GoldenEye: Rogue Agent

"An interesting look at portable first-person shooters."

Being one of the first FPS for the DS, I would say that Rouge Agent is a rather fun game, although it has many flaws.

Graphics:
As with most games that will be on the DS, the graphics are very good. The environment is detailed, as are the characters. Not only that, but there are short cutscenes that are enjoyable also. Probably the most impressive visual factor in the game are the weapons, each is very detailed and you can tell what kind of weapon it was taken from in real life. A visual stunner as far as portables go.

Music and Sound Effects:
The game takes a sudden drop downhill when it comes to sound. Shooting weapons sounds more like shaking a bean bag than bullets flying. When you shoot the enemy they make a sound like a muffled grunt, instead of actually saying something. The music is nothing more than a couple of hi-hat taps and some “error” sounds…fortunately portables aren't known for their music.

Story:
Not much is put into the story, only enough to give some background to the area you're in and give some purpose to the game. It begins with you working for M16, however you fail a mission and the enemy Goldfinger hires you. A lot of names from the movies are taken, nothing too special here.

Game play:
Another factor where the game goes downhill. The enemies stand there and shoot, waiting for you to shoot them. However, since most of them are armed with the automatic HS-90 (taken from the P-90 in real life) it's dangerous to stay out in the open, forcing you to take cover. Most of your shots seem to go to the left of the crosshairs, and sometimes change direction completely. The enemy sometimes shoots through walls, and parts of the game get very frustrating due to glitches like this. Also, new “Goldeneye powers” are introduced, opening fun new ways to defeat enemies and play the game.

Control:
This is where the game gets fun. The button controls aren't anything special, your standard FPS feel, but when using the stylus this game becomes very fun. The stylus and touch screen lets you easily aim at any place in a fraction of a second, giving you an almost realistic feel. You can switch weapons easily, double-tapping to drop one and tapping to pick one up, giving you full control over everything that your character does. This shows great potential for first-person shooters on the DS.

Multi-player:
Another fun aspect of the game, the single-card multi-player, although you only have one level and a limited weapon selection, is very fun. Multi-card gets even better, letting you use your powers and select different levels. Probably the most fun aspect of the game.

It is a short game overall, the main campaign only has 7 levels, but it has great replay value. Definitely something to check out if you're a fan of shooters.

Overall: 7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/06/05