Perfect Dark (2010 video game)

Last updated

Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark XBLA cover.jpg
Developer(s) 4J Studios
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Series Perfect Dark
Platform(s) Xbox 360
ReleaseMarch 17, 2010
Genre(s) First-person shooter, stealth
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Perfect Dark is a 2010 first-person shooter developed by 4J Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 through its Xbox Live Arcade download service. The game is a remaster of the original Perfect Dark , which was released for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. Although the gameplay remains largely unchanged, the remaster features significant technical improvements over the original, including new higher-resolution textures and character models, a higher frame rate, and a multiplayer mode that supports the Xbox Live online service. The story of the game follows Joanna Dark, an agent of the Carrington Institute organization, as she attempts to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne.

Contents

Perfect Dark was developed over a course of nearly a year and its game engine was completely re-written from scratch to support several Xbox 360 features. Therefore, although the game plays exactly the same as the original, the code and renderer is different. The game received generally favorable reviews. Some critics considered the relatively unchanged game to be outdated, but most agreed that the title was a solid revival of a classic. As of the end of 2011, the game had sold nearly 410,000 units. In 2015, the game was included in the Rare Replay video game compilation for Xbox One.

Gameplay

Perfect Dark is a remastered release of the 2000 first-person shooter video game of the same name, which was developed by Rare and released for the Nintendo 64 as a spiritual successor to the 1997 hit GoldenEye 007 . [1] The game features a single-player mode consisting of 17 levels in which the player assumes the role of Carrington Institute agent Joanna Dark as she attempts to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne. [2] It also features a range of multiplayer options, including a co-operative mode and a "Combat Simulator" where numerous players can compete against each other in traditional deathmatch settings. [2] Combat Simulator matches can be highly customised and can include bots. [2] A "Counter-Operative" mode, where one player controls the protagonist while the other controls enemies throughout a single-player level, attempting to stop the first player from completing objectives, is also included in the game. [2]

The remaster changes little from the core gameplay of the original game, but offers several enhancements in the multiplayer department. In the remaster, any of the multiplayer modes can be played in either splitscreen or through the Xbox Live online service. [3] An online leaderboard system was also added, and players can earn achievements and in-game crowns by accomplishing certain tasks. [4] Although Combat Simulator matches are still capped at 12 entities, the remaster can comprise eight players online simultaneously, an improvement to the original's cap of four players and eight bots. [4] Players may also play against more than eight bots as long as there are enough slots available in a match. For example, a single player can play against 11 bots; such a feature was not possible in the original game. [4] All the multiplayer content in the remaster is unlocked from the beginning, [5] and weapons from GoldenEye 007, which were originally only available in the single-player mode, are now available in the multiplayer. [6] The remaster also includes two new control set-ups, entitled "Spartan" and "Duty Calls", which are based on the Halo and Call of Duty first-person shooter franchises, respectively. [7]

Development

Perfect Dark N64 Graphics.jpg
Perfect Dark X360 Graphics.jpg
The original skyboxes (top) were remodeled for the remastered version (bottom). Additionally, new textures were used and weapon models were recreated in higher polygon counts.

Perfect Dark was developed by 4J Studios, the same studio that previously developed the Xbox Live Arcade versions of Rare's platform games Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie . [8] According to Microsoft Game Studios creative director Ken Lobb, the development team "took the original code, ported it to the Xbox 360 and included deep [Xbox Live] integration". [8] The game was developed over a course of approximately 11 months after the creation of a working prototype. [8] As the Xbox Live functionality had to be written from scratch, the developers opted to completely rewrite the game engine rather than do a port through emulation. As a result, although the game plays exactly the same, the code and renderer are different. [9] The game runs at 1080p and 60 frames per second. [10]

While the original level geometry was kept, the levels received new textures, characters and weapons were recreated, and skyboxes were rebuilt. Lobb explained that "things are large and blocky because that's what [Perfect Dark] looks like", meaning that the sharper textures and higher resolution simply make the game look clearer. [8] He also observed that, as character and weapon models were remodeled from their original low hundreds polygon count to polygons in the thousands, he was worried about them looking awkward in the low-poly geometry level design. [8] According to him, "it's one of the areas that I give a lot of credit to the developer on. It just looks right. They were smart about the way they up-resed the models so they still feel like they're kind of retro, but they're clean". [8]

