Hot Take: 9 Reasons Why I Still Prefer GoldenEye 007 Over Perfect Dark

First, let's get this out of the way — Perfect Dark is objectively better than GoldenEye in just about every category. It's such a vast improvement in graphics, sound, animation, enemy AI, and more. There, I said it. Still, after recently playing through both games back to back, I still prefer GoldenEye. Here's why...

1. Less complexity

Compared to GoldenEye, Perfect Dark really ramped up the complexity. Missions are longer, the environments are larger with more rooms and passageways, and the objectives tend to be more complicated. Many gamers may prefer this type of gameplay, as it requires more strategy and critical thinking. I certainly enjoyed Perfect Dark, but I found myself having more fun with the simpler "run and gun" gameplay of GoldenEye. GoldenEye does have some clever objectives that set it apart from other early FPS games from that time, but the missions are notably shorter and a little easier than in Perfect Dark. I found myself getting lost or stuck a lot less in GoldenEye.

2. More dual wielding

GoldenEye pushed the limits of the N64's capabilities, but Perfect Dark pushed it even more with high detail environments and larger areas. Both games have performance issues, but Perfect Dark seems to have even more pronounced framerate dips (in spite of the extra 4MB RAM from the Expansion Pak). I was disappointed that Perfect Dark had fewer opportunities for dual wielding. It's likely that Rare scaled back the dual wielding in Perfect Dark because the N64 was barely keeping up with the game's standard single-weapon combat.

3. More enemies

Also likely related to performance issues, GoldenEye just has way more enemies and more action than Perfect Dark. There are moments in GoldenEye when nearly a dozen enemy guards have somehow accumulated into a single hallway. Furiously unloading the clips of your dual DD44's Dostovei pistols into this wad of polygons is both hilarious and deeply satisfying (in spite of the horrid framerate dips that can occur). In Perfect Dark, Rare likely scaled back how many enemies could appear on screen at once in order to limit performance issues.

4. Better story

The story is a major low point for me with Perfect Dark (mild story spoilers ahead). The game begins with an excellent moody vibe and premise. It feels like a serious futuristic spy thriller. I’m into it. Yet, as the story unravels, it becomes increasingly ridiculous and convoluted. They really lost me in the Area 51 levels. The MacGuffin is a stereotypical grey alien named “Elvis”. Suddenly, this cool spy thriller has plunged into cheesy, pulpy alien cliché. Not only does this alien look flat out goofy, his voice sounds like a bad Yoda impression, and he later wears a patriotic US flag onesie and blue laced sneakers. What is going on?

Rare are no strangers to comedy, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they took this tongue in cheek detour just for fun. I did feel like this “jump the shark” moment diluted the gritty and mature vibes this game had been carrying thus far. I’m trying to remind myself that Area 51 alien content was massively trendy in the 90s. Independence Day and Men In Black were very profitable films that may have been an influence here. Many other games cashed in on this alien trend too – Duke Nukem 3D, Area 51 (the classic arcade light gun shooter), Tomb Raider 3, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Deus Ex, Vigilante 8, just to name a few.

GoldenEye is of course based on the film. The film is certainly not the best Bond movie, but it holds a respectable 7.2/10 on IMDB, and the script is solid. While the static text-only dialogue in the game pales in comparison to Perfect Dark’s full voice acting and animated cutscenes, I still found myself more engaged with GoldenEye's narrative.

5. More interesting environments

This is wildly subjective, but I prefer GoldenEye's industrial locations to Perfect Dark's futuristic offerings. GoldenEye takes you through a variety of Soviet installations — a huge dam, a chemical weapons plant, a snowy communications dish outpost, a missile silo, a stealth frigate in the ocean, the streets of St. Petersburg, an underground base hidden in the Cuban jungle, and a massive radio antenna called "the Cradle". It's an epic adventure, completely saturated in gritty 80s Soviet aesthetics (the film takes place in 1986).

Perfect Dark also has some great locations like dataDyne's corporate headquarters, Carrington Villa, a dystopian future Chicago, Area 51, Air Force One, an underwater research vessel, and a bunch of alien stuff. I enjoyed exploring these areas, but I was a bit underwhelmed with the late game alien environments. I think GoldenEye's tighter storyline helps the environments feel more immersive, in spite of their lack of detail.

6. Epic bond music

Both games have fantastic soundtracks from Grant Kirkhope and company. I wouldn't say that GoldenEye has a "better" soundtrack than Perfect Dark, since Perfect Dark has some absolutely killer tracks, but the simple fact that Grant and co. got to tap into the legendary Bond motifs of old is one of the reasons that GoldenEye's soundtrack has carved such a legacy for itself. The epic pause music alone has spawned memes and has been included as background music for many podcasts and YouTube videos. The main James Bond Theme is a jam, of course, and Mission Briefing, Dam, Facility, Silo, and Train are great tracks as well.

7. Better bonus missions

This is heavily debatable, as it's hard to argue against getting to play as Mr. Blonde and Elvis in Perfect Dark's bonus missions, but I prefer GoldenEye's bonus missions. Both bonus missions in Perfect Dark re-use areas from previous missions (probably because Rare simply ran out of available cartridge space). GoldenEye bonus levels feature brand new areas, dual wielding moonrake lasers, and the golden gun (Perfect Dark does get to use the DY357-LX, a new variety of golden gun). But, the secret method of properly defeating Baron Sadedi by simultaneously using two N64 controllers (You must set the setting to 2.3 Domino or 2.4 Goodhead to enable the function to shoot with the second controller) gives the edge to GoldenEye. I'll never forget when my friend in middle school first showed me this neat trick when I came over to his house to play GoldenEye.

8. Greater lasting impact

Both GoldenEye and Perfect Dark are regarded as early 3D FPS classics from a Rare at their peak. As I've mentioned, Perfect Dark is just objectively better in almost every category, but I'd argue that GoldenEye has had a larger lasting impact. In terms of sales data alone, GoldenEye is the 3rd best selling N64 game behind Nintendo juggernauts, Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64. Perfect Dark still sold well, moving about 3 million units, but GoldenEye sold over 8 million copies and became a Friday game night multiplayer staple for many years.

Because GoldenEye came first, it gets to lay claim to several of Rare's best innovations. GoldenEye is the first game to really demonstrate that FPS games could be viable on a home console. GoldenEye is also considered one of the earliest, if not the first, FPS game to utilize a dual analog control scheme (using two controllers simultaneously). GoldenEye is often credited as the first console FPS game to emphasize head shots.

Both games will be remembered in the annals of FPS gaming history, but I think GoldenEye stands taller when it comes to its impact and contributions to the development of the FPS genre.

9. Loads of nostalgia

I can't in good conscience finish this piece without confessing to the massive amount of nostalgia that is clearly at play here. I never had the chance to play Perfect Dark when I was younger, but I played hours and hours of GoldenEye with my middle and high school friends. This has clearly shaped my preferences. GoldenEye was also the first Bond film I ever watched. Something about this story has just planted itself firmly in my affections.

Overall, I love both of these games and will likely play through them both again in coming years. These are the reasons why GoldenEye takes the edge over Perfect Dark for me, but where do you stand? Which game do you prefer and why? Drop a line in the comments.

P.S.
I strongly recommend this fantastic custom version of 1964 that’s been optimized just for Goldeneye and Perfect Dark . It's the absolute best way to play these games. It includes buttery smooth mouse injector controls that make these games playable with mouse and keyboard, just like modern FPS games on PC. I cannot adequately state just how much this has improved my experience of these games.