Perfect Dark

Based on Rare's extremely-popular Goldeneye engine, this is the "semi-sequel"... follow Joanna Dark as she infiltrates the dataDyne corporation to uncover a deep, sci-fi-based plot, with loads of weapons, strategy, and multiplayer fun!

Confirmed features include:
-- At least two multiplayer levels from Goldeneye
-- All of Goldeneye's weapons, and more
-- Much improved AI, where teams of enemies can interact, function as a group and assess threats
-- A weapon that slowly let's you target through, then shoot through walls (no, that's not a typo... bye-bye, campers!)
-- An intricate, deep plot (with numerous twists)
-- The ability to introduce "bots" to your multiplayer gaming... i.e., play by yourself against a few computer-controlled bots, or have a 4-player game and assign each player a bot to help them out, etc. The bots can also be set to specific modes, including Revenge (hunting whoever killed it--or it's human teammate, I'm not sure--last), Target (going after only one person the whole game), Pacifist (guess...), and more
-- More levels, some specifically designed for multiplayer
-- Real-time lighting effects, and other graphical goodies that I can't remember at the minute
-- The ability to take a snapshot of your face (yes, you being the person who holds the controller) and paste it onto your character in the game (this will be done via a Game Boy Camera...)
-- ... What are you waiting for? Pre-order it already! :-)

A very Bond-like scenario, a secret agent (Joanna Dark) must save the world from nasty covert agencies and aliens! Ok, the aliens part isn't the least bit Bond-like but that's about the only difference. The single player story mode is very cinematic and interesting and fun enough, but what makes this game standout, like a strangely beautiful sore thumb, is the multiplayer gaming options. King of the hill (which gives you the option of stationary or mobile hill) forces you to defend a certain position from up to 4 computer simulants, of which you can change the level of intensity and intelligence, thus giving control of the difficulty numerous variables. There's the combat simulator (my favorite) which is just basically running around shooting either your friends or computer simulants until you achieve a certain point level (again this option is adjustable for ever changing gameplay). The realistic "deaths" and the amount of blood is what earned Perfect Dark its Mature rating, and considering in first player mode the computer enemies will literally beg you not to kill them and cry out to God as they die I think the rating is appropriate. And speaking of killing, the huge arsenal of weapons is another in a long list of plusses that make Perfect Dark, to date, the best game for the N64.

Bottom line if you loved Goldeneye and are seeking a newer and better gaming experience in which you and 3 other friends can sit around and play at killing each other in realistic (but not actual) fashion picking up Perfect Dark would be a pretty good idea.

Only drawback is that if you don't already own a controller pack, memory pack, and rumble pack you will need to invest in each to experience Perfect Dark in all its glory. ... So casual gamers might actually want to wait for the inevitable price drop (N64 will have to do this eventually, considering the release of PS2), but die hard gamers that are finding Goldeneye merely nostalgic ought to seriously consider making the investment. A solid and always fun gaming experience.