Archived from groups: rec.games.video.nintendo (
More info?)
On 14 Jun 2005 12:33:48 -0700, "mrnull" <mrnull@gmail.com> wrote:
>ell, GoldenEye is out and it's not getting rave reviews. But I
>thought this might be relevent:
here is a very honest review:
http://www.gamepublic.com/link/?446179
Console-based first-person shooters are constantly held back by their
reliance on sluggish analog sticks, and Nintendo DS is the first
system to actually offer a better alternative. The Metroid Prime:
Hunters demo proved that the DS' stylus-based touchpad could be an
excellent mouse substitute, so where are all the Nintendo DS FPS
games? Surprisingly, EA's GoldenEye: Rogue Agent will be the first one
to see release. While it's closely based on the mediocre GoldenEye:
Rogue Agent for PS2/GCN/Xbox, fantastic control and a wide-open
marketplace score it a few more points on Nintendo's latest portable.
In Her Majesty's Short Attention Span
As with its console ancestor, Rogue Agent sports both a single-player
campaign and multiplayer deathmatch. The single-player game is as
uninspired as it was on the consoles, with a few downgrades unique to
the DS. For example, enemies don't move or flinch when they're hit or
spawn in suspiciously, and have downright brain-dead AI. That said,
the weapon selection manages to cover the bases and the eye-based
powers and a unique hostage-taking mechanism add a tiny bit of extra
flair.
Since it apes the previous console versions so closely, the
single-player action seems decidedly mediocre. But midway through
level two, something strange happened: I began to have a bit of fun. I
played off and on as I chatted online, and found it vaguely enjoyable
to mosey through the ultra-linear levels, taking breaks every now and
then to rejuvenate my waning interest. I attribute this odd enjoyment
to the game's portable nature. Being able to play it in little bites
while doing something else lets the game shine as a moderately
engaging little time waster. Don't get me wrong; it's still a middling
FPS at best. However, the transformative power of context allowed me
to squeeze out some enjoyment that I was unable to find in its
completely boring, plodding, over-produced, under-delivering big
brother.
Smooth, Not Stirred
The other major factor in my enjoyment was the control, which,
excepting mouse-based games, is the best I've seen in a console or
handheld FPS. Four schemes are offered, and I took quickly to the
stylus method. Holding the stylus means that the R and select buttons
are difficult to access, but fair substitutes are provided on the
touchscreen. The speed and accuracy of the touchscreen-based control
made me feel like I was running around in a PC FPS, which is the
highest praise a console FPS' controls could hope for.
Multiplayer is a bit stronger than single-player, but it's still a
rather rote affair. The deathmatch action is pokey and predictable, as
a lack of swift movement options like jumping reduce the players to
shuffling turrets. Still, there was enough novelty in playing a
portable, multiplayer FPS with good controls via wireless to keep me
engaged for a while. Two extra game types accompany the standard
deathmatch and team deathmatch, but you'll need something closer to
the max of eight players to enjoy them. Good luck with that. You can
shoot up a few bots while playing alone, but the bots are
unfortunately not available to fill out teams in actual multiplayer.
Single-card multiplayer is an option, but that allows for only one map
and game type -- think of it as a taster for the real multiplayer
experience. Alas, you will not be tasting that full multiplayer
experience until you play through the single-player campaign to unlock
all the multiplayer maps and options. Poor.
Despite its lack of exhilarating gameplay, Rogue Agent serves as a
nice tech demo, with smooth framerates that often hover at 60 frames
per second. Busier scenes drop to 30 or less, but the game still looks
pretty nice -- about as good as an N64 game might sans bilinear
filtering. The relative smoothness and flowing control make for a
comparatively better technical experience than Konami's upcoming PSP
FPS Coded Arms, which, though prettier, is only 30 fps and hampered by
a poorly placed analog stick. Too bad about the music, then; Rogue
Agent has some absolutely awful chip music that could have been done
better on the NES.
Faint Praise, Indeed
Looking at only the numbers, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent for the DS is not
much better than last year's unimpressive console games. However, the
smooth control, portability, and uniqueness of the experience -- this
is the only FPS for the DS at the moment -- help differentiate it
enough that some folks might enjoy it. Consider it the FPS equivalent
of Sega's obnoxious launch title, Feel the Magic: It's a passable
novelty for the moment, but later and greater FPS games will
undoubtedly force Rogue Agent into the bargain bins.
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