Goldeneye brings the James Bond experience to the n64, and remains one of the most influential FPS games for the console
The game plays like a James Bond movie, offering few challenges in combat. Enemies only become challenging on the later levels, and that's only from them dual wielding decent weapons, upgrading their threat levels from Terri Schiavo to kindergartener. The real challenges come from some of the mission objectives, but that doesn't deny the fact that despite its relative ease, the combat aspect of this game is undeniably awesome. It plays like a James Bond or Rambo film, allowing you to massacre ungodly amounts of idiotic guards via autoaim (which makes up for the horrific manual aim) with little moral question. The mission objectives are mostly ridiculously easy or bizarrely obscure or even insanely difficult *cough* train trapdoor *cough* and there seems to be little pattern to the difficulty in the levels. The levels are sufficiently diverse and interesting, although that snow level does become a bit old after a while. Still, the levels design itself is fairly top notch and keeps it interesting. Visually, the game is strangely beautiful in a sort of surreal fashion, with red skies and an ever present inexplicable colored fog that is completely illogical in some scenes, but somehow adds to the general flavor of the game.
As far as a storytelling medium, I can't really rate Goldeneye, as it's been 10 years since I saw the film, and someone told me that if I wanted to really appreciate the game, I'd have to watch the movie. However, what I do remember is the only decent thing about the movie was Alan Cumming playing Boris, so that idea is probably caput. Still, as far as storytelling in games goes, this game is not remarkable in any way, shape, or form. It has some pseudo-cutscenes, and a few in game dialog sequences, but they are mismatched, and there is no continuous storyline, save that James Bond is chasing his nemesis Trevelyan who inexplicably died in the first mission by running into an exploding mine. The attempts at character development are completely laughable, but something tells me that the console FPSs in the 90s weren't the best vehicles for amazing storytelling. What is even better is the bizarre make out scene during the credits, where the blocky models of James Bond and Natalya make out in a scene that left me blinking confusedly, wondering why James Bond would want to make out with this annoying chick who for most levels dies at the drop of a hat, and then for one level is she-rambo. But then again, he is James Bond.
On the bright side, the music is great. In fact, the music is fantastic, catchy, and seems to incorporate the James Bond theme into just about every song. Some of the music for levels seems slightly out of place, but it is never annoying.
The weapon selection in the game is actually pretty descent, although the explosives are one thing that few early games have ever done well, and this is no exception. The explosions linger for five seconds of fiery hell, and it seems that almost everything, from computer console to cardboard box will detonate dramatically if shot enough times. The pistol selection is fairly uninteresting, as pistol selections usually are, but the rifles and submachine guns are fairly varied, and manage to keep it well rounded. There are also a number of additional weapons such as throwing knives, lasers, and what was rumored to be a paintbrush but is actually the butt of the sniper rifle.
Still, what makes this game what it was is the multiplayer. It offers a number of interesting character models, including some James Bond favorites such as Oddjob and Jaws, and a number of good multiplayer levels, and some rather annoying multiplayer levels. Still, this game allowed for 4 people to get together and deathmatch on the N64, and proved to be a great solution for people who wanted a good multiplayer game and didn't like reused Nintendo franchises. While deathmatch was the most memorable playing system, there was actually a number of possible multiplayer scenarios, such as capture the flag and the like. The multiplayer was fun, dynamic, and unlike anything I personally had seen on a console at the time, and proved to be a wonderful way for kids with an N64 to waste their childhoods.
Goldeneye remains one of the more influential FPS games for the console, retaining much of its original value over the years, and while its flaws are highlighted by modern games that easily overcome them, it is still a great gaming classic that never gets old.