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[fabricated backlash]

The cartoony look is awful. I mean :

Maybe a little lifeless, but so much better.

I was so fucking hyped for the Game... and then it never came out... and no, this abomination that ultimately came to market wasn't that game I wanted.

It really shows that the exodus at Rare was worse than what the Rare fanatic in me wanted to believe back then.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

It is so cool to see these prototypes, but wow, anime style does not fit Perfect Dark at all...and while Perfect Dark Zero was super flawed, I found the game a blast and totally worth following up on. I really, really hope we see a Perfect Dark reboot or sequel Next gen.. The series really deserves another chance, and I really loved the universe.. Man it would probably look awesome and Cyber Punk inspired..

 

[Roth]

I'll never forget Joanime Dark.

What a bizarre direction this series took.

The cartoony look is awful. I mean :

Maybe a little lifeless, but so much better.

I actually like that anime-ish look. There should be a feature in the game where you can switch between those different graphical styles to give the game a unique facelift. Like in Halo Anniversary Edition, you can switch from the new graphics to the original graphics (and audio) on the fly. I wish more game remakes (or non-remakes) had this novel feature..

On a related note, I'd say Perfect Dark: Source has the best character design based on the original Joanne from PD64. Of course, because it's fan-made mod, and it's using Source engine.

// Roth

 

[To Far Away Times]

This franchise deserves another shot.

PD64 was such a great game. If Rare could just update the shooting mechanics a bit and retain the level design and pacing of the first game it could be something really special.

 

[RockmanWhore]

I wished they had worked harder on the anime look. The final game looks horrible, but I guess that rushing the game for the console launch is the main problem of the game. I can't blame MS though, the game sold pretty well, and I doubt it would have sold that well if MS gave Rare another couple of years.

 

[metareferential]

Give Perfect Dark next to 343i. Yeah.

 

[PsihoPerihelion]

Give Perfect Dark next to 343i. Yeah.

Oh, that would be sweet.

 

[DidntKnowJack]

I bought a random, mint-condition collector's edition of this game for about $1.50 from the GameStop I work at. I don't own an Xbox 360 yet. I figure it'll be a neat experience whenever I get around to having one though. Not often that you see the first wave of titles for 360 in stock and in good condition.

I have that CE too. Also found it at GS and bought it for a song. But there it sits in my collection, covered in dust, unplayed. I've played a bit of PD0 but could never get into it. But I just can't pass up a steel book for 4 bucks.

 

[APZonerunner]

I actually like that anime-ish look. There should be a feature in the game where you can switch between those different graphical styles to give the game a unique facelift. Like in Halo Anniversary Edition, you can switch from the new graphics to the original graphics (and audio) on the fly. I wish more game remakes (or non-remakes) had this novel feature..

On a related note, I'd say Perfect Dark: Source has the best character design based on the original Joanne from PD64. Of course, because it's fan-made mod, and it's using Source engine.

// Roth

That's a nice vesion of her. I do like the HD-ized version of the original from PD XBLA; it's a tiny bit more overtly feminine, but not in the egregious way PDZ's Jo is.

 

[Pixels]

This makes me sad remembering how awful the 360 version is.

 

[APZonerunner]

I'll maintain that PD Zero was absolutely fantastic multiplayer, online, with friends. It was simply brilliant, and really carried forward that Goldeneye sense of wanting to scream at each other but online. Some of the modes they had were great, Infection especially. The Alt-fires of the weapons were great, and the sniper rifle is one of the satisfying to use in any game... but on the flip side it looks plasticy and horrible and the story is really god-awful.

 

[friskykillface]

This thread makes me want to pick up PD0 now for whatever reason.

Go to sears, I've seen it for $2.50 there.


I still have a copy I paid $60 for when it came out on launch day, still like it
Infection was awesome and the online multiplayer was great for the first xbox 360 game I played online.

the last level/master , oh boy


Will my love Joanna Dark ever get on a console again microsoft pls

Lol did anyone else play around and swap the characters heads and bodies in the N64 version, I did B^)

 

[SkylineRKR]

PDZ is rather fucking terrible, but it was the first console game I played online and have good memories of it.

Single Player was devoid of any fun. Level design and AI were awful. Enemies would always spot you and come straight at you. Game was rather difficult though, there wasn't any kind of aim assist isn't it?

 

[Tomat]

You have no idea how close you are to the truth.

During the late 90's there was a UK N64 magazine called "N64 Magazine" and one of artists there was a guy called Will Overton. He drew the cover for their issue that had their Perfect Dark review

He was soon recruited by Rare as an artist and became the lead artist on Perfect Dark Zero. You can actually see his N64 cover inspired version of Jo in this image:

So it was fanart in a sense

I actually like those designs a bit. Very Ghost in the Shell-ish.