Although music and sound effects were kept from the original recording sessions, original master recordings have been used to update the soundtrack at a higher quality; [10] the original recording size was 16  MB, while in the remaster it is over 250 MB. [8] Developers retained the free aim mode because they wanted to be faithful to the original game. According to Rare's Producer Nick Ferguson: "We didn't change the fundamental behavior of the aiming system simply because that is not how Perfect Dark was played". [11] He also observed that the idea of updating the controls was actually seen as a flaw in Perfect Dark Zero , which tried to "combine the original Perfect Dark system with aspects of Halo". [11] The original diagonal running, which allows players to move faster than by running forwards or sideways alone, did not work the first time they implemented the analog stick, so it was manually rewritten because it was considered essential for speedruns. [8]

Marketing and release

Perfect Dark was first teased to consumers in April 2009 via a screenshot of a Rare employee's Xbox 360 dashboard which showed an icon for the game. [12] It was confirmed to be in development on June 2, 2009 via Xbox Live Director of Programming Larry Hryb's Twitter account. [13] The game was released on March 17, 2010 as part of Microsoft's Xbox Live Block Party promotion. [14] As a cross-promotion with Crackdown 2 , players with a Crackdown 2 saved game on their Xbox 360 hard drive could unlock that game's protagonist, known as Agent 4, as a playable skin in the game's multiplayer mode. [15] [16] A title update was released in April 2010 which addressed bugs, added two control schemes, and expanded playlists. [17] Perfect Dark was downloaded over 150,000 times during its first week of release and grossed approximately $1.61 million at the end of the month. [18] The game has sold more than 285,000 units as of August 2010 and nearly 325,000 units at the end of 2010. [19] [20] As of year-end 2011, sales had increased to nearly 410,000 units. [21] In 2015, Perfect Dark was included in the Rare Replay compilation for Xbox One. [22] In 2019, the game was enhanced to run at native 4K resolution on Xbox One. [23]

Reception

Perfect Dark received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [24] Writing for 1UP.com , Scott Sharkey highlighted the technical improvements, stating that the remaster is "a great way to re-enjoy a game you already love". [25] IGN editor Daemon Hatfield noted the game's outdated dialogue, voice acting, and mission objectives, but nevertheless remarked that the game "wasn't brought back for the uninitiated—this is for the fans, and they will be very, very happy". [2] He also praised the game's multiplayer mode over Xbox Live and highlighted the selection of weapons, the satisfying gunplay, and leaderboards, noting that they allow players to compare their performance with their friends. [2]

Despite the praise, some reviewers criticized the game for its confusing level layouts and felt they have not held up very well over the years. [28] [26] [27] Christian Donlan of Eurogamer stated that Perfect Dark is "not afraid to throw dead ends at you seemingly for the hell of it, or repeat textures so much in its huge maps that you can get a little dizzy". [26] GameSpot reviewer Tom Mc Shea noted that the campaign was "oddly paced", and that "locked doors, unused rooms, and dead ends... can be disheartening to stumble around in a circle until you finally happen upon the correct door you just couldn't locate". [28] Nevertheless, he admitted that "it's a lot of fun to replay them to try for high scores and figure out the many unique objectives". [28] He also remarked that online play can periodically suffer from a significant amount of lag, but praised the amount of content and features. [28]

The game's original Counter-Operative mode was very well received, [28] [2] [26] with Eurogamer remarking that it "still feels ahead of its time even now". [26] Dan Ryckert of Game Informer stated similar pros, saying that "it's even better this time around thanks to the framerate improvement". [27] Although the game's controls have been upgraded to support two analog sticks, GameZone noted that the game still "feels a little different from what modern day shooter fans are used to", [29] while Eurogamer remarked that the aim assist can be unnecessarily generous on easy difficulties. [26] At the end of March 2010, IGN named Perfect Dark Xbox Live Arcade Game of the Month. [30]

Related Research Articles

<i>GoldenEye 007</i> (1997 video game) 1997 first-person shooter video game

GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is based on the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, with the player controlling the secret agent James Bond to prevent a criminal syndicate from using a satellite weapon. They navigate a series of levels to complete objectives, such as recovering or destroying objects, while shooting enemies. In a multiplayer mode, up to four players compete in several deathmatch scenarios via split-screen.

