Perfect Dark Zero

Perfect Dark Zero
North American box art
Developer(s)	Rare
Publisher(s)	Microsoft Game Studios
Director(s)	Chris Tilston
Producer(s)	Richard Cousins Lee Schuneman Chris Kimmell
Writer(s)	Dale Murchie
Composer(s)	David Clynick
Series	Perfect Dark
Platform(s)	Xbox 360
Release date(s)	NA November 17, 2005 PAL December 2, 2005
Genre(s)	First-person shooter, stealth
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ACB: MA15+ BBFC: 15 ESRB: M OFLC: R16+ PEGI: 16+

Perfect Dark Zero is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game had a difficult development cycle, during which a substantial part of it was initially designed for the Nintendo GameCube. Due to Microsoft's acquisition of Rare in 2002, the game was eventually released as a launch title exclusively for the Xbox 360 in November 2005, along with Rare's action-adventure game Kameo: Elements of Power. The game features a campaign mode that can be played co-operatively in either splitscreen or via Xbox Live, and a multiplayer for up to 32 players.

As a prequel to the critically acclaimed Nintendo 64 game Perfect Dark, Perfect Dark Zero takes place in the year 2020, predating the original Perfect Dark's storyline by three years. Players assume the role of Joanna Dark, a super spy in training, as she works alongside her father and several other key characters to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne. Two sequel novels, Perfect Dark: Initial Vector and Perfect Dark: Second Front, as well as a comic series titled Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears have been released in order to continue the story of the game.

Perfect Dark Zero was a commercial success, selling more than one million copies worldwide. Reviews for the game were divided but generally positive, garnering both a GameRankings and a Metacritic aggregated score of 81%. Praise focused on its graphics, solid gameplay and highly customizable multiplayer, while criticism was centered on its story and voice acting. In particular, some publications such as Eurogamer and Game Informer found the game to be a disappointment.

Plot

Perfect Dark series fictional chronology
2020 - Perfect Dark Zero 2020 - Perfect Dark: Initial Vector 2021 - Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears 2021 - Perfect Dark: Second Front 2022 - Perfect Dark GBC 2023 - Perfect Dark / Perfect Dark XBLA

Perfect Dark Zero is set in the year 2020, three years prior to the events of the original game.^[1] Joanna Dark is a bounty hunter working with her father Jack and her friend Chandra. One day, they are commissioned to rescue an injured scientist named Zeigler from the hands of a Triad crime lord known as Killian.^[2] However, Zeigler is killed shortly after being rescued. Before dying, Zeigler used a neurodrive to implant information into Jack's mind in order to hide his valuable research.

While escaping from their enemy forces, Jack gets captured by a megacorporation known as dataDyne. On her next mission, Joanna is ordered to rescue him in a dataDyne facility located in a mountainous region of China, but Jack eventually dies at the hands of Mai-Hem, whose father, Zhang Li, is dataDyne's founder.^[3] Alone with only Chandra looking out for her, Joanna is then sent on a mission to find Dr. Eustace Caroll, who then uses the same neurodrive technology to extract any memory of the words her father said to her concerning Ziegler's secrets. Dr. Caroll is then killed by Chandra, who was secretly employed by dataDyne. Nevertheless, Joanna is suddenly rescued by agents from an agency known as Carrington Institute, whom she agrees to join in order to stop dataDyne.^[4]

Zhang Li and Mai-Hem are searching for an ancient artifact, which acts as a power-source for the Graal, a device which endows individuals with superhuman powers, hinted to have been built by the Maians, extraterrestrials encountered in the original Perfect Dark. Travelling to Africa, Joanna rescues prisoners including Jonathan Steinberg, a veteran agent of the Carrington Institute, and several other Carrington soldiers, before running into Mai-Hem again. Joanna avenges her father's death and kills Mai-Hem and the party is air-lifted out. The Carrington Institute plans an offensive on dataDyne forces with the battle taking place on a large bridge.^[5] Joanna infiltrates an arena and faces off against Zhang Li, on the Graal after he dispatches Chandra. Defeating the seemingly invincible power-hungry genius, Joanna is met by Jonathan and Carrington Institute founder Daniel Carrington. When Joanna asks, "How did I do, boss?" Carrington replies, "Perfect."

