I'd Really Like To Beat It... With A Stick

It's getting to the point of insane annoyance for me now, and is as predictable as a yearly update of FIFA or an ice level on a platform game. Every time, without fail, a new, half-decent first person shooter comes out, you can predict what will be on the front of NOM, NGC or 'Cube - 'Is this game a Goldeneye beater?'

Maybe it's because I didn't have an N64 when they were 'out', but, I've played Goldeneye, and, to me, it isn't all that. And the genius 1st Level? It may as well have been designed on one of those 'create-a-map' things on Timesplitters 2.

Okay, Okay, I should take into account that I only have 1 pad for my N64 and that multiplayer is meant to make the game but, to me, I don't think any games multiplayer could make up for the massive deficit that has been left in Goldeneye.

For one, it has dodgy controls - I've spent hours trying to perfect my positioning, but to little avail, as I still have to waste countless rounds of ammo to take somebody out.

And whilst it may have better AI than Turok Evolution (but then again, there are GBA games which have better AI than TE), it's certainly not top of the class in that department anymore - soldiers can be fooled easily and without too much hassle and it takes them AGES to get their gun ready to fire.

You may just say that these are tiny errors, and that Goldeneye is a 5 year old game, and that it can be expected. What I'm trying to say is, however, that this 5 year old game is still classed by many as the greatest FPS of all time, and from what I've played of Timesplitters 2, that simply ain't so anymore.

It's the game with other genres too, especially platforming with Mario 64 - yes I've played it, and I've nearly completed it too, but it just doesn't live up to the standard that Super Mario Sunshine has set for me, but with this one, I can see why many still class it as the greatest Mario game ever - I rented an N64 at release and played it none stop for a weekend, and I still have memories of loving every second. Now when I play it, I get bored within the first few minutes.

Of course, Goldeneye and Mario 64 are still a great games, and one which can still cut it with many of today's generation of games (but more so the lower quality games like Turok rather than high quality ones like Hitman 2), and I do quite enjoy taking out a few people on the first Goldeneye level when I have my N64 plugged in.

I talked about me having to take off my 'rose tinted glasses' to see that Mario Sunshine was my favourite game of all time, but I think it's even more important that Magazines do it, as they inform the mindless masses about what to buy. But then again, maybe not, as then they'd lose their one and only headline when XIII (the cel-shaded FPS which is pronounced 'thirteen'), or Generic FPS 4: Death and Guns comes out.

Written by: Matthew Britton
Date: 16th August 2003
Email: matthew.tribute@ntlworld.com