Perfect Dark Zero
Encyclopedia
Perfect Dark Zero is a first-person shooter
video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Game Studios
. The game had a difficult development cycle, during which a substantial part of it was initially designed for the Nintendo GameCube
. Due to Microsoft's acquisition of Rare in 2002, the game was eventually released as a launch title exclusively for the Xbox 360
in November 2005, along with Rare's action-adventure
game Kameo: Elements of Power
. The game features a campaign mode
that can be played co-operatively
in either splitscreen
or via Xbox Live
, and a multiplayer for up to 32 players.
As a prequel
to the critically acclaimed Nintendo 64
game Perfect Dark
, Perfect Dark Zero takes place in the year 2020, predating the original Perfect Darks storyline by three years. Players assume the role of Joanna Dark, a super spy in training, as she works alongside her father and several other key characters to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne. Two sequel novels, Perfect Dark: Initial Vector and Perfect Dark: Second Front, as well as a comic series titled Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears have been released in order to continue the story of the game.
Perfect Dark Zero was a commercial success, selling more than one million copies worldwide. Reviews for the game were divided but generally positive, garnering a GameRankings and a Metacritic
aggregated score of 82% and 81/100 respectively. Praise focused on its graphics, solid gameplay and customizable multiplayer modes, while criticism was centered on its story and voice acting. In particular, some publications such as Eurogamer
and Game Informer
found the game to be a disappointment.
. Joanna Dark is a bounty hunter
working with her father Jack and her friend Chandra. One day, they are commissioned to rescue an injured scientist named Zeigler from the hands of a Triad crime lord known as Killian. However, Zeigler is killed shortly after being rescued. Before dying, Zeigler used a neurodrive to implant information into Jack's mind in order to hide his valuable research.
While escaping from their enemy forces, Jack gets captured by a megacorporation known as dataDyne. On her next mission, Joanna is ordered to rescue him in a dataDyne facility located in a mountainous region of China
, but Jack eventually dies at the hands of Mai-Hem, whose father, Zhang Li, is dataDyne's founder. Alone with only Chandra looking out for her, Joanna is then sent on a mission to find Dr. Eustace Caroll, who then uses the same neurodrive technology to extract any memory of the words her father said to her concerning Ziegler's secrets. Dr. Caroll is then killed by Chandra, who was secretly employed by dataDyne. Nevertheless, Joanna is suddenly rescued by agents from an agency known as Carrington Institute, whom she agrees to join in order to stop dataDyne.
Zhang Li and Mai-Hem are searching for an ancient artifact, which acts as a power-source for the Graal, a device which endows individuals with superhuman powers, hinted to have been built by the Maians, extraterrestrials encountered in the original Perfect Dark. Travelling to Africa
, Joanna rescues prisoners including Jonathan Steinberg, a veteran agent of the Carrington Institute, and several other Carrington soldiers, before running into Mai-Hem again. Joanna avenges her father's death and kills Mai-Hem and the party is air-lifted out. The Carrington Institute plans an offensive on dataDyne forces with the battle taking place on a large bridge. Joanna infiltrates an arena and faces off against Zhang Li, on the Graal after he dispatches Chandra. Defeating the seemingly invincible power-hungry genius, Joanna is met by Jonathan and Carrington Institute founder Daniel Carrington. When Joanna asks, "How did I do, boss?" Carrington replies, "Perfect."
, Perfect Dark Zero mainly centers the gameplay through a first person perspective
, where the player can move around, aim and shoot in a 3D environment without the playable character blocking the player's view. The game also features new combat mechanics, such as an evasive dodge roll and a cover system
in which the game switches to a third person perspective
, allowing the player to strategically aim without taking damage and be more aware of the surroundings. Similar to the original Perfect Dark
, the player cannot jump, even though the game has the ability to automatically climb obstacles as long as the player can reasonably reach them. It is also possible to climb ladders. By doing so, the gameplay once again shifts into a third person perspective.
Unlike the Nintendo 64 game, the player's health can recharge a bit if the player steps out of the line of fire for a few seconds, though it does not necessarily refill completely depending on how much damage the playable character took. On the other hand, players can only carry a limited number of weapons since the inventory features a 4-slot system in which single hand held pistols usually take a weapon slot whereas heavy weapons, such as the Jackal Sniper Rifle or the Rocket Launcher, can take up to 3 weapon slots. The player movement speed is also altered by the weight of the weapon the player is currently holding. Besides the primary function, all of the weapons in the game have one or two additional function modes that generally grant the player with special abilities, such as the X-ray
function of the Shockwave Rifle or the cloak mode of the Plasma Rifle, which renders the playable character completely invisible to enemies at cost of its ammunition. Some weapons also have more unorthodox secondary fire modes, such as the Laptop Gun being able to deploy as a sentry gun, or the SuperDragon being able to launch bouncing grenades.
In the missions, stealth is another important element of the gameplay, as the player is often free to kill enemies without being detected by sneaking up behind them. The player is also given various high-tech gadgets in order to complete mission objectives, such as the CamSpy, a hovering remote-controlled camera, or the Datathief, a tool used to hack into electronic devices, and each of them presents its own puzzle minigame
. For example, the Datathief requires the player to clear circles when a specific block hovers over a blue block. The campaign mode provides fourteen missions in which the player plays as Joanna Dark. To successfully clear a mission, the player will need to complete all primary objectives, and if Joanna is killed or fails an objective, the player will have to start the level again. Additionally, the game also features support objectives that are not critical but add to the player's overall completion score. Unlike Perfect Dark, every mission contains a single checkpoint at which the player may restart if Joanna is killed or loses beyond that checkpoint. However, checkpoints are removed as the player plays through a higher difficulty. There are four difficulty settings through which a mission can be played: Agent, Secret Agent, Perfect Agent and Dark Agent, which will become available once the player completes the entire game on Perfect Agent. As the player plays on higher difficulties, the game adds more objectives and makes enemies tougher in order to increase the challenge.
