Publisher:
Activision
Developer:
Eurocom
Release Date:
05-Nov-2010
Platform(s):
WII
Genre:
First Person Shooter
Age Rating:
Goldeneye 007 is just another First Person Shooter
Goldeneye: The legendary N64 shooter, long since deified in gamers’ eyes, believed instrumental in moving FPS across
to the console platform. It wasn't the first shooter on a home console, far from it, but without doubt, (stop
doubting!) it was the primary showcase for how impressive the genre could be without the need for a high end PC.
So, after considering all this, how do YOU reckon this latest Wii shooter, of the same name, fares under the harsh
light of comparison?
Exactly.
Make no mistake, Eurocom's motion controlled shooter is a fine game, a more-or-less agreeable experience and an
important title for the Wii's catalogue. But we'll get to all that later.
First, let’s get the obvious out of the way. Goldeneye will not go down in the annals of history once again, for
perfecting, reinventing or even enhancing the genus to new heights. In all honesty, it'll probably be forgotten
among the plethora of Halo's, Call of Duty's and Medal of Honor's that 2010 regurgitated.
This is a damn shame, because no game deserves the kind of pressure that accompanies the public's inexplicable
nostalgic fondness for games in excess of 10 years of age.
Newsflash! A lot of old games are pants.
And not the good pants, which are thermal and keep you warm during frosty winters.
But, to be brutally honest, what Bond does best, it does little to be remembered by...
You have probably noticed those TV Spots for Goldeneye, showcasing humans of varying degrees of celebrity using a
golden classic controller. There is a reason for this, and it's not because the shiny controller looks P.I.M.P.
It's due to the fact that after 5 years of experience, tweaking, and Wii motion-pluses, the control scheme using the
standard Wiimote and Nunchuck is less responsive, and as a direct result, less desirable than using control stick.
This is ridiculous.
And the game's major downfall.
Forget the inconsistent graphics and the extremely linear design, the fact that it's a pain in the rump to
realistically, manually target headshots, rather than just thumb a control stick, is a nigh-unforgivable design
flaw.
Especially considering motion tech is the Wii's primary/only hook. Especially as games such as Zelda, Red Steel 2
and Res Evil 4 have managed a blissful shooting experience before.
We have no idea how Eurocom and Activision managed to fudge this one, and arguably, with time, one grows accustomed
to the awkwardness. But nonetheless, big mistake.
Bleeding on from this, the controls are basic console FPS, ported to the Wii. You'll find no invention here (barring
the greatly appreciated ability to tilt your aim while in Iron-Sights mode) which is funny considering this is NOT a
port from 'Big Brother' systems and the original itself had a different, and preferable control scheme.
The Wiimote handles targeting and turning, which should immediately fluster even seasoned gamers. It would have been
wiser to leave it strictly for targeting onscreen baddies, yet if you dare to aim slightly to the sides, Bond will
spin like a top.
You'll loose sight of your enemies, and probably why you're bothering at all.
We'd forgive you for crying. If you'd forgive us...
To its credit, the campaign is agreeably long, and there’s some freedom to stealthily smack your way through
missions, administering muffled projectiles, satisfyingly rough melee disarms and utilizing a multi-purpose
Smartphone to do some spy work involving brains rather than bullets.
However this occurs within narrow, grey corridors for much of the time. While the occasional colourful vista will
splinter the monotone, you shouldn't expect much more than standard FPS narrative.
That is to say, increasingly contrived excuses to shoot everything dead.
The multiplayer suffers from a similar lack of ambition. Content to copy and paste from its contemporaries,
Goldeneye offers limited local split-screen as well as online Deathmatches and the usual fare. Indeed with the
inclusion of modifiers, the multiplayer here manages outstrip the original.
But should it be proud?
No, because the original's spiritual successor, Perfect Dark still trumps the bland, soulless online experiences of
today. You won’t find bots, co-operative assignments, or anything much in the way of multiplayer freedom.
A disgrace, but one not just Goldeneye is guilty of. It’s no excuse though. Why bring your friends over when there’s
nothing more exciting to do together than brain each other?!
Besides, in a half years time when gamers have moved on, we predict little value in the online play.
So in conclusion, for better AND for worse, Goldeneye 007 is just another First Person Shooter. It rests on the
lucrative laurels of the current formula and does little to distinguish itself from the crowd (just like a real
spy!), content that it's recognizable branding will see it a success. The controls irritate and you can't play team
Deathmatch without 7-15 randomers online.
Having said that, despite being an ideal and very, extremely obvious way to implement intuitive control mechanisms,
Nintendo's Wonderdog is severely lacking in the shooters department and this is just the title to bulk up the ranks
and rejuvenate diminishing interest.
Goldeneye has its issues, just like its genre, but it's certainly worth a try, and if nostalgia is as potent a force
as to be believed, it's possible the lack of invention can be successfully glossed over.
If nothing else, it’s yet another example of how developers are taking more of an interest in the Wii. With titles
such as Kirby's Epic Yarn, Mario Galaxy 2, Epic Mickey, Metroid Other M and Donkey Kong Country Returns, the little
white box may finally be getting that push it has so sorely lacked this past half decade.
It's about bloomin' time!