Goldeneye 007 Review

Goldeneye 007 (Wii)

Goldeneye is a classic. On the N64, that is. Its near-perfect gameplay set the standard for FPSs in the future, and without it, we may not be in the era of FPSs as we are today. So, it's a given that a re-make would be coming, and lo and behold, it did. Goldeneye 007 manages to capture what made the original so great, and twist it up enough to offer something unique and fresh.

Goldeneye 007 on Wii features Daniel Craig as James Bond, instead of the original Pierce Brosnan. It's a nice touch, because we get Craig's interpretation of the Bond character, and it switches minor details in the story that were changed from the original. An example is the parachute off the dam, except this time, there's no parachute. Goldeneye 007 manages to do this without feeling too generic, and Daniel Craig does the game justice. The story is pretty much the same, with just minor changes, such as locations. The whole game has more of a 21st-century look, and features changes from the '97 original that would be out of place today.

Goldeneye features about 15 story missions, and these are a lot of fun. You really feel like James Bond, and the game switches from high-octane shoot outs to quiet stealth sequences, and these make the game nice and balanced. There are many ways to traverse through the level, and the game rewards you with finding unique ways to approach sections of the level. Maybe, by going through a door, you alert the guards and have a shootout on your hands, or, by sneaking through the vent, you can bypass the enemies and take them out silently. Each level has 4 difficulty settings, and each adds an extra objective, such as collecting ammunition caches or destroying a computer. James has a variety of weapons at his disposal, and the game makes excellent use of the Wiimote's pointer, offering precision like none other. Other control options include the classic controller and Gamecube controller. You aim with the Wiimote, and take-downs are performed with a flick of the Nunchuck.

The multiplayer on the N64 original was what was king in that game, and Goldeneye offers a unique multiplayer experience both offline and online. Up to four players can battle it out using a variety of classic characters from the Bond franchise. There are fun modifiers to change-up the gameplay, such as paintball mode or big hands, and, although goofy, they add some fun to the local multiplayer. Online is amazing, and features some of the best online features and modes that I've seen in a long time. You can play with up to 7 others at once, and there are a handful of different game modes to play, such as basic Conflict, Team Conflict, Golden Gun, and Black Box just to name a few. There isn't a dud game in the package. The online uses an XP system, similar to Call of Duty, and each kill earns you experience to help you level up and gain access to new perks and weapon sets. Strangely, there's no Wii Speak support, so it's sometimes difficult to develop strategies while playing on a team.

Graphics on Goldeneye are sub-par, with boring textures, and last-gen graphics, but, honestly, I didn't care. The voice acting was great, featuring Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench as M, who briefs you before each mission. Music in Goldeneye is quiet, spy tunes, with monotonous elevator musak while in the menus. Goldeneye also features, like every Bond game should, a remarkable re-make of Tina Turner's "Goldeneye", written by Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, which plays after the opening mission.

Goldenye is a brilliant returns to one of the greatest video games of all time. It features enough to make any N64 kid nostalgic, while offering something new for the newcomer to Goldeneye.

Pros:
Great Presentation
Mix of Action & Stealth Gameplay
Brilliant Online
Voice Acting

Cons:
Last-gen graphics
No WiiSpeak support

Overall: 9.0/10.0