The game also provides a local and online co-operative mode
, where two players may play through the game's campaign together. While playing locally, a split-screen
is used to allow two simultaneous gameplay presentations. In co-operative, some missions feature minor changes so that both players have to help each other to progress; for instance, some doors require two people to open them. Additionally, the second player might spawn far away from the first player and takes over a character that was AI-controlled in the single player campaign in order to add a new gameplay design to the same missions. The respawn procedure has also been altered substantially, as if one player dies, the other has to find and revive the partner's corpse to bring it back to life.
service. There are two main modes with their own custom rules in Combat Arena; DeathMatch and DarkOps, and within each mode, there are four different gametypes, known as scenarios. DeathMatch is a standard gametype where players spawn in rooms, collect weapons, and continue to the actual map. Weapons are available on the map itself and scenarios range from the standard free for all deathmatch
, to team kill count, where the team with most kills wins, or objective-based games (e.g. capture the Flag and territorial gains). On the other hand, DarkOps is a round-based, team-only gametype which was heavily inspired by the popular first-person shooter Counter-Strike
. It is generally slower-paced, and is more tactical than DeathMatch. Weapons must be purchased from a player's stock of credits and credits are earned by killing enemies and obtaining objectives. Scenarios here can range from Eradication, a team-only game in which the last team with any members left alive wins, to Infection, where players score points by either infecting others or surviving infection; or other team-based games such as Sabotage, where the team that causes the most damage to the other team's property wins, and Onslaught, in which defenders get one life but can be revived and can purchase weapons, whereas the attackers have unlimited lives but basic weapons. The team that holds the base the longest wins.
Any of the multiplayer modes can be played online with player counts up to 32 players. Players can either choose to play a ranked Deathmatch or DarkOps, where they will be matched with other players using a system called TrueSkill Matchmaking
, or they may choose a player match where they can choose their game from a list of player hosted games. Like Perfect Dark, these games can be highly customized and can also include up to 15 bots
. Features such as their difficulty and personality can be changed to match player preference. For example, the Judge bot is programmed to exclusively attack leading players with the highest kills score. Players can also issue commands to them as long as they are on their respective team, such as follow or hold position, and set waypoints for them to walk to. There are twelve maps in Perfect Dark Zero and each map has two variants; the only change is the placement of the bases. Most of the maps are large ones, ideal for 32 players at once, with small variants for 4-16 player games.
, received strong acclaim from critics and players, and demand for another title in the Perfect Dark franchise was high. Development of Perfect Dark Zero began on the Nintendo GameCube
with a very small team of roughly eight people. At the time, Nintendo had a 49% stake in Rare, making Rare a Nintendo second-party developer. The game made a small appearance at Spaceworld
2000, an event exclusive to Nintendo
. Some reports further suggested the development of the game with Rare applying to trademark the names "After Dark", "Perfect Dark Evolution" and the phrase "Shot in the Dark". But apart from the confirmation that it was in development, few other official announcements were made. Perfect Dark Zero, along with several other Rare games, was intended to be finished in time for the Gamecube's launch, but eventually did not.
In September 2002, Rare was purchased by Microsoft. Around the same time, Rare released several images of Joanna Dark, the protagonist
of the Perfect Dark games. The cartoony
style of these pictures incited speculation that the final game — then intended for the original Xbox
— would employ a less realistic graphical style than the original game; possibly an anime
like cel-shading technique, as Rare had hired UK Manga artist Wil Overton
to work with them after seeing an anime-like image of the original Perfect Dark game he had created for the cover of N64 Magazine. Development of the title was later transferred to the Xbox 360
. Perfect Dark Zero' s senior designer Chris Tilston, also one of the project leads for the game, later revealed that the Xbox version was "about twelve months away" from completion when the switch occurred. The game's development has therefore spanned three platforms: the Nintendo GameCube, the Microsoft Xbox and the Xbox 360.
During development, several changes were made. Like the original Perfect Dark, the multiplayer mode was initially designed to be played offline despite of the fact that the GameCube supports online play via the Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter, but the feature was added when the game switched to the Xbox. Chris Tilston revealed that at one point they got to 50 players online simultaneously, but the graphics "just couldn't handle it". The cover mode was designed to enhance the stealth aspect of the game, and the third person perspective was needed due to its fast-paced multiplayer. The idea of bringing the game into a total third-person perspective was rejected as the shooting "works better" in first-person view according to Tilston. Additionally, the evasive dodge roll was implemented to replace the "stupid" evasive jump-bouncing seen in many multiplayer first-person shooters. The transition between first and third-person perspective with both moves took a lot of work so that they did not become disorientating. A first-person roll was implemented at one time, though it was eventually dropped.
Perfect Dark Zero is also one of the first games to use the Havok
's HydraCore physics engine
, which was specifically designed for multi-core video game systems such as the Xbox 360. Additionally, as detailed on a IGN
interview with lead artist Sam Jones and software engineer Cliff Ramshaw, the Perfect Dark Zero renderer engine employs more advanced graphics technologies than was possible with the previous console generation
, such as parallax mapping
, ambient occlusion
, subsurface scattering
, and high dynamic range
, among others. Sam Jones and and Cliff Ramshaw explained that most of the objects in the game can transmit and diffuse light, and can cast real-time shadows which move on the environment when in montion, including the game's vegetation. Similar to the human iris
, the tone mapping
used in the game calibrates the image using a post process filter to make brighter elements darker and darker elements lighter so that the detail within a scene can always be discerned. Unlike the usual 720p
(HD
) resolution that most Xbox 360 games use, Perfect Dark Zero runs at 640p in order to achieve a smooth frame rate
.
