GoldenEye on Wii reviewed by Gloria Preston

As a rule I don't like remakes, I've seen countless films and TV shows remade, updated or rebooted and with only one exception they've all been a disappointment. Video games are a different matter though, they tend to just slap on a new coat of paint and leave the game unchanged, they don't remake games the way Hollywood does films, until now that is. It was always going to be a massive undertaking remaking a game that way, let alone one of the all time classic games like Goldeneye. Who in their right mind wouldn't be cynical about it, but now the finished product has arrived will those people be saying 'I told you so', or eating humble pie?

The first thing you'll have to get your head round is that times have changed since the original game/film, and so has the world, so that means changes to the cast and story as well as the gameplay. So out goes Pierce Brosnan, and in comes Daniel Craig, and with him his portrayal of Bond as a more brutal and humourless character. Some people may like that, personally I don't, but at least I didn't have to look at him much. The supporting characters have also changed, apart from M, with all new actors in their roles, and differing backgrounds and motivations for their characters. The main story remains basically unchanged though, just brought in to the present day, like most movie remakes do these days, but like them it also removes all surprise from the story. You know who is going to turn out to be the villain, so that loses some of it's shock value, but I suppose a new generation of gamers won't have seen the film or played the original game, so it'll still be fresh for some people.

So, new Bond, updated story and cast, but the gameplay is still the same, right? Well yes, and no, it's still a FPS with strong stealth elements, but there have been some additions to fit with the new Bonds different character, and changes in the way FPS games are these days. It actually borrows heavily from Activision's main FPS franchise Call of Duty, which is no bad thing, you can now use melee attacks without changing weapons, vault over obstacles seamlessly, and recharge your health by avoiding damage. But it all still feels like the Goldeneye of old, security cameras are still there, although they don't play as big a part as they used to. Extra objectives are added at higher difficulties, and there's even a setting for 007 mode, with no recharging health, just health and armour pick-ups as they used to. Eurocom has done an excellent job in bringing Goldeneye up to date in the gameplay stakes without losing the feel of the original, for which it must be applauded. The developer has righted the wrong that was Goldeneye Rogue Agent and once again the name Goldeneye is synonymous with a quality FPS.

And a good FPS needs a good control system to get the most out of it, and Goldeneye has no shortage of control methods. Standard Wiimote and nunchuck is obviously available, you also get classic controller and Gamecube controller options, for those more comfortable with a gamepad in their hands. There's even an option to use the Wii Zapper, not that I'd recommend it for a game like this. Most FPS players will no doubt go for the classic or Gamecube controller options, but after spending some time with the Wiimote option I'd have to say that was the best option. It's very responsive, and you can adjust the sensitivity to suit yourself, it may take a bit of getting used to for traditionalists, but it's worth the effort for the improved reaction speed it gives you.

We all know that the main thing about Goldeneye was its multiplayer, great as the single player game was what kept people coming back for more was the split screen game, and the remake is no different. Back before online gaming came to the masses split screen was the way to go with multiplayer games, and Goldeneye was the definitive multiplayer console FPS. Personally I wasn't a fan of split screen gaming, I always thought the screen space was too squashed, and having other players able to see where you were and what you were doing a big disadvantage, but it seems like I was in the minority. So if you miss the old style local mutiplayer then you're in for a treat, but if, like me, you don't really care for it, you do have another choice.

In this day and age you just can't get away with offline multiplayer on an FPS though, so the new Goldeneye also sports a very comprehensive online game too. The lack of voice chat is a bit of a downer, especially in team games, and the friends code thing is, as usual, a right pain in the arse. But apart from that it plays very well, only eight players maximum, but as the maps aren't huge it never feels too empty. Some of the game modes are lifted straight from the original game, like golden gun, paintball and melee only, but there's some new ones in there too,. None of the classic maps are included though, but the new ones all seem pretty well designed and play well, so that's not a real issue.

The multiplayer game also borrows from the Call of Duty franchise too, with an experience point system that rewards you with some nice extras to improve your game. Bond wouldn't be Bond without gadgets, and these are your reward for racking up the points, these are quite varied, and the right gadgets can make a big difference to the game. The multiplayer also awards accolades for achievements in a game, like most shotgun kills, longest kill streak, that sort of thing, and they're all given very Bond style names, several of them being film titles, and some classic quotes too. All things considered it's a good online FPS, even compared to some on the HD consoles, and should not be dismissed just because of its shortcomings.

Of course the game's going to get the customary new paint job all game remakes get, and there's been no skimping in that department either. Goldeneye is without a doubt one of the best looking games on the Wii, character models are realistic, the scenery is beautiful, and it all moves along at a fair old pace nice and smoothly. Occasionally there's a very slight bit of slowdown when there's a lot going on, but it doesn't happen often and is barely noticeable. The audio is up to the same high standards, with some top notch voice work by the actors, and very atmospheric music, not to mention all the gunfire and explosions sounding very authentic. The menus are all nicely set out and easy to navigate too, meaning the game scores very highly in the presentation department.

Nobody thought this would be half as good as the original game, myself included, but I'm happy to have been proven wrong. The original Goldeneye was great in its day, and so is the remake, I'm sure some people won't be able to take off the rose tinted specs, and won't like it no matter what, but that's their problem. Don't let nostalgia stop you from enjoying a fantastic game, this is a must buy for Wii owners, and a good reason for everyone else to buy one.