New job, new hair (shorter anyway, maybe I'm balding) new dogs, I'm back. Hopefully...
New job, new hair (shorter anyway, maybe I'm balding) new dogs, I'm back. Hopefully...
Member since:30.01.2001
Reviews:69
Members who trust:35
TOP SECRET - AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY
For the attention of Special Agent Joanna “Perfect” Dark. Carrington Institute. Subject – Datadyne Corporation.
Agent Dark, after your excellent and unprecedented training scores, the institute has elected to promote you to active agent status. You will now be involved in missions as set by the institute and we fully expect you to match your training abilities in the field.
Daniel Carrington, Head Of Carrington Institute.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it (failure to accept will result in the missing out of a hugely enjoyable game) is to investigate the dealings of Datadyne Corporation. We have received word from Dr. Carroll, a former Datadyne employee and now working for us that he has information vital to our cause. We need you to retrieve Dr. Carroll from the Datadyne Corporation HQ. Exercise tremendous caution, as the building and the Doctor will be well guarded.
For your mission, and the missions that will succeed it, we have provided you with our most advanced weapons set, as well as some tactical assistance.
Your Weapons. =============
(Note all weapons have primary and secondary functions, utilize both to achieve your targets.)
Falcon 2 Pistol – The standard issue here at the institute, this gun has a basic 8 round fire as primary, with a well-hardened handle as secondary for effective pistol whipping.
AR34 Assault Rifle – A powerful 30 round magazine as primary, with the ability to zoom in for more accuracy as a secondary function.
Laptop Gun – One of our newer toys, the laptop gun is disguised as a simple laptop PC but is actually a powerful rapid-fire weapon. Its secondary function is to be employed as a sentry gun so you can have remote cover.
Sniper
Rifle – A silent shot rifle with good accuracy in primary, but using its high quality digital zoom you can easily snipe enemies from great distance.
Magnum – Issued at Datadyne, this is a high power gun at close range, capable of a single shot kill. It can also be used as a pistol whip.
CMP150 – A high power, rapid fire gun with a high storage capacity. Its secondary function is to fire lock on bullets capable of homing in on a target.
Dragon/Superdragon – These are both high powered rifles differed by their secondary functions, the dragon can be laid as a proximity mine whilst the superdragon comes with an attached grenade launcher as standard.
K12 Devastator – This grenade launcher works in 2 ways, in primary the grenades will explode after 3 seconds, but the secondary mode will stick the grenade to walls and work as proximity mines.
There are other weapons that are so secretive we cannot tell you here, but a quick chat to our trainers at the institute will fill you in, as well as allow you to try them out.
Take care Agent Dark, remember if you or any member of your PD team are captured or killed, the Institute will deny all knowledge of you and your actions.
This message will biodegrade in 3-4 weeks :o)
OK, so that’s a novel introduction to one of the N64’s finest moments, but I was sick of the usual “in this game you must” start to an op. Now I’ve got that out of my system, here come the details.
Remember Goldeneye 007 on N64/ It was described as the most awesome First Person Shooter (FPS) on any system, so the logical move was for Rare to make a sequel. However some idiot at Nintendo decided to remove the Bond licence from Rare, and hand it on a silver plate to Electronic Arts.
Rare were disappointed, but were also determined to give their fans some more of the same. So they simply created the sequel, but removed the Bond references. This actually allowed them to be more creative, the game is set in the future and this has allowed for the weapons to evolve and the locations to be more varied.
The RAM pack. =============
Perfect Dark was the second game after Donkey Kong to require the N64 RAM pack add-on. By increasing the N64’s memory the pack allows for extra graphical touches and more content to the games. Despite the extra cost it is definitely good purchase, especially as only 30% of this awesome game is playable without it.
Graphics. =========
The look of Perfect Dark is similar to Goldeneye, it uses the same basic game engine, but thanks to the RAM Pack add-on, the game looks smoother and better than the Bond outing.
The levels are outstandingly detailed and the characters are well animated. The weapons look the part and the effects of bullets and explosions are well done indeed.
However it is the speed of the game that impresses, due to the extra memory we now have a faster frame rate and less slowdown on screen.
Sound. ======
Rare had to write their own music for this, as the Bond theme was now closed to them. Each level has a very atmospheric soundtrack and the music changes with the action. The effects of the guards yelling in pain as you kill them, or begging for their lives is a great addition.
Training. =========
Perfect Dark has a unique training mode. You get a guided tour of the institute and you get to try out the moves and weapons. However this is no linear training level, you can roam the centre freely, try out a few challenges, go to the shooting range and even earn cheats here.
