This is the official thread to discuss Perfect Dark for RetroActive. Tentatively, we plan to talk about the game on RFN 245 and possibly for a second week after that.
The theme for this edition is "Originals & Remakes". In addition to the usual in-depth analysis of the game itself, we're also interested in comparing the original N64 version to the much more recent version developed for Xbox Live Arcade. You can play and discuss either one, or even both, for this feature! It may be helpful to note which version you are playing.
Since the remake supports online multiplayer via Xbox Live, we may arrange one or two community events to play it together. If you have access to this version and are interested, post your Gamer Tag and check back frequently for more info.
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Perfect Dark was originally developed and published by Rare Ltd. in 2000 for the Nintendo 64. It is the spiritual successor to Rare's smash hit from three years earlier, Goldeneye 007. Perfect Dark features a sci-fi conspiracy story starring a new protagonist, Joanna Dark, who is a super-spy for the mysterious Carrington Institute. The game is a first-person shooter noted for its array of multiplayer features and modes, some of which are arguably unrivaled to this day. In addition to the single-player campaign, the game also supports two-player co-op and "counter-op" for the same campaign, via split-screen. The latter puts a second player in the role of minor enemies positioned throughout each level, with the goal of killing player one before he can complete objectives. When a player-controlled enemy is defeated, player two is transported into a new enemy farther along in the level.
Multiplayer deathmatch-style modes support up to eight characters total, of which up to four may be human players via split-screen. The remaining participants are A.I. "bots" renowned for their human-like behavior on the battlefield and, at some settings, super-human ability and ruthlessness. The emphasis on play against bots, and the extensive settings provided for customizing matches and the bots themselves, makes Perfect Dark a first-person shooter that can be enjoyed in "multiplayer" even when no friends are available. It also allows for scenarios in which a team of human players can face off against a team of bots, sometimes called a "comp stomp" in PC gaming.
About one year before the game's release, Nintendo and Rare showcased an innovative face-mapping feature for multiplayer. By connecting the Game Boy Camera to the N64 Transfer Pak, and connecting both to an N64 controller, you could take photos of yourself and your friends' faces and use a simple in-game tool to map these faces onto playable characters. While the feature was demonstrated extensively at E3, it was removed from the game in late 1999 due to technical problems, according to Rare. Many critics and fans attribute the true reason for this omission to the Columbine High School shooting incident of that year.
Perfect Dark is one of the few N64 games to require the 4MB RAM Expansion Pak for entire gameplay modes. While portions of the game are technically playable without an Expansion Pak, the majority of the game (including both single-player and multiplayer features) requires this accessory. If you are planning to acquire the original N64 version for RetroActive, be sure that you have an Expansion Pak as well.