Title	:	Mario Party 3
Platforms	:	Nintendo 64
Publisher	:	Nintendo
ESRB Rating	:	Everyone
Game Rating	:	9.0
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

The Nintendo 64 is soon to breathe its last, as the next generation of gaming consoles comes of age. Two things for which it will be fondly remembered are multiplayer gaming and strong first-party support. The latest and possibly last game to incorporate these features is Mario Party 3, from Nintendo. 

In Mario Party, four players take turns moving around a tortuous and constantly-changing board. Each space on which to land has its own rewards and consequences. After each player has moved, an action-packed mini-game occurs in which everyone competes for coins. The goal is to earn coins to buy more stars than the other players. The contestants in this electronic board game are familiar Nintendo characters, such as Luigi and Donkey Kong. New to Mario Party 3 are the evil Waluigi and the tomboyish Princess Daisy. (Waluigi? An evil Mario named Wario, I can understand… but Waluigi? Wa-is that supposed to mean?) 

Mario Party 3's rules and features are nearly identical with Mario Party 2. The board is decorated with shops, banks, allies and enemies to encounter. Almost everything that appears from previous games in Mario Party 3 has been multiplied a few times over. There are more than two dozen items to acquire, with a player's inventory now standing at three. The opportunities to make wagers or enter special mini-games are all still here, only more frequently. 

What's new to Mario Party 3 are the 70 mini-games in which to compete. Nintendo has not simply tweaked previous games and called them "new", as they've often done. This time, almost all the contests are original to the Mario Party series. Many tap Nintendo's pool of hit titles, with contests reminiscent of Starfox, Mario Golf, and Tetris Attack. 

These mini-games pit players against each other in free-for-alls, random teams, or one-on-one. Between the constant fluctuations of allegiances and scores, and Mario Party's kid-friendly themes, aggressive competition is rare. Anyone can win, but it's the getting there that's fun. 

The graphics have not evolved much in the year since Nintendo last threw a Mario Party. Occasionally the flat theme prevalent in Paper Mario pops up, but otherwise Mario's typical 64-bit graphics and colorful palette decorate the board. 

The music is also standard: simple, bouncy, and repetitive, but not irritating. Characters screech and squeal as they get tossed around the various games and boards, though the voice acting is occasionally comically bad. 

Some people say the Nintendo 64 failed because it appealed too much to the younger market. I've found that if you get enough friends together, almost any game by Nintendo can be hours of fun. Mario Party 3 is such a game. It goes a bit overboard in some departments, but in many ways, it is the best of the Nintendo's board game series, no matter how old a kid you are. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2001, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 14-May-01

Title	:	Conker's Bad Fur Day
Platforms	:	Nintendo 64
Publisher	:	Nintendo
ESRB Rating	:	Mature
Game Rating	:	8.3
Review by	:	Larry Tipton

Conker's Bad Fur Day (BFD) is unsuitable for children. The game garnishes a mature rating and goes to extreme measures to ensure that the rating is deserved. The cute little characters found in the game look like those found in other offerings designed for everyone in mind but be forewarned: these are some of the most irreverent, vilest, violent, trash-mouthed characters that you've ever seen in a video game. If you like this sort of thing, read on, my sick (just kidding) friend. 

This Nintendo 64 game is basically a 3D platformer with plenty of combat and puzzle-solving sequences thrown in. There are clever movie parodies found throughout. If you've seen the movie you'll see the similarities immediately. The game packs plenty of animated scenes that help to tell the story and it also keeps things fresh and moving along. Surprisingly, there is a lot of speech in the game. Characters will converse with Conker, many of them are hilarious to watch and listen to. Some are there simply to instruct, others insult or swear and will interject a little bathroom humor. Speaking of humor, the tendency in BFD is to heavily focus on fecal matters, bodily fluids, lewd conduct and sexual innuendo to keep "adults" entertained. The violence is best described as being bloody and gory. It can be a shock to the system to see a cute little character meet its demise in such a fashion for the first time on a Nintendo platform. 