Gameplay

The gameplay shifts into a third person perspective while in cover mode. The head-up display shows Joanna's health status (top middle) and remaining ammunition in the weapons magazine (lower right).

As a first-person shooter, Perfect Dark Zero mainly centers the gameplay through a first person perspective, where the player can move around, aim and shoot in a 3D environment without the playable character blocking the player's view. The game also features new combat mechanics, such as an evasive dodge roll and a cover system in which the game switches to a third person perspective,^[6] allowing the player to strategically aim without taking damage and be more aware of the surroundings.^[7] Similar to the original Perfect Dark, the player cannot jump, even though the game has the ability to automatically climb obstacles as long as the player can reasonably reach them. It is also possible to climb ladders. By doing so, the gameplay once again shifts into a third person perspective.^[8]

Unlike the Nintendo 64 game, the player's health can recharge a bit if the player steps out of the line of fire for a few seconds, though it does not necessarily refill completely depending on how much damage the playable character took.^[8] On the other hand, players can only carry a limited number of weapons since the inventory features a 4-slot system in which single hand held pistols usually take a weapon slot whereas heavy weapons, such as the Jackal Sniper Rifle or the Rocket Launcher, can take up to 3 weapon slots.^[9] The player movement speed is also altered by the weight of the weapon the player is currently holding. Besides the primary function, all of the weapons in the game have one or two additional function modes that generally grant the player with special abilities, such as the X-ray function of the Shockwave Rifle or the cloak mode of the Plasma Rifle, which renders the playable character completely invisible to enemies at cost of its ammunition. Some weapons also have more unorthodox secondary fire modes, such as the Laptop Gun being able to deploy as a sentry gun, or the SuperDragon being able to launch bouncing grenades.^[9][7]

In the missions, stealth is another important element of the gameplay, as the player is often free to kill enemies without being detected by sneaking up behind them. The player is also given various high-tech gadgets in order to complete mission objectives, such as the CamSpy, a hovering remote-controlled camera, or the Datathief, a tool used to hack into electronic devices, and each of them presents its own puzzle minigame.^[8] For example, the Datathief requires the player to clear circles when a specific block hovers over a blue block. The campaign mode provides fourteen missions in which the player plays as Joanna Dark.^[10] To successfully clear a mission, the player will need to complete all primary objectives, and if Joanna is killed or fails an objective, the player will have to start the level again. Additionally, the game also features support objectives that are not critical but add to the player's overall completion score. Unlike Perfect Dark, every mission contains a single checkpoint at which the player may restart if Joanna is killed or loses beyond that checkpoint. However, checkpoints are removed as the player plays through a higher difficulty. There are four difficulty settings through which a mission can be played: Agent, Secret Agent, Perfect Agent and Dark Agent, which will become available once the player completes the entire game on Perfect Agent. As the player plays on higher difficulties, the game adds more objectives and makes enemies tougher in order to increase the challenge.^[11][10]

The game also provides a local and online co-operative mode, where two players may play through the game's campaign together.^[12] While playing locally, a split-screen is used to allow two simultaneous gameplay presentations. In co-operative, some missions feature minor changes so that both players have to help each other to progress; for instance, some doors require two people to open them. Additionally, the second player might spawn far away from the first player and takes over a character that was AI-controlled in the single player campaign in order to add a new gameplay design to the same missions.^[13] The respawn procedure has also been altered substantially, as if one player dies, the other has to find and revive the partner's corpse to bring it back to life.^[7]

