Who has Goldeneye(wii) already?

[Zoltor]

I ordered mine from Best Buy, so I'm waiting to get it still(got the sweet Golden Classic Controller Pro Bundle).

How are you liking it(I love the fact there is a Classic Mode, so you can play it in the orignal Goldeneye format, not the COD style), the enemy AIs, and the interactive environment are awesome additions to the game as well?

[InternalPrimate]

I do!

I think your enjoyment depends on how into modern shooters you are. So far, I absolutely love Goldeneye Wii. But that's because I love the Call of Duty games...

I've owned the game since Tuesday, and according to the little daily messages in the Wii menu I've played the game for about 12 hours so far. A combination of the single and multiplayer, I have yet to finish the single player game.

12 hours in three days is an ENORMOUS amount of time for me, in fact the last time I can think of spending that much time gaming was when Modern Warfare 2 came out. Which makes sense, since the game is so similar to those games.

Goldeneye isn't at all a remake of the Rare game. Everyone throws out "re-imagining", but that doesn't really explain it. The game is completely new, relying only on elements of the movie script to move along the gameplay. Eurocom uses a few familiar locations to throw you off, but the game is definitely its own beast.

The single player game is very fun. There's four difficulty levels, and it follows the mission structure Rare made famous. On the lower two difficulty settings, only one or two missions are required per level, and they are usually simplistic (like "follow the bad guy"). The higher two difficulty settings, including classic mode, involve more missions, and while you can finish levels without completing everything, you'll be unable to move on with that specific difficulty. I've been playing it on 007 difficulty (the equivalent of Secret Agent in the original) and have had to redo missions when missing something.

Goldeneye apes a lot from the Call of Duty series. The single player is very cinematic, the gameplay is almost exactly the same (from the constant location icon to the look down the sight of your gun to the way the screen shows you're crouching), and the multiplayer might as well be called Call of Duty: James Bond. But is that a bad thing?

Yes, the game is much more cinematic than the original, but it's VERY well-done. The voice acting is superb, the animation is excellent, and the pre-scripted events in the game just makes it feel so much more alive than the original. And while you may or may not like the pop-up targeting, replenishing health, and down the sights view, you don't have to play that way. Eurocom had the great sense to make Goldeneye extremely flexible, and that's very much appreciated. Classic mode might be for you, and there's a wealth of more traditional control options available.

That said, I'm a big fan of the COD games, and I enjoyed playing Bond in that style. What separates Goldeneye from, say, Modern Warfare 2 is its reliance on stealth gameplay. I always thought the original's focus on stealth gameplay was a bit artificial, I never felt overwhelmed when setting off alarms or having enemies call for backup. In this game, it's practically required at the higher difficulty settings. This game does great job of allowing for different play styles. There's usually more than a couple paths to get around enemies (including a large number of vents) and you'll really have to take advantage of silencers on your pistol and sniper guns. The game also allows for melee stealth kills, which work great. Sneak up behind an enemy (by crouch-walking), and then snap your nunchuck forward and Bond will pull off a cinematic, and silent, kill. It works VERY well and gives the game its own feel.

The enemy AI is certainly better than the original, which is to say it isn't brain-dead, but not the best in the world. That's partially because there's a focus on stealth; because the game encourages you to sneak up and silently take out enemies, sometimes a fellow adversary might not even take notice. Again, it's not that big of a deal. It always feels like the AI smartens up once a large firefight ensues. Backups are called in and they become agressive about taking you out. They'll flank you, throw well placed grenades to smoke you out, use cover, etc...

While not as deliberate as in something like Gear of War, Goldeneye has a pretty well implemented cover system. There's barriers around everywhere, and it's always smart to crouch behind them and pop up for a couple of shots. The best part, of course, is that most cover options are destructible, forcing you to constantly search for a better cover option. It's nothing super new, but it's really obvious that more attention was given to this game than most other third-party Wii games.

I've tried using three separate control schemes: Wiimote + Nunchuck, Classic Controller Pro, and the GC controller. And while the CCPro was instantly familiar and well-done, the Wiimote + nunchuck ultimately won out. There's a number of preset sensitivity preferences, of which I used "Experienced 3" - the highest sensitivity. On top of those presets, you can customize the sensitivity further. I upped the sensitivity of movement while looking down the sight of the gun, as well as the turning axis (which helps making a 180 while in multiplayer matches).

