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RipTen Review : Goldeneye 007 Reloaded (Xbox 360)

Brandon Fenty — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:30:25 +0000

When you first fire up Goldeneye: Reloaded, you’ll notice that this isn’t your N64 classic. The graphics have been updated to modern standards, the story has been tweaked, and Pierce Brosnan has been replaced with Daniel Craig. These changes make for an experience that is distinctly different from the classic yet still has a ring of familiarity about it. It’s this combination of the new and the nostalgic that make this remake such a great game.

Reloaded’s story is not simply the same as Goldeneye’s (the game or the movie). Many of the same set pieces and major plot points are still there, but they almost always have a twist to them. For instance, the famous leap from the dam in the first level is still there, but with a twist that you’ll find surprising. Fans of the original will definitely notice the many nods to the classic, but the story still feels fresh, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to finding out how each scene will be reimagined.

The gameplay of Reloaded has a lot in common with modern shooters, many of which were born from the original Goldeneye. Still, it retains much of the same feel as the original. A quick headshot from the P99 is still the easiest way to dispatch many enemies. Stealth plays a large part in navigating the levels as well. Almost every environment gives you the option to sneak through it with headshots and silent takedowns. If you alert an enemy, an indicator shows up (much like a damage indicator) and you’ve got a few seconds to dispatch him before he can sound the alarm. If you do alert the enemies, you’ll find yourself in an all-out firefight pretty quickly.

One downfall of the single-player experience is the AI. While at points enemies will intelligently use cover, all too often they will just stand out in the open and fire blindly at you. Rarely do they employ any sort of strategy whatsoever in engaging you, and difficulty comes more from sheer numbers than individual enemy skill. While it’s not necessarily terrible, the AI certainly doesn’t impress, either.

The title adds replayability with optional objectives that often lead you off the main path of the level to complete them. When you turn up the difficulty, those objectives become mandatory. You’ll find yourself having to find new routes through the level, and this change-up makes the game feel new even after several playthroughs.

In addition to the main campaign, there are special side-challenges known as MI6 Ops, which add a lot of time to the game. The missions have a generic objective to them, such as take out all enemies or defend a point for a set amount of time, and you’re graded on how well you complete them. Modifiers can be added to make the challenge harder or easier, and you’ll get more points for completing it on a harder difficulty. You can even share a customized challenge with your friends and compete for the top spot.

The controls are fairly standard for a modern shooter, and Call of Duty fans will feel right at home. Bond’s ability to sprint and vault over obstacles makes moving through the environments feel effortless. Clicking the right stick executes a melee attack, which is great for silently taking down enemies or finishing off the last enemy instead of reloading. One nice touch that has been added is the ability to pop out from cover to fire. When crouched behind an object, holding the aim trigger pops your head over the obstacle to take out enemies. Releasing the trigger has you crouch back down. The system makes it easy to pop in and out of cover and helps keep the action flowing more smoothly — it’s a mechanic that more shooters should incorporate.

Unlike the Wii port, Reloaded’s graphics are one of its strong points, and it holds its own amongst modern shooters. Explosions look great, and the environments are large and detailed. Like the rest of the game, the environments will instantly remind you of the classic while at the same time introducing new elements and details. One of the little things I noticed were the doors from the Facility level. They use the same texture from the original (although obviously much more detailed). It’s those kinds of details that bring back nostaligic memories.

Multiplayer is one of the biggest selling points of Reloaded, and Activision doesn’t disappoint. Up to 16 players can face off online in a variety of game modes and environments. Tight controls and excellent level design make this a great part of the experience. In addition, as you play more, you’ll unlock better weapons and gadgets. Unlockable rewards keep players coming back to level up, and after every few matches you’ll have a new toy to play with. It’s a rewarding system that, while not new, definitely works.

The offline multiplayer is also engaging, and the ability to highly customize each match makes the possibilities endless. Many of the same game modes you remember make their way back, such as Golden Gun and You Only Live Twice. You can also tweak settings like damage and health modifiers, and throw in some strangeness with modifiers like Nick Nack mode where every character is reduced to half height and vaulting and climbing become impossible. Four-player split-screen matches are something that doesn’t exist much on consoles anymore, but it’s a welcome addition.

All in all, Goldeneye: Reloaded is a feature-rich game. Multiple modes and seemingly endless customization add a ton of replay value, and seeing the original story reimagined is definitely fun. It retains the feel of the classic while at the same time bringing the title up to date. The controls are solid, the graphics are great , and the level design is clever. Reloaded doesn’t rely on its Goldeneye roots to be a great game, but the nostalgic factor is just icing on the cake.

Here’s The Rundown

+ Solid Feature Set

+ Replay Value

+ Nostaligic Value

- Great Multiplayer

- Mediocre AI

Want to keep up with my latest reviews? Follow me on Twitter @DaMobileGuru

Goldeneye: Reloaded was developed by Eurocom and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The game was released in North America on November 1, 2011 with an MSRP of $59.99. The copy used in this review was provided by the publisher. The game was played to completion by the reviewer and multiplayer was played for many hours until boredom set in.

New GoldenEye Reloaded Trailer Shows off Improved Combat

Dave Oshry — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:20:07 +0000

This just in from MI:6 agent, a new trailer for the highly improved version of last years critically acclaimed GoldenEye reboot.