Multiplayer

Perfect Dark Zero's multiplayer, known as Combat Arena, has full support for the Xbox Live service. There are two main modes with their own custom rules in Combat Arena; DeathMatch and DarkOps, and within each mode, there are four different gametypes, known as scenarios. DeathMatch is a standard gametype where players spawn in rooms, collect weapons, and continue to the actual map. Weapons are available on the map itself and scenarios range from the standard free for all deathmatch, to team kill count, where the team with most kills wins, or objective-based games (e.g. capture the Flag and territorial gains). On the other hand, DarkOps is a round-based, team-only gametype which was heavily inspired by the popular first-person shooter Counter-Strike.^[14] It is generally slower-paced, and is more tactical than DeathMatch.^[15] Weapons must be purchased from a player's stock of credits and credits are earned by killing enemies and obtaining objectives. Scenarios here can range from Eradication, a team-only game in which the last team with any members left alive wins, to Infection, where players score points by either infecting others or surviving infection; or other team-based games such as Sabotage, where the team that causes the most damage to the other team's property wins, and Onslaught, in which defenders get one life but can be revived and can purchase weapons, whereas the attackers have unlimited lives but basic weapons. The team that holds the base the longest wins.^[14][9]

Any of the multiplayer modes can be played online with player counts up to 32 players. Players can either choose to play a ranked Deathmatch or DarkOps, where they will be matched with other players using a system called TrueSkill Matchmaking, or they may choose a player match where they can choose their game from a list of player hosted games. Like Perfect Dark, these games can be highly customized and can also include up to 15 bots. Features such as their difficulty and personality can be changed to match player preference. For example, the Judge bot is programmed to exclusively attack leading players with the highest kills score. Players can also issue commands to them as long as they are on their respective team, such as follow or hold position, and set waypoints for them to walk to. There are twelve maps in Perfect Dark Zero and each map has two variants; the only change is the placement of the bases. Most of the maps are large ones, ideal for 32 players at once, with small variants for 4-16 player games.^[15]

Development and marketing

Joanna Dark in her more manga look that was shown early in development.

Rare's two Nintendo 64 first-person shooters, GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, received strong acclaim from critics and players, and demand for another title in the Perfect Dark franchise was high. Development of Perfect Dark Zero began on the Nintendo GameCube with a very small team of roughly eight people.^[7] At the time, Nintendo had a 49% stake in Rare, making Rare a Nintendo second-party developer. The game made a small appearance at Spaceworld 2000, an event exclusive to Nintendo.^[16] Some reports further suggested the development of the game with Rare applying to trademark the names "After Dark", "Perfect Dark Evolution" and the phrase "Shot in the Dark".^[17] But apart from the confirmation that it was in development,^[18] few other official announcements were made. Perfect Dark Zero, along with several other Rare games, was intended to be finished in time for the Gamecube's launch, but eventually did not.^[19]

In September 2002, Rare was purchased by Microsoft.^[20][21] Around the same time, Rare released several images of Joanna Dark, the protagonist of the Perfect Dark games.^[22] The cartoony style of these pictures incited speculation that the final game — then intended for the original Xbox^[23] — would employ a less realistic graphical style than the original game; possibly an anime like cel-shading technique, as Rare had hired UK Manga artist Wil Overton to work with them after seeing an anime-like image of the original Perfect Dark game he had created for the cover of N64 Magazine.^[24][25] Development of the title was later transferred to the Xbox 360. Perfect Dark Zero's senior designer Chris Tilston, also one of the project leads for the game, later revealed that the Xbox version was "about twelve months away" from completion when the switch occurred.^[23] The game's development has therefore spanned three platforms: the Nintendo GameCube, the Microsoft Xbox and the Xbox 360.

