Goldeneye - Rogue Agent Game by EA Games Reviewed by Mikaa robbin12388@bellsouth.net Size: 1 DS Game Card Save: Battery (3 Saves) Released: June 2005 Rated: T (For Teen) Works with: Nintendo DS Quick Opinion: Stick with Metroid Prime Hunters Demo **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: It is only recently that Nintendo has ended its run of including Metroid Pirime Hunters: First Hunt Demo with each Nintendo DS. This game was many gamer's first taste of gaming on the DS, as well as the impressive controls, great graphics, and just all-around good first person shooting (FPS)on the go. It was the general greatness of the demo, coupled with the delay that Goldeneye DS succumbed to early on, that led me to purchasing Goldeneye Rogue Agent for the DS. See, the console versions were met with lukewarm reviews, blah press, and were just another Bond game from EA Games. When the DS variant was delayed, I had hopes that EA games would be either getting a license from the Big N or Rare to port the Goldeneye N64 game or, maybe, tweak the game a bit. When I saw the screens, the movies, and the shockingly low price (an EA Games title going for US$30? Holy Price Hacks, Batman!), I had to get it. Was I a bit too overanxious for Metroid Prime Hunters and jumped the gun? Or was the game worth the low price for an EA Games title just released? If you read into the "Quick Opinion" above, you might already know. But how was it, really? Stay tuned... **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: FPS. Er, First Person Shooting, through and through. That is Goldeneye DS summed up in the simplest of terms. Yet there IS some surprising amount of depth, far more than I expected. For one, you have the story mode, which pits you through assorted levels with mission goals to complete until you either beat the level or die. Whichever comes first. Standard FPS stuff. Yeah. Before I go on to the other modes, let me dive into the story mode for a tick. For starters, the so-called "story" of the game is presented in a horrible fashion: each level starts with you looking at a static-line- filled PC screen, looking at shots of the level and some text describing your mission, as well as your goals. Unfortunately, these screens give off the impression of talking to a robot, and really are not that interesting. To make matters worse, the plot is almost a joke entirely: See, you are an MI6 agent, sent to stop the bomb that Goldfinger planted at Fort Knox. After completing this level, I was horrified to find that - before I could press a button to deactivate the bomb - the bomb went off, and I was working for Goldfinger against Dr. No. Elements, what a contrived story. Worse yet, Xenia from the Goldeneye movie appears later as a crony of Dr. No, and I became irritated beyond belief at the lack of originality at the plot. I know that characters like Jaws were brought in for the N64 Goldeneye, but that was in a hidden level, not the main quest. The plot just doesn't feel right, and the fact that the level goals can (and will) change without warning, leading to instant death if you are unfortunate enough for an enemy helicopter to pop up and nail you in your confusion. No, seriously. That can, and WILL happen. And that takes away from the game play by default. Yes, I have rambled. But that negative point is only made worse by the fact that your gun accuracy is horrible; I could be at point-blank range and STILL miss with my Standard gun while shooting a guy in the chest. Heck, one time I was using a machine gun with a hostage and HIT MY OWN HOSTAGE. WHEN THERE WERE NO FOES AROUND. I do NOT know how that happened, and do NOT want to know. On the up-side, if you liked any control options on Metroid Prime Hunters Demo (with the exception of the tap-and-fire options), then you will be right at home. There is a stylus option, a thumb option (which allows use of the thumb pad if you wish to), or the "dual analog" modes which allows you to move with either the D-pad or the four action buttons and aim with the other, and vice-versa. A nice option, one that I used as much as I did in the MPH: Demo. Pity the controls were wasted. While the graphics have their flaws (see below), the AI can be extremely cheap at times, foes can be hard to see VERY often, and do NOT be horrified if you are running down a level and foes suddenly appear behind you from nowhere, pumping your dying body full of gattling gun fire. On the up-side, after you find the actual mission goals to complete, they are usually VERY easy, consisting of getting into a room or shooting enough foes, or killing a boss. There are times where a simple hacking game of Simon to open a door or access a secret will pop up, but beyond that, you are usually running around regaining health and looking for foes. You do get points for accuracy (which is near pointless, as with the exception of a select few guns, you have almost no control over your accuracy), points for killing foes with grenades, bulls-eyes for head- shots, points for taking hostages and shooting foes with the Goldeneye vision, and other such normal FPS scoring methods. These are nice, but at no time did they ever inspire me to keep going. The other modes are far more fun than the main mode, yet you have to play through the story mode to get extras. As you complete missions, you unlock quests in the "Virtual Training" menu (which is only available through the story mode). These levels are some of the hardest, most annoying missions you will be faced with; Level one has you using the Goldeneye vision to hunt down copies of Scaramanga (each of which wield a Golden Gun - one-hit kills to non-Bondphiles), and you are NOT allowed to die even once. Oh, and there's a timer - a SHORT timer. Another nasty level pits you against Dr. No and a handful of cronies that have enough firepower to take you out without sweating. These