Activison had this to say:

GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is a contemporary James Bond experience featuring HD visuals and realistic environments running at 60-frames per second, akin to today’s elite action games. Additional to the legendary story campaign, the game introduces the brand new ‘Mi6 Ops Missions’ – new, distinct levels separate from the campaign that span the varied environments from the story and challenge players to complete different Assault, Elimination, Stealth and Defense objectives. GoldenEye 007: Reloaded also takes multiplayer to new heights, maintaining and improving its renowned four-player split-screen action and adding full, adrenaline-pumping 16-player online matches with more maps, weapons, characters and game modes than ever before.

Goldeneye 007 Reloaded will be available on November 1st.

For more on the game check out our hands on preview.

GoldenEye Reloaded Will Have NEW Multiplayer Modes, No Big Head Mode

Dave Oshry — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:31:24 +0000

Never Before Seen In-Game Screenshot from 1974

Here at RipTen, we ask the serious questions. “What did you have for lunch?” “Who’s your daddy?” “Will GoldenEye 007: Reloaded have Big Head mode?!”

Well, unfortunately, GoldenEye’s new HD Wiimake (cwutididthur?) will not have the Big Head mode that we all know and love from the N64 days, but it will have some of the other sw33t modes like Paintball mode.

However, Activison also told us that there will be NEW and IMPROVED multiplayer game types that they can’t talk about yet.

I think I speak for everyone with a PS3 and 360 when I say, “WOOT.”

Stay tuned to RipTen for continued coverage of GoldenEye 007: Reloaded and all things Activision.

007: Blood Stone Gets Exciting New Launch Trailer

Dave Oshry — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:58:32 +0000

Yeah, the game released yesterday but Activision has given us a this exciting new James Bond 007: Blood Stone Trailer today. Watch Bond, in Daniel Craig’s likeness, as he thoroughly dismantles foes to the iconic Bond theme music in exciting third person action.

Blood Stone is available now at retailers for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Goldeneye 007 Developer Video – Villains, New Choices and Weapons

Dave Ernst — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:47:29 +0000

A new developer video has been released for Goldeneye 007 for the Nintendo Wii. The video goes into a little more depth about the main villain in the story, how choices will effect gameplay and weapons you will use to get the job done. Oh, and it also features James Bond lowering himself slowly into a bathroom stall to stealthily take an enemy out. Just like the original for Nintendo 64.

New James Bond 007: Blood Stone Combat Trailer Kicks Ass

Garrett Hartman — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:18:36 +0000

Check out the new combat Trailer for James Bond 007: Blood Stone…Daniel Craig kicks ass! The third-person perspective perfectly compliments the combat sequences.

The new combat system appears to be smooth and the cover system looks good. It’s still too early to tell, but designers Bizzare Creations might have a winner!

Expect James Bond to sneak in this November.

The Watercooler – Special James Bond Edition

Dan Landis — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:04:15 +0000

Warning: The Watercooler is the best thing you will see on the Internet today, mainly because it is the best thing I saw on the Internet yesterday. Be advised that The Watercooler is not necessarily videogame related (it usually won’t be), and is often silly, controversial, and/or not safe for work (NSFW). If this type of content frequently offends you, please be aware that I just warned you — if you still click through and get offended, it will be your own stupid fault. Otherwise, please continue…

In honor of the upcoming 007 flick Quantum of Solace release this Friday, I’ve decided to feature a nice video mash-up as today’s Watercooler. I like mash-ups. Entitled ‘Quantum of Bonds’, this awesomely awesome trailer helps detail how Daniel Craig stole the role of Bond away from Pierce Brosnan… and eludes to the idea that Pierce may be coming back.

Only watch this if you’re sexy, and don’t ask how we can tell.

You’re welcome.

To check out more incredibly awesome mash-ups and various other cool shits, check out Black20.

Think you have something that could be Watercooler material? Send it to dlandis@ripten.com. If your submission gets featured, you will win a prize package full of pride and accomplishment.

James Bond Star Is Secretly A Huge Gamer

Dan Landis — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:35:02 +0000

The latest in the long line of James Bond actors, Daniel Craig, is secretly a huge gaming fanatic. He’s actually passionate enough about videogames (secretly) that he wouldn’t sign on with Treyarch to make the upcoming Quantum of Solace game until he got a chance to evaluate it himself.

In an interview with Daily Star, Treyarch’s Adam Gascoine had the following to say about Daniel Craig and his secret gaming lifestyle:

“Daniel Craig is a gamer. The impression I got is that he spends a lot of time playing games even though his other half is constantly telling him not to.

He was quite reserved about doing our game at first because he didn’t want to be involved in a shoddy product. We had to show it to him three times before he would sign up. When we went to Pinewood Studios, we were held up for half an hour because he was playing Guitar Hero.

They were about half way through making Quantum Of Solace and he got to play some levels of the game that related to scenes he was actually filming at the time. The fact that he was evaluating our game made it very high stakes for us. It was quite tense, but the end result made it a much better game.

Craig is very serious about his roles. You can’t just go in there joking and laughing. You have to establish you are there to do business. If he says he doesn’t like it, you have to listen. He’s also built like a brick shithouse so you don’t argue with him.”

I have nothing else to say except that this news is both awesome and strangely humorous.