During development, several changes were made. Like the original Perfect Dark, the multiplayer mode was initially designed to be played offline despite of the fact that the GameCube supports online play via the Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter, but the feature was added when the game switched to the Xbox.^[7] Chris Tilston revealed that at one point they got to 50 players online simultaneously, but the graphics "just couldn't handle it".^[7] The cover mode was designed to enhance the stealth aspect of the game, and the third person perspective was needed due to its fast-paced multiplayer. The idea of bringing the game into a total third-person perspective was rejected as the shooting "works better" in first-person view according to Tilston.^[7] Additionally, the evasive dodge roll was implemented to replace the "stupid" evasive jump-bouncing seen in many multiplayer first-person shooters. The transition between first and third-person perspective with both moves took a lot of work so that they did not become disorientating. A first-person roll was implemented at one time, though it was eventually dropped.^[7]

Perfect Dark Zero is also one of the first games to use the Havok's HydraCore physics engine, which was specefically designed for multi-core video game systems such as the Xbox 360.^[26] Additionally, as detailed on a IGN interview with lead artist Sam Jones and software engineer Cliff Ramshaw, the Perfect Dark Zero renderer engine employs more advanced graphics technologies than was possible with the previous console generation, such as parallax mapping, ambient occlusion, subsurface scattering, and high dynamic range, among others.^[27] Sam Jones and and Cliff Ramshaw explained that most of the objects in the game can transmit and diffuse light, and can cast real-time shadows which move on the environment when in montion, including the game's vegetation. Similar to the human iris, the tone mapping used in the game calibrates the image using a post process filter to make brighter elements darker and darker elements lighter so that the detail within a scene can always be discerned.^[27] Unlike the usual 720p (HD) resolution that most Xbox 360 games use, Perfect Dark Zero runs at 640p in order to achieve a smooth frame rate.^[28]

In May 2005, one of the rewards in the OurColony viral marketing campaign for Microsoft's next Xbox video game console was an image of Joanna Dark.^[29] At the official unveiling of the Xbox 360 on May 12, 2005, it was revealed that Perfect Dark Zero would be a launch title for the new system in the fall of 2005.^[30] A demo was shown during the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2005 shortly afterwards.^[31] Final development for the 360 was very rushed. The order was given to produce the discs five days before the Microsoft certification was complete, to meet the Xbox 360 launch date. Rare later stated they felt very confident they would pass, but it was a significant risk producing 700,000 disks if a bug turned up.^[32] According to Duncan Botwood, senior game designer, "very few people believed we could make launch, but everything came together in time and it was out there for day one".^[33] Ken Lobb, the creative director for Microsoft Game Studios, described the development of the game as "challenging", and also revealed that they made some critical errors when launching a "day one" game. For example, he explained that they "messed up" the controls for trying a hybrid between Perfect Dark's controls and Halo, and the characters art was "a little bit strange".^[34] Overall, the actual development of the game took five years to complete.^[13]

Rare initially had plans to make the multiplayer feature matches of up to 50 players simultaneously, as well as including a new feature, called "DataDyne TV", that would have allowed players to watch and upload multiplayer matches through the Xbox Live service. However, these features have been canceled so that the game could meet the launch deadline.^[35] Additionally, new multiplayer scenarios and a new Counter-Operative mode, much like the one found in the original Perfect Dark, were also promised to eventually become freely available as download content.^[36] Duncan Botwood later explained that it was unlikely to happen due to technical issues. According to him, "It would have required much groundwork to be laid in the core AI code, which meant that it was unlikely to be available as downloadable content post-release."^[37] He also remarked that the Counter-Operative mode was actually planned during the development of the game, but was eventually rejected due to the pressure to cut planned content.^[37]

Prior to its release, Microsoft arranged several deals with different publishers to promote interest in the game. For example, Joanna Dark made an appearance on the cover of FHM Magazine, which also included a "virtual" interview with her.^[38] Additionally, a deal with Tor books and Prima Games was made to produce novels and a comic book set in the Perfect Dark universe:^[39][40] Perfect Dark: Initial Vector, Perfect Dark: Second Front and Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears. An official soundtrack produced by Nile Rodgers, called Perfect Dark Zero Original Soundtrack, was also made available on November 8, 2005.^[41]