Conker, a feisty little squirrel, begins the game drunk and confused. After throwing up from over indulgence he soon finds himself talking to a scarecrow. Much of the character interaction in the game happens for a reason. In this case, the scarecrow teaches Conker what the special action platforms are for. Conker uses one and takes a fizzy drink to cure his drunkenness. You'll find context sensitive platforms or pads throughout the game. Each will give Conker the temporary ability to perform a specific task. The rest of the game is laid out pretty much in the same manner. Conker wanders about to take on specific challenges or to solve a puzzle all the while gaining temporary abilities to complete a task. The game really does not seem to come together until the very end. 

The one player game is made up of seven chapters. Conker's BFD is linear in its design. It is also very short. Seasoned gamers will be able to complete the game in less than twenty hours. But it is the kind of game that you'll probably want to play through a few times just to catch all the tongue-in-cheek conversations and site gags. Did I mention there is a singing pile of poo in BFD? 

Due to the nature of Conker's BFD graphics and the inherent 3D camera view and its use of player shadows you may find some platform sequences insanely difficult. Sometimes the control is not as tight as it could be. You usually do not lose a life from a missed jump but you will be forced to retrace your steps again. I've lost count how often I've had to retry a section just to move on to the next area. 

Graphically, the game is a little less detailed than Banjo Tooie. But the graphical touches are better here overall. Occasionally, the game tends to take a frame rate hit, as apparently Rare is pushing the hardware to its limits. The music and sound effects are superb considering the highly compressed nature of the media on the cartridge format and features full Dolby sound support throughout. 

After successfully completing BFD you will unlock a multitude of multiplayer games including death match, tank battle, racing and a few more surprises. There are seven games in all. Frankly, these could have been sold as a separate game pack. I'm always happy to see a developer add such features to a product. 

Conker's Bad Fur Day is sure to please, shock, frustrate, dismay and entertain anyone up to the task. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2001, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 26-Mar-01

Title	:	Paper Mario
Platforms	:	Nintendo 64
Publisher	:	Nintendo
ESRB Rating	:	Everyone
Game Rating	:	8.9
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Princess Peach has been kidnapped! In fact, her entire castle has been uprooted from the ground by the wicked Bowser, who has stolen the stars' power to grant wishes. The plot may be old, but the style is fresh in Nintendo's Paper Mario, a role-playing game (RPG) for the Nintendo 64. 

Paper Mario is the sequel to the Super Nintendo game Super Mario RPG. Both games set Nintendo's action hero, Mario, in the realm of a role-playing game. In RPGs, battle is determined through menu-driven commands. Characters earn experience and gold from their battles, which they use to gain strength and better equipment. It's a departure from the usual Mario fare, but one that Nintendo handles well. 

In PM, Mario travels the land, finding allies in Koopas, Goombas, and other inhabitants of Mushroom Kingdom in his quest to rescue the Star Spirits and the Princess. Each major undertaking occurs in its own chapter, which ties into the overall goal of wresting the Star Rod from King Bowser. 

When battles occur, the stage is set with Mario on the left and his adversaries to the right. Turns are taken inflicting damage via head stomps, fire flowers, hammers, and other classic items. Equipping ability-enhancing badges and timing attacks and defenses well will help lead to swift victories. It's a standard system for RPGs, but constantly-changing partners and peripherals ensure players don't fall into a rut. 

The interface may not be innovative, but the presentation is creative and comical. The "Paper" in the title refers to the game's graphical gimmickry. All the characters are two-dimensional, a nature the game often flouts. Mario lays flat on the ground after being attacked; later, he'll slip into bed as easily as a letter slides into an envelope. As Mario explores different regions of Mushroom Kingdom, the landscape folds in and out like a storybook. The 2D aspect is not a limitation; the game designers chose this style to reinforce the storybook feel to the game. It's silly and whimsical, and fits perfectly in a game from Nintendo. 

Beyond the dimensionality, the graphics are gorgeous on their own. Many bright colors inhabit the land; even the vile Bowser appears with bright greens and oranges. Other characters, like Mario and the Princess, are drawn in caricatures of their usual, detailed selves. 

