The news that a remaster of GoldenEye 007 is coming to Xbox has caused cheers – and rightly so, because it’s one of the best games ever made. Then the cheers gave way to confusion and disappointment, as it was confirmed that the version of the game released on Xbox consoles would not have online multiplayer – just the classic split screen.
Oddly, the Nintendo Switch version will feature online play — but that version is basically an emulation of the N64 version, not a true remake. It’s all a bit confusing and a bit disappointing. GoldenEye’s multiplayer is undoubtedly its best-known feature, although it’s definitely always at its best when you’re crammed into a single screen – I also feel that in our 2022, online is a must.
However, if you want to play GoldenEye multiplayer on Xbox, it’s an option – it’s been available since 2010.
Of course, I’m talking about the Xbox Live Arcade version of GoldenEye’s successor, Perfect Dark, which was first released more than a decade ago but is also part of Rare Replay and is still compatible with all modern Xbox consoles on the market today.
I don’t just say this because Perfect Dark is the spiritual successor to GoldenEye, Perfect Dark Remaster actually contains quite a bit of GoldenEye content.
This content includes three classic levels from GoldenEye, playable in local or online multiplayer. GoldenEye’s Temple and Complex are back, as is Facility, despite its cheeky rebranding as Felicity. In many cases, the textures may be different using visuals extracted from the PD campaign, but the level layout is the same and exactly as you remember it.
In terms of weapons, a bunch of classic GoldenEye shooters represent the “Classic Weapons” category. They are the same weapons, but visually retouched and renamed to avoid any legal issues.
GoldenEye’s iconic PP7 special, Bond’s iconic sidearm, itself based on the Walther PPK, is back, not as subtly renamed as the PP9i. The AK-47 stand-in KF7 Soviet returns to Perfect Dark as the KF7 Special.
The awesome RC-P90 is back in the form of the RC-P45 (presumably a joke reference to the form you have to fill out in the UK where Rare is based when you’re fired). Could it be the GoldenEye without the Klobb, the worst gun in the GoldenEye, jokingly named after developer Ken Lobb? KL01313 in perfect darkness.
These are just a few of them, but the point is – if you remember GoldenEye’s weapons, the GoldenEye version is either represented in Perfect Dark as a neat little Easter egg, or is represented by a nearly identical Perfect Dark alternative. For example, GoldenEye’s induction mines don’t exist, but the PD version is basically the same. Oh, and if you play Oddjob, the alien Elvis has the same height-related advantages to abuse.
Granted, it’s only three levels and you can’t play as a Bond character – but the point is, a sizable chunk of the GoldenEye multiplayer experience is available on Xbox anyway. Perfect Dark is included in the Rare Replay Collection in Game Pass, so it’s available to everyone. Plus – whisper it – Perfect Dark is actually a better game than GoldenEye, no matter what. James walks so Joanna can run. You may be coming for GoldenEye’s return, but stay tuned for all the great weapon alt-fire and powerful maps that Perfect Dark brings.
Of course, none of this is an excuse for Microsoft and Nintendo to release this weird version. Whatever the reason, this is vague. But launching Perfect Dark at least removes the advantage. I hope to see you online. I’ll be on Felicity – melee only.