 

[Levito]

That really helps emphasize how terrible the anime inspired direction was.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

However, Wil Overton was so kind to upload a few new shots/artworks! Some were already posted in the old Rare thread, but since then new pieces appeared. Actually, elsk already posted one of these in my most recent Rare-related thread.

This HUD with those portraits looks like a facebook game.

Erin Esurance is frighteningly spot-on as well.

 

[LTWheels]

Give Perfect Dark next to 343i. Yeah.

Would love this. Make it after Halo 4. For a next xbox launch title.

 

[Alfredo]

A lot of people have said that Perfect Dark has aged horribly, and if you play it on the N64, that's true... but the XBLA version is all kinds of awesome.

I actually never played Perfect Dark Zero, so no idea what that game is like.

 

[Card Boy]

Perfect Dark Zeros biggest crimes more than anything is sub 30fps, Killzone 2 levels of input lag and crap graphics. The gameplay seemed ok.

 

[big_z]

Zero is beyond awful. I know it was rushed and all but even if given the time to polish it would have still been terrible. There are no redeeming qualities to the game, it should have been cancelled and started over fresh.

The xbla release of pd was much better but that game has always been overrated. The level design for half the game is some of the worst out there.

 

[Lunchbox]

completely revamp it or let it die

bringing back games of certain eras dont work. shooters have advanced way beyond 1999. perfect dark remake on arcade gave me headaches.

 

[les papillons sexuels]

turn it into a deus ex type fps rpg and I'd be sold.

 

[Diablohead]

The cartoony look is awful. I mean :

Maybe a little lifeless, but so much better.

not for me, the face might be much more 'real' but it's god damn awful.

I quite like the GITS looking joeanna personally.

 

[chertipros]

Slightly unrelated but perfect dark zero was an awesome game. I'm glad it evolved from this to what the end product was

 

[Jarmel]

This really looks horrible. Game should have been nuked and re-done from scratch.

 

[kinn]

Perfect Dark Zero was a colossal disappointment when compared to Perfect Dark 64.


That said, the game on its own was pretty good. The MultiPlayer was fun as hell once you got the controls down. (lack of auto aim scared away non PC players.)


Also, I only ever ran through the campaign once, and it was not great, or memorable, but it was some good fun in coop.

Agreed.

 

[goldenpp72]

People who literally compare PD to PDZ make no sense, unless only speaking of for its time. Pdz is basically superior in every way. Less confusing level design, much better designed weapons and combat system, a navigation system to not get lost. This isn't to say the game is great campaign wise (it is multi wise) because it has a shit story, bad level design (but better than PD by a little with the aid of a waypoint). It did have some good things too though, the gunplay is fun, challenging and the objectives were more logical and well laid out. They also did a good job with being able to collect weapons and start with them, more specific co op traits, and having a lot of variety in locales to visit (probably at the sake of having no real story)

In the end, Pdz is superior to pd in most ways, the problem is that it didn't entirely bring the series to modern standards and suffered from similar issues the original did (but didn't get blasted for due to time frame). They both have terrible stories, shit level design, and both have good (but different) music and graphics for their time. The only thing i'd really give PD the edge in is art design.

 

[Satchel]

Perfect Dark 2 set in a Bladerunner-esque/Samaritan setting would be amazing.

 

[Rorschach]

Rare should have really hired some artists. That looks even worse than the final product.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

You have no idea how close you are to the truth.

During the late 90's there was a UK N64 magazine called "N64 Magazine" and one of artists there was a guy called Will Overton. He drew the cover for their issue that had their Perfect Dark review

He was soon recruited by Rare as an artist and became the lead artist on Perfect Dark Zero. You can actually see his N64 cover inspired version of Jo in this image:

So it was fanart in a sense

Man, that guy wishes badly that he was Shirow Masamune, and not doing a great job of it.

 

[Dance Inferno]

I'll never forget Joanime Dark.

What a bizarre direction this series took.

Haha oh man I remember getting EXTREMELY hyped when I saw this piece of art. I still wish there was a Perfect Dark game based on this art style.

 

[Ken Masters]

The cartoon look is so bad, the fall of rare with stupid descisions like this being made

 

[DidntKnowJack]

Ya know, I was looking at the CE of PDZ earlier, and it's actually pretty sweet. Not sure what that key card is for, though.

 

[bengraven]

I'm in the minority here, but I like this Joanna and the one we got in Zero.

Yeah, she's young, but she's better than the Lara Croft clone from the original. I would of course take the PD: source version ahead of them all.

 

[Zoramon089]

I actually like those designs a bit. Very Ghost in the Shell-ish.

