Retro Gamer Issue 31

[sj33]

Didn't think it was possible to write an N64 article without really mentioning Perfect Dark!
But a decent article nonetheless! In fact, the entire issue has great stuff

[Duddyroar]

Pfffft, Perfect Dark is no Goldeneye, let's face it.

[Big Seany]

Pfffft, Perfect Dark is no Goldeneye, let's face it.

You just opened Pandora's FPS Box mate. There are people on here who worship Joanna Dark as a Goddess.

[NecronomiconUK]

Evidence for the prosecution: Perfect Dark Zero

[Duddyroar]

Evidence for the prosecution: Perfect Dark Zero

I think the words I'm grasping for are:

I rest my case.

[Tetsuo]

PFFFFT, PDZ is practically indistinguishable from Perfect Dark, let's not get into that

Thankfully, the essential 10 did mention Perfect Dark managed to surpass GoldenEye, which was a refreshing change from the typical short-sighted comments usually found in today's mags like "we don't know (and do not intend to make any reasonable explanation) why, but it just wasn't as good as GE, was it?!"

So kudos, Retro Gamer. All of the N64 features were spot on, actually.

[Duddyroar]

Better than Goldeneye??

[Sketcz]

I thought so... At least in single player. The multiplayer was a bit too hectic compared to GE's. So me and some friends all owned PD for the 1P mode, saving GE for multiplayer shenanigans. The whole sci-fi setting really jelled.

For the record, I had nothing to do with the N64 sections. Those were all Mat and Darran.

[Leon Retro]

Goldeneye was a magnificent game back in 97- nearly every gamer loved it!

It seemed like ages later when Perfect Dark appeared. I never really compared the two. PD has it's own vibe and style.

Both delivered joy to many gamers, lets be happy!

[Big Seany]

I thought so... At least in single player. The multiplayer was a bit too hectic compared to GE's. So me and some friends all owned PD for the 1P mode, saving GE for multiplayer shenanigans. The whole sci-fi setting really jelled.

For the record, I had nothing to do with the N64 sections. Those were all Mat and Darran.

If you wanted to object, you could have done something though, John. Not being funny here but you look like you could take Darran in a fight. He is a big lad - but you look wiry, feral even - like you would fight dirty and do anything to win. Bite, scratch, twist of the plums - anything goes I reckon. My money would be on you anyway.

[Duddyroar]

Speaking from a personal viewpoint, PD was a massive let down for me.

For me, the Bond universe coupled with a decent, well thought out FPS (a genre I'm usually not sold on) was a match made in heaven, so I loved GE.

PD obviously couldn't use the Bond licence so a whole new world was invented, and it didn't feel as engaging to me. The missions just felt like I was revisiting old GE missions, even though there was some nice changes.

All in all, I think GE is a more focused and playable title.

[Sketcz]

If you wanted to object, you could have done something though, John. Not being funny here but you look like you could take Darran in a fight. He is a big lad - but you look wiry, feral even - like you would fight dirty and do anything to win. Bite, scratch, twist of the plums - anything goes I reckon. My money would be on you anyway.

Wiry and feral, you're not the first to say that! Thank you for the compliment.

Anyway, I wasn't objecting, since the top 10 is based on a variety of factors, not just one person's opinion. As the earlier game, and the one more people seemed to play, it's worthy of inclusion. One man's horse is another man's course, as Daz would say... Or something like that. We were happy with the Top 10, though both annoyed by the limited space - as the front cover says, the N64 had a lot of classic titles, so you'll always miss some out. We got around this though by, for example, having Pilotwings 64 as a classic game, since it really needed to be in the mag somewhere along the main piece.

Re PD, I was just commenting for the sake of an all-out NTSC-uk debate on the matter. I guess that's the problem with writing for a mag, you post on a forum and it could be seen as the mag's official stance, or vice versa. *








* Szczepaniak's opinion is not representative of Retro Gamer's wider stance on things.

[Strider]

Right then, time to put the record straight

While the perfect ten was written by myself, it's not my personal top ten.
About six months again when we were first planning to cover the machine I asked all the freelancers and staff at Imagine what their top five N64 games were. I then collated the results and wrote them up.

Personally I was rather gutted that
Bangaioh and Mischief hunters didn't make the list, but hey, that's the way it goes.

[Sketcz]

True, and I blew all my votes on obscure tat that only ended up getting one or two votes maximum.

[Duddyroar]

Personally I was rather gutted that...Mischief Makers didn't make the list

I wouldn't be - Mischief Makers/Yuke Yuke Trouble Makers is fun for the first few levels but becomes tiresome fast. It's a nice little game but it wouldn't make my top ten either!

At least you got the sublime Sin and Punishment in there - as part of your continuing one-man crusade to educate the entire world about it...I think we should keep a running counter of how many times S&P is mentioned in each issue of RG!

Oh, and do another for every mention of Strider...