This version of GoldenEye 007 takes the concept behind the original N64 exclusive and moves not only the gameplay forward to the modern era, but also fast-forwards the Bond franchise to the new guy. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond will likely forever remain an N64 exclusive, as Daniel Craig’s Bond takes the reigns. This GoldenEye isn’t so much a remake or a port as it is, as Hollywood says when spinning a “remake,” a reboot of the classic title.

Essentially, the game is a revamp of the GoldenEye story, which has James Bond fighting to stop a rogue Russian General from unleashing the powerful GoldenEye weapon. What this release brings to the table is the grittier nature of Craig’s James Bond. Many story elements have been modernized as well: for instance, character motivations have been updated and Bond’s tech-filled watch from the original movie and game has been replaced by a do-all cell phone. Character designs have been updated as well.

This version is more in-line with its contemporary FPS titles in the dual-analog style. Like the original, it emphasizes stealth and espionage-oriented gameplay, allowing more than one way to complete missions. However, the game also contains third-person vehicular elements, such as the tank chase sequence from the film.

The game retains the split-screen multiplayer mayhem the original title was known for, and again modernizes things with online gameplay for up to eight players. Like the earlier game, characters from the main game appear in multiplayer as well as classic Bond villains including infamous characters Jaws, Scaramanga (the man with the Golden Gun) and Oddjob. Overall, the game features fifty playable characters for the multiplayer experience, ten maps, three gameplay modes, and seventeen “modifiers.”

GoldenEye 007 (PAL)

The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary: Special Orchestra CD