Perfect Dark Zero: Hands on Preview

[bapenguin]

Perfect Dark Zero Hands on Preview
by: Nicholas "bapenguin" Puleo, Editor-in-Chief

Everyone wants to know about Perfect Dark Zero. Is it the next Halo? Why can’t you jump? Do the graphics suck? Do the physics suck? The game has gotten a lot of scrutiny, and it’s not even out yet. After much play time with the game I can tell you it’s not the next Halo, but the game isn’t meant to be.

Perfect Dark Zero really doesn’t feel like your first person shooters as of late. It actually feels more like the original Perfect Dark and Golden Eye on Nintendo 64. Shocker I know, right? The game play is a lot slower, stealth and cover is a key to surviving. There is a “cover mode” option that comes up when you come to a corner on a building or other objects that can provide cover. While in cover mode you have a view of what’s around the side. Aim up the baddie and pull the trigger and you’ll quickly pop out and bust a cap ala Sam Fisher Style.

Your character has 4 weapon slots. Each weapon takes up a specific amount of slots though, so while you can hold 4 pistols at once, you can only hold 2 pistols and a shotgun, or a shotgun and sniper rifle. It’s a pretty good system and adds a nice simple strategy element to the game play. Every weapon has a primary and secondary fire mode. One of the sniper rifles is particularly brutal, its secondary fire mode is a grenade launcher. Another nice touch is the scopes on the weapons are analog. How hard you press on the left trigger determines how far your scope is zoomed in.

The problem I had with the version I played was there was no way to adjust your control sensitivity. The game felt a bit sluggish, and I felt like I just moved a little too slow, especially in the multiplayer. There’s no jumping in this game, instead you can roll to dodge fire. This makes quite a bit more sense, I’ve rarely seen someone bunny hop to avoid machine gun fire in real life. When you do come to a situation in which you should jump, say to get up on a ledge, pressing the roll button makes JoAnna pull herself up.

The art direction and style of Perfect Dark Zero are amazing. The overall look of the game is a cross between a comic book and a James Bond movie. There is real-time shadowing, bump mapping, and every other graphical trick in the book. Nothing in this game looks flat or dull. Most of the animations were smooth, though there were a few transitions that could have used some touching up. The menu interface is clean and quick, and every mission generates statistics for you (it even keeps track of how many times you rolled).

Before you start a mission you can choose what equipment to start with. All the weapons I tried seemed very powerful, and very useful. Some of the secondary fire options were pretty cool. One of the pistols for instance has a secondary fire option of dropping the weapon’s clip out of the gun and exploding it. Very useful when someone is chasing you. The sniper rifles pack a pretty punch, hitting an enemy in the chest causes him to fly back from the force.

When playing on the easiest difficulty level, blue arrows will popup to show you which way you need to go to complete your next objective. This is a nice feature for beginners, getting lost in a FPS is a frustrating experience. The levels themselves are HUGE and complicated. It seemed every building had an entryway, as well as multiple floors.

Every mission has co-op play available. Some missions are co-op specific; there are two characters and paths clearly defined for each player. Their paths cross and overlap with each person so they can help out and cover each other. I did get a chance to play some Co-Op with James from Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com). The one mission we played I was JoAnna and he was Jack. He took the low road, I took the high road. While he was taking care of business down below, I’d cover him from above with the sniper rifle. It was quite fun, and really felt like cooperative play with a purpose, not just something that was tacked on.

One thing we found out that royally sucked was the lack of checkpoints or save features. That’s right, you die, and you’re done. Didn’t they learn anything from the Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory team? The game isn’t easy either, there was plenty of times I found myself staring at my dead body on the screen. It’s especially frustrating in Co-Op because when one of you dies, the mission fails.

The multiplayer was pretty fun, only because of the nice variety of weapons. It was nothing special though, and again it felt pretty sluggish. There is a mech type vehicle you can get into. It has the ability to fly around with a jetpack on it. Other than that, it was pretty much straight deathmatch. I really had hoped the cover mode would play more into the multiplayer, but it just didn’t seem to fit.

All in all Perfect Dark Zero seems like the kind of game you play through once and that’s it. It should be a satisfying Single Player and Co-Op expierence, but the multiplayer is lacking. Hopefully Rare irons out the control issues and tweaks up a few things before launch. This game is on the brink of being a top notch title, but right now it just falls short.

[eatme]

"One thing we found out that royally sucked was the lack of checkpoints or save features. That’s right, you die, and you’re done."

Um...

WTF?

[Heretic Machine]

Sounds better than I thought, but the comment about no checkpoints pretty much kills the whole thing for me. I'm just not going to deal with efforts in frustration anymore, they aren't fun.

