Remakes are often the result of high demand from loyal fans or opportune timing to make an extra dime on a classic. Whatever the case, something’s provoked Activision into giving the Holy Grail of console shooters ‘GoldenEye 007′ a 21st century makeover.
Not contempt with a quick spit polish, developer Eurocom has completely renovated GoldenEye for what they’re calling a ‘modern reimagining’. Plot devices, locations and even Pierce Brosnan have all been swapped out in favour of a freshly rewritten script which features the recognisable mug of Daniel Craig trotting around the world pursuing the Janus group.
The nostalgia trip opens with the iconic Akangelsk dam albeit blanketed by stormy weather and makes regular stops at new scenarios. Previously unused cuts from the original movie appear in modernized glory including Zukovsky’s nightclub which today is a happening venue where strobe lights ignite the dance floor into an arm-waving frenzy.
More than just a face lift, in an attempt to bring Bond up to speed with the conventions and staples of today’s shooters, GoldenEye feels like it’s had the fingers of Call of Duty and Halo smeared all over it. Heavy (but adjustable) aim assists, regular context sensitive actions and regenerating health show just how much times have changed.
It’s the original’s penchant for espionage that shines brightest here. We can’t remember the last time we’ve been so careful with our shots to avoid raising the alarms or spied round each corner staring up at the top of the wall to see if a security camera lies in wait. Bond’s all-in-one smart phone replaces a suitcase of different gadget allowing you to snap pictures of enemy vehicles, plant tracking devices and hack enemy gun turrets.
It’s got everything you’d expect from a Hollywood Bond: villains, luscious set pieces and arm candy to finish off. Throw in an extra handful of objectives and a ’007 classic’ mode exchanging the regenerating health for back-to-basic armour and health bars and GoldenEye’s campaign packs quite a punch.
It’s a shame then that its weakest asset should be the same one which made it such a knockout back in the day. Multiplayer suffers no shortage of modes down to the variety of modifiers you can use to mix a concoction of bizarre rules melee only games to replacing bullets with paintballs.
An aging novelty, sharing a screen with three other friends is an uncomfortable experience. The visuals take a noticeable fall in quality and unless all players are using conventional controllers, four remotes waving around the screen is a little disorientating. Stick to the game’s far more robust and fleshed out online competition if you want the best GoldenEye has to offer.
The name ‘GoldenEye’ is synonymous with high quality gameplay and groundbreaking ideas. Today’s GoldenEye falls short of this impeccable standard but manages to stand alone as a solid package that creates new memories rather than tarnish old ones.
Briefly Speaking:
Topping the Rareware original would have taken a miracle but Eurocom’s effort shows no shortage of care and admiration. As a result, GoldenEye is a surprisingly entertaining and oddly refreshing shooter that will have some diehards loosening the grip on their cartridges.
Score: ‘Still Golden’
Tags: GoldenEye 007
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