After the release of GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, fans purchased several later Bond titles before realising that 007's games (much like his films) are wildly hit and miss. Now, even good James Bond games never receive the hype that early post-GoldenEye titles did.
It was only a couple years ago that EA finally got the "bright idea" trot the GoldenEye name out to get a few extra bucks out of it. Only problem was, they couldn't think of a way to continue the original story. Their solution: Invent a completely new, mostly random, mostly stupid plot about a 007 co-worker who has turned evil after being accused of misconduct. Oh, and he has a special mechanical eye with synthetic powers called, you guessed it, the GoldenEye. In other words, it's not really a sequel at all. But donšt hit the back button just yet, GoldenEye:Rogue Agent still has a lot to offer as a FPS on the GameCube.
Gameplay
In terms of gameplay, Rogue Agent is a lot like the original GoldenEye. On steroids. More weapons (many completly unbelievable), more enemies (who are, in some cases, enemies of other enemies) and more missions (with dozens of interactive dangers like mannequins in a "fun house" who shoot real bullets at the touch of a button). Weird, to be sure (and hardly in the vein of Ian Fleming) but amusing nonetheless.
Many of the environments are riddled with various gimmicks. By hitting buttons and switches you are able to trigger all kinds of wacky dangers. Giant shipping crates will zoom across an enemy's path on a track. A rocket mounted above ground level will shoot flames at unfortunate bystanders. Spikes will shoot up out of the ground. A hovering blimp will release a deadly rain of machine gun fire. There's a pretty long list of pain you can unleash, but the game's gimmicks don't stop there.
Once you unlock the four features of your synthetic GoldenEye you'll be able to manipulate electronics and cause enemy weapons to malfunction, deflect damage, magically send enemies flying (telekinetic style) and see through solid objects. Though mostly helpful, few of these features are actually necessary to beat the game. Some of them (like the Magnetic Field that lets you push around enemies) are just a pain in the butt.
Also new to the Bond series is a different health system. You can still get body armour to prevent initial damage, but healing can be achieved by succesfully avoiding all attacks for a few seconds. Like most things in Rogue Agent, this feature is far from realistic, but doesn't dampen the fun.
The weapons are quite simply fun. You start with (surprise surprise) a simple pistol with unlimited ammo and a few basic grenades. On your journeys you'll find all the usual loadout, including shotguns, machine guns, sub machine guns (with sniper rifle zoom), better pistols, rocket launchers and, of course, the Golden Gun. More unusual weapons include a vapor gun (which makes enemies disapear), a stun gun (which freezes enemies for a limited time so you can get a better shot at them), an electronic zapper (basically a fancy taser) and a flashing, beeping, boom boom gun which shoots and detonates tiny explosives. And yeah, I'm fudging the titles.
Probably the best feature new to Rogue Agent is the FPS flavor of the month, the dual weapons system, which allows you to carry (and fire) two different weapons simultaneously. They can be identical or completly different, allowing for a good number of deadly combinations. You can't store weapons in an invisible arsenal, but there's always plenty of guns lying around from deceased enemies.
The game also brags of a new "E.V.I.L." AI engine, which supposedly "simulates enemy emotions in real time". Kind of like normal AI. Enemies hardly seem to react to being shot (and won't look for cover when they are), but admittedly, they are very unpredictable. They will frantically run all over the place, giving you little opportunity to find patterns. Since there's often two varieties of foes (who are enemies of each other), they will occasionally kill each other without you having to get involved, as well.
The biggest letdown with the gameplay is the lack of variety. Unlike earlier Gamecube releases like Agent Under Fire and Nightfire (both 2002), Rogue Agent doesn't offer any alternatives to the usual run and shoot routine. No Aston Martin here. Enemies get to control different vehicles, including helicopters and tanks, but you get nothing. The repetitive environments do little to remedy the situation. Visually, the stages vary greatly, from wartorn streets to mysterious Asian temples to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. But in terms of gameplay, therešs little change. Sure, there's always new gimmicks to play with, but they all serve the same basic purposes. Sure there are different enemies, but they all behave the same.
Another dissapointment: While the game claims you get to fight alongside and against legendary Bond villains, what it means is, occasional enemies will have names floating above their heads declaring they are somehow more "legendary" than others. They might look like they did in this film or that film, they might even carry a special weapon you'll be able to inherit when they die but you never get to communicate with them, and rarely will you face them one on one.
Luckily EA had the sense to add a multiplayer mode; It would have been nuts to make a psuedo-GoldenEye sequel without split-screen. And it's actually surprisingly good. Like the one player experience, multiplayer features plenty of interactive environments and weapons. Synthetic eyes and dual weapons are also permitted. The bad news is, the basic mulitplayer environments still aren't as big or cleverly designed as they were in GoldenEye 007. Considering Rogue Agent is split up over two discs, I just don't understand why these stages couldn't be bigger. Two player battles are still fast, fun and frantic, but when there's four agents running around, things start to feel a little cramped and it becomes near impossible to stand anywhere without being in the sights of a fellow gamer.
Controls
This game uses the same basic control scheme introduced in Nightfire with a few adjustments made for the dual weapon system. The main analogue joystick moves you forwards, backwards and strafes, while the C-stick lets you turn left and right and look up and down. The A Button triggers contraptions spread throughout the levels (including doors), while B puts your "Goldeneye" into action. A plus L and A plus R will make you pick up weapons in your left and right hands, respectively, while L and R pull the triggers. For gamers who aren't familiar with this setup, it will probably take a while to get used to. Once you get the hang of it, though, it is a welcome change over the original GoldenEye's control scheme.
Visuals
Most of the levels in Rogue Agent look awesome, with lots of detail, attractive colour combos and believable lighting effects. A few stages (like the funhouse) also show off some unique visual effects and optical illusions. Some environments, though (often set in the great outdoors) look downright bland, with nothing but dull greys and blacks, unbelievable damage effects and skies that look like cheaplt painted movie sets. Not that you'll have a lot of time to admire the scenerey anyways; The game packs dozens of enemies on screen at once along with massive explosions, flashes of electricity, flying helicopters and other visually-pleasing interactive distractions. Best of all, slowdown is practically non existant.
Sound
Every weapon has it's own explosive sound effects, which is impressive in and of itself. The music isn't great, but I can imagine how cool the SFX might be hooked up to a Dolby system.
Longevity
Spread over two discs, Goldeneye: Rogue Agent should be long enough to satisfy any bond fan. The multiplayer serves its purpose as a fun distraction for when friends arrive. But even with all the weapons and gimmicks, large levels and needlessly complicated story line, few will have any desire to beat Rogue Agent multiple times. The single-player experience is simply too repetitive to offer fun beyond the first playthrough.
Conclusion
With a plot that fails to include James Bond and 80% of the action consumed by shooting moving targets hiding behind objects, Rogue Agent will actually appeal more to 3D shooter fans looking for some variety in an FPS than it will Bond wannabees. Still, those who loved the original GoldenEye may find the improved controls, unique weapon set up and hectic environments worth checking out, at least as a rental.
