LinksOcarina
Rookie
My school paper has decided to do Video Game reviews for future releases. They have asked me to write them, so I was just wondering what do you think of this. My first choice was Perfect Dark: Zero. I reviewed it here in a simpler format, this one is more polished. Tell me what you think, just out of curiosity.
Far From Perfect
“Perfect Dark, Zero�
System: X-Box 360
Developer: Rare
2 Stars
With the introduction of a new console system on the video game market, it is hard not to have expectations for some of the more wanted games that are released with it. When the X-Box 360, Microsoft’s follow-up to their surprise hit, the X-Box, hit the stores this past November, people questioned the systems ability after numerous reports of them short circuiting and breaking down on customers. Coupled with a shortage of systems until March of this year, the 360 had a rough launch, but thankfully the shelves were stocked with over forty games to choose from. One of the more anticipated games was Perfect Dark: Zero, a 360 exclusive and the follow up to the classic Perfect Dark 64 from the Nintendo 64 over 6 years ago. While the game follows its predecessor well, this turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as the game is little more than an updated version on an elder engine.
The story follows Joanna Dark, a secret agent in the distant future who has to protect her father from various criminal groups hell bent on stealing research that he holds. The game follows a simple run and gun formula that most shooters hold, where you go from point A to B and kill everything that moves. Thrown in the mix is informants to gather information and a number of clever gadgets to trick and trap enemies.
While the game play seems simplistic at first, a lot of trial and error will occur because the game follows a strict script. If you go off the beaten path in the game, typically an alarm would sound and more enemies will show up out of nowhere to blast you. Fortunately they are not much of a challenge, considering the A.I of the game is really shoddy. Even in hard mode, you can shoot the enemies from a safe distance and they will either stay where they are or charge you in a straight line. The only challenge is you would be facing 20 enemies at once, with them all firing on you at the same time. With the use of strategic A.I done by shooters like Call of Duty and Halo 2, this is more of a step backward than anything.
Not only that, the control is really simplistic, with simple aim and fire and dual stick movement. While not a bad thing, it would make people used to the top shooters on the market today cringe. The dual wielding and secondary weapon functions, like rifles giving you shields to invisibility to even a holographic image of yourself, are a nice touch, but will probably not be used as much as you would hope.
Another problem is that there is no save option during the single player campaign, which is a problem if you are not a hardcore gamer. That with the confusing single player game, and it will turn off many players. The only saving grace is that, thanks to the processing power of the 360, the game looks beautiful. Crisp graphics, great lighting and particle effects and no dips in the framerate make it a beautiful game. In that sense, the 360 earns it props for it’s high definition and processing power, and shows what next-generation graphics really look like.
It also excels in multi-player, which is the games true strong point. Although there are two modes, both are done will on X-Box Live, with little wait times for a game and simple pick up and play controls. Human opponents are more challenging than the NPC of the single player game, and it shows. The main problem though is that many people will feel like they played this game before, because the multi-player online resembles Halo 2 very closely in terms of control and level design. Only the modes of play, standard Deathmatch and Dark Ops, as well as the character models, are any different. Finally the sound in the game is nothing horrible, but nothing spectacular, with a decent voice cast and nice sound effects.
Which I guess can sum up Perfect Dark: Zero in a nutshell. Developer Rare wanted to appeal to the Microsoft audience, but neglected to look after newer gamers to the system, or the hardcore gamers from yesteryear. While it is graphically a hit, the single player game is extremely flawed, and the multi-player game plays like a poor mans Halo. While I was disappointed by Rare, others might find the simplicity appealing, but for now it is worth little more than a rental on a system that few even have.
Far From Perfect
“Perfect Dark, Zero�
System: X-Box 360
Developer: Rare
2 Stars
With the introduction of a new console system on the video game market, it is hard not to have expectations for some of the more wanted games that are released with it. When the X-Box 360, Microsoft’s follow-up to their surprise hit, the X-Box, hit the stores this past November, people questioned the systems ability after numerous reports of them short circuiting and breaking down on customers. Coupled with a shortage of systems until March of this year, the 360 had a rough launch, but thankfully the shelves were stocked with over forty games to choose from. One of the more anticipated games was Perfect Dark: Zero, a 360 exclusive and the follow up to the classic Perfect Dark 64 from the Nintendo 64 over 6 years ago. While the game follows its predecessor well, this turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as the game is little more than an updated version on an elder engine.
The story follows Joanna Dark, a secret agent in the distant future who has to protect her father from various criminal groups hell bent on stealing research that he holds. The game follows a simple run and gun formula that most shooters hold, where you go from point A to B and kill everything that moves. Thrown in the mix is informants to gather information and a number of clever gadgets to trick and trap enemies.
While the game play seems simplistic at first, a lot of trial and error will occur because the game follows a strict script. If you go off the beaten path in the game, typically an alarm would sound and more enemies will show up out of nowhere to blast you. Fortunately they are not much of a challenge, considering the A.I of the game is really shoddy. Even in hard mode, you can shoot the enemies from a safe distance and they will either stay where they are or charge you in a straight line. The only challenge is you would be facing 20 enemies at once, with them all firing on you at the same time. With the use of strategic A.I done by shooters like Call of Duty and Halo 2, this is more of a step backward than anything.
Not only that, the control is really simplistic, with simple aim and fire and dual stick movement. While not a bad thing, it would make people used to the top shooters on the market today cringe. The dual wielding and secondary weapon functions, like rifles giving you shields to invisibility to even a holographic image of yourself, are a nice touch, but will probably not be used as much as you would hope.
Another problem is that there is no save option during the single player campaign, which is a problem if you are not a hardcore gamer. That with the confusing single player game, and it will turn off many players. The only saving grace is that, thanks to the processing power of the 360, the game looks beautiful. Crisp graphics, great lighting and particle effects and no dips in the framerate make it a beautiful game. In that sense, the 360 earns it props for it’s high definition and processing power, and shows what next-generation graphics really look like.
It also excels in multi-player, which is the games true strong point. Although there are two modes, both are done will on X-Box Live, with little wait times for a game and simple pick up and play controls. Human opponents are more challenging than the NPC of the single player game, and it shows. The main problem though is that many people will feel like they played this game before, because the multi-player online resembles Halo 2 very closely in terms of control and level design. Only the modes of play, standard Deathmatch and Dark Ops, as well as the character models, are any different. Finally the sound in the game is nothing horrible, but nothing spectacular, with a decent voice cast and nice sound effects.
Which I guess can sum up Perfect Dark: Zero in a nutshell. Developer Rare wanted to appeal to the Microsoft audience, but neglected to look after newer gamers to the system, or the hardcore gamers from yesteryear. While it is graphically a hit, the single player game is extremely flawed, and the multi-player game plays like a poor mans Halo. While I was disappointed by Rare, others might find the simplicity appealing, but for now it is worth little more than a rental on a system that few even have.
