Playing as Oddjob is soooo NOT cheating.

by Elliott Schuhardt, Games Editor

Gameplay

Bond is back!  Well, sort of. Goldeneye returns in name only with a brand new adventure featuring everyone’s favorite MI6 agent. Fans of the original will see the immediate changes in the new Wii version. Pierce Brosnan has been replaced by the current box-office Bond, Daniel Craig.  Not only that, many of the other roles throughout the film have been given current updates as well.  Since the new Bond films feature a heavier focus on action and far less swagger, you can expect this game to offer up the same type of experience.

Despite not being developed by Rare, Eurocom and Activision took all the necessary steps to ensure that the name was not wasted.  The original story returns here with some minor changes, including expanded dialogue, to give it more depth.  It produces a déjà vu feeling while producing plenty of exciting situations not experienced before. The short and skinny Bond must try and stop a former MI6 agent from using a satellite to steal a crap load of money in an attempt cripple England’s economy.  In execution, it’s far less straight forward than the 1997 version with multiple twists and turns.

My morning commute absolutely sucks!

In addition to the changes in the story, Bond’s given a new tool: a super phone that does everything from pulling data from MI6 to scanning documents to recalculating a missile strike.  An updated cheat menu is available at the beginning of the game as well. All of the newly added gameplay elements make for a stronger bond experience, but there just isn’t enough of the original here to make it worthy of calling it Goldeneye. With that said, I’m guessing the name was slapped on for the recognition and the potential sales numbers because of it. 

One of the best reasons the original was so amazing was its inclusion of one of the first ever console based FPS multiplayer.  I have many fond memories of sitting around with three other buds for hours trying to destroy each other.  Multiplayer has returned with a local four player split screen option as well as an eight player online option. Many of the classic Bond characters and villains found in the original make a return here as well.  Modes include the standard death match varieties along with Black Box (capture the flag). 

Some of the best graphics the Wii has to offer. 

Online multiplayer runs without a hitch given Wii’s lack of a true online network.  The only way to connect with friends is to exchange each of your system online codes.  Once done, you’ll enter a lobby with them that allows you to jump from game to game regardless of what mode you’re playing next.  The lack of an online chat option really lessens the experience provided here.  I’m guessing I’ve been spoiled by Xbox Live, but not being able to talk with your friends while you’re online with them kind of sucks. 

Graphics/Video

Despite the addition of Daniel Craig as the new Bond, he doesn’t get a lot of screen time.  Being that it’s a first person shooter, it’s expected.  On the other hand, the many other characters in the Bond universe steal most of the show and look superb.  There was good level of motion capture work involved in the production, making this one of the better looking, if not THE best looking Wii game to date.  The engine used is the same one Eurocom adopted in its other Wii title Dead Space: Extraction.

Just a bit higher…

Audio/Sound Effects

Judi Dench returns once again to lend her voice as M, offering another great performance.  In addition to lending his voice talents to the new 007 Bloodstone on the Xbox 360 and PS3, Daniel Craig also assists in the role here.  Other new additions including Kate Magowan (Stardust) as Xenia Onatopp and Elliot Cowan (The Golden Compass) as 006 round out the voice cast. On top of the A-list voice talent, Goldeneye offers a solid soundtrack with all the booms and excitement you’d expect to hear when traveling through a city in a tank. The rest is standard action game fare – you’ll get lost in all the action on screen.

Overall

Goldeneye offers so many new experiences and gameplay elements that it hardly resembles its original subject material. That’s not really a bad thing. What you are getting is a great first person shooter built in the James Bond universe.

ComicsOnline gives Goldeneye on Wii 4.0 out of 5 modern remakes.

Buy Goldeneye at Amazon.com now.

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