Perfect Dark

"Take the N64 version, remove everthing fun from it, and you get the GBC version"

Perfect Dark for GBC is an exercise in tedium. The game was rushed, only made to gain more money from gamers, and is just not fun to play. The N64 Perfect Dark is an outstanding product that everyone needs in their gaming collection. The GBC one should be thrown into a tire fire along with Rare's other monstrosity, which is Donkey Kong Country 3.

What makes this game so tedious is the fact that the control is unresponsive, your agent moves like a slug, and you can't aim your gun. It plays like a stripped down, half assed version of Metal Gear Solid. Joanna can run and shoot, while Solid Snake could run, use an item, duck for cover, and other various things. Basically, you run through a huge level, complete an objective, and go on. However, since the enemies can shoot you better than you can shoot them, you'll probably die, and then throw your GBC against a wall due to frustration.

The game just isn't fun to play due to the sloppiness of the gameplay setup. In the training level, at certain points you go into a crosshair, FPS view and take out targets. If they would have made the whole game like that, in a standard FPS mode, they would have created a very good game. However, they didn't, and now you have a sloppy, unfun MGS clone.

Also, at various points in the game, you must play ''simon'' with door locks. This is just stupid. The game makes you do this often, and it's not fun trying to follow dots on a GBC. This is just ridiculous, it's a stupid throw in to try and add more innovation to the game.

There are also stealth kills. If you sneak up to the guards very closely and shoot them, you'll kill them in one shot. However, since it's practically impossible to do that, the guards have better aim then you, and, you're dead.

The graphics aren't bad, but still, they are sloppy.

The music and sound are headache inducting.

Overall, this game was a complete waste of my time and money. While it tried to go for innovation, it ended up being a rushed, lousy product. If you want an awesome game for your GBC, check out the Metal Gear Solid game, which reeks of awesomeness. However, if you want to waste your money, pick up this game and play on.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 08/21/01, Updated 08/21/01