<i>Perfect Dark</i> Nintendo 64 video game

Perfect Dark is a 2000 first-person shooter developed and published by Rare for the Nintendo 64. The first game of the Perfect Dark series, it follows Joanna Dark, an agent of the Carrington Institute research centre, as she attempts to stop an extraterrestrial conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne. The game features a campaign mode where the player must complete a series of levels to progress through the story, as well as a range of multiplayer options, including a co-operative mode and traditional deathmatch settings with computer-controlled bots.

<i>Perfect Dark Zero</i> 2005 video game

Perfect Dark Zero is a first-person shooter developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released as a launch title for the Xbox 360 video game console in 2005. The game is part of the Perfect Dark series and a prequel to the original Perfect Dark. The story of the game follows Joanna Dark, a bounty hunter working with her father and a computer hacker, as she joins the Carrington Institute agency to prevent a rival corporation from gaining possession of an ancient artifact which endows individuals with superhuman powers.

<i>Marble Blast Ultra</i> 2006 video game

Marble Blast Ultra is a platform game developed by GarageGames. It was released on January 25, 2006 for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. It is the sequel to Marble Blast Gold. It features 60 levels, enhanced graphics, 2 new power-ups and a multiplayer mode. A browser port of the game under the title Marble Blast Online was released on March 7, 2008, and was available at InstantAction until the website was shut down.

<i>Castle Crashers</i> 2008 2D hack-and-slash video game developed by The Behemoth

Castle Crashers is a 2D side-scrolling hack-and-slash video game developed by The Behemoth. The Xbox 360 version was released on August 27, 2008, via Xbox Live Arcade as part of the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade. The PlayStation 3 version was released in North America on August 31, 2010, and November 3, 2010, in Europe via the PlayStation Network. A Microsoft Windows and MacOS version, exclusive to Steam, was released on September 26, 2012. The game is set in a fictional medieval universe in which a dark wizard steals a mystical crystal and captures four princesses. Four knights are charged by the king to rescue the princesses, recover the crystal, and bring the wizard to justice. The game includes music created by members of Newgrounds.

Perfect Dark is a science-fiction video game series created by Rare and owned by Xbox Game Studios. It debuted in 2000 with the release of the Nintendo 64 first-person shooter Perfect Dark. The series follows Joanna Dark, an agent of the Carrington Institute agency, as she uncovers conspiracies by rival corporation dataDyne. In addition to video games, the series has expanded into novels and comics. These supplements to the video games have resulted in a significant development of the series' fictional universe.

<i>Jetpac Refuelled</i> 2007 video game

Jetpac Refuelled is an arcade-style shooter video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Studios. It was released worldwide on the Xbox Live Arcade service on March 28, 2007. The game is the fourth instalment of the Jetman series and a remake of Ultimate Play the Game's 1983 ZX Spectrum game, Jetpac. The game follows Jetman as he attempts to rebuild his rocket in order to explore different planets, whilst simultaneously defending himself from hostile aliens.

<i>Undertow</i> (video game) 2007 video game

Undertow is a video game developed by Chair Entertainment for the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade service.

<i>Screwjumper!</i> 2007 video game

Screwjumper! is an action video game for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, developed by Frozen Codebase and published by THQ. The game was released on November 14, 2007. The game was the 100th game released by THQ for the Xbox Live Arcade service.

<i>Chessmaster Live</i> 2008 video game

Chessmaster Live is a 2008 chess video game developed and published by Ubisoft for the Xbox 360, on the Xbox Live Arcade service. It is the final game in the Chessmaster series, released just three months after The Art of Learning. The game was announced on November 28, 2007. Chessmaster Live was historically the name used for the multiplayer mode in the series starting with Chessmaster 5500.

