It’s a simple question. Should Bond videogame fans awaiting the-long delayed GoldenEye remake for Xbox, or the N64 game arriving on the Nintendo Switch, look to Eon, the authors of all their pain?
Among the hubbub of publicity for the A500 Mini you might have missed this gem from one of its creators, Darren Melbourne. Speaking to Metro’s GameCentral column, the topic of GoldenEye 007 came up as a “difficult license” (albeit one completely unconnected with the Amiga).
Melbourne observed: “GoldenEye is only difficult because Eon don’t like the way James Bond is represented now. Back in the early nineties, James Bond was allowed to kill absolutely everybody he encounters, but they don’t believe that’s James Bond any longer. That’s why it’s never been re-released, I believe.”
Now, that is an interesting take. Certainly, the Daniel Craig Bond is a very different character to the one seen in 1995. But does he kill less? You could possibly take this as pretty factual were it not for one key piece of evidence: the Nintendo Wii remake of GoldenEye 007 (above), which includes more kills than the original game, not to mention the face of Daniel Craig. You could also throw the Xbox 360 game Quantum of Solace in for good measure.
Darren Melbourne continued: “I think if you consider the original game of GoldenEye, James Bond literally killed everybody he came across. Whereas in the film he tries not to do that. And in later iterations of James Bond, he doesn’t necessarily kill an entire room of people with a sniper rifle, but in the game you’re encouraged to do that. You know…. the sniper rifle or the golden gun was the most fun thing. So you’re encouraged to do it. And I think perceptions have changed.”
It’s a take. The thing is, Darren is in the industry, and we’re not. But given the releases mentioned, it just doesn’t sit right as being the reason behind the endless wait for GoldenEye 007 to be re-released. If anything is stopping Eon reissuing arguably the most influential shooter of the 1990s, it’s got to be the fact that it’s just been bought by Amazon and the search is on for a new Bond. The idea that Eon has gone all Blofeld over the perception that a killer is a killer?
Nah.
(Metro)
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