In May 2005, one of the rewards in the OurColony
viral marketing
campaign for Microsoft's next Xbox video game console
was an image of Joanna Dark. At the official unveiling of the Xbox 360 on May 12, 2005, it was revealed that Perfect Dark Zero would be a launch title for the new system in the fall of 2005. A demo was shown during the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2005 shortly afterwards. Final development for the 360 was very rushed. The order was given to produce the discs five days before the Microsoft certification was complete, to meet the Xbox 360 launch date. Rare later stated they felt very confident they would pass, but it was a significant risk producing 700,000 disks if a bug turned up. According to Duncan Botwood
, senior game designer, "very few people believed we could make launch, but everything came together in time and it was out there for day one". Ken Lobb
, the creative director for Microsoft Game Studios
, described the development of the game as "challenging", and also revealed that they made some critical errors when launching a "day one" game. For example, he explained that they "messed up" the controls for trying a hybrid between Perfect Darks controls and Halo
, and the characters art was "a little bit strange". Overall, the actual development of the game took five years to complete.
Rare initially had plans to make the multiplayer feature matches of up to 50 players simultaneously, as well as including a new feature, called "DataDyne TV", that would have allowed players to watch and upload multiplayer matches through the Xbox Live service. However, these features have been canceled so that the game could meet the launch deadline. Additionally, new multiplayer scenarios and a new Counter-Operative mode, much like the one found in the original Perfect Dark, were also promised to eventually become freely available as download content. Duncan Botwood later explained that it was unlikely to happen due to technical issues. According to him, "It would have required much groundwork to be laid in the core AI code, which meant that it was unlikely to be available as downloadable content post-release." He also remarked that the Counter-Operative mode was actually planned during the development of the game, but was eventually rejected due to the pressure to cut planned content.
Prior to its release, Microsoft arranged several deals with different publishers to promote interest in the game. For example, Joanna Dark made an appearance on the cover of FHM Magazine
, which also included a "virtual" interview with her. Additionally, a deal with Tor books
and Prima Games
was made to produce novels and a comic book set in the Perfect Dark universe
: Perfect Dark: Initial Vector, Perfect Dark: Second Front and Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears. An official soundtrack produced by Nile Rodgers
, called Perfect Dark Zero Original Soundtrack
, was also made available on November 8, 2005.
and Activision
's Call of Duty 2
. Other releases followed on December 2 in Europe and on December 10 in Japan. In Europe, Microsoft organized a party by simulating an apartment as Joanna Dark's home, where several journalists could try out the Xbox 360 and the game. During the japanese launch weekend, the title became the second best-selling 360 game with roughly 15,000 units sold, behind Namco
's Ridge Racer 6
.
Perfect Dark Zero was released in two forms: the standard version and a "Limited Collector's Edition". The collector's edition features a second disc of content, a black metal game case, images of the staff and most of the in-house testers which gave a glimpse behind the scenes at Rare, a special-edition comic booklet which sets the scene for the game, titled Hong Kong Sunrise, and one of nine holographic collectible cards. The game has reportedly sold in excess of one million units worldwide. As a result, it was one of the first games to be re-released under the "Platinum Hits" list.
and adding some additional multiplayer options to the game. These bug fixes included code to prevent an ongoing problem where players could walk through the air, an issue where some weapons could make use of rapid fire, and a map-exiting glitch, among others. On the other hand, the new multiplayer options provide seven additional new bot types and the ability to use bots in DarkOps matches, since bots had only one AI
variant and were only implemented in DeathMatch scenarios when the game was released. Additionally, a playable demo
of the game was made freely available on Xbox Live Marketplace shortly afterwards. It includes one campaign mission that can be played in solo mode or co-operatively in either split-screen or via Xbox Live, and a new multiplayer map which was later included in Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One.
Rare released Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One to Xbox Live Marketplace on June 7, 2006. It costs 500 Microsoft Points
and contained four new maps to add to the game's original six. The map pack contains only one variant, instead of two. Additionally, on October 31, 2006, Rare announced that a special platinum edition of Perfect Dark Zero would be released, and would include the first map pack and two additional maps, which were later available to download for free on the Xbox Live Marketplace as a pack called Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack Two. The two new maps are updated versions of two maps from the game's predecessor: Facility, originally found in GoldenEye 007, then later featured as "Felicity" in Perfect Dark; and Ruins. The pack was released on November 1, 2006 for Gold Members and on November 8, 2006 for Silver Members.
aggregated score of 82% and 81/100 respectively. GameSpot
's Greg Kasavin awarded it a 9.0 and an Editors Choice. He claimed that the game "champions the Xbox 360 with its excellent assortment of single and multiplayer game types, as well as its incredible good looks and dynamic, intense action", and concluding that "Perfect Dark Zero delivers just about everything you could hope for from a first-person shooter". Charles Onyett of IGN
praised the customization and game options available to players; but also criticized the campaign for the weak artificial intelligence
of enemies, poor storyline and bad voice acting.
The graphics were highlighted positively. Kasavin was impressed with the amount of lightning and motion blur
effects, and noted that the "excellent character animation helps make the guns feel as powerful as they look". Bryn Williams of GameSpy
considered the graphics as a "stunning look at what the 360 hardware is capable of", but also admitted that the animations are "a little too slow", and therefore can sometimes create an "unwelcome sense of cartoonishness". Onyett credited the "attractive" gun models, explosions, and sprawling vistas, though also felt that some areas, such as the South American Ruins, can unnecessary look too shiny. The sound effects were said to be "loud", with "heavy-hitting" weapon effects and "moody soundtrack that gives each mission its own pulsing rhythms".
