Perfect Dark (n64: 2000): Reviews

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Perfect Dark


9.2

based on 30 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 63 votes
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Official Game Site

Special operative Joanna Dark flips the script on the predictable plots of first-person shooters, with a twisting storyline where aliens are allies and trust is a luxury which you can't afford. Players control Ms. Dark, who earned the nickname Perfect after graduating with top honors from the Carrington Institute. The action begins in the year 2023, when Joanna receives a distress signal from a troubled scientist held hostage in the heart of a monolithic corporation called dataDyne. Joanna's first mission is to infiltrate the heavily guarded corporate headquarters, and soon she finds herself in the epicenter of an intergalactic conspiracy set to explode. We don't want to spoil the surprises that pop up along the way, but it's safe to say that throughout her adventure Joann discovers the corrosive effect power and greed have on the human psyche. As an extra bonus, she's also a crucial player in a massive war between two alien species. Each stage of Perfect Dark can be played in one of three difficulty levels: Agent, Secret Agent or Perfect Agent. In addition to pumping up enemy AI in higher difficulty levels, players have to complete increasingly complex tasks. [Nintendo]

PUBLISHER:	Nintendo
DEVELOPER:	Rare
GENRE(S):	Action, First-Person Shooter
PLAYERS:	4
ESRB RATING:	M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE:	May 22, 2000

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Core Magazine

Though it is not without its flaws, "Perfect Dark" is the best game yet for the N64 and among the most fun console games ever produced.

100

Hot Games

Joanna looks good and she knows it, with spectacular Ram-pak enhanced graphics.

100

Total Video Games

Simply the best game I have ever had the pleasure of playing.

100

Nintendorks

So damn close to perfect that it makes me want to cry tears of joy.

100

Electric Playground

Magnificent. Until now, GoldenEye was arguably the best reason for gamers over the age of 16 to own a Nintendo 64. No longer.

100

Daily Radar

Oh yea, oh yea, glory hallelujah -- this is the game we've waited so long for.

100

CheckOut

It's a stunning achievement by any measure and stands as one of those rare products that delivers more than you paid for.

100

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

It's still by far the finest crafted game of its ilk on the N64 and it positively oozes class from every pore.

100

Maxim Online

Cool options such as friend/foe identification and threat readings, plus the best graphics ever on an N64 game.

100

GamePro

With all the gadgets and alternative goals thrown in, "Perfect Dark" is more than just a straight-up blastfest; It's a futuristic spy-thriller that also happens to be the best multiplayer shooter on the console market.

100

Cincinnati Enquirer

No longer are those shooting at you simple targets in a practice range. These guys are smart, evil and ready to battle. Enemies will work together to cover each other, they’ll roll under your gunfire, hide behind corners and even shoot the gun right out of your hands.

100

GameShark

Beyond the visual feast and a plethora of features and options, Perfect Dark is a soup of gameplay genius beefy enough to eat with a fork!

Gaming Maxx

The framerate trouble brought the graphics down to 9.9, and even framerate problems you won't even notice most of the time because this game is so much fun.

GameSpot

The number of things that you can unlock in the game is simply staggering.

IGN

Rare's intelligent 3D shooter features amazing graphics, loads of in-game options, a cooperative mode, a counter-operative mode, extensive bot setups, and a the most well-rounded multiplayer mode ever to grace Nintendo 64.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

If "GoldenEye" is a bull's-eye, Perfect Dark hits somewhere in the lungs. [Jan 2004, p.189]

Antagonist -- Ant.com

With stellar solo and multiplayer action, there are more things to try here than in a stroll through Amsterdam.

Nintendojo

Absolutely brilliant.

Da Gameboyz

From superior graphics, which really showcase the capacity of the N64 Expansion Pak, to Dolby Surround Sound, to seemingly unlimited playability potential, "Perfect Dark" is the game of choice for N64 owners.

Happy Puppy

There are as many different reasons for the gamer to go to bed thinking of simulants, or any of the friends that have been hiding behind walls and popping a cap in your ass with the farsight, as there are peanuts in the box.

Spank!

Perfect in every way. Except for the manual, which I've burnt along with every other first person shooter in the office games cupboard: there's no point in keeping either now.