Release

The first release of the game came on November 17, 2005 in North America. The game was subsequently playable at the Xbox 360 Zero Hour Launch event, along with other Xbox 360 launch titles such as Rare's Kameo: Elements of Power and Activision's Call of Duty 2.^[42] Other releases followed on December 2 in Europe and on December 10 in Japan.^[43][44] In Europe, Microsoft organized a party by simulating an apartment as Joanna Dark's home, where several journalists could try out the Xbox 360 and the game.^[43] During the japanese launch weekend, the title became the second best-selling 360 game with roughly 15,000 units sold, behind Namco's Ridge Racer 6.^[45]

Perfect Dark Zero was released in two forms: the standard version and a "Limited Collector's Edition". The collector's edition features a second disc of content, a black metal game case, images of the staff and most of the in-house testers which gave a glimpse behind the scenes at Rare, a special-edition comic booklet which sets the scene for the game, titled Hong Kong Sunrise, and one of nine holographic collectible cards.^[46][47] The game has reportedly sold in excess of one million units worldwide.^[48] As a result, it was one of the first games to be re-released under the "Platinum Hits" list.^[45]

Updates and downloadable content

In May 2006, an auto-update was made available on Xbox Live, responsible for fixing some bugs and adding some additional multiplayer options to the game. These bug fixes included code to prevent an ongoing problem where players could walk through the air, an issue where some weapons could make use of rapid fire, and a map-exiting glitch, among others. On the other hand, the new multiplayer options provide seven additional new bot types and the ability to use bots in DarkOps matches, since bots had only one AI variant and were only implemented in DeathMatch scenarios when the game was released.^[49][50] Additionally, a playable demo of the game was made freely available on Xbox Live Marketplace shortly afterwards. It includes one campaign mission that can be played in solo mode or co-operatively in either split-screen or via Xbox Live, and a new multiplayer map which was later included in Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One.^[51]

Rare released Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One to Xbox Live Marketplace on June 7, 2006.^[52] It costs 500 Microsoft Points and contained four new maps to add to the game's original six.^[53] The map pack contains only one variant, instead of two. Additionally, on October 31, 2006, Rare announced that a special platinum edition of Perfect Dark Zero would be released, and would include the first map pack and two additional maps, which were later available to download for free on the Xbox Live Marketplace as a pack called Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack Two. The two new maps are updated versions of two maps from the game's predecessor: Facility, originally found in GoldenEye 007, then later featured as "Felicity" in Perfect Dark; and Ruins.^[54] The pack was released on November 1, 2006 for Gold Members and on November 8, 2006 for Silver Members.^[55]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	81% (97 reviews)[56]
Metacritic	81% (75 reviews)[57]
Review scores
Publication	Score
1UP.com	A[58]
Eurogamer	7/10[59]
Game Informer	7/10[60]
GameSpot	9.0/10[61]
GameSpy	[62]
GameTrailers	9/10[63]
GameZone	9/10[64]
IGN	8.4/10[65]

Perfect Dark Zero generally received positive reviews from critics. It holds a Metacritic average of 81% based on 75 reviews, and a GameRankings average of 81% based on 97 reviews.^[56][57] The game got a 9.0 out of 10 at GameSpot, earning it an Editor's Choice award.^[66] Greg Kasavin claimed that it "champions the Xbox 360 with its excellent assortment of single and multiplayer game types, as well as its incredible good looks and dynamic, intense action"^[61] and concluded his review by saying that "Perfect Dark Zero delivers just about everything you could hope for from a first-person shooter".^[67] Charles Onyett of IGN gave Perfect Dark Zero a "great" score of 8.4 out of 10, praising its "huge" amount of options, weapon variety, and inclusion of multiplayer bots; but also criticized its single-player enemy AI, weak storyline and bad voice acting.^[65]