It's been awhile since Nintendo tried their hand at RPGs, a genre woefully underdeveloped on the Nintendo 64. Paper Mario is a welcome addition, not only because its content and gameplay are accessible to all ages, but because of the unique and colorful style that only Nintendo's games have. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2001, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 19-Feb-01

Title	:	Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
Platforms	:	Nintendo 64, Windows
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.2
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

The impending Tomb Raider movie is based on the game series starring Lara Croft, a relic hunter who delves into ancient crypts and forgotten mountain temples in search of lost treasures. She has all the qualities of a professor of archeology, expert on the occult, and obtainer of rare antiquities. 

Hmm, sounds familiar. Oh, that's right, someone did it first 20 years ago, and now he has a Nintendo 64 and PC game: Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, from LucasArts. [N64 version reviewed here] 

Sadly, this title may be LucasArts' last crusade on the Nintendo 64, as witnessed by the Infernal Machine's limited distribution: this game can only be rented at Blockbuster, or bought online at blockbuster.com. 

Set in 1947, the game's plot follows the Indiana Jones formula: while doing some personal treasure-hunting, Indy is recruited to find an ancient weapon housed in the Biblical Tower of Babel before it falls into Russian hands. Players guide Indy through canyons, caverns, enemy camps, and other exotic locales in this 3D, over-the-shoulder adventure game. 

The controls are fashioned after Zelda's, but with a few quirks. Three of the 'C' buttons are assigned to any of the items and weapons in Indy's inventory — but pressing a 'C' button temporarily remaps that item to the 'B' button, which is how the item is used. Why this extra step was included is a mystery, but one that Indy can live with. Another borrowed feature is Z-targeting, which allows Indy to focus on one target while moving. 

But the targets are not as much a threat as the dodgy controls when maneuvering Indy himself. Climbing cliffs should be as easy as standing at its base and jumping, but often Indy must jump several times before finding a hold. This problem usually arises from approaching edges that appear scalable, but actually aren't. Simple jumps, runs, and crawls can place Indiana literally into the glitchy scenery. Again, don't do things you're not supposed to. 

Regardless, death, when it does seldomly come, can come cheaply. One early level has Jones rafting rapids that are nearly impossible to navigate. If players are dashed against the wrong rock, they'll find themselves stuck until the raft deflates and Indy dies. 

Despite these issues, the Infernal Machine is actually a fun game: the right mix of action and strategy at just the right difficulty setting. There's a small amount of action, and Indy's immortality does him no good against bullets and neck-breaking falls. The game's main focus is on puzzles, but not of the tedious nature found in Tomb Raider or Soul Reaver. Indy must acquire keys, assemble puzzle pieces, overcome enemies and discover allies in the most unlikely places. 

Those places aren't the most beautiful to behold. The world itself is fine enough, but there are no little details to bring these dead places to life. The clouds overhead don't move, Jones doesn't leave footprints in the snow — it's the little things that count. But Indy himself is a dapper fellow, coolly replacing his hat after emerging from a swim, uncoiling his whip to take on his adversaries. 

The soundtrack also falls this side of adequate. The dialogue isn't shabby; if you strain your ears and pretend hard enough, Henry Jones sounds like Harrison Ford. But only in a video game would you hear Prof. Jones say, "That post looks whippable." Such audio serves mainly for narration and to advance the plot between scenes. The music score is mostly silent, occasionally piping up with snippets of John Williams' original soundtrack. 

Indiana Jones is a hidden treasure. Players will need to dig not only through a presentation and interface that could have been better, but the game's restricted availability. But it deserves a crack, to take up the whip and doff off your hat: the first and only tomb raider is here. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2001, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 15-Jan-01

Title	:	The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Platforms	:	Nintendo 64 (RAM Expansion Pak required)
Publisher	:	Nintendo
ESRB Rating	:	Everyone
Game Rating	:	9.5
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

The Legend of Zelda. For those familiar with it, the name invokes images of worlds to explore, mighty foes to topple, and powerful items to acquire. 

You can add Bill Murray to that list. 

In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, a Nintendo 64 game published by Nintendo, players become the hero Link, who has 72 hours to stop the moon from crashing into the world of Termina. This 3D, over-the-shoulder adventure game sends Link across fields, swamps, and mountains, to enter sacred temples and revive the guardians who have the power to save the land. 