Well set out and nicely done, this is like a game on its own.
Gameplay: Single Player. ========================
Goldeneye wasn’t just famous for its amazing single player mode, but for its great 4 player mode as well. Perfect Dark plays brilliantly in either mode. The character moves smoothly and the auto aim feature works perfectly. The single player missions are detailed and full of challenges, with plenty of bonuses to find.
Like 007, there are cheats to be unlocked if you can complete certain missions-within-a-mission. However the single player mode does have its flaws.
There is no save facility in mission, you must either complete the mission in one, or start the whole thing again if you die. As some of the missions are both long and hard, this can make for a frustrating experience.
The other flaw is Elvis, Elvis is an alien whom you encounter part way through the game. With the most ridiculous voice, and the part where the plot gets a little daft you will find yourself saying “to hell with it” and assassinating the little grey alien for fun. I think he is Perfect Dark’s equivalent of Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars) That said, the missions are still a good challenge and play very well, save points and no daft aliens would have helped, but we can’t have it all.
To top it all, we have the challenge section. This is like the multiplayer mode described below, except it’s for you to play on your own. You can choose between a standard multiplayer deathmatch, in a variety of modes (but playing against N64 controlled opponents) or you can try the one on one challenges. These allow you to hone your skills before the main event…
Gameplay: Multiplayer. ======================
Perfect Darks multiplayer mode is quite simply the finest thing on the N64. It takes all that was good with the 007 4 player mode and improves it immensely.
First off you have the opportunity to play the whole multiplayer mode on your own thanks to the “bots” that can replace human players. Ideal for practice.
You can design virtually every parameter of the game, what level, what weapons, names, characters, time and kill limits and even try out some of the game modes.
As well as a free for all killfest, you can play team games, capture the flag or even a hold the briefcase game, where you score points the longer you hold the case without dying.
The variety of the multiplayer mode makes this an everlasting game. I still play it now, regularly and with all my mates. The single player mode is OK, and will last for a while until completed, but the multiplayer mode is the games greatest feature.
Overall.
==Perfect Dark has the odd flaw, but its like saying a sea of pearls has a few stones in. The game stands out as the best FPS I have ever played in multiplayer and with its good looks, nice sounds and great control system, as well as an intuitive training mode and fabulous multiplayer shenanigans this isa a game you must play.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
This game is excellent - It's a big shame Perfect Dark 0 is going to Xbox :( Milky
bphester99 14.08.2001 02:24
First rate op on a first rate game, I have never played anything as rewarding and it is nice to see an opinion that does this justice. It's a shame there's no internet connection possible with this as I would love to take you on and whup your ass!!!!! Ben:o)
niclemamy 22.07.2001 23:45
A truly excellent op - this must have taken some time to write and was a very enjoyable read - Nicola
The first of three "Perfect Dark" science fiction thrillers, this book takes readers into ... more
a shadowy, mysterious world of espionage, conspiracy and global conflict. Set partly in London and Wales, it takes place six months after the events in "Perfect Dark Zero".
The year is 2020. Hyper-corporations control everything. In the name of domination, these ... more
organisations have recruited their own military forces to fight battles against one another. This is the first of three "Perfect Dark" science fiction thrillers which take readers into a mysterious world of espionage, conspiracy and global conflict.
2020 Corporations Control Everything. With One Exception.The year is 2020. The future is ... more
dark. Ruthless corporations compete in a savage, unseen war for global domination. Fueled by vengeance, Joanna Dark is thrown into a raging battle of corporate conspiracy and corruption, where truth and the fate of the world rests on the barrel of her gun.Leap into the next generation of gaming as you guide Joanna in the gripping prequel to the original mega hit Perfect Dark.Equip Joanna with the ultimate high-tech, high-body count weapons, gadgets, and vehicles, including jetpacks, hovercraft, and more.Explore a supercharged world of espionage and conspiracy.Guide Joanna Dark on a journey to become the perfect agent and save mankind.Fight online with Xbox Live; DeathMatch, DarkOps, Scalable Maps, and More.
Advantages: Fantastic gameplay, in both one player and multiplayer modes. Truck loads of extras. Perfect graphics and sound. The best game ever Disadvantages: None
Manic_Mike 01.05.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Perfect Dark (N64)
Advantages: Awesome graphics, superb graphics, long gamelife, live your dream as a special ops agent Disadvantages: The Price, plain and simply, but then again you have to pay for quality
Si007 28.02.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Deus Ex (PC)
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