Perfect Dark
Main Game
RELEASED
8.9
May 22, 2000
Nintendo 64byRare
Overview:|
This tactical first-person shooter, originally released in 2000, casts you as Joanna Dark, an agent fighting a corporate conspiracy across 17 missions. The core gameplay loop centers on precise combat using an array of futuristic weapons, often requiring tactical positioning. It featured advanced technical options for its time, like high-resolution modes, and supported both competitive deathmatch and co-operative multiplayer. While the original required an Expansion Pak, the title has since received a remaster for modern play.
This is a first-person shooter and tactical game originally released in 2000 for the Nintendo 64 console. Players assume the role of Joanna Dark, an agent for the Carrington Institute, tasked with infiltrating and dismantling a massive conspiracy orchestrated by the rival corporation, dataDyne. The core experience involves navigating 17 main missions within the single-player campaign, blending espionage elements with high-stakes combat scenarios.
Core Gameplay and Mechanics
The gameplay loop centers on first-person shooting, requiring players to utilize an extensive and varied arsenal of futuristic weaponry. As a tactical shooter, success often relies on strategic positioning and careful engagement rather than pure aggression. The game was technically ambitious for its time, offering an optional high-resolution graphics mode and support for Dolby Surround Sound, features that significantly enhanced the immersion of the original release.
It is important to note that accessing the full campaign and most multiplayer features on the original hardware required the use of the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak.
What kind of multiplayer options are available?
Beyond the narrative focus, the title provides significant replayability through its social modes. Players can engage in traditional competitive deathmatch settings against others. Furthermore, the game supports a dedicated co-operative mode, allowing two players to tackle content together.
What is the current status of this title?
While the original version launched on the Nintendo 64, the game has since received at least one official remaster, updating the experience for contemporary hardware. The base game itself does not feature Downloadable Content (DLC) or expansions for the initial release. However, a supplementary Game Boy Color title was released alongside it, which could interface with the main game via the Transfer Pak to unlock specific features.
Genre and Setting
Categorized primarily as a Shooter and Tactical game, the setting immerses the player in a world of corporate espionage and advanced technology, driving the central plot concerning the dataDyne conspiracy.
Game Details
Primary Name: Perfect Dark
Alternative Names:
完美的黑暗 (Chinese title)
PD (Other)
PD (Other Alias)
PERFECT DARK (Stylized title)
Perfect Dark N64 (Alternative title)
Type: Main Game
Series: Perfect Dark
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Rare, Nintendo, Gradiente
Release Information
Release Date: May 22, 2000
Genres & Themes
Genres: Shooter, Tactical
Themes: Action, Science fiction, Stealth
Platforms
Nintendo 64
Game Modes
Perspective: First person
Player Modes: Split Screen, Multiplayer
Game Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Split screen
Age Ratings
ESRB:M (Mature)
PEGI:18+
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