The news that the remastered GoldenEye 007 is coming to the Xbox has been met with cheers – and yes, because it’s one of the best games ever made. The cheers then turned to confusion and disappointment, as it’s been confirmed that the version of the game launching on Xbox consoles won’t have online multiplayer–only classic split-screen. With the game now available for everyone to play (assuming you have Game Pass or a digital copy of Rare Replay), there’s a heavy sense of disappointment in the air.
Oddly enough, the Nintendo Switch version is playable online–but that version is basically an emulation of the N64 version, rather than a true remake, as part of the Switch Online expansion pack that holds true for all N64s on the console. It’s all a little messy and a little disappointing. GoldenEye’s multiplayer is arguably its most famous feature, although it will definitely always be at its best when you’re crammed in front of a screen – I also feel like being online is a bit of a must these days.
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 over a decade ago but is also part of Rare Replay and is compatible with all modern Xbox consoles on the market today.
I’m not saying this because Perfect Dark is also 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 the Facility, albeit cheekily renamed Felicity. In many cases the textures may be different, using visuals pulled from PD campaigns, but the level layout is the same and exactly as you remember it.
In terms of weapons, a bunch of classic GoldenEye shooters appear in the “Classic Weapons” category. They’re the same weapon, but with a visual touch-up and a new name to avoid any legal issues.
The iconic PP7 special from GoldenEye, Bond’s iconic pistol, itself based on the Walther PPK, is back, without the subtly renamed PP9i. The AK-47’s replacement, the KF7 Soviet, returns to Perfect Dark as the KF7 Special.
The awesome RC-P90 returns as the RC-P45 (presumably a joking reference to having to fill out forms in the UK, where Rare is based, when you get fired). Without Klobb, would it be GoldenEye, the worst gun in GoldenEye, jokingly named after developer Ken Lobb? This is available in Perfect Dark as KL01313.
These are just a few, but the point is – if you remember one of GoldenEye’s weapons, the GoldenEye version is either represented in Perfect Dark as a neat little Easter egg, or represented by a nearly identical Perfect Dark replacement. For example, GoldenEye’s Proximity Mines don’t exist, but the PD version is basically the same. Oh, and if you play Oddjob, Alien Elvis has the same height-related advantage to abuse.
Granted, it only has three levels, and you can’t play as Bond–but the point is that there’s a decent chunk of the GoldenEye multiplayer experience on Xbox. Perfect Dark is included in the Rare Replay collection in Game Pass – so it’s available to everyone. Also – to whisper – Perfect Dark is actually a much better game overall than GoldenEye anyway. James walks, Joanna can run. You might come to see the return of GoldenEye, but you’ll also stay for all the great sidearms and powerful maps that Perfect Dark brings.
Of course, none of this excuses Microsoft and Nintendo for releasing this odd version. Whatever the cause, it’s vague nonsense. But launching Perfect Dark would at least remove the advantage. I hope to meet you online. I’d go with Felicity – melee only.