Pointer controls take a little getting used to, especially getting your pointer hand to sit still, but once you've figured out that sweet spot (like I did above), the controls can't be topped on a console. Whether looking down the sights of my gun or mowing down enemies on the fly, the shooting feels silky smooth. As long as the frame-rate is running just as well, which it is 90% of the time.

Unfortunately, there is that 10% in which the game stutters. This usually happens when there's not only a ton of enemies on screen but also when some fancy particle effects are being used. In one way you'll appreciate the effort to make this game look good, in another you'll just wish the game had been created with optimized gameplay in mind. Again, drops in frame-rate are fairly rare, and if you were a fan of the original...

The multiplayer may be the best FPS experience on the Wii. Like Call of Duty, the game features an XP system that rewards players for kills, wins, and a whole bunch of conditions met. First time playing the complex? Here's +25XP for ya. Assisted in a kill by finishing it with a grenade? Here's an extra +20XP. It always feels like the game is constantly rewarding you in the beginning, probably because of how unbalanced you'll be against more experienced players.

Obviously the more XP you earn, the more you'll level up. Leveling up leads to unlocking better weapons, stat boosts, and "gadgets" - Goldeneye's version of perks. These include gun modifiers like silencers (that will keep you off enemy radars), different sights, etc... The highest levels yield the best extras, like fan-favorite proximity mines. You can even customize you character with multiple "loadouts". Nothing I've said will be new to you if you've played a COD game since Modern Warfare.

None of these features would matter if the levels weren't well-designed and the matches ran smoothly, and so far so good. While I can't yet say if the maps are as memorable as the original's (that will warrant dozens more hours in gameplay) my suspicions tell me they aren't. They're a bit generic, and the levels that aren't meant to resemble the original's slightly resemble the original Modern Warfare's least popular maps. Not a big surprise there. With a max of eight players online at once, the maps typically run a bit small, which may be fine for fans of the original, but will disappoint anyone who became a FPS fan following the original Halo.

Luckily though they are small, the maps are fairly well designed with numerous access points, decent camping spots, and recognizable features that help in familiarizing yourself with the maps. Again, you might be disappointed if you're expecting maps from the original. Nothing is as good as the Temple,Facility, Complex, or Archives, though some replacements (Facility and Archives) are still pretty well done.

The multiplayer modes are also worth mentioning. While Conflict and Team Conflict are your standard deathmatch modes, there's also Golden Gun mode, Heroes mode, Goldeneye mode, etc... all fun and unique modes that really do separate Goldeneye from Halo and COD. You'll also be able to unlock a few hardcore modes that lower health and lose the radar. There's a lot of game here.

Of the dozen hours I've put into the game so far, probably four or five of those have been dedicated to the multiplayer. Matches typically run smooth, which is somewhat rare for Wii games not made by Nintendo. I use a WiFi connection rather than the USB ethernet dongle, which is what I've always been told is a contributor to choppy online play, yet Goldeneye runs smooth almost all the time. I've only had a couple of matches run choppy, both of which took place in the nightclub level (which may be a factor, as the lighting is a bit hectic), but the game was still playable, there weren't any delay in input and on-screen action, simply a slower pace. I've also yet to have a dropped match, though when the host does leave the game after a match you might as well back out. The game will attempt to reassign a host, but it takes a bit, and usually fails since everyone else drops out.

Sooo.... I didn't intend for this to turn into a long review, but there's just so many things to talk about when the topic is Goldeneye Wii. I think it's a great game. By far the best FPS on the Wii, which just seems right - Goldeneye on a Nintendo console. The game is a complete package with a very well produced single player game and a very deep multiplayer that should satisfy until the next big thing comes along. And let's be honest, it might take until Wii 2 before we see another high-profile exclusive Wii FPS worth buying.

Ultimately, the only people who should be cautious approaching this game are those who don't like FPShooters and those who only want an exact remake of their beloved Goldenye. This isn't that classic, but it's probably the best Bond game since the original Goldeneye. Judged solely on its own merits, it should be in every Wii owner's collection.

