Topic: GoldenEye 007 Impressions

[NWR_Neal]

Two levels of the single-player show off nostalgia, fun gameplay, and a tank.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressions/24013

I got to check out two levels of the single-player from GoldenEye Wii at recent press event. The first level I saw was the tank level, which is based off of the original tank level in the Nintendo 64 version. In this level, you control a tank and tear apart modern day St. Petersburg in an epic, scripted experience.

I make the stipulation that it's modern day St. Petersburg because this level is very different from the original level featured in the 1997 version of the game. You see, St. Petersburg has become a more modern city in the years following the GoldenEye film's 1995 release. Thus, you're romping around highways and freeways in your destructive tour of the city.

The tank is pretty simple to control using the Classic Controller Pro. The left stick controls its movement, while the right stick controls the turret. It's a little clumsy, but it makes sense since you are controlling a tank. Your two primary weapons are a high-powered gun that has the propensity to overheat, and lock-on heat-seeking missiles. The amount of destruction that you can do with those guns is spectacular.

The level itself is pretty linear, but it's an action-packed ride. You have to take down small and big helicopters along the way using your missiles while running over or blowing up smaller annoyances.

The second level I saw was the one shown at E3 2010: the dam level, which features a lot of throwbacks to the original introductory level of GoldenEye 64. Sadly, this section was a hands-off demo. The level starts off with a familiar perspective as you come up near the bridge where the original started. This time around, you have numerous ways to work through the situation. You can hit the enemies from afar, go guns-blazing over the bridge, or go underneath and around using a tunnel below the bridge. It's one of the many touches that show that this is a modern shooter and not just a retread of a 13-year-old game.

The level continues with another nostalgic touch. You can go up to the top of the guard tower and pick up a sniper rifle. You can use that to pick off enemies and help your compatriot in this level, the eventually traitorous 006 Alec Trevelyan. Soon after that, you overtake a vehicle with Trevelyan and ride shotgun as you pose as Russians. It's more of a cinematic approach that modern day shooter fans will be familiar with. Eventually, the Russians wise up and you have to start shooting dudes from your car. That's about when the demo ended.

While there seems to be a lot of single-player levels still under wraps, I'm impressed by what I've seen. As a big fan of the original GoldenEye, its cool seeing familiar aspects of that game be changed up and improved on in this new game. Eurocom seems to be putting together a modern shooter with a whole lot of nostalgia.

[AV]

you guys need to talk about this on the next NEWSCAST.

[NWR_Neal]

you guys need to talk about this on the next NEWSCAST.

I was planning on it.

[FZeroBoyo]

Ah, the game sounds quite promising now. Nice to see that it's not just the same game with new graphics. 

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Have any of the press events showing GoldenEye had the Wii Remote and Nunchuck option available? All the impressions I've read thus far have stated they were playing with the Classic Controller Pro. It doesn't have good implications....

[NWR_Neal]

Have any of the press events showing GoldenEye had the Wii Remote and Nunchuck option available? All the impressions I've read thus far have stated they were playing with the Classic Controller Pro. It doesn't have good implications....

I believe there was a Wii Remote/Nunchuk setup at the post-E3 Nintendo event in Europe that Greg and Karlie went to.
The official line from anyone involved with the game is that there is a split between the two at Eurocom or something. I think they emphasize the CCPro because it is most like a 360/PS3 controller.

[Jonnyboy117]

Why is the campaign still hands-off in September? I was really impressed by the dam level demo at E3, but we need to play it for ourselves to get a handle on the mission flow, A.I., etc.

[Halbred]

you guys need to talk about this on the next NEWSCAST.

I was planning on it.

Yeah, I definately want to hear about this.

[NWR_Neal]

Why is the campaign still hands-off in September? I was really impressed by the dam level demo at E3, but we need to play it for ourselves to get a handle on the mission flow, A.I., etc.

They wouldn't give a good answer, but from looking at other impressions from the event, it looks like there were a couple hands-off levels.

What bothers me is that the only hands-on level is the tank level, one where you don't even control Bond directly.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Why is the campaign still hands-off in September? I was really impressed by the dam level demo at E3, but we need to play it for ourselves to get a handle on the mission flow, A.I., etc.

They wouldn't give a good answer, but from looking at other impressions from the event, it looks like there were a couple hands-off levels.

What bothers me is that the only hands-on level is the tank level, one where you don't even control Bond directly.

From a marketing point of view, my guess is that they can make the level very showy and impressive-looking if it's hands-off. Likely, the guy who is playing has mastered the level, so he can demonstrate it in a cinematic way and show all the bits of interest that someone playing for the first time might easily miss. Even though onlookers did not play it, they will come away with that good impression because the developer could make it look really cool, so to speak. And if the tank level is heavily scripted like you say, that's probably why it is the one you can play, because they can be sure everyone will have a similar experience.

[NeoStar9X]

I do have to say the lack of information or even talk about the Wii remote and nunchuck controls along with online multiplayer (not local 4 player) has been somewhat worrisome. Maybe they are taking it for granted people will just be happy with them (wrong idea I feel) but it's starting to worry me.  Perhaps something could be wrong and they don't want to bring attention to them until it's to late and people have already bought the game. For example perhaps they spent so much time on the classic controller controls that the Wii remote controls just don't hold up or compare with past Wii FPS game.  That they are tacked one as a result.

8 max multiplayer has given me pause as well when Modern Warfare Reflex had 10 player max. Black Ops is likely to have the same or if we are lucky more. I don't have anyone to play locally with anymore so all the talk about split screen really doesn't matter to me. I keep hoping more online information would be released, details, but I'm starting to think  there won't be any. So this isn't getting pre-ordered or picked up day one as planned. Disappointed in the end.

[Mop it up]

8 max multiplayer has given me pause as well when Modern Warfare Reflex had 10 player max.

The Conduit has 12. In fact, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 has 32-player online. Makes you think, huh?

[NeoStar9X]

Yeah.  That number is suppose to increase not decrease over time.

[MoronSonOfBoron]

But they're bringing multiplayer back to its roots!

[KDR_11k]

Yeah.  That number is suppose to increase not decrease over time.

The gameplay might have more objects to it than other FPSes. Do games like MoHH2 have mines?


Or maybe the map designs are smaller and only suitable for 8 people?

[vudu]

The gameplay might have more objects to it than other FPSes. Do games like MoHH2 have mines?

Oh, man--that would be fantastic.  32 players littering the stage with proximity mines!

[KDR_11k]

If you want that play Half-Life.

[vudu]

Who the heck plays Half-Life multiplayer?

[Stratos]

If it has gimped online then I am getting Black Ops without a doubt. Modern Warfare Reflex was a great Wii FPS and I'm sure Ops is guaranteed to be on par with it if not superior to Reflex.

I'll probably eventually get both depending on when Conduit 2 comes out. But the looser will definitely be a bargain hunt buy.

[NeoStar9X]

At least we know what GoldenEye 007 will look like. There's that. However we have no clue at all what Black Ops will look like. Just claims made by some people at Treyarch but still no footage at all. Not even a bad alpha image like was released for Modern Warfare Reflex.

[KDR_11k]

Who the heck plays Half-Life multiplayer?

Everybody. Well, did, back when it was less than five years old.

[vudu]

People play Counter-Strike.  No one played Half-Life 1/2 Deathmatch.

[Sundoulos]

People play Counter-Strike.  No one played Half-Life 1/2 Deathmatch.

I did, once...back when people were still having LAN parties.   We were struggling to find a multiplayer game that everyone in attendance actually owned.