<i>N+</i> 2008 video game

N+ is the console and handheld version of the Adobe Flash game N, which was developed by Metanet Software. N+ for Xbox Live Arcade was developed by Slick Entertainment and published by Metanet Software. Unique versions of the game were also ported separately to the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS by developers SilverBirch Studios and Atari. Metanet Software licensed their N IP for this deal, provided single player level design for both versions, and consulted on the project.

<i>OutRun Online Arcade</i> 2009 video game

OutRun Online Arcade is a racing video game and the most recent release in the OutRun series. It was developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. The game was released on April 15, 2009 on Xbox Live Arcade and released exclusively in Europe for the PlayStation 3 a day later via the PlayStation Network. Gameplay involves players racing their choice of Ferrari through a selection of fifteen stages in the shortest time possible.

<i>Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao</i> 2009 video game

Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao is a hand-to-hand action video game developed by Blitz Arcade and published by Namco Bandai Games for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game tells the story of Han Tao, the General of a Thousand Victories, who attempts to rescue the Star of Destiny from the foul clutches of the Evil Overlord. As Han Tao, players must fight their way through the Evil Overlord's throngs, using a number of hyperbolic hand-to-hand combat techniques, ancient weapons, and Zen-powered attacks. It was released in 2009. The game was removed from all digital stores in 2013.

<i>Star Trek DAC</i> 2009 video game

Star Trek D·A·C is a video game inspired by the 2009 Star Trek movie, developed by Naked Sky Entertainment in collaboration with Bad Robot. The title is derived from the game's three modes of play: Deathmatch, Assault, and Conquest. The game was released for the Xbox 360 via the Xbox Live Arcade on May 13, 2009, for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows in November 2009, and for Mac OS X on December 21, 2009.

<i>Snoopy Flying Ace</i> 2010 video game

Snoopy Flying Ace is a dogfighting video game based on Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts franchise and developed by Smart Bomb Interactive for the Xbox Live Arcade service on the Xbox 360. It was announced on November 10, 2008 and released on June 2, 2010. An unofficial sequel to the 2006 video game Snoopy vs. the Red Baron, it features a similar World War I setting. Snoopy is tasked with defeating several members of the Flying Circus, a special flight squadron in the Luftstreitkräfte, and its commander, Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron.

<i>Toy Soldiers</i> (video game) 2010 video game

Toy Soldiers is an action and strategy video game developed by Signal Studios released on Xbox Live Arcade on March 3, 2010. It is featured in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Store. It has been available since February 29, 2012, debuting alongside the Windows 8 Consumer Preview beta release. The game was officially released for Microsoft Windows on April 27, 2012. A high-definition port, published by Accelerate Games, was released on October 21, 2021, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows.

<i>Hydro Thunder Hurricane</i> 2010 video game

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a boat racing video game developed by Vector Unit and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. The game was released on July 28, 2010 as part of Microsoft's Xbox Live Summer of Arcade promotion. It is the sequel to Hydro Thunder, originally an arcade game, and part of the Thunder series, developed by Midway Games and under license of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It was also released onto the Windows Store. The game was added to the list of Xbox 360 backward compatible games on Xbox One on December 17, 2015.

<i>Fruit Ninja</i> 2010 video game

Fruit Ninja is a video game developed by Halfbrick originally released on August 12, 2010. In the game, the player must slice fruit that is thrown into the air by swiping the device's touch screen with their finger(s) or the player's arms and hands, and must not slice bombs. It features multiple gameplay modes, leaderboards and multiplayer.

<i>Marvel vs. Capcom Origins</i> 2012 video game

Marvel vs. Capcom Origins is a crossover fighting video game developed by Iron Galaxy Studios and published by Capcom. It is a compilation of Marvel Super Heroes (1995) and Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998). The dual pack was released through the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade in September and October 2012, respectively.