[GeckoYamori]

For all of the ills Activision do, they seem to be one of the few who treat the Wii with some dignity. From the reviews so far it seems that the game easily trumps EA's attempt at cashing in on the Goldeneye name.

[Zoltor]

I do!

I think your enjoyment depends on how into modern shooters you are. So far, I absolutely love Goldeneye Wii. But that's because I love the Call of Duty games...

I've owned the game since Tuesday, and according to the little daily messages in the Wii menu I've played the game for about 12 hours so far. A combination of the single and multiplayer, I have yet to finish the single player game.

12 hours in three days is an ENORMOUS amount of time for me, in fact the last time I can think of spending that much time gaming was when Modern Warfare 2 came out. Which makes sense, since the game is so similar to those games.

Goldeneye isn't at all a remake of the Rare game. Everyone throws out "re-imagining", but that doesn't really explain it. The game is completely new, relying only on elements of the movie script to move along the gameplay. Eurocom uses a few familiar locations to throw you off, but the game is definitely its own beast.

The single player game is very fun. There's four difficulty levels, and it follows the mission structure Rare made famous. On the lower two difficulty settings, only one or two missions are required per level, and they are usually simplistic (like "follow the bad guy"). The higher two difficulty settings, including classic mode, involve more missions, and while you can finish levels without completing everything, you'll be unable to move on with that specific difficulty. I've been playing it on 007 difficulty (the equivalent of Secret Agent in the original) and have had to redo missions when missing something.

Goldeneye apes a lot from the Call of Duty series. The single player is very cinematic, the gameplay is almost exactly the same (from the constant location icon to the look down the sight of your gun to the way the screen shows you're crouching), and the multiplayer might as well be called Call of Duty: James Bond. But is that a bad thing?

Yes, the game is much more cinematic than the original, but it's VERY well-done. The voice acting is superb, the animation is excellent, and the pre-scripted events in the game just makes it feel so much more alive than the original. And while you may or may not like the pop-up targeting, replenishing health, and down the sights view, you don't have to play that way. Eurocom had the great sense to make Goldeneye extremely flexible, and that's very much appreciated. Classic mode might be for you, and there's a wealth of more traditional control options available.

That said, I'm a big fan of the COD games, and I enjoyed playing Bond in that style. What separates Goldeneye from, say, Modern Warfare 2 is its reliance on stealth gameplay. I always thought the original's focus on stealth gameplay was a bit artificial, I never felt overwhelmed when setting off alarms or having enemies call for backup. In this game, it's practically required at the higher difficulty settings. This game does great job of allowing for different play styles. There's usually more than a couple paths to get around enemies (including a large number of vents) and you'll really have to take advantage of silencers on your pistol and sniper guns. The game also allows for melee stealth kills, which work great. Sneak up behind an enemy (by crouch-walking), and then snap your nunchuck forward and Bond will pull off a cinematic, and silent, kill. It works VERY well and gives the game its own feel.

The enemy AI is certainly better than the original, which is to say it isn't brain-dead, but not the best in the world. That's partially because there's a focus on stealth; because the game encourages you to sneak up and silently take out enemies, sometimes a fellow adversary might not even take notice. Again, it's not that big of a deal. It always feels like the AI smartens up once a large firefight ensues. Backups are called in and they become agressive about taking you out. They'll flank you, throw well placed grenades to smoke you out, use cover, etc...

While not as deliberate as in something like Gear of War, Goldeneye has a pretty well implemented cover system. There's barriers around everywhere, and it's always smart to crouch behind them and pop up for a couple of shots. The best part, of course, is that most cover options are destructible, forcing you to constantly search for a better cover option. It's nothing super new, but it's really obvious that more attention was given to this game than most other third-party Wii games.

I've tried using three separate control schemes: Wiimote + Nunchuck, Classic Controller Pro, and the GC controller. And while the CCPro was instantly familiar and well-done, the Wiimote + nunchuck ultimately won out. There's a number of preset sensitivity preferences, of which I used "Experienced 3" - the highest sensitivity. On top of those presets, you can customize the sensitivity further. I upped the sensitivity of movement while looking down the sight of the gun, as well as the turning axis (which helps making a 180 while in multiplayer matches).