Looks nothing like Ghost in the Shell! Both Shirow Masamune and Mamoru Oshii would be shaking their heads at it

 

[Xav]

The cartoon look for Perfect Dark was a bad idea but I think it could of worked as a new IP. At least for the GameCube version they had an idea of what they wanted to do, the final Xbox 360 game is a horrible mix of realistic & cartoon visuals.
I can imagine Microsoft rushing Rare to get the game finished in time for launch and pushed for realistic graphics late in development.
Rare have always had an interesting development cycle on their titles yet the final game always came through, anyone got those those original Jet Force Gemini character designs?

 

[Nemesis_]

I like the idea of new Joanna Dark but it was ruined by that awful campy accent.

It didn't make any sense to have an American accent for her when she is so British in the N64 game.

I mean, I like the idea of Jo being a vigilante / mercenary with her dad, and them not taking their job as seriously as they should be - and then the idea of some kind of traumatic event forcing Jo to mature hence her eventual transformation into the Jo Dark we see in the N64 version.

These prototype screens are quite fugly tbh

 

[Dark Octave]

You have no idea how close you are to the truth.

During the late 90's there was a UK N64 magazine called "N64 Magazine" and one of artists there was a guy called Will Overton. He drew the cover for their issue that had their Perfect Dark review

He was soon recruited by Rare as an artist and became the lead artist on Perfect Dark Zero. You can actually see his N64 cover inspired version of Jo in this image:

So it was fanart in a sense

Looks like the 80s Roboteh cartoons.

 

[jmizzal]

what's with PD64 nostalgia? PD64 had the same level design and the same slow gameplay as PD0.

Uh no PD64 is a great game

PD0 is just a bad game simple

 

[GameplayWhore]

Uh no PD64 is a great game

PD0 is just a bad game simple

I'd like to hear a rundown on what Perfect Dark Zero lacks that its predecessor had a good hold of.

 

[SkyMasterson]

what's with PD64 nostalgia? PD64 had the same level design and the same slow gameplay as PD0.

Come on man, you're comparing an N64 game to an Xbox 360 game.

At least PD was awesome for it's time. Hell PD and Goldeneye did some things in FPS's that we've yet to see in FPS games since.

 

[Spazznid]

what's with PD64 nostalgia? PD64 had the same level design and the same slow gameplay as PD0.

Can't see you. I have my goggles on.

 

[Zee-Row]

Character design was never really a strong point of Rare anyway.

 

[Spazznid]

On a related note, the Perfect Dark: Source team was REALLY spot on in it's art direction. Look at any gameplay trailers or even just play the damn game. They knew what they were doing, but somehow, they all seemed to lose interest. I would spend on of three wishes on them making a return as a kickstarter project with the end product being a total multiplayer recreation and a TRUE Joanna Dark story. If any of you played their version of Felicity, or Complex, you'd realize just how much potential they had. They weren't just remaking maps from PD, they were re-imagining them as they would be made in this generation.

Joanna Dark in an interview with a guy named Todd who chases her to the bathroom...

Also a great fanmade OST for good measure

 

[MisterAnderson]

"Chandra, there's a bad man in front of me. In which way should I end his life?"

Dat writing.

 

[ChaosXVI]

I played Perfect Dark 64 nearly everyday for at least 2-3 years after I discovered it's existence. I got it as a gift, had never heard of it, and had no clue it was the spiritual successor to Goldeneye, the game I previously played every day...

I was hyped for so long for PDZ, I remember the months leading up to the Xbox 360's release, looking at every screenshot and thinking "something feels off...something looks lifeless about this game"...but I reassured myself the prequel to Perfect Dark, my most played game of all time probably, would be perfect.

It was shit. At the time I played it I enjoyed it, but it didn't even come close to matching the original. The single-player was so forgettable, the multiplayer was fun for awhile, but I put the game down after a few months while my 360 collected dust.

On a lighter note however, they did a great job porting the original to 360, and I would love to see them get another shot at a sequel, but I doubt any of us will live to see it...

 

[Roth]

I really like the cel-shaded look. Why didn't they go with this art style? Such missed opportunity..
I think the game would've been comparable to other FPS games like XIII at the time

 

[∀ Narayan]

Give Perfect Dark next to 343i. Yeah.

Dear god, that would be something alright.

 

[AuthenticM]

I'll never forget Joanime Dark.

What a bizarre direction this series took.

Man, I wish Microsoft had gone with this look instead of what we got.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

not for me, the face might be much more 'real' but it's god damn awful.

I quite like the GITS looking joeanna personally.

Well yeah, but that 3d render is very cartoony too, and looks nothing like what it's in the actual N64 game.

I still think that this is the best looking rendition of her.