[jwbxx]

All in all Perfect Dark Zero seems like the kind of game you play through once and that’s it. It should be a satisfying Single Player and Co-Op expierence, but the multiplayer is lacking.Well thats very bad.

[Everlost_MI]

"One thing we found out that royally sucked was the lack of checkpoints or save features. That’s right, you die, and you’re done."

Um...

WTF?

Ditto. I really hate games that use that scheme to make it a "challenge." While do understand it prevents those save crazy players, ahem I'll admit that sometimes, but the game should be challenging without having a dumb "feature" like that.

[TheKeck]

Ditto. I really hate games that use that scheme to make it a "challenge." While do understand it prevents those save crazy players, ahem I'll admit that sometimes, but the game should be challenging without having a dumb "feature" like that.

Normally, I would agree whole-heartedly with this. I am often one of those players that saves every few seconds, just in case. My biggest beef with FarCry (one of the latest games I've picked up) is the lack of saving.

BUT.... this also hearkens back to the original Goldeneye and Perfect Dark. There was no saving there. (I'm assuming, of course, this is per mission.) It could be a total drag, but it really kept you sweating it.

I really like the fact that it sticks closer to the old school feel of those first games. I loved GE and PD because they were shooters that (in my opinion) were correctly geared towards console play. When console shooters started mimicking what we had on the PC, it all fell apart for me. I know there are many who disagree with me, but that's just what I think.


EDIT: As I think about it more, I can remember REALLY hating how you couldn't save in those games sometimes. Perhaps that's one thing they SHOULD have updated. But, the rest of my post still stands. :o

[Chi-Town]

It’s especially frustrating in Co-Op because when one of you dies, the mission fails.

Hmmmm, from IGN's latest hands-on...
Eventually our partner got gunned down and we were able to go over and revive them while still playing. Reviving your fallen partner takes a little bit of time so you'll need to be sure that the area is clear before you move in. Once close to your fallen partner an icon will pop up that indicates revival is possible and your character will whip out a small circular disk that flashes for around five seconds before bringing your teammate back.

[TheKeck]

Hmmmm, from IGN's latest hands-on...

So, what do you have to say bapenguin? Lies.... or did you miss this?

[Chi-Town]

Most likely you can't revive your partner in the co-op situtation they were playing(providing sniper cover for a player on a lower level).

[bapenguin]

Yeah it must be certain missions. Maybe the missions where you actually play the integral characters to the story you have one shot at it. In the sniper missions, it's definitley one death mission over.

And yes, it does save in between missions.

[Murmillo]

Bah.. that sucks. I hope this is something they decide to fix.

[TrackZero]

Nice preview Bap, thanks for the heads up!

[The Iron Weasel]

I'm so getting that game it sounds great in my opinion, its not in direct compition with halo, its more of a suppliment by the sounds of things.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

Well, since multiplayer was the best part of Perfect Dark, I'm pretty disappointed in this.

[KamaItachi]

I'm so getting that game it sounds great in my opinion, its not in direct compition with halo, its more of a suppliment by the sounds of things.

Yeah, from the looks of it, it'll be a much slower game. Not that that's a bad thing, but sometimes the rather hectic, sportslike pace of Halo can get the better of me.

I just hope there's enough options and tweaks available in the multiplayer to keep it interesting and not just a retread of DM/TDM/CtF. Halo had some wonderfuly versatile options for making your own games and if PD0 wants to hold it's own as a good alternative/less intense multiplayer experience it'll need to match those.

[Major Dan]

Thanks for the preview, I am really looking forward to it. Sounds different from Halo but different GOOD. I really like the cover 3rd person view, neat idea. :) :cool:

[MagicAlex]

I'm glad to hear that this game will focus on stealth, as I don't believe the system works very well for fast-paced action. It's what kept Timesplitters 2 from being as fun as Goldeneye.

[JazGalaxy]

Sounds better than I thought, but the comment about no checkpoints pretty much kills the whole thing for me. I'm just not going to deal with efforts in frustration anymore, they aren't fun.

I'm not sure when saving every second became such a huge deal in games, but I frankly am fine with games that don't let you save everywhere. In fact, I prefer it. The developer creates a challenge and you rise to it, or do not. That's the game. If you can't lose, then there's not thrill of coming out of a firefight unharmed, or sense of panic when you're on your last few bullets.

I used to, and still occasionally do, play DOOM from beginning on without saving. I know I probably won't beat the game, but the buzz you get on level 7 or so, when you have low health and low ammo, and you know that if you die you're going to go all the way back to the beginning... that's something you just don't get otherwise. The hairs your your neck stand up... you're reflexes triple... you get "in the zone"... without that, what's the fun of gaming?

[Magnanimous Gnome]

That may be the case for you, but I personally just shut the game off and go do something else when I have to restart a mission.