<i>3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures</i> 2006 video game

3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures is a 2006 arcade golf video game for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 developed by Wanako Games and published by Vivendi Games. The game released on December 20, 2006, for Microsoft Windows, and April 18, 2007, for Xbox 360. It is part of the 3D Ultra Minigolf series.

References

  1. ↑ Ransom-Wiley, James (March 17, 2010). "Review: Perfect Dark (XBLA)". Joystiq . Archived from the original on March 22, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hatfield, Daemon (March 16, 2010). "Perfect Dark XBLA Review". IGN . Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  3. ↑ Robinson, Martin (February 11, 2010). "Perfect Dark XBLA Hands-on". IGN . Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Archer, James (March 3, 2010). "Plus XP Exclusive: Perfect Dark (XBLA) Interview". Plusxp.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  5. ↑ Walton, Mark (March 11, 2010). "Perfect Dark Hands-On". GameSpot . Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  6. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian (February 19, 2010). "XBLA Perfect Dark Multiplayer Features GoldenEye Weapons, Levels". Kotaku . Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  7. ↑ Kuchera, Ben (March 17, 2010). "XBLA Perfect Dark: a golden eye for detail". Ars Technica . Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pavlacka, Adam (February 14, 2010). "'Perfect Dark' (XBLA) Developer Interview". Worthplaying.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  9. ↑ Webb, Dan (February 26, 2010). "X10 Interview: Ken Lobb Talks Perfect Dark in Perfect English". Xbox360achievements.org. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  10. 1 2 Normandin, Marc (March 17, 2010). "Interview: Perfect Dark XBLA". Blastmagazine.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  11. 1 2 Norris, Erik (March 11, 2010). "Perfect Dark XBLA Interview". CraveOnline . Archived from the original on March 13, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
  12. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (April 8, 2009). "Perfect Dark Coming to XBLA?". IGN . Archived from the original on December 14, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  13. ↑ Plunkett, Luke (June 2, 2009). "Perfect Dark Coming To XBLA This Winter". Kotaku . Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  14. ↑ Turi, Tim (February 22, 2010). "XBLA Block Party Games Priced And Dated". Game Informer . Archived from the original on May 1, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  15. ↑ "PD's Agent 4 is Active". Rare . July 2, 2010. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  16. ↑ Hinkle, David (July 2, 2010). "Crackdown 2 save unlocks Agent 4 in Perfect Dark multiplayer". Joystiq . Archived from the original on July 5, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  17. ↑ Hatfield, Daemon (March 29, 2010). "Perfect Dark Being Updated Next Month". IGN . Archived from the original on December 14, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  18. ↑ Jenkins, David (April 27, 2010). "Xbox Live Arcade sales grow 41% in March". Gamesindustry.biz . Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  19. ↑ Langley, Ryan (September 9, 2010). "In-Depth: Xbox Live Arcade Sales Analysis, August 2010". Gamasutra . Archived from the original on May 9, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  20. ↑ Langley, Ryan (January 28, 2011). "XBLA: In-Depth: Xbox Live Arcade Sales Analysis For All Of 2010". Gamerbytes.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  21. ↑ Langley, Ryan (January 20, 2012). "Xbox Live Arcade by the numbers - the 2011 year in review". Gamasutra . Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  22. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (June 15, 2015). "Rare Replay for Xbox One includes 30 Rare games for $30 (update)". Polygon . Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  23. ↑ Sullivan, Lucas (June 20, 2019). "Xbox One X Enhanced games - Every game with 4K resolution, HDR, higher framerates, and more". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  24. 1 2 "Perfect Dark". Metacritic . Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  25. 1 2 Sharkey, Scott (March 15, 2010). "Perfect Dark XBLA Review". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Donlan, Christian (March 11, 2010). "Perfect Dark Review". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  27. 1 2 3 Ryckert, Dan (March 15, 2010). "Perfect Dark". Game Informer . Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mc Shea, Tom (March 17, 2010). "Perfect Dark Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  29. 1 2 Hopper, Steven (March 16, 2010). "Perfect Dark - 360 - Review". Gamezone.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  30. ↑ "Game of the Month: March 2010". IGN . March 31, 2010. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2010.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.