This should be obvious, but just so it’s clear: GoldenEye 007 Reloaded is not an HD version of the Nintendo 64 classic GoldenEye 007. It’s an HD version of last year’s Wii remake, itself a Call of Duty–fied re-imagining that radically revised and updated the original GoldenEye’s levels, characters, and events. It’s not about to recapture any of the GoldenEye name’s old glory, but taken on its own merits, Reloaded is a serviceably fun (if Teen-rated and strangely timed) CoD clone.
In the campaign, the N64 game’s most recognizable stages are back in longer, more elaborate forms that still retain some familiar touches, and there’s an emphasis on stealth that makes creeping around and performing silent kills (usually via karate chop or sleeper hold) more rewarding than running-and-gunning. It’s not all great — the visuals are rough, the objectives are simplistic, and melee attacks frequently lack any sense of weight or visceral punch. However, solo play’s a lot of fun overall, with an assortment of extra challenge missions to give it a little more longevity.
Of course, the real draw for many is the multiplayer, and here’s where GoldenEye falls strangely flat. The online modes are varied and fun, with leveling and perk-like “gadgets” (grenades, proximity mines), but it feel dated and shallow next to the likes of Call of Duty, with matchmaking problems when the game launched. Fortunately, nostalgic fans can indulge in four-player split-screen, which — while offering a third as many match types — still manages to recapture some of the fun Bond games have been grasping at for the past 14 years.
Publisher: Activision • Developer: Eurocom • ESRB: Teen • Multiplayer: 4-player vs. split-screen, 16 players online • Achievements: Demanding • Cost: $60
+ Re-imagines the original story in interesting ways.
+ Combination of stealth with desperate run-and-gun keeps campaign fun.
– Multiplayer is varied, but strangely shallow, with odd matchmaking issues when the game launched.
? Why on earth would Activision release this game a week before Modern Warfare 3?