In fact I avoid buying games like that at all.

You can always put the option there - it doesn't mean that people like YOU have to use it. ;)

[Morratut]

I'm not sure when saving every second became such a huge deal in games, but I frankly am fine with games that don't let you save everywhere. In fact, I prefer it. The developer creates a challenge and you rise to it, or do not. That's the game. If you can't lose, then there's not thrill of coming out of a firefight unharmed, or sense of panic when you're on your last few bullets.

Very true. If you die and have no punishment then its not fun. I prefer games that don't wrap you in bubble wrap. Like Ninja Gaiden for example.

Looking forward to this lots.It sounds like i'll be dissapointed with the multiplayer side of things though. Could my prediction be true that Halo2 will be the definitive multiplayer game for the 360?

Thanks for the preview Bapenguin :)

[Roc Ingersol]

A lack of save points doesn't increase challenge.
It doesn't make the enemies smarter, the obstacles more puzzling, or the boss stronger.

It just incentivizes people to avoid risk and use liberal quantities of cheese whenever possible.

[JazGalaxy]

That's silly. NO games used to have save points every ten seconds. You played, say, Mario, and if you couldn't complete the challenege you had to try it again or find a way around it. A warp level or some such someplace.

Saving everywhere is what negates risk. Being able to save anyplace you like means there is nothing at stake, therefore no risk. What you mean, I think, when you say "risk" is being free of consequence and what fun is that? It's like having a slot machine at your house stocked with your own quarters.

[fitbabits]

Calling thecrazyd - you may want to read bapenguin's impressions on PD Zero and rethink your opinion of him.

[Roc Ingersol]

Having reasonable save points isn't the same as saving every 10 seconds. Spare us the strawman.

Having reasonable save points simply prevents the monotony of suffering 10 minutes of trivial crap before you get back to the boss, puzzle or fight that's actually challenging.

Save points or no, you're going to have to try different things. Without save points means you have to be slow and deliberate through the crap you'd already bested to get back to the part you're stuck on. One careless mistake on your way back to 'the hard part', and you start over. That just makes games annoying and incentivizes you to cheese.

Honestly, it all comes down to level size. With reasonable level sizes, no save points isn't a big deal. But as soon as you advertise 'massive' levels, I start to wonder about save points. If I've got to mop up 15 minutes of goons to get back to the actual challenge, I'm out.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

Exactly what Roc said.

Mario is a really silly example. The average Mario level takes probably two or three minutes to run all the way through. Dying at the end and having to replay two minutes is not a big deal whatsoever.

Dying towards the end of a level that you've spent thirty minutes or even an hour on is not fun, it sucks.

Can you imagine not having checkpoints in Halo?

[The Iron Weasel]

Can you imagine not having checkpoints in Halo?

The only time that would have made me break the disk would be around the end of the library, i loves all the other levels in both Halo 1 & 2

[JazGalaxy]

Having reasonable save points isn't the same as saving every 10 seconds. Spare us the strawman.

Having reasonable save points simply prevents the monotony of suffering 10 minutes of trivial crap before you get back to the boss, puzzle or fight that's actually challenging.

Save points or no, you're going to have to try different things. Without save points means you have to be slow and deliberate through the crap you'd already bested to get back to the part you're stuck on. One careless mistake on your way back to 'the hard part', and you start over. That just makes games annoying and incentivizes you to cheese.

Honestly, it all comes down to level size. With reasonable level sizes, no save points isn't a big deal. But as soon as you advertise 'massive' levels, I start to wonder about save points. If I've got to mop up 15 minutes of goons to get back to the actual challenge, I'm out.

I'm not sure what "strawman" is but I agree with what you say about level size being the key. I also hate having to replay a bunch of nonsense to get to what you want to get to, but the nonsense that I usually want to skip are idiotic cut scenes and the like, not actual gameplay. So, yeah, I think they should have logical checkpoints, or better yet just solid level design. I think the concept of solid level design is as dead as the dodo though.

Also while we are in agreement that a well thought out periodic saving structure is a good thing, there are people (most recently the editor of Game Informer) who think that yous hould be able to save any game anywhere you want always. No matter what. Anything else, they argue, is stupid. I don't agree with that one iota.

[Heretic Machine]

Very true. If you die and have no punishment then its not fun. I prefer games that don't wrap you in bubble wrap. Like Ninja Gaiden for example.

Ninja Gaiden had save points. It didn't need help in artifically cranking the difficulty, and so it was fun. Having to stupidly replay the same ten minutes of gameplay over and over again will not get my dollar.

If you need to prove you have a bigger cock by playing games without saving, go for it. It's not my deal.

[TheKeck]

I'm not sure what "strawman" is but...