Majora's Mask is like Groundhog Day, times three: Link will relive the same three days over, and over, and over, until he has completed all his tasks and saved the world. Every time he returns to the dawn of the first day, much of the world and his inventory will reset as though nothing had ever happened. This concept presents some interesting replay opportunities and time paradoxes, but mostly, it's frustrating. Link must accomplish some tasks several times, since their results disappear regularly. He must also manage his time well; it is not smart, for example, to delve into a dungeon on the third day, since Link must rewind time and lose his progress before the end of that day. Large tasks are best tackled early. 

There is also more focus on the people of Termina than in previous Zelda games. Link keeps a notebook of dozens of people who need his help, several of whom will reward him with items necessary to his quest. 

The previous Zelda had a night-and-day cycle, but things are even more different this time around, as each day is unique. Some people and events are available only on the second afternoon, or first evening, or third morning. 

But get past all the record keeping and you'll find devilish dungeons, tremendous terrains, and malicious miscreants. Yes, there is a Zelda game lurking beneath all that tedium! The dungeons and puzzles are fiendishly intelligent in their solutions, often requiring more brain than brawn. The dungeons are protected by powerful guardians, whose weaknesses are as challenging to discover as they are to exploit. 

Players must discover 24 masks, each which imbues Link with different powers. A mighty Goron, an aquatic Zora, and a plucky Deku are among the forms Link can adopt. Some masks aid players in finding additional items, while others are necessary for the game's completion. Assignment of masks and other items to controller buttons is represented by on-screen labels for easy reference. 

Interacting with Termina is nearly as important as witnessing it. Majora's Mask requires the RAM Expansion Pak, which usually results in better graphics, but not so much this time. There are no prerendered backgrounds, but there are some odd moments in which details of the horizon suddenly appear as Link approaches them. But overall, Majora's Mask is a graphical improvement over the first Zelda for Nintendo 64. Some of the character animations are startlingly fluid. The dungeons have more impressive lighting effects, and are guarded by bosses that certainly seem larger (though perhaps that's a result of their sheer intimidation factor). 

None of Termina's inhabitants have vocal speech, though they do make childish squeals and grunts in response to Link's inquiries. When Link first ventures into the world, he'll be greeted by the familiar Zelda theme, recurring in all the series' games save for the last one. The music is hauntingly beautiful, with threatening undertones reminding players of the plummeting satellite. 

Majora's Mask takes the dungeon-delving that made Zelda a classic, and adds many obstacles. It's easy to overlook the game's troublesome parts and find the fun at the core. It's a request Zelda games have never had to make, but that doesn't make it any less a Zelda game. Don't miss this one. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2000, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 13-Nov-00

Title	:	Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion
Platforms	:	Nintendo 64
Publisher	:	Acclaim
ESRB Rating	:	Mature
Game Rating	:	6.7
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Turok was the first Nintendo 64 first-person shooter, and set the standard for the genre on that system. The sequel had fancier graphics, but some major game flaws that kept it from surpassing the original. 

Acclaim went back to the drawing board and corrected those errors for Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion. But it's no longer its predecessor's success that Turok 3 must surpass. Nintendo's Perfect Dark set a new standard earlier this year that Turok 3, or any other game, would find almost impossible to match. 

In Turok 3, players explore a futuristic Earth and primal Lost Land as one of two characters, each with unique strengths and access to different areas. Unlike Perfect Dark's high-tech, goal-oriented gameplay, Turok takes a more direct, more violent approach. Using a mix of primitive and technological weaponry, players will kill soldiers, wraiths, dinosaurs, and mechanical monsters. There are no melodramatic deaths or green blood: enemies die in bloody explosions, with body parts missing. 

Gameplay is very straightforward. The game offers objectives which players would be pursuing anyway, such as moving from point A to B or defeating certain enemies. The lack of an automapping feature is compensated by the fairly direct level layouts. Most levels end with large bosses, which range from the difficult to the laughingly easy. 

Commonplace foot soldiers provide more frustrating encounters. Enemy AI needs work that it isn't going to get. Soldiers run in circles, charge Turok without drawing their weapons, or just stand there. They'll fall from amazing heights — and land on their feet — to launch unfair, unexpected attacks. They snipe from far-away cliffs or occasionally right through walls, making it possible for Turok to die having never seen the face of his assailant. Also, this game puts to rest the myth of "friendly fire" — all humans, including scientists and local police, have it out for Turok. 

