GoldenEye 007 (N64, 1997)
The surprise hit that legitimized early 3D console first-person shooters.
Difficulty: Easy.
Nostalgia Factor: Very high. Many great memories from years ago.
I recently played through Perfect Dark for the first time, and while I enjoyed it very much, something about it just didn’t seem to scratch the same itch that GoldenEye (GE) scratches for me. In just about every category, Perfect Dark is objectively the better game. Yet, after playing through both games back to back, I still prefer GE. It’s probably just a heaping bucket of nostalgia, but I do think that there’s just something special about GE.
Note: This fantastic custom version of 1964 that’s been optimized just for Goldeneye and Perfect Dark is the absolute best way to play this game. It includes buttery smooth mouse injector controls that make these games playable with mouse and keyboard, just like modern FPS games on PC. I cannot adequately state just how much this has improved my experience of these games.
No one had high expectations for GE, yet it became the third best-selling N64 game behind two Nintendo juggernauts, Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64. Selling over 8 million copies, GE grossed $250 million with a budget of only $2 million. Compare this to the film’s $352 million gross and $60 million budget. It still shocks me that a licensed Bond game sold more than Nintendo’s critically acclaimed Ocarina of Time. GE is considered to be the first game to demonstrate that consoles could be a viable home for FPS games.
While GE’s visuals seem hilariously outdated by today’s standards, what Rare accomplished (in spite of the N64’s limitations) is truly a feat. Of course, most early 3D games suffered from the same flaws — bare environments, fuzzy textures, chunky polygonal designs, sad looking skyboxes, poor performance, and lots of repeated or oddly placed assets. However, GE was still a significant step forward for the rapidly evolving FPS genre. Named characters from the film were actually recognizable, and many of the NPCs feature scanned facial textures of Rare staff. Instead of just slapping together some corridors, Rare designers actually visited and photographed MGM’s film sets so their level design could more closely resemble the film.
Extra details like bullet holes in the walls, cartridge casings being ejected from the guns, and muzzle flashes added to the game’s realism. Glass transparency and lingering smoke impressed gamers at the time. Enemies respond differently depending on where they are shot. GE is also considered the first console FPS to emphasize headshots.
While most may remember GE for the late night split-screen multiplayer sessions with friends, the single player campaign is also a strength of the game. Much of GE’s campaign is simple run-and-gun FPS gameplay, but it’s sprinkled with creative objectives that require stealth, strategy, and patience. Many missions are non-linear, giving players a little bit of freedom and choice. Killing innocent civilians or a crucial NPC could fail your mission entirely. Many GE fans might remember the trauma of having to slice through the hatch in the floor of the train using the laser watch via the “Virtua Cop” R-button aiming. As a kid, it took me forever to gain enough mastery of the N64 analog stick in order to finish that mission. If you had the gumption to try the two-controller setup (yes, one person using two controllers), Goldeneye is credited as one of the earliest prototypes of the dual analog control scheme.
The reactive enemy AI is another notable feature. Gunshots will alert all enemies and NPCs within a certain detection radius. Alarms can be activated by guards or deactivated by Bond. The harder difficulty levels add new objectives, and they unlock two bonus missions, which creates loads of replay value. There are over 20 different types of guns in GE, many of which are modeled after real-world firearms like the Walther PPK, the AK-74, and the FN P90. The Klobb (named after producer Ken Lobb) was inspired by the Skorpion, and the DD44 Dostovei was modeled after the Tokarev pistol. The game’s built-in mission timer has also contributed to GE’s thriving speed running community.
GE is not without a few frustrations. It’s easy to get lost, which is a common symptom of early 3D game design. It’s very easy to get disoriented in the repetitive low-poly environments. There’s nothing more frustrating than not knowing where to go or what you’re supposed to do. At times, I could not figure out how to complete a mission objective. I’ve been spoiled by the handholding we’ve come to expect in modern games. It’s also very frustrating to accidentally step into a mission’s exit zone before you’ve completed all the objectives, thus failing the mission.
Most importantly though, in spite of a few flaws, GE is just plain fun. Rare’s polish is evident, as the game just “feels good” to play, once you adjust to the unique control scheme of course. Again, try the mouse injector controls — chef’s kiss. There’s something about waltzing into a large open area while dual-wielding DD44’s, mowing down 10 or more enemy guards, and watching them flail around in a variety of impressive death animations. Miyamoto was so shocked by the realism of the violence that he asked the game director, Martin Hollis, to tone it down. He also requested a very peculiar ending. According to Hollis, “he suggested that it might be nice if, at the end of the game, you got to shake hands with all your enemies in the hospital.” Hilarious. We don’t deserve Miyamoto.
The cinematic story is another element that sets GE apart from other shooters from that era. GoldenEye is certainly not the best Bond movie, but it holds a respectable 7.2/10 on IMDB, and the script is solid. While the static text-only dialogue in the game pales in comparison to Perfect Dark’s full voice acting, GE was still an important precursor for narrative-based FPS games. Half-Life and Halo would further develop this trend.
You wouldn’t really expect this from a licensed Bond game, but GE’s soundtrack has really carved out a legacy for itself. The epic pause music in particular has been regularly memed and included as background music in podcasts and videos. The main James Bond Theme is a jam, of course, and Mission Briefing, Dam, Facility, Silo, and Train are great tracks as well. The Elevator music was also a delightful surprise. Getting to compose around MGM’s Bond theme must’ve been a thrill for Grant Kirkhope and company, but I do wonder if they leaned too heavily on the Bond motifs. It’s perhaps the only criticism I can levy against the soundtrack. The iconic Bond motifs can be heard at some point in just about every single track. Is that overkill?
Overall, GoldenEye 007 is still a fantastic game for any fans of classic low-poly FPS games. If you can get past the flaws common to early 3D pioneers, there’s a lot of fun to be had here.