GoldenEye: Rogue Agent

"It's about time the truth comes out"

Gamespot: 6.3
IGN: 6.3
Gamespy: 2.5 Stars
Me: 8.5 Rounds to 9.0

Quite a difference, eh? The reason? I'm not
A) A Halo fanboy
B) A Goldeneye64 fanboy
Speaking of Halo, I just realized IGN gave it 6 awards...
Speaking of Goldeneye64, I never owned an N64 so can't compare or be insulted by usage of the name.

The game is called GoldenEye because that's the codename of the main character who has a golden eye, hence the name GoldenEye! Making sense yet?

Don't expect your Goldeneye64. 'Cause the game's not.

Moving on.

GRAPHICS: 8/10
The graphics look great in screenshots, but are eh on your TV. Compared to other games, they're average overall. However, the guns are incredibly cool looking and the multiple environments are well-made. The only bad thing about the graphics are the occasional lame texture.

Some have complained that all the enemies look the same. Well, they're wearing uniforms. That's all there is to it.

Ah, the physics. They are great. GERA makes use of the Havok physics engine. Kill an enemy and watch him fall and nock down another foe. Take a hostage and throw him into a group of enemies to watch them all go tumbling to the ground. Kill a guard and watch his gun roll down the steps. Need I say any more?

GAMEPLAY: 9/10
The early missions are great. Nice environments, great use of deathtraps, remarkably well-done dual-wielding, and of course all the "rogue" stuff to make it seem like you're truely a bad guy (taking hostages, etc). Yes, the gameplay at its core is great. However, the levels are LONG. REALLY LONG, for that matter. To complete one mission on Easy mode, expect to take at least an hour and a half out of your day. Not to mention they're HARD. REALLY HARD. This game will keep you going for weeks. However, in the later levels there are many rooms that are recycled and reused. Although you can reason that it might be realistic, there is really no excuse for repetitive design in a video game. That's what brought the score down, but otherwise the gameplay is too fun to be overshadowed by that small flaw.

Some have complained that the controlls are sluggish, and that the controls aren't sensitive enough. Simple: increase the sensitivity. I honestly don't see where these complaints come from.

STORY: 6/10
Sad... but true. Some of the cinematics are great, like the opening sequence. But some seem blurry. Probably bad compression. Some parts aren't narratively told, and some things aren't explained, like why Oddjob attacks you in the Hoover Dam level. You have to go online to http://goldeneye.ea.com and go to Oddjob's villain profile to read that he's not happy with GoldenEye's arrival and there can only be one "right hand man." The cinematics are directed differently than usual - they are very fast moving and change camera frequently. If you lack the intellect to comprehend what the game is acutally showing you, don't complain about the story. Feel free to complain about the stuff the game DOESN'T tell you, however.

AUDIO: 10/10
The music is great. Even if it hadn't been composed by a celebrity composer, I would still find it great. The title screen tune is playing in my head right now, in fact. Quite catchy. Occasionally I find myself humming along while playing.

The sound effects are outstanding. The gun shots, the explosions, it's all top-notch. What's most impressive is with the AI sfx, but we'll get there later.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI): 10/10
This is simply amazing. They will flank you, they will take cover, they will take hostages, they will duel-wield, and they will do anything you will. They're almost always on the move, making them difficult targets. Reloading? They'll know it and shout it to their allies. Hiding behind their counter? Expect to hear "We've got him behind the counter!" Have two guns? "He's duel wielding!" Using the Commando rifle? "He's using an assault rifle!" Use your Goldeneye shield? "He's using some kind of shield!"

MULTIPLAYER: 10/10
This is just a blast to play. There are some great maps like Moonraker Fuel, Funhouse, and Uplink. In fact, there are so many I have yet to play all of them. 20+, I think. There is Showdown, Team Showdown, Tug-o-War, and Domination. It's easy to tell who's on your team and who's not, and there's nothing better than using deathtraps on your foes. There are plenty of unlockable skins, powerups, and modifiers that you can get through Campaign (1P) mode.

Hmm... I think that covers it. This game is not as flawed as the reviewers made it out to be. In fact, it's a blast to play. If you expect anything other than a fun, villanous run-and-gun, stay away. You won't get your old Goldeneye64, and I certainly hope you will not try to bring this game down if you are a Halo fanboy.

Rent or buy? If you're skeptical, rent first. But I would go ahead and buy it.

OVERALL: 8.5
Rounds to 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/05, Updated 01/06/05