missions unlock extra goodies in the multiplayer mode, as well as extras (namely the shield, the throwing foes option, among other goodies) for single story. The multiplayer mode, fortunately, allows a single player to go up against the AI. Considering that this game does not have Wi-Fi and I don't know anyone locally that has this game or a DS, this is a GOOD thing. At first you only have a single level to play, but as you beat the game and complete the Virtual Training, you unlock other levels, from a Moonraker- like level to the Antenna level from the Goldeneye movie (NOT the one from the N64 movie tie-in). This is a nice feature, and since you get to unlock weapons and more foes allows for some replay, but the sheer annoyance of the game makes this hard to seem worth the time, money, and suffering. Liked: Control options, the fact that the unlockable levels are diverse. Hated: Awful accuracy, cheap AI, foes vanish the further out they are. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: If you played the Metroid Prime Hunters demo, you know that the DS is very capable of pulling off gorgeous 3D graphics for a FPS. Goldeneye is equally beautiful, even moreso at the very, VERY smooth framerate. The levels do appear to be dark at times, and like any DS game, do NOT play this in a school room or at Wal-Mart, as the lights at those installation can and WILL flood the DS screens, and you cannot see. This WILL lead to your demise. But that is more of a problem with the system, right? Well, yes, but the occasional darkness does make spotting foes in some rooms hard, as they WILL blend in at times, and when they hide behind crates and you do not know where they are, it leads to frustration. Oh, and as stated above, the foes begin to vanish the further they are, and unless you have a GOOD scope with your gun, you are out of luck. There is a problem I have that does apply to game play, graphics, and play control, but I feel it fits here: if you are running too close to a wall or object, you will find your movements sluggish and slowed. I have not found out why this happens, but it is enough to end your life points if you are not careful. Liked: Smoothness and nearly glitchlessness. Hated: Enemies at a distance, the problem of moving near a wall or rail. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Wow, there was music here? I don't recall any real themes, and I don't even remember hearing a single Bond remix. Why that is, I know not why, but replaying it now, the music is just there. You can turn it off, thank the Elements, but the fact that there is no Bond music really takes away from the license. Sound effects are descent, and thankfully the stereo-support helps you find who is shooting you, or where your foes are. Nice. Liked: Stereo-support. Hated: Lack of memorable music. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: With the exception of the weird physics when moving next to walls and rails, the controls are actually a highlight of the game. Anyone who has tried the Metroid Prime Hunters Demo will find something familiar in-so-far as controls, and maybe a bit more. There are four control options in all: Thumb, Stylus, R Button and L Button. First of all, the L and R button names are a bit misleading and might be confusing: these are the controls set up for Left and Right handed people. For example, the L Button set-up has the character movements controlled with the four action buttons, while the aiming of the guns is controlled with the D-pad. The L and R buttons fire the respective guns (Left gun or Right gun), tapping icons on the touch screen activate equipment or reload guns, Select performs special tasks, and Start brings up a menu. Reverse the D-pad and four action controls for the R Button setup. The Thumb controls are not unlike that of the standard setup for Metroid Prime Hunters Demo: move around with either the D-pad or action buttons while aiming with your thumb (the thumb pad that comes with the DS works surprisingly well here), while all of the other functions are the same as above. Stylus controls are probably the low point of the options. The D-pad and action buttons control movement, the stylus aims, L and R fire the selected guns, the touch pad activates the same features as above, with a twist: a new icon appears between weapons that allows you to fire the left gun, right gun, or both at the same time. This button actually is more annoying than useful, and just adds stress when you die trying to switch guns. Overall, a good effort. Would be great if not for weird barrier detection (on the Goldeneye-movie Antenna level, I somehow moved between a gate and beam and fell to my death). Liked: Good options, same general concept as Metroid Prime Hunters Demo. Hated: Bizarre collision detection system. **************************************************************************** Improve: Make the enemies visible and not appear from nowhere, music that at least SOUNDS like Bond, level designs, AI, and the weird collision system. RIYL: Metroid Prime Hunters Demo (and the full version), Coded Arms (PSP), Goldeneye (N64) **************************************************************************** Final Words: This game has more problems than highs, and when a tech-demo game beats it by so large a margin, what is left to decide? Wait for Metroid Prime Hunters, or just go get the great N64 Goldeneye. Save your money, folks. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: ** Graphics: **** Sound/Music: * Play Control/Game Design: **** Personal Opinion: ** Total: ************* (13*'s) Final Score: 52% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: Beating the Virtual Training levels (which themselves are unlocked through the main game) earns you items, multiplayer levels, and more Virtual Training levels. Sorry, no Invincibility code as in Goldeneye N64. :-(