speak, so it’s hard to communicate with team mates. The stages feel too small for local matches, so imagine when there are 12 players in a match. Trust me, getting picked off right when you spawn is no fun. Some of the more interesting modes like classic conflict which brings back the health bar are unlocked after reaching high levels, but it takes so long to level up that most people will quit before trying. Or you could buy the collectors edition and download the unlock for free… it sucks to have modes held hostage, doesn’t it?
Well, that was a lot of complaining, but much like the single player, playing against other people is too fun despite its flaws and rounds out a great package that lives up to the original in nearly every way. Eurocom knew that it would be hard to please such a loyal fan base who would probably nitpick it to death anyway, so it was a wise move to mold it as if it were a stand alone experience. Bits and pieces of the originals magic was sprinkled along this brand new campaign that is the best I’ve seen in awhile. And although multiplayer isn’t what it once was, it doesn’t mean it’s not a great way to waste a couple of hours with a group of buddies. No, this isn’t the original Goldeneye. It never tries to be. And because of it, it’s become one of the best FPS titles on the Wii, if not the generation. What better way to live up to the original than that?