Nintendophiles

It’s multiplayer is, by far, the best on Nintendo 64. The Single Player is epic and addicting.

GamerWeb Nintendo

Its scope and complexity is lightyears ahead of the competition and it sets a benchmark that many, possibly even Rare itself, will struggle to reach in the years to come.

Game Revolution

So there's no doubt in anyone's mind... there is not now, nor will there ever be a nude code for Joanna Dark. Go get a girlfriend!

Gaming Age

There are some nasty frame rate problems at times, which is mostly the factor that keep this from an A grade, but don't let that stop you from picking up Rare's latest.

Game Fan

With Joanna Dark, "Perfect Dark's" heroine, Rare succeeds over Bond, the spy at the top of his game, by matching him with somebody who would likely prefer him on the bottom.

CNET Gamecenter

This is the best action game on the Nintendo 64 and a great follow-up to "GoldenEye."

All Game Guide

Better than "GoldenEye 007" in every aspect, making it the best first-person shooter at the time of its release. With much deeper Solo Missions and a completely customizable Combat Simulator, Perfect Dark definitely was worth the wait.

Game Critics

The new cast of characters created for Perfect Dark is grossly inadequate when compared to the ones from GoldenEye. The lead player-controlled protagonist, Joanna Dark, exhibits few emotions beyond being clueless and bland.

Games Domain

Yes, Rare should have made the gameplay a little more original, pumped up the enemy AI, and definitely fixed the save system. But they gave the people what they wanted, and in that respect they've done a terrific job. There's so much to explore, kill, blow up and maim in this game that it offers hours and hours of bullet-riddled excitement.

The average user rating for this game is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 63 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Matty D. gave it a10:
Ridiculously unbelievable. I have never played a game so packed and never will. Seriously the best console experience of a lifetime.

William gave it a10:
Frame rate suffers, but in my opinion much much better than halo or half life 1 and 2. I didn't enjoy Goldeneye as much as this. The guns are well designed. The singleplayer and multiplayer modes have so many options that it thrashes anything ever since it was made.

Guido P. gave it a10:
I'm not entirely sure why nobody mentions that the Combat Simulator, aside from being a great multiplayer tool, is equally adept at increasing the single-player experience. Getting the highest ranking in Combat Simulator must be one of Video Gaming's most taxing challenges, and this goal can be reached either with a friend, or alone with an ocean of ruthless bots. Of course, the former is preferable, but the latter, if you don't happen to be with a friend, is worth noting, since, to my mind, it is the Combat Simulator, whether played alone or not, that raises what is essentially an 8 or 9 game to a definite 10 and probably one of my favorite games of all time.

P3rf3ct K1ll3r gave it a10:
I bought Perfect Dark the day it was released in the US and was completely blown away by its stuning graphics, intuitive weapons and level design, and its addictive gameplay. The unlockable cheats and 3 distinct difficulty levels add great replay value to the single player campaign, while bots and endless multiplayer customizations make the multiplayer aspect of the game impossible to put down. While it is clear that Goldeneye revolutionized FPS's as we know it, Rare took what they had achieved in Goldeneye and brought FPS's to another level in Perfect Dark. It is unfortunate that Perfect Dark is overlooked by many people due to the fact that it was released at at the end of the Nintendo 64's life and therefore missed many people. However, if you played this game at the time of its release you would know that it is the best FPS ever made next to Goldeneye and Halo and more than deserving of its score.

Alex gave it a10:
Awesome, creative guns. Laptops that turn into sentry guns, and player-controlled rockets. Awesome!

J. Cooper gave it a10:
"BEST CONSOLE GAME EVER MADE" This game is just AWESOME ! "seems to be the most underrated game ever created for console", ive had the game since its release (forced me to buy the expansion) AWESOME single player missions ! Good AI especially in Special Agent and Perfect Agent difficulties.. Super fun and totally configurable multiplayer modes. The graphics were very solid for the time, and the death animations and sounds are eerily realistic at times. And so much more... if you are really into FPS games, Perfect Dark sets a standard for any of the good ones out there.

Jonathan G. gave it a10:
One fo the best games for the N64. I still play it even now in 2006. This game is a true classic no matter what anybody says. I only play really fun games years after I have beaten them and played them a whole lot. One of my favorite first person shooters of all time.