Perfect Dark

released on Mar 17, 2010

A remaster of Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark is a remastered release of the first-person shooter video game by the same name. Developed by 4J Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios a decade after the original's 2000 release, the remaster features several technical improvements, including higher resolution textures and models, a higher frame rate, and a multiplayer mode that supports the Xbox Live online service. It was released for the Xbox 360 video game console in March 2010, through the Xbox Live Arcade download service. The story of the game follows Joanna Dark, an agent of the Carrington Institute organization, as she attempts to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne.

Perfect Dark was under development for nearly a year and its game engine was completely re-written from scratch to support several Xbox 360 features. Therefore, although the game plays exactly the same as the original, the code and renderer is different. The game received generally favorable reviews. Some critics considered the relatively unchanged game to be outdated, but most agreed that the title was a solid revival of a classic.


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its actually playable unlike the n64 version

A fine little level-based shooter with some smooth action and a fantastically funky little alien friend called Elvis. Played mostly as part of the lineage between GoldenEye and TimeSplitters, it's a fun romp marred by Rare's particular brand of frustrating level design.

Played through the Rare Replay collection.
Some of the mission structure kinda frustrated me a little bit (Rare's old-school style of requiring you to complete multiple missions in one run can be a little annoying for me personally), and some of the level design can feel a tad overwhelming for me, but all in all, I'm glad I gave it a second chance (although it was probably more like seventh). Don't know if I'd ever play it again, but it's still a solid enough game. I tend to feel like a lot of the Rare N64 games have aged poorly, and in some ways, this one might have, but it's still fun.
Now if only Microsoft would actually release that reboot...

ages well more than Goldeneye despite releasing first on the N64

Third GOTM finished for January 2023. A great looking remaster, but not even nostalgia from playing in my childhood could hold this one up. Perfect Dark is arguably one of the best N64 shooters, with some of the coolest weapon designs and absolutely fantastic music. However, it's still marred by objective completion conditions that are incredibly vague and unclear, awful story and characters, and level design that makes it incredibly easy to get turned around. Interesting to play a childhood favorite with better graphics, but not interested in coming back.