Gamers have had high expectations for GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. After all, the last time a game came out bearing the movie name it was a classic, and inspired the genre for years to come. Does this latest game live up to the legacy of the past game, or even other FPS? Unfortunately, Rogue Agent will most likely disappoint you.
Rogue Agent certainly does have high production values. Character models are well detailed, and a rag doll physics system is put to good use (although once in awhile an enemy would get stuck in a wall). The levels themselves are very big and pack a lot to see. However, they are very linear (no open exploration here, you’re pretty much on a set path for the whole game), and there isn’t a lot of variety. From the Casino level to the
One area where the game succeeds is in its sound. Voice actors do a fairly good job of keeping you in the story (though there isn’t a lot, and your character is very generic). Rogue Agent has a professional soundtrack done by the popular DJ Paul Oakenfold, which has a techno like feel to it and actually matches the game very well. This is one of the highlights of the game, which unfortunately isn’t saying too much about the gameplay.
When it comes to gameplay, the game shows that it is lagging behind others in the genre. While the core mechanics are solid enough, there is not a lot of variety in the game. Your character can dual wield anytime he wants, and at many times this will be a necessity. One problem is that the number of weapons is limited. By the time you’re a little ways into the game, you will have likely seen most of the major weapons, and this is not a good thing. And the game is fairly short as well, with eight missions spread out over several levels a piece. Uneven difficulty also plagues the game in some later missions, as there will be many long stretches between save breaks teeming with tons of powerful enemies.
One of the few attempts at innovation in Rogue Agent are its deathtraps. In single player or multiplayer levels, you can flip switches that activate traps, which can help eliminate the enemy. These traps are pretty cool, and range from a breakaway floor to a spike trap. Despite this, deathtraps are not widely available in single-player levels (you will see most of them near the beginning of the game only), so it takes away from their impact.
Another thing that is neat in the game are the GoldenEye powers. As your character has a golden eye, he can get useful upgrades for it throughout the game, whether it is a shield that deflects bullets or a special sight mode that lets you see enemies through crates and barrels (and it should be mentioned that Rogue Agent has the most crates and barrels of any recent game). These powers turn out to be quite useful, and you will often have to use them to stay alive. While it’s a great and well executed idea, it pales in comparison to the innovations made in other games.
In-game AI was a feature being boasted about in pre-release hype for the game, and it certainly manages to deliver on this. Enemies will intelligently seek cover and dive out of the way of grenade blasts. They also seem to be very accurate shots, so you will have to utilise cover as well (if only to let your shield/health meter recharge so that you can keep on fighting). Up close, enemies will use hand-to-hand moves similar to your own, so be on the alert. It is possible to take a human shield but this is not really a necessity in the game, and feels like it was tacked on as an extra feature.
Multi-player is available in either split-screen or online formats (four maximum for split-screen, eight maximum for online). There are only a few game types (deathmatch, team battle etc.), and they are pretty standard for the genre. Levels in multiplayer are decent, but some of them feel a little small and limited. Multiplayer isn’t an aspect that’s worth picking this game up for, but if you have the game in your possession it can be a fun diversion for a few hours.
Overall, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent feels like it could’ve been so much more. Where other games have pushed to add innovation to the genre, this game feels as though it is content to stick to the old conventions with only a few new features. In other words, Rogue Agent is basically a generic shooter with the Goldeneye name tacked on. Don’t pay full price for this one, but if it strikes your interest give it a look in a few months, when it will hopefully have hit a more reasonable price point.
Chris Dahlberg