The multiplayer mode is often more satisfying, but only in comparison with the solo missions. With more modes of play, more levels, and many more advanced options (you can adjust the gravity, among other things) than Perfect Dark, Turok 3 should be king of the hill — but it's not. With fewer weapons, more cramped quarters, and, again, dumber AI, multiplayer aficionados will give Turok 3 an A+ for effort, but return to Perfect Dark for their competitions. 

Graphically, Turok is best played with the RAM Expansion Pak and in letterbox format, which produces the crispest, smoothest graphics possible. The jungle atmosphere is created using beautiful waterfalls and dark caves. Washed-out graphics can make it hard to distinguish an enemy, but the targeting crosshair helps pick them out. When an enemy is shot, his stride is broken, tripping and falling into a bloody heap which is quickly carried off to heaven; no remaining corpses here, though Turok's weapons tend to get a bit messy. 

Turok 3 is a decent game. It takes the series' original concept and adds plenty of features and enhancements. Meanwhile, the rest of the market has been making its own advancements, and Turok 3 falls a bit behind. It's not just a matter of quantity of features, which Turok 3 has, but quality and finesse, which are in better supply in Perfect Dark. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2000, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 02-Oct-00

Title	:	Spider-Man
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast
Publisher	:	Activision
ESRB Rating	:	Everyone
Game Rating	:	9.4
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Spins a web any size, catches thieves just like flies. 

Is he strong? Listen, bud! He's got radioactive blood. 

Hey there, here comes Spider-Man, an excellent game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Sega Dreamcast. [PSX version reviewed here] 

Possibly the finest superhero video game ever, Spider-Man is a 3D platformer in which players help Spidey, who's been framed, clear his name and stop a citywide disaster. The adventure will take him from rooftops to sewers to subways and beyond. 

Spidey's rogue gallery includes archenemies Scorpion, Rhino, Mysterio, Doctor Octopus, and Venom, with cameos by many stars of the Marvel Universe. Each appears throughout a single driving storyline that leaves true believers and newcomers alike eager to reach the next level. There are six levels comprising a total of 34 areas, each at which the player can save his progress to a memory card. 

Spider-Man truly captures the feel of what it must be like to be your friendly neighborhood wall crawler. There's plenty of web swinging, wall crawling, and fighting bad guys, with a bit of stealth and puzzle-solving thrown in for good measure. 

Adding to the comic book feel is the excellent voice acting. With narration by Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee (just like the cartoons!) and voice parts by experienced cartoon voice actors, Spider-Man is seldom a quiet game. Players will be laughing aloud at the quips Spidey has ready for any given situation. 

Graphically, Spider-Man is an average game with neither anything too spectacular nor any major flaws. Without analog control, it's difficult to get Spider-Man to face a precise direction, but a targeting mode helps in taking specific shots. The camera keeps a tight bead on Spidey, making you feel like you're in a cartoon as you swing from unseen buildings. It even changes alignment to show things from Spider-Man's perspective as he perches on a wall or ceiling. Spidey's posture, mannerisms, and bright blue-and-red costume are all appropriately cartoony. 

Between levels, players are treated to a full-motion video that advances the plot. Though not preferable to hand-drawn cartoons, and with low-quality facial features, these movies also capture the comic essence of Spider-Man with their witty banter and plot developments. 

You won't get caught in any webs of control issues. Spider-Man uses all the buttons to good effect. The main action buttons are punch, kick, jump, and web attack, with the shoulder buttons used for targeting and swinging weblines. There are four kinds of web attacks, from impact webbing to spiked web fists and a protective web dome. Employing these various webs requires pressing Triangle and a directional simultaneously, the timing of which takes a while to learn before becoming second nature. There's even a "kid mode" which simplifies the controls for younger gamers. A training mode gives the opportunity to practice and perfect an assortment of skills. 

