Very dated, but all in all, it's not too bad.

User Rating: 7 | Perfect Dark X360

Positives:

  • Great visuals for the time that still mostly hold up.
  • Smooth 60 FPS gameplay that's a step above what the Nintendo 64 did.
  • Gunplay is mostly still solid stuff.
  • AI provides a solid challenge, even on the lower difficulties.
  • Plenty of modes to play around in.
  • Joanna Dark is an awesome character.
  • The music is pretty fantastic stuff.

Negatives:

  • Still not in love with the "have to complete every mission in one go" thing.
  • Aiming can feel a tad inaccurate at points, which rears its head near the end.
  • A few of the levels are a little too sprawling, to the point where I needed a guide.

Consensus: Would it be a Rare game for the Nintendo 64 if I didn't say "Rare's Nintendo 64 output has aged poorly in my opinion" at one point? True, a lot of the games that defined Nintendo's first 3D console have shown their age, and I won't pretend "Perfect Dark" isn't one of those. It left me frustrated rather often (more than I would've ever expected), and I'm surprised I even managed to beat the game given that I first tried playing it six years ago (that's 2017, for whoever's keeping score). Still, I was able to have some fun with it, at least more than I was able to have fun with the recent "GoldenEye 007" re-release. The overall gameplay is fun enough in spite of its warts, even if it can be confusing and you might need a guide for it. The remaster also does a solid enough job, which sweetens the deal a little. It might be hard to get into if you're uninitiated, but there's still enjoyment to be pulled from it. And having played it through the "Rare Replay" collection, this is a nice addition to what is a phenomenal package.

Final rating: 7 out of 10 "Good"