Pointer controls take a little getting used to, especially getting your pointer hand to sit still, but once you've figured out that sweet spot (like I did above), the controls can't be topped on a console. Whether looking down the sights of my gun or mowing down enemies on the fly, the shooting feels silky smooth. As long as the frame-rate is running just as well, which it is 90% of the time.

Unfortunately, there is that 10% in which the game stutters. This usually happens when there's not only a ton of enemies on screen but also when some fancy particle effects are being used. In one way you'll appreciate the effort to make this game look good, in another you'll just wish the game had been created with optimized gameplay in mind. Again, drops in frame-rate are fairly rare, and if you were a fan of the original...

The multiplayer may be the best FPS experience on the Wii. Like Call of Duty, the game features an XP system that rewards players for kills, wins, and a whole bunch of conditions met. First time playing the complex? Here's +25XP for ya. Assisted in a kill by finishing it with a grenade? Here's an extra +20XP. It always feels like the game is constantly rewarding you in the beginning, probably because of how unbalanced you'll be against more experienced players.

Obviously the more XP you earn, the more you'll level up. Leveling up leads to unlocking better weapons, stat boosts, and "gadgets" - Goldeneye's version of perks. These include gun modifiers like silencers (that will keep you off enemy radars), different sights, etc... The highest levels yield the best extras, like fan-favorite proximity mines. You can even customize you character with multiple "loadouts". Nothing I've said will be new to you if you've played a COD game since Modern Warfare.

None of these features would matter if the levels weren't well-designed and the matches ran smoothly, and so far so good. While I can't yet say if the maps are as memorable as the original's (that will warrant dozens more hours in gameplay) my suspicions tell me they aren't. They're a bit generic, and the levels that aren't meant to resemble the original's slightly resemble the original Modern Warfare's least popular maps. Not a big surprise there. With a max of eight players online at once, the maps typically run a bit small, which may be fine for fans of the original, but will disappoint anyone who became a FPS fan following the original Halo.

Luckily though they are small, the maps are fairly well designed with numerous access points, decent camping spots, and recognizable features that help in familiarizing yourself with the maps. Again, you might be disappointed if you're expecting maps from the original. Nothing is as good as the Temple,Facility, Complex, or Archives, though some replacements (Facility and Archives) are still pretty well done.

The multiplayer modes are also worth mentioning. While Conflict and Team Conflict are your standard deathmatch modes, there's also Golden Gun mode, Heroes mode, Goldeneye mode, etc... all fun and unique modes that really do separate Goldeneye from Halo and COD. You'll also be able to unlock a few hardcore modes that lower health and lose the radar. There's a lot of game here.

Of the dozen hours I've put into the game so far, probably four or five of those have been dedicated to the multiplayer. Matches typically run smooth, which is somewhat rare for Wii games not made by Nintendo. I use a WiFi connection rather than the USB ethernet dongle, which is what I've always been told is a contributor to choppy online play, yet Goldeneye runs smooth almost all the time. I've only had a couple of matches run choppy, both of which took place in the nightclub level (which may be a factor, as the lighting is a bit hectic), but the game was still playable, there weren't any delay in input and on-screen action, simply a slower pace. I've also yet to have a dropped match, though when the host does leave the game after a match you might as well back out. The game will attempt to reassign a host, but it takes a bit, and usually fails since everyone else drops out.

Sooo.... I didn't intend for this to turn into a long review, but there's just so many things to talk about when the topic is Goldeneye Wii. I think it's a great game. By far the best FPS on the Wii, which just seems right - Goldeneye on a Nintendo console. The game is a complete package with a very well produced single player game and a very deep multiplayer that should satisfy until the next big thing comes along. And let's be honest, it might take until Wii 2 before we see another high-profile exclusive Wii FPS worth buying.

Ultimately, the only people who should be cautious approaching this game are those who don't like FPShooters and those who only want an exact remake of their beloved Goldenye. This isn't that classic, but it's probably the best Bond game since the original Goldeneye. Judged solely on its own merits, it should be in every Wii owner's collection.