The game's weapons were also well-received. Reviewers praised the gun management and the implementation of the guns. Greg Kasavin commented, "It doesn't stray too far from convention, but it features some interesting twists... making for a much more entertaining experience than the average shooter." Critics generally agreed that the roll and cover system worked well and that they did not feel overpowered, though some were somewhat frustrated about the fact that the cover mode required a specific spot to be activated. Reviewers also considered the story and voice acting to be weak. Charles Onyett said that it is almost impossible not to notice how "laughably bad it is", and that many plot twists are presented then never resolved, though he also admitted that it doesn't really factor into the gameplay. GameCritics Mike Bracken commented, it's "sad when there's voice acting in a game and I find myself being embarrassed for the voice actors." Nevertheless, GameSpot added that the game's weapon fire and musical score "easily drown this out."
Publications judged the co-op aspect of the game well. Kristan Reed of Eurogamer
praised the fact that the single-player levels were "designed with co-op in mind." He noted that, for example, the third level "has Joanna providing cover fire for her father Jack as he hops from one point of the level to the next. In the single player campaign Jack's AI controlled, but co-op lets you take direct control of his actions, making the experience a much more engaging affair all-round." Multiplayer matches of Perfect Dark Zero were widely well-received. Greg Kasavin pointed out that the excellent weapon selection, flexibility of options, high-quality maps, and smooth online performance make for a "rock-solid competitive shooter." IGN stated similar pros, calling it "enormous". 1UP.com
's Che Chou also praised the multiplayer, but observed that "constantly roll-dodging to avoid enemy fire at close range combined with the exceptionally slow movement speed of your character... can occasionally be highly frustrating for beginners."
Despite solid reviews, numerous publications remarked that Perfect Dark Zero did not meet the expectations. According to GameCritics, "It took Rare a whole console generation to do it..." and that "the wait wasn't really worth it". Game Informer
found it to be quite disappointing and gave the game a 7 out of 10, reviewing it under the tagline "Don't believe the hype". Bryn Williams (albeit still giving the game a positive review) observed, "Perfect Dark Zero is a lot of fun and does a lot of things very well, but it's just not the killer-app
that we'd all hoped for". In 2010, the game was #6 on GameTrailers
' Top Ten Most Disappointing games of the Decade and #10 on their Worst Sequels countdown.
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
. The game had a difficult development cycle, during which a substantial part of it was initially designed for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. Due to Microsoft's acquisition of Rare in 2002, the game was eventually released as a launch title exclusively for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
in November 2005, along with Rare's action-adventure
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
game Kameo: Elements of Power
Kameo: Elements of Power
Kameo: Elements of Power is an action-adventure video game developed by Rare. Under development for 4 years, the game was released as a launch title for the Microsoft Xbox 360 video game console in late 2005.- Plot :...
. The game features a campaign mode
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
that can be played co-operatively
Cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
in either splitscreen
Split screen (computer graphics)
Split screen is a display technique in computer graphics that consists of dividing graphics and/or text into non-movable adjacent parts, typically two or four rectangular areas. This is done in order to allow the simultaneous presentation of related graphical and textual information on a computer...
or via Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
, and a multiplayer for up to 32 players.
As a prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to the critically acclaimed Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
game Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is considered the spiritual successor to Rare's earlier first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, with which it shares many gameplay features...
, Perfect Dark Zero takes place in the year 2020, predating the original Perfect Darks storyline by three years. Players assume the role of Joanna Dark, a super spy in training, as she works alongside her father and several other key characters to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne. Two sequel novels, Perfect Dark: Initial Vector and Perfect Dark: Second Front, as well as a comic series titled Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears have been released in order to continue the story of the game.
Perfect Dark Zero was a commercial success, selling more than one million copies worldwide. Reviews for the game were divided but generally positive, garnering a GameRankings and a Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
aggregated score of 82% and 81/100 respectively. Praise focused on its graphics, solid gameplay and customizable multiplayer modes, while criticism was centered on its story and voice acting. In particular, some publications such as Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
and Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
found the game to be a disappointment.
Plot
Perfect Dark Zero is set in the year 2020, three years prior to the events of the original gamePerfect Dark
Perfect Dark is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is considered the spiritual successor to Rare's earlier first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, with which it shares many gameplay features...
. Joanna Dark is a bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
working with her father Jack and her friend Chandra. One day, they are commissioned to rescue an injured scientist named Zeigler from the hands of a Triad crime lord known as Killian. However, Zeigler is killed shortly after being rescued. Before dying, Zeigler used a neurodrive to implant information into Jack's mind in order to hide his valuable research.
While escaping from their enemy forces, Jack gets captured by a megacorporation known as dataDyne. On her next mission, Joanna is ordered to rescue him in a dataDyne facility located in a mountainous region of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, but Jack eventually dies at the hands of Mai-Hem, whose father, Zhang Li, is dataDyne's founder. Alone with only Chandra looking out for her, Joanna is then sent on a mission to find Dr. Eustace Caroll, who then uses the same neurodrive technology to extract any memory of the words her father said to her concerning Ziegler's secrets. Dr. Caroll is then killed by Chandra, who was secretly employed by dataDyne. Nevertheless, Joanna is suddenly rescued by agents from an agency known as Carrington Institute, whom she agrees to join in order to stop dataDyne.
Zhang Li and Mai-Hem are searching for an ancient artifact, which acts as a power-source for the Graal, a device which endows individuals with superhuman powers, hinted to have been built by the Maians, extraterrestrials encountered in the original Perfect Dark. Travelling to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Joanna rescues prisoners including Jonathan Steinberg, a veteran agent of the Carrington Institute, and several other Carrington soldiers, before running into Mai-Hem again. Joanna avenges her father's death and kills Mai-Hem and the party is air-lifted out. The Carrington Institute plans an offensive on dataDyne forces with the battle taking place on a large bridge. Joanna infiltrates an arena and faces off against Zhang Li, on the Graal after he dispatches Chandra. Defeating the seemingly invincible power-hungry genius, Joanna is met by Jonathan and Carrington Institute founder Daniel Carrington. When Joanna asks, "How did I do, boss?" Carrington replies, "Perfect."
