GoldenEye: Rogue Agent

"First gen FPS comes out Gus a' Blazing"

Goldeneye Rouge Agent, for the Nintendo DS is a step in the right direction for a system that's been out for more than six months and has little to nothing to show for it. With that said, GRA is not a very good game, but it ranks in the top five of DS titles for sure.

Gameplay/Controls 8/10

A very attractive feature for a first gen, first person shooter. GRA should displease no one who has mastered the controls of Metroid Prime Hunters. Even if you didn't, you have many others to choose from in your hunt to find something comfortable for you. Though problems arise with the fact that GRA is known for its dual gun wield ability, which is great on paper. However, when this is put into action, and the stylus is involved the second trigger button (R, or L) depending on which hand the stylus is in, is nearly impossible to hit. EA has rectified this issue allowing the user to have both guns blazing with one button, but this costs ammo you may not want to use.

Another problem comes in with the Eye gadgets. Trust me you won't be using them, even if you have the compunction to attempt to hit the tiny square in the corner it won't serve a purpose. The eye gadgets, like in the console counterparts are a gimmick and useless. Oh, and I hope you enjoy the game Simon Says because you'll be playing that quite a bit to unlock doors. Apparently, Bond's old nemeses couldn't afford locks to keep children out.

Sound 1/10

Obviously rushed. EA wasn't even trying with this one. What's worse is I've heard better sound out of some Atari games, Pong to site a good example. Honestly though, Nintendo put more effort into sound on a demo of MPH than EA did in this entire game. You will be turning off the music at the very least in your first outing of this game I guarantee you. If not for the sake of your sanity, but maybe for the sake of your poor Nintendo DS speakers, they just don't deserve it. The sound effects however are the only reason this gets a 1. The gun sounds aren't all bad, when compared to the music at least. Well, you know you're shooting someone...that much I can say. If you've ever played Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six for the N64, GRA does one above them.

Presentation/Graphics 5/10

Looking at this game as a whole, EA rushed a grand majority of it. Mostly the sound, which in a Bond title should be a marquee aspect of the game. Another downside is the computer AI which none of us had much hope for anyway. Let's face it, few games on the consoles deliver decent AI. But you'll find that these enemies have nothing programmed in them other than to point and shoot. Some are even given the ability to activate traps on you, (two by my count).

The graphics however are not all bad, but they could have had a make-over as well. For a system capable of delivering slightly better quality games than the N64, this looks like something RARE used as groundwork for the first Goldeneye. The character models are muddy and distorted as are the environments. On the upside, the game is bright, the enemies are easy to spot, and the frame rate is spot on making aiming a breeze. With the stylus, you'll find that aiming is similar to having a mouse for the computer.

Fun Rating/Lasting Appeal 7/10

Still, this game offers a tremendous amount of first person action. Blowing away enemies level after level and the pace never stops. Basically, this is a hackn'slash game in first person....with guns. Essentially your goal is to survive while killing everything in sight. There hasn't really been a game like this for a while, a game that offers nothing other than killing enemies. And on a fundamental level, this game does that one thing very well. The plethora of guns/gun combinations is refreshing to a genre that offers the most basic of weapons boring you to death after a few outings.

The lasting appeal is a tad different. After purchasing the game and beating it in three hours on easy mode mind you, there were still things to unlock, and a few things left to do, but nothing important unless multiplayer is your cup of tea. That's really where the lasting appeal for this game shines. There is plenty to do with VR missions, which are absurdly difficult, four difficulty settings, and many, many different ways to play multiplayer.

A big problem arises with the solo campaign that may well be the defining factor for not purchasing this game. For some strange reason, once you've beaten the solo campaign through, you are not allowed to continue it in any way. Raising your score, replaying levels and so on, no, you can't go back. When you click on the game file, it re-plays the ending sequence, (which is the choppiest thing I've ever seen) and sends you back to the start menu. Ok...

Final Thoughts

This game may have been rushed like an undercooked turkey on Thanksgiving, but at least it came out for goodness sakes. The DS's line-up has been pushed back just about every day, and this game actually lived up to its release date. Perhaps companies are preparing for the online capabilities in the Fall... At any rate, Goldeneye Rouge Agent is the best first person shooter on a handheld system...until a new one comes out. For those of you with an itchy trigger finger in the palm of your hand don't hesitate to give this one a try, because you'll be itching that finger a long time waiting for the next FPS game on the DS.

Final Score 6/10

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 06/17/05