Well I liked Medal oh Honor: Heros 2, so I suppose you can say, I like actual good new FPS, haven't played any COD games(they release so many games under that title, I rather not need to sort out what maybe good from what's not, so I don't know that much about CoD). However I really hate the new games that just want to be graphic whores(Halo, I'm looking at you, for instance), but luckily this Goldeneye game, is clearly not graphics over gameplay(pretty rare for console games these days).

Using the wii remote+ Nunchecheck by themselves has always been bad, due to the fact the damn wii remote weighs next to nothing, however the wii zapper is so perfectly designed, it fixes that problem(I use the Wii Zapper in every FPS I play for the wii, and I can without any doubts, say motion controls+Zapper, is easily the best thing to ever happen to the FPS genre.

Yea, I've heard the Framerate is slightly too low, for certain spots in the game, but not gamebreaking thankfully.

I've seen the Dam, and what looked very much like the Facility map from the original(modified of course, but looks very simular in style), which they looked like very good maps(and you add an interactive enviroment to already good maps, you have pure win right there, as far as map design goes anyway). I only hope all the other maps are just as good or even perheps better.

Yea, I love the fact they they kept the concepts in, that made the original so awesome(Stealth in singleplayer, a ton of different game modes in multiplayer, unlockables/mods, and such). It's sad you really don't see such things in most FPS these days.

Medal of Honor: Heros 2 was damn smooth as well, there is literally no lag, It's pretty amazing they pulled that off though(32 players per room, probally atleast 20ish rooms created at a time, should= a very stressed out surver, but evidently not, the game runs like a dream). I don't know why, but FPS(the type of game, that should be the laggist online)generally don't have lag issues on the wii.

Sweet sounds like a very good game overall.

PS. I just found out something that makes me very sad though, they didn't bring back the Laser(aka Moonraker if I recall, was its name), sigh. The Laser was my all time favorite weapon, out of all the weapons, how is the Laser of all things, not being brought back, I have no idea.

[GohanX]

I love the fact there is a Classic Mode, so you can play it in the orignal Goldeneye format, not the COD style

Can someone explain this to someone who hasn't played much of the original GoldenEye or COD?

I'm thinking of picking this up, I'm a sucker for FPS games that actually have a fun single player mode.

[M4R14NO94]

What's interesting is that the DS version of GE was made by n-Space, who were the same guys that made the DS version of the EA GoldenEye (Rogue Agent)

On the topic of the Wii version, I might get it

[Zoltor]

Can someone explain this to someone who hasn't played much of the original GoldenEye or COD?

I'm thinking of picking this up, I'm a sucker for FPS games that actually have a fun single player mode.

Well COD(much like most newer FPS) have automatic Health regen, where the original Goldeneye didn't, you needed to find first aid kits for health, and there was Armour as well that you could find.

[GohanX]

Ah, I see.

Auto health regen is for noobs.

[Zoltor]

Ah, I see.

Auto health regen is for noobs.

Yea pretty much lol.

[GeckoYamori]

I say scrap both regen health and medkits, instead go back to eating turkeys found in trashcans.

[GohanX]

I ended up finding a copy in a Redbox, and I'm a few missions in. I was having some difficulty aiming at first, then I tried using the Wii Zapper and Experienced 2, and it's awesome. Now I need to decide if I want to buy it or just keep the rental out long enough to beat it.

[mrbigreddog]

I got it... I dig it! Very impressive! There's a bit of nostalgia there, but it's a very impressive FPS despite being "Goldeneye" It does have those couple of "should of just been a cut-scene" parts that I just hate. Here you are watching a cut-scene, then it says to push one button, and then you continue watching the cut-scene, as if you did something! But there aren't too many so far, and it's pretty damn exciting, and amazing graphics for the Wii, I almost forgot I was playing the Wii!

[Cornholio857]

I say scrap both regen health and medkits, instead go back to eating turkeys found in trashcans.

Don't forget the apples!!!

What have video games taught you?: "That it's ok to knock over trash cans and eat the turkey and apples."

I might have to convince my friend to give GoldenEye Wii a rent!