Gameplay
As a first-person shooterFirst-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
, Perfect Dark Zero mainly centers the gameplay through a first person perspective
First person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
, where the player can move around, aim and shoot in a 3D environment without the playable character blocking the player's view. The game also features new combat mechanics, such as an evasive dodge roll and a cover system
Cover system
A cover system is how a video game lets a virtual avatar avoid dangers usually in a three-dimensional world. This method is a digital adaptation of the real-life military tactic of taking cover to dodge enemy gunfire or explosives. Similar gameplay elements can be traced back to as early as 1986,...
in which the game switches to a third person perspective
Virtual camera system
A virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in videogames where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; more generally, they are used in 3D virtual worlds when a third person view...
, allowing the player to strategically aim without taking damage and be more aware of the surroundings. Similar to the original Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is considered the spiritual successor to Rare's earlier first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, with which it shares many gameplay features...
, the player cannot jump, even though the game has the ability to automatically climb obstacles as long as the player can reasonably reach them. It is also possible to climb ladders. By doing so, the gameplay once again shifts into a third person perspective.
Unlike the Nintendo 64 game, the player's health can recharge a bit if the player steps out of the line of fire for a few seconds, though it does not necessarily refill completely depending on how much damage the playable character took. On the other hand, players can only carry a limited number of weapons since the inventory features a 4-slot system in which single hand held pistols usually take a weapon slot whereas heavy weapons, such as the Jackal Sniper Rifle or the Rocket Launcher, can take up to 3 weapon slots. The player movement speed is also altered by the weight of the weapon the player is currently holding. Besides the primary function, all of the weapons in the game have one or two additional function modes that generally grant the player with special abilities, such as the X-ray
X-Ray Vision
In science fiction stories or superhero comics, X-ray vision is the ability to see through physical objects at the discretion of the holder of this superpower. The most famous possessor of this ability is DC Comics' iconic superhero character, Superman....
function of the Shockwave Rifle or the cloak mode of the Plasma Rifle, which renders the playable character completely invisible to enemies at cost of its ammunition. Some weapons also have more unorthodox secondary fire modes, such as the Laptop Gun being able to deploy as a sentry gun, or the SuperDragon being able to launch bouncing grenades.
In the missions, stealth is another important element of the gameplay, as the player is often free to kill enemies without being detected by sneaking up behind them. The player is also given various high-tech gadgets in order to complete mission objectives, such as the CamSpy, a hovering remote-controlled camera, or the Datathief, a tool used to hack into electronic devices, and each of them presents its own puzzle minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
. For example, the Datathief requires the player to clear circles when a specific block hovers over a blue block. The campaign mode provides fourteen missions in which the player plays as Joanna Dark. To successfully clear a mission, the player will need to complete all primary objectives, and if Joanna is killed or fails an objective, the player will have to start the level again. Additionally, the game also features support objectives that are not critical but add to the player's overall completion score. Unlike Perfect Dark, every mission contains a single checkpoint at which the player may restart if Joanna is killed or loses beyond that checkpoint. However, checkpoints are removed as the player plays through a higher difficulty. There are four difficulty settings through which a mission can be played: Agent, Secret Agent, Perfect Agent and Dark Agent, which will become available once the player completes the entire game on Perfect Agent. As the player plays on higher difficulties, the game adds more objectives and makes enemies tougher in order to increase the challenge.
The game also provides a local and online co-operative mode
Cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
, where two players may play through the game's campaign together. While playing locally, a split-screen
Split screen (computer graphics)
Split screen is a display technique in computer graphics that consists of dividing graphics and/or text into non-movable adjacent parts, typically two or four rectangular areas. This is done in order to allow the simultaneous presentation of related graphical and textual information on a computer...
is used to allow two simultaneous gameplay presentations. In co-operative, some missions feature minor changes so that both players have to help each other to progress; for instance, some doors require two people to open them. Additionally, the second player might spawn far away from the first player and takes over a character that was AI-controlled in the single player campaign in order to add a new gameplay design to the same missions. The respawn procedure has also been altered substantially, as if one player dies, the other has to find and revive the partner's corpse to bring it back to life.
Multiplayer
Perfect Dark Zeros multiplayer, known as Combat Arena, has full support for the Xbox LiveXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
service. There are two main modes with their own custom rules in Combat Arena; DeathMatch and DarkOps, and within each mode, there are four different gametypes, known as scenarios. DeathMatch is a standard gametype where players spawn in rooms, collect weapons, and continue to the actual map. Weapons are available on the map itself and scenarios range from the standard free for all deathmatch
Deathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
, to team kill count, where the team with most kills wins, or objective-based games (e.g. capture the Flag and territorial gains). On the other hand, DarkOps is a round-based, team-only gametype which was heavily inspired by the popular first-person shooter Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Valve Corporation which originated from a Half-Life modification by Minh "Gooseman" Le and Jess "Cliffe" Cliffe...
. It is generally slower-paced, and is more tactical than DeathMatch. Weapons must be purchased from a player's stock of credits and credits are earned by killing enemies and obtaining objectives. Scenarios here can range from Eradication, a team-only game in which the last team with any members left alive wins, to Infection, where players score points by either infecting others or surviving infection; or other team-based games such as Sabotage, where the team that causes the most damage to the other team's property wins, and Onslaught, in which defenders get one life but can be revived and can purchase weapons, whereas the attackers have unlimited lives but basic weapons. The team that holds the base the longest wins.
