GoldenEye 007: review

• Format: Wii (version reviewed), DS
• Unleashed: Out Now
• Publisher: Activision
• Developer: Eurocom
• Players: 1 (+Splitscreen & Online Multiplayer)
• Site: http://goldeneyegame.com/canvas/

The original GoldenEye was the finest multiplayer game of its generation, and is fondly remembered by gamers of that era. EA sullied the name with the release of GoldenEye Rogue Agent in 2004. This re-imagining by developers Eurocom is an attempt to roll back the years and recreate the original’s magic. But does it attain double O standard, or is it left like a henchman floundering in a pool of sharks?

The Wiimote should be the perfect tool for the FPS genre but unfortunately developers have, for the most part, used the control method for simple on-rails shooters. This game redresses the thorny issue and if you aren’t quite happy with the default control scheme, then you have several customisation options to tinker with including the sensitivity of the Wiimote, and even the option to play with the classic controller.

The single player campaign has been updated from the original James Bond movie, and you now play as Daniel Craig’s Bond, voiced by the man himself, rather than the original’s Pierce Brosnan. The plot has also been modernised to reflect the current economic climate, but it doesn’t stray too far from the original game’s formula. The opening level in particular is a perfectly pitched homage to the original, with Bond and 006 infiltrating the Dam complex. Your mobile phone takes the place of the N64 version’s watch gadget, and is used to hack computers and send intel back to MI6. Using your phone, you follow a way pointer which leads you to your next objective. In your way are several archetypal henchmen, who you can take down with your silencer equipped pistol, which is handy to avoid head on confrontations with the flood of heavily armed goons that follow. The AI of these enemies is, for the most part, pretty good, and they duck for cover quite realistically. Sometimes though they can be a bit predictable with the bad guy staying in one place and occasionally popping their heads up, which leaves them exposed to a head shot.

The game follows the plot of the film fairly closely, with several set pieces that are pretty faithful to the original movie (although they have been updated for a modern audience) and the action could almost have been taken directly from the Call of Duty series, with the gunplay being particularly similar. It’s obvious that the developers are trying to replicate the seminal shooter’s success on the Wii, and Eurocom should be applauded for their efforts.

There are several stand out levels in the single player including a nightclub shootout, and a brilliantly executed stage set in St. Petersburg – where you take a tank through the city, and cause plenty of destruction and carnage. Another level that impresses is a construction yard, which adds some innovative ways of despatching bad guys including fully destructible scaffolding to bring down on top of a squad of henchmen. A later stage, where you are trying to escape a burning and collapsing building also gets the adrenaline pumping, as you pick off the bad guys while trying to escape before your time runs out. It’s this diversity in the levels that makes the single player campaign such a joy to play through, and even though it’s not the longest game in the world it is perfectly adequate, and better value than some of the Call of Duty single player experiences that are over before you even break sweat.

The GoldenEye multiplayer mode unsurprisingly takes its inspiration from the Call of Duty franchise. Players rank up in the usual way, and unlock an ever more impressive arsenal as time goes by. The addition of a split screen mode is a nod to the classic GoldenEye, and is a very welcome addition that other titles sadly neglect. Due to the Wii console’s limitations, there are only eight man online matches, and the lack of headsets is a bit of a problem. But the game is very impressive online, with no lag and plenty of game modes to choose from; including the usual deathmatches and capture the flag. Alternative modes like Golden Gun and GoldenEye are neat little twists on the formula. In Golden Gun all eight players search out the aforesaid weapon to wreak havoc on opposing players, which gives you a one shot kill – although the gun takes a while to reload. GoldenEye splits the 8 players into two teams, and each team has to take over stations on the map, to gain control of the GoldenEye satellite within the time limit. Paintball mode also makes a welcome return from the original game, and is a lot of fun. As you climb the rankings, you unlock additional gadgets and perks that you can use to gain an advantage as well as other game modes, and you can also play as classic Bond characters such as Oddjob and Jaws, which just adds extra value to this superb overall package.

GoldenEye is by far the best shooter on the Wii, which is quite sad considering the console should be the perfect home for the First Person Shooter genre. The pointing skill of the Wiimote is a lot more immersive than simply using a joypad, although you still have that option if you wish. This re-imagining is a loving nod to the classic N64 edition, and nostalgia permeates the levels like a fine Martini, shaken, not stirred obviously. If you can get past the last generation graphics and some AI issues, there’s a great game in here, that finally does justice to the James Bond legacy. Finally the Wii has a shooter that’s worthy of the double O insignia.