Perfect Dark

[Matt Young]

As I'm sure many of you already know, Perfect Dark is scheduled to be released on Xbox Live Arcade in the next 8 hours or so. It features updated graphics, modern control schemes, and- most importantly- online play via Xbox Live.

I haven't played the game since the early 2000's, but I hope it holds up. It was my second-ever FPS after GoldenEye, and was my favorite N64 multiplayer game that wasn't an AKI wrestling title. It was great to play split-screen with friends, and it had a great system of bots that were as good as or better than human players.

I also never did finish the story, so now would be as good a time as any to do so. Overall, I'm stoked for the release. Will anyone else be downloading it? I'm so glad I have points on my account.

 

[Sabre]

How many points is it?

 

[bps21]

800 IIRC

 

[Matt Young]

Yep, it's 800 points/$10. That has to be one of the best values ever presented on the XBLA.

IGN has a nifty little video review up. They gave it a 9.0.

 

[Broward83]

I'll be getting it. Looking forward to see what all they put into the game

 

[Matt Young]

Nifty video comparing the N64 graphics with the 360 ones:

Perfect Dark N64/Xbox 360 Video Comparison Video from GameVideos

 

[Matt Young]

It's not on the dashboard yet, but I queued it up via the site and I'm about to go play it!

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802584109c2/

 

[Matt Young]

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD

So, I played the first 3 levels before joining my friend Eric for a fun team co-op game. Then he decided to go to bed, so I joined up with some randoms for some 8 man free-for-alls. Aside from the game on Temple (I've always hated that map) where I went something like 6-14, I placed in the top half of the standings in every game.

The only complaints I have are that you don't start out with a weapon and it's sometimes hard to find one, and half the time, I spawn right into the same area as 2-3 opponents who have guns. But I know both of those issues were present in the original game.

If I hadn't taken a sleeping pill a few hours ago, I'd probably be up all morning long playing this game. As it is, it's 20 after 5 and I'm so hyped up that I don't know if I can sleep.

I have barely played any games in the past 3 weeks and haven't really had any desire to do so, but that's definitely changed now. I love Perfect Dark!

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

I don't understand what magic a website on my computer would need to do to put a game on my Xbox, but I'll probably get this by methods I understand soon.

 

[AndrewTS]

I don't understand what magic a website on my computer would need to do to put a game on my Xbox, but I'll probably get this by methods I understand soon.

I assume he has a gamertag that is linked to an email that has a Windows Live passport (i.e. an msn, microsoft, hotmail, or live.com email), and purchased it while on the site while signed into his passport email.

 

[Sabre]

Darn tooten.

 

[Broward83]

Really upset they limited the customization for multiplayer matches..my days as running as an NSA agent with an awesomely cool masked face are no longer.

 

[Sabre]

DLC is apparntly coming... featuring goldeneye multiplayer maps.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Will the 360 version finally solve the cheese mystery?

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Sabre and I are rocking the PD t-shirts.

As soon as I started playing around in the Carrington Institute, so many memories of great fake-Goldeneye style music flooded back. Then I wasted all my ammo destroying glass and windows in the Datadyne building and had to fight the ground floor ambush with my fists / pistol whip until I got some ammo.

I really wish Rare would have been allowed to do the GoldenEye HD Live port, but this is a worthy substitute.

 

[AnonymousBroccoli]

I suspect GoldenEye will be caught in licensing hell forevermore. On the game side, you've got Microsoft/Rare, Activision and maybe Nintendo to deal with. Activision alone would probably be dickish about it, despite them not contributing anything to the original game, and merely currently owning the Bond rights. Then there might be the likes of MGM/United Artists and 20th Century Fox to appease as well, given its movie ties. I'm not sure how that works exactly.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Rights issues are definitely the reason it probably won't ever happen. Quite a shame.

I love the music when you complete a mission. I just left it running for a bit.

 

[Haws Bah Gawd]

I used to love the gun that did this funky watercolor effect when you zoomed in, and let you shoot through walls. I remember when I first saw this at EBGames back in 2000-ish and thought"oh my God, it's finally out!", and bought it no questions asked. This HD remake would be a fun trip down memory lane.

 

[AndrewTS]

Rights issues are definitely the reason it probably won't ever happen. Quite a shame.

Specifically it's Nintendo's fault. GE for XBLA almost happened, to coincide with a Virtual Console re-release, but Nintendo wanted more money at the last minute.

Thanks again, Nintendo! :

 

[Mattdotcom]

I thought they wanted it to be Wii exclusive

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Unfortunately, the reason GoldenEye for XBLA died came down to money. Our source close to Rare said the conversion was a mere two months from completion, but Microsoft and Nintendo couldn't agree on the financial side of things. The point of contention, as our source puts it: would Nintendo receive a one-time fee for the rights to the game, or a continuing cut of the XBLA revenues? The latter seems to make sense for everyone, but apparently it wasn't that easy.

That's from 2008 though. I mean, Banjo Kazooie / Tooie were also Nintendo published titles that got put on XBLA so, in theory, you'd think some agreement was reached on those titles that could apply to GE. Of course, the idea of GoldenEye HD Live is probably worth more money to lose / be gained, depending on the deal.