I just learned this fairly recently, so I'll fill you in. A "strawman" is an argument tactic where you incorrectly restate your opponents claim and then argue against this idea.

You tore apart the idea that being able to "save every 10 seconds" is stupid, when all Roc said was that games should not "lack save points".

[Major Dan]

I agree about the save points, No more stupid troll talk, there is nothing worse then battling your way through a tough as nails level and getting killed either just before the boss or at the boss and having to redo that level again and again before you have figured out the pattern, method or right gun/magic/figthing technique to kill the boss. Just takes all the fun out the game instantly. I really appreciated the Halo checkpoints. You never got to far before it would save but it definetly made it challenging at times to get through a certain spot, but you never had to go back too far. Even when you can save whenever and where ever, there is an element of oh should I do it now, with my health/ammo so low, or maybe wait for the next health ammo up? Invariably I end up saving once when I shouldn't have any way and either have to restart the level or back track to find ammo/health any way, but that is on me so I don't mind. So thanks for listening! :)

[Royal Fool]

The lack of save points/checkpoints is more a sign of laziness than anything else. It's certainly not "catering to hardcore players", as they would just skip the saving anyway (Or pretend that they did on online forums and then use them anyway).

Considering the huge amount of time PDZ has been in development in one form or another, this is unacceptable.

[Zurik]

Well the previous game was all about replaying the levels and doing everything "perfect", I get the feeling not much has changed in that department.

[Groo]

The lack of save points/checkpoints is more a sign of laziness than anything else.

No, it's a design decision. If they wanted to have checkpoints, you better believe they would have. It's not like they're especially hard to implement.

[divinechaos]

Everyone that is bitching about the save points definately hasnt played the N64 version,which by the way kicked major ass. Personally, i have no problem with this lack of saving spots. Stop whinning about ONE little thing, y must everyone focus on the things that piss u off? The game has awesome graphics and awesome gameplay and awesome weapons. Now stop crying and be happy.

[Heretic Machine]

Everyone that is bitching about the save points definately hasnt played the N64 version,which by the way kicked major ass. Personally, i have no problem with this lack of saving spots. Stop whinning about ONE little thing, y must everyone focus on the things that piss u off? The game has awesome graphics and awesome gameplay and awesome weapons. Now stop crying and be happy

Ya, everything should always stay the same, we should never change ever. What's with this next-gen bullshit? Why aren't we still playing the NES?

/sarcasm

[KamaItachi]

Everyone that is bitching about the save points definately hasnt played the N64 version,which by the way kicked major ass. Personally, i have no problem with this lack of saving spots. Stop whinning about ONE little thing, y must everyone focus on the things that piss u off? The game has awesome graphics and awesome gameplay and awesome weapons. Now stop crying and be happy.

I played the N64 version when I was ooh 18/19 when I was a student and had shit loads of time to replay levels over and over again. Now I have a job and a family and 50 other obligations in my life which need attention so even half an hour or an hour every other day is pretty much all I get for gaming. I don't want to spend it playing the same damn level over and over again because some fucking sniper keeps getting me in the last room of level 6.

I want to play and enjoy this game when it comes out, not get halfway through it then give up because I can't dedicate 3 hours getting everything perfect. The things that piss me off are the things which make me NOT want to buy a game. Not buying the game that will piss me off saves me a shit load of frustration and a bit of spare cash towards a Revolution/PS3.

[Royal Fool]

No, it's a design decision. If they wanted to have checkpoints, you better believe they would have. It's not like they're especially hard to implement.


Fine, let me rephrase:

It's a stupid, lazy design decision.

[The Iron Weasel]

Well the roundtable didnt like the game so much.....

[Groo]

Fine, let me rephrase:

It's a stupid, lazy design decision.

While I agree that it's stupid, I don't see how it's lazy. Besides which, the designers aren't necessarily going to be programming anyway.

[Twigz'N'Berries]

Ya, everything should always stay the same, we should never change ever. What's with this next-gen bullshit? Why aren't we still playing the NES?

/sarcasm
Perigon is a lazier, meaner, unhappier, fatter version of this guy...except Perigon is in college.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a153/TyroneBiggumz/180px-The_Simpsons-Jeff_Albertson.png Now, the video of the gameplay of PD0 looked pretty good. I wasn't going to get the game, but now I'm rethinking it. I can't remember when I bought 5 launch titles day on one!

[SaintArnold]

Very nice article, bap. Good write-up.

[Twigz'N'Berries]

Since Oblivion has been pushed back, I may pick up PD0 since I have already paid for the pre-order. Its either that or the stripped down version of Madden...maybe Quake.

[AthenaTwinPMS]

I was lucky enough to play that in a beta test version. It needed alot of work, but looked like it could be pretty amazing with some tweeks. I am very intrested to see what the final version is like :)