Any of the multiplayer modes can be played online with player counts up to 32 players. Players can either choose to play a ranked Deathmatch or DarkOps, where they will be matched with other players using a system called TrueSkill Matchmaking
TrueSkill
TrueSkill is a Bayesian ranking algorithm developed by Microsoft Research and used in the Xbox matchmaking system built to address some perceived flaws in the Elo rating system...
, or they may choose a player match where they can choose their game from a list of player hosted games. Like Perfect Dark, these games can be highly customized and can also include up to 15 bots
Computer game bot
A bot, most prominently in the first-person shooter types , is a type of weak AI expert system software which for each instance of the program controls a player in deathmatch, team deathmatch and/or cooperative human player. Computer bots may play against other bots and/or human players in unison,...
. Features such as their difficulty and personality can be changed to match player preference. For example, the Judge bot is programmed to exclusively attack leading players with the highest kills score. Players can also issue commands to them as long as they are on their respective team, such as follow or hold position, and set waypoints for them to walk to. There are twelve maps in Perfect Dark Zero and each map has two variants; the only change is the placement of the bases. Most of the maps are large ones, ideal for 32 players at once, with small variants for 4-16 player games.
Development and marketing
Rare's two Nintendo 64 first-person shooters, GoldenEye 007 and Perfect DarkPerfect Dark
Perfect Dark is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is considered the spiritual successor to Rare's earlier first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, with which it shares many gameplay features...
, received strong acclaim from critics and players, and demand for another title in the Perfect Dark franchise was high. Development of Perfect Dark Zero began on the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
with a very small team of roughly eight people. At the time, Nintendo had a 49% stake in Rare, making Rare a Nintendo second-party developer. The game made a small appearance at Spaceworld
Nintendo Space World
Nintendo World, formerly called Nintendo Space World, Nintendo 64 Space World, Super Famicom Space World, Famicom Space World, and , is a video game trade show hosted by Nintendo, typically to unveil new consoles or handhelds...
2000, an event exclusive to Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. Some reports further suggested the development of the game with Rare applying to trademark the names "After Dark", "Perfect Dark Evolution" and the phrase "Shot in the Dark". But apart from the confirmation that it was in development, few other official announcements were made. Perfect Dark Zero, along with several other Rare games, was intended to be finished in time for the Gamecube's launch, but eventually did not.
In September 2002, Rare was purchased by Microsoft. Around the same time, Rare released several images of Joanna Dark, the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the Perfect Dark games. The cartoony
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
style of these pictures incited speculation that the final game — then intended for the original Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
— would employ a less realistic graphical style than the original game; possibly an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
like cel-shading technique, as Rare had hired UK Manga artist Wil Overton
Wil Overton
Wil Overton is a British artist, specialising in manga styles. He has worked for a number of notable British video games magazines, including Super Play and N64 Magazine. He currently works at Rare and is an illustrator for NGamer magazine...
to work with them after seeing an anime-like image of the original Perfect Dark game he had created for the cover of N64 Magazine. Development of the title was later transferred to the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. Perfect Dark Zero
During development, several changes were made. Like the original Perfect Dark, the multiplayer mode was initially designed to be played offline despite of the fact that the GameCube supports online play via the Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter, but the feature was added when the game switched to the Xbox. Chris Tilston revealed that at one point they got to 50 players online simultaneously, but the graphics "just couldn't handle it". The cover mode was designed to enhance the stealth aspect of the game, and the third person perspective was needed due to its fast-paced multiplayer. The idea of bringing the game into a total third-person perspective was rejected as the shooting "works better" in first-person view according to Tilston. Additionally, the evasive dodge roll was implemented to replace the "stupid" evasive jump-bouncing seen in many multiplayer first-person shooters. The transition between first and third-person perspective with both moves took a lot of work so that they did not become disorientating. A first-person roll was implemented at one time, though it was eventually dropped.
Perfect Dark Zero is also one of the first games to use the Havok
Havok (software)
Havok Physics is a physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. It is designed primarily for video games, and allows for real-time collision and dynamics of rigid bodies in three dimensions. It provides multiple types of dynamic constraints between rigid bodies , and has a highly optimized...
's HydraCore physics engine
Physics engine
A physics engine is computer software that provides an approximate simulation of certain physical systems, such as rigid body dynamics , soft body dynamics, and fluid dynamics, of use in the domains of computer graphics, video games and film. Their main uses are in video games , in which case the...
, which was specifically designed for multi-core video game systems such as the Xbox 360. Additionally, as detailed on a IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
interview with lead artist Sam Jones and software engineer Cliff Ramshaw, the Perfect Dark Zero renderer engine employs more advanced graphics technologies than was possible with the previous console generation
History of video game consoles (sixth generation)
The sixth-generation era refers to the computer and video games, video game consoles, and video game handhelds available at the turn of the 21st century. Platforms of the sixth generation include the Sega Dreamcast, Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Microsoft Xbox...
, such as parallax mapping
Parallax mapping
Parallax mapping is an enhancement of the bump mapping or normal mapping techniques applied to textures in 3D rendering applications such as video games...
, ambient occlusion
Ambient occlusion
Ambient occlusion is a shading method used in 3D computer graphics which helps add realism to local reflection models by taking into account attenuation of light due to occlusion...
, subsurface scattering
Subsurface scattering
Subsurface scattering is a mechanism of light transport in which light penetrates the surface of a translucent object, is scattered by interacting with the material, and exits the surface at a different point...
, and high dynamic range
High dynamic range rendering
In 3D computer graphics, high dynamic range rendering , also known as high dynamic range lighting, is the rendering of computer graphics scenes by using lighting calculations done in a larger dynamic range. This allows preservation of details that may be lost due to limiting contrast ratios...