While swinging from building to building, keep an eye peeled for extras! Aside from powerups (such as magnesium webbing and Spidey Armor), players can access additional costumes, comic book covers, and more. Want to go toe-to-toe with Doc Ock in your symbiote threads, or dressed as Peter Parker? No problem! 

If your goal isn't to find anything but simply to save the day, it won't take you long to do so. There are four difficulty settings, and on the Normal setting, the average gamer will be swinging home after eight hours or so — but only after taking his beatings. 

While the gameplay may not be entirely innovative, its superb execution and implementation of comic book-style action and atmosphere makes Spider-Man a game to not let slip through your web. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2000, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 18-Sep-00

Title	:	Perfect Dark
Platforms	:	Nintendo 64
Publisher	:	Nintendo
Game Rating	:	9.8
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

The truth is out there. 

It is the near future. The elite Carrington Institute suspects the dataDyne Corporation of having dark dealings with visitors from another world. The highly skilled Joanna Dark has been assigned to infiltrate their outposts and determine the nature of these operations. 

Developed by Rare, the makers of Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark is an engrossing first-person shooter that is a perfect mix of espionage and action, with one of the best multiplayer modes to ever grace the Nintendo 64. Players will enter 17 new levels with 40 weapons, executing a variety of covert tasks and, when stealth fails, enemies. 

Perfect Dark requires the RAM Expansion Pak (sold separately). Only a handful of two-player modes are available without the pak; the game is hardly worth playing without it. Game data can be saved either directly to the game cartridge, or to a Controller Pak. The Rumble Pak is also supported. 

Players exploring Joanna's world will see a lot to like. The hi-res graphics mode is beautiful, but sometimes slower than the standard mode. Extensive — sometimes excessive — lighting effects make the details of each level clearly visible. Fallen enemies leave blood splattered on the wall and floor, with neither the stains nor the bodies fading quickly. Extra details aren't just eye candy, either. You can find a fight by watching for the flash of gunfire, or follow a trail of blood to wounded and fleeing prey. 

The audio is also impressive. Enemies shout warnings, issue threats, and scream and curse (when the language filter is disabled, quite vulgarly) when killed. The sound of Joanna equipping and employing her weapons is realistic, befitting a force to be reckoned with. The mission briefings are sometimes hard to understand, but mission objectives can be read when the game is paused, so essential details are seldom missed. 

If you haven't realized from the graphical and audio features, Perfect Dark is rated for Mature audiences of 17 years and older only. The level of realistic blood and atmosphere makes this a game you don't want your children playing. 

Of course, presentation matters little if the gameplay isn't up to par; it's what kept Goldeneye on the best-seller list years after its release. Perfect Dark not only meets the standards of its predecessor — it exceeds them, dethroning Goldeneye as one of the best party games of all time. 

The solo mode is excellent, but the multiplayer "combat simulator" is what will keep players coming back. Computer-controlled characters called "simulants" can be added to one to four human players, in teams of humans vs. simulants, human-simulant mixes, and more. Conditions for victory can include free-for-all, hacker central, capture the flag, and king of the hill. Three classic Goldeneye arenas are among the many new and hidden levels in which combat can be waged. 

With so many weapons, styles, modes, simulants, and levels, the ways Perfect Dark can be enjoyed with friends are nearly limitless. 

The solo missions can also be tackled with friends, either cooperatively or competitively, though these modes are not as interesting as the combat simulator. More entertaining are the Challenges, for any number of players. Challenges place players in a combat arena against varying numbers and degrees of simulants, with conditions for victory. Early levels could be "Free for all against an easy simulant," with later levels being "King of the Hill against expert simulants, one hit kills, no shields." 

In any case, the enemy AI is smarter than ever. Soldiers will retreat to sound an alarm rather than fight, or will lure Joanna into a situation that favors the enemy. It's not uncommon for a simulant to sit in waiting for a player to stumble into its trap. 

The control has a few added features, including secondary modes for weapons and a quick-select weapon menu. Basic functions, such as running, strafing, and aiming, remain precise. 

When you're done running Joanna through her paces, grab some friends and keep going. A game this good just can't be put down. 

Is Perfect Dark truly perfect? No. 

Should you care? No. It doesn't get much better.

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This article is copyright (c) 2000, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 12-Jun-00