The visual details, sound and music were highlighted positively. Kasavin was impressed with the amount of lightning and motion blur effects, and also noted that the "excellent character animation helps make the guns feel as powerful as they look".^[61] Bryn Williams of GameSpy considered the graphics as a "stunning look at what the 360 hardware is capable of", but also admitted that the animations are "a little too slow", and therefore can sometimes create an "unwelcome sense of cartoonishness".^[62] Onyett credited the "attractive" gun models, explosions, and sprawling vistas, though also felt that some areas, such as the South American Ruins, can unnecessary look too shiny. The sound effects were said to be "loud",^[65] with "heavy-hitting" weapon effects and "moody soundtrack that gives each mission its own pulsing rhythms".^[61]

The game's weapons were also well-received. Reviewers praised the gun management and the implementation of the guns.^[64][61][65] Greg Kasavin commented "It doesn't stray too far from convention, but it features some interesting twists... making for a much more entertaining experience than the average shooter."^[61] Critics generally agreed that the roll and cover system worked well and that they did not feel overpowered,^[61][60] though some were somewhat frustrated about the fact that the cover mode required a specific spot to be activated.^[65] Reviewers also considered the story and voice acting to be weak. Charles Onyett said that it is almost impossible not to notice how "laughably bad it is", and that many plot twists are presented then never resolved, though he also admitted that it doesn't really factor into the gameplay.^[65] GameCritics' Mike Bracken commented, it's "sad when there's voice acting in a game and I find myself being embarrassed for the voice actors."^[68] Nevertheless, GameSpot added that the game's weapon fire and musical score "easily drown this out."^[67]

Publications judged the co-op aspect of the game well. Kristan Reed of Eurogamer praised the fact that the single-player levels were "designed with co-op in mind." He noted that, for example, the third level "has Joanna providing cover fire for her father Jack as he hops from one point of the level to the next. In the single player campaign Jack's AI controlled, but co-op lets you take direct control of his actions, making the experience a much more engaging affair all-round."^[59] Multiplayer matches of Perfect Dark Zero were widely well-received. Greg Kasavin pointed out that the excellent weapon selection, flexibility of options, high-quality maps, and smooth online performance make for a "rock-solid competitive shooter."^[67] IGN stated similar pros, calling it "enormous".^[69] 1UP.com's Che Chou also praised the multiplayer, but observed that "constantly roll-dodging to avoid enemy fire at close range combined with the exceptionally slow movement speed of your character... can occasionally be highly frustrating for beginners."^[58]

Despite solid reviews, numerous publications remarked that Perfect Dark Zero did not meet the expectations. According to GameCritics, "It took Rare a whole console generation to do it..." and that "the wait wasn't really worth it".^[68] Game Informer found it to be quite disappointing and gave the game a 7 out of 10, reviewing it under the tagline "Don't believe the hype".^[60] Bryn Williams (albeit still giving the game a positive review) observed, "Perfect Dark Zero is a lot of fun and does a lot of things very well, but it's just not the killer-app that we'd all hoped for".^[70] In 2010, the game was #6 on GameTrailers' Top Ten Most Disappointing games of the Decade and #10 on their Worst Sequels countdown.^[71][72]

References

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2. ^ Rare Ltd.. Perfect Dark Zero. Level/area: Nightclub Stakeout. "Jack: OK kid, here's your chance to show me you're ready for a live op. Chandra just got off the wire. Word is some scientist, name of Zeigler, has been snatched by the local Triad gang."
3. ^ Rare Ltd.. Perfect Dark Zero. Level/area: Trinity Infiltration. "Chandra: How about this? Jack died protecting Zeigler's research. Whatever it is must be really important to Zhang Li and Mai Hem. We're gonna work out why."
4. ^ Rare Ltd.. Perfect Dark Zero. Level/area: Jungle Storm. "Carrington: This is a recon op Jo, not a personal vendetta! I know you want revenge on Mai Hem, but as long as you're aboard an Institute dropship you'll obey my command, understood?"
5. ^ Rare Ltd.. Perfect Dark Zero. Level/area: Bridge Assault. "Carrington: We've pushed dataDyne back to this coliseum. We're reading strange energies inside. Zhang Li's located the Graal and he's trying to power it up. We've got to get in there."
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External links

Video games portal

• Perfect Dark Zero at xbox.com