, among others. Sam Jones and and Cliff Ramshaw explained that most of the objects in the game can transmit and diffuse light, and can cast real-time shadows which move on the environment when in montion, including the game's vegetation. Similar to the human iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
, the tone mapping
Tone mapping
Tone mapping is a technique used in image processing and computer graphics to map one set of colors to another in order to approximate the appearance of high dynamic range images in a medium that has a more limited dynamic range...
used in the game calibrates the image using a post process filter to make brighter elements darker and darker elements lighter so that the detail within a scene can always be discerned. Unlike the usual 720p
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
(HD
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
) resolution that most Xbox 360 games use, Perfect Dark Zero runs at 640p in order to achieve a smooth frame rate
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
.
In May 2005, one of the rewards in the OurColony
OurColony
OurColony is a search opera type alternate reality game and a viral marketing campaign for the marketing of a successor to the Microsoft Xbox. The game asks players to form colonies and earn points by completing various tasks...
viral marketing
Viral marketing
Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
campaign for Microsoft's next Xbox video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
was an image of Joanna Dark. At the official unveiling of the Xbox 360 on May 12, 2005, it was revealed that Perfect Dark Zero would be a launch title for the new system in the fall of 2005. A demo was shown during the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2005 shortly afterwards. Final development for the 360 was very rushed. The order was given to produce the discs five days before the Microsoft certification was complete, to meet the Xbox 360 launch date. Rare later stated they felt very confident they would pass, but it was a significant risk producing 700,000 disks if a bug turned up. According to Duncan Botwood
Duncan Botwood
Duncan Lewis Botwood is a British video game designer and voice actor. He worked for British game developer Rare Ltd. from 1995 to 2008. He was Senior Designer at the company. Bootwood's first work was GoldenEye 007. He was one of first members of the team and worked closely with Martin Hollis and...
, senior game designer, "very few people believed we could make launch, but everything came together in time and it was out there for day one". Ken Lobb
Ken Lobb
Kenneth Alan Lobb is an American video game designer formerly employed by Taxan USA Corp., Namco Hometek, and Nintendo of America, and currently employed by Microsoft Game Studios....
, the creative director for Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
, described the development of the game as "challenging", and also revealed that they made some critical errors when launching a "day one" game. For example, he explained that they "messed up" the controls for trying a hybrid between Perfect Darks controls and Halo
Halo (series)
Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
, and the characters art was "a little bit strange". Overall, the actual development of the game took five years to complete.
Rare initially had plans to make the multiplayer feature matches of up to 50 players simultaneously, as well as including a new feature, called "DataDyne TV", that would have allowed players to watch and upload multiplayer matches through the Xbox Live service. However, these features have been canceled so that the game could meet the launch deadline. Additionally, new multiplayer scenarios and a new Counter-Operative mode, much like the one found in the original Perfect Dark, were also promised to eventually become freely available as download content. Duncan Botwood later explained that it was unlikely to happen due to technical issues. According to him, "It would have required much groundwork to be laid in the core AI code, which meant that it was unlikely to be available as downloadable content post-release." He also remarked that the Counter-Operative mode was actually planned during the development of the game, but was eventually rejected due to the pressure to cut planned content.
Prior to its release, Microsoft arranged several deals with different publishers to promote interest in the game. For example, Joanna Dark made an appearance on the cover of FHM Magazine
FHM
FHM, originally published as For Him Magazine, is an international monthly men's lifestyle magazine.- History :The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994 when Emap Consumer Media bought the magazine, although the full For...
, which also included a "virtual" interview with her. Additionally, a deal with Tor books
Tor Books
Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
and Prima Games
Prima Games
Prima Games, a division of Random House, is the largest publishing company of video game strategy guides in the United States. It is an imprint of the Random House Information Group, based in Roseville, California...
was made to produce novels and a comic book set in the Perfect Dark universe
Perfect Dark (series)
Perfect Dark is a science fiction video game franchise created and developed by Rare. The series debuted with the Nintendo 64 video game Perfect Dark in 2000, which received strong acclaim from critics and players, leading to the franchise's expansion. In 2002, Rare was acquired by Microsoft Game...
: Perfect Dark: Initial Vector, Perfect Dark: Second Front and Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears. An official soundtrack produced by Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
, called Perfect Dark Zero Original Soundtrack
Perfect Dark Zero Original Soundtrack
-External links:*...
, was also made available on November 8, 2005.
Release
The first release of the game came on November 17, 2005 in North America. The game was subsequently playable at the Xbox 360 Zero Hour Launch event, along with other Xbox 360 launch titles such as Rare's Kameo: Elements of PowerKameo: Elements of Power
Kameo: Elements of Power is an action-adventure video game developed by Rare. Under development for 4 years, the game was released as a launch title for the Microsoft Xbox 360 video game console in late 2005.- Plot :...
and Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
's Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 2 is a first-person shooter video game and the second installment in the critically acclaimed Call of Duty series. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. It was released on October 25, 2005 for Microsoft Windows and on November 22, 2005 as a launch game for the...
. Other releases followed on December 2 in Europe and on December 10 in Japan. In Europe, Microsoft organized a party by simulating an apartment as Joanna Dark's home, where several journalists could try out the Xbox 360 and the game. During the japanese launch weekend, the title became the second best-selling 360 game with roughly 15,000 units sold, behind Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
's Ridge Racer 6
Ridge Racer 6
Ridge Racer 6 has received generally positive reviews.Pro-G gave the game 8/10, calling it "the closest I've seen to an arcade racer on a home console, in both looks and playability." Gamespy awarded Ridge Racer 6 4.5/5 praising its "killer graphics" and "great presentation", but criticising its...
.
Perfect Dark Zero was released in two forms: the standard version and a "Limited Collector's Edition". The collector's edition features a second disc of content, a black metal game case, images of the staff and most of the in-house testers which gave a glimpse behind the scenes at Rare, a special-edition comic booklet which sets the scene for the game, titled Hong Kong Sunrise, and one of nine holographic collectible cards. The game has reportedly sold in excess of one million units worldwide. As a result, it was one of the first games to be re-released under the "Platinum Hits" list.
Updates and downloadable content
In May 2006, an auto-update was made available on Xbox Live, responsible for fixing some bugsSoftware bug
A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's...
and adding some additional multiplayer options to the game. These bug fixes included code to prevent an ongoing problem where players could walk through the air, an issue where some weapons could make use of rapid fire, and a map-exiting glitch, among others. On the other hand, the new multiplayer options provide seven additional new bot types and the ability to use bots in DarkOps matches, since bots had only one AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
variant and were only implemented in DeathMatch scenarios when the game was released. Additionally, a playable demo
Game demo
A game demo is a freely distributed demonstration or preview of an upcoming or recently released video game. Demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version....
of the game was made freely available on Xbox Live Marketplace shortly afterwards. It includes one campaign mission that can be played in solo mode or co-operatively in either split-screen or via Xbox Live, and a new multiplayer map which was later included in Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One.
Rare released Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One to Xbox Live Marketplace on June 7, 2006. It costs 500 Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and to reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees, which Microsoft would...
and contained four new maps to add to the game's original six. The map pack contains only one variant, instead of two. Additionally, on October 31, 2006, Rare announced that a special platinum edition of Perfect Dark Zero would be released, and would include the first map pack and two additional maps, which were later available to download for free on the Xbox Live Marketplace as a pack called Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack Two. The two new maps are updated versions of two maps from the game's predecessor: Facility, originally found in GoldenEye 007, then later featured as "Felicity" in Perfect Dark; and Ruins. The pack was released on November 1, 2006 for Gold Members and on November 8, 2006 for Silver Members.
Reception
Reviews for Perfect Dark Zero were divided but generally positive, garnering a GameRankings and a MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
aggregated score of 82% and 81/100 respectively. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's Greg Kasavin awarded it a 9.0 and an Editors Choice. He claimed that the game "champions the Xbox 360 with its excellent assortment of single and multiplayer game types, as well as its incredible good looks and dynamic, intense action", and concluding that "Perfect Dark Zero delivers just about everything you could hope for from a first-person shooter". Charles Onyett of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised the customization and game options available to players; but also criticized the campaign for the weak artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
of enemies, poor storyline and bad voice acting.
The graphics were highlighted positively. Kasavin was impressed with the amount of lightning and motion blur
Motion blur
Motion blur is the apparent streaking of rapidly moving objects in a still image or a sequence of images such as a movie or animation. It results when the image being recorded changes during the recording of a single frame, either due to rapid movement or long exposure.- Photography :When a camera...
effects, and noted that the "excellent character animation helps make the guns feel as powerful as they look". Bryn Williams of GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
considered the graphics as a "stunning look at what the 360 hardware is capable of", but also admitted that the animations are "a little too slow", and therefore can sometimes create an "unwelcome sense of cartoonishness". Onyett credited the "attractive" gun models, explosions, and sprawling vistas, though also felt that some areas, such as the South American Ruins, can unnecessary look too shiny. The sound effects were said to be "loud", with "heavy-hitting" weapon effects and "moody soundtrack that gives each mission its own pulsing rhythms".
The game's weapons were also well-received. Reviewers praised the gun management and the implementation of the guns. Greg Kasavin commented, "It doesn't stray too far from convention, but it features some interesting twists... making for a much more entertaining experience than the average shooter." Critics generally agreed that the roll and cover system worked well and that they did not feel overpowered, though some were somewhat frustrated about the fact that the cover mode required a specific spot to be activated. Reviewers also considered the story and voice acting to be weak. Charles Onyett said that it is almost impossible not to notice how "laughably bad it is", and that many plot twists are presented then never resolved, though he also admitted that it doesn't really factor into the gameplay. GameCritics Mike Bracken commented, it's "sad when there's voice acting in a game and I find myself being embarrassed for the voice actors." Nevertheless, GameSpot added that the game's weapon fire and musical score "easily drown this out."
Publications judged the co-op aspect of the game well. Kristan Reed of Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
praised the fact that the single-player levels were "designed with co-op in mind." He noted that, for example, the third level "has Joanna providing cover fire for her father Jack as he hops from one point of the level to the next. In the single player campaign Jack's AI controlled, but co-op lets you take direct control of his actions, making the experience a much more engaging affair all-round." Multiplayer matches of Perfect Dark Zero were widely well-received. Greg Kasavin pointed out that the excellent weapon selection, flexibility of options, high-quality maps, and smooth online performance make for a "rock-solid competitive shooter." IGN stated similar pros, calling it "enormous". 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Che Chou also praised the multiplayer, but observed that "constantly roll-dodging to avoid enemy fire at close range combined with the exceptionally slow movement speed of your character... can occasionally be highly frustrating for beginners."
Despite solid reviews, numerous publications remarked that Perfect Dark Zero did not meet the expectations. According to GameCritics, "It took Rare a whole console generation to do it..." and that "the wait wasn't really worth it". Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
found it to be quite disappointing and gave the game a 7 out of 10, reviewing it under the tagline "Don't believe the hype". Bryn Williams (albeit still giving the game a positive review) observed, "Perfect Dark Zero is a lot of fun and does a lot of things very well, but it's just not the killer-app
Killer application
A killer application , in the jargon of marketing teams, has been used to refer to any computer program that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology, such as computer hardware, gaming console, software, or an operating system...
that we'd all hoped for". In 2010, the game was #6 on GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
' Top Ten Most Disappointing games of the Decade and #10 on their Worst Sequels countdown.
External links
- Perfect Dark Zero at xbox.com