1 Player (single player mode) 2-8 Players (wireless DS single cartridge download mode) 2-4 Players (wireless DS multi-cartridge play) Touch Screen Compatible Cartridge Save Having received my Nintendo DS quite sometime ago I had the chance to play the demo version of Metroid Prime Hunters in detail. As I have come to really enjoy FPS games on my home consoles it was interesting to play an FPS on a handheld that looked and controlled as well as Hunters did. Well, fast forward to present day and Hunters is no where to be found and FPS fans are still waiting patiently for it. In the meantime EA has stepped up to the plate and offered the FPS crowd the first fully complete FPS game for the DS, Goldeneye: Rogue Agent. Does this game have what it takes to keep the diehards satisfied till Metroid Prime Hunters is released? Graphics I so wanted to speak positively in this section, particularly since the demo of Hunters was so good and EA's Goldeneye: Rogue Agent was released quite a bit of time after the launch of the DS. Unfortunately they have just missed the boat when it comes to the looks of this game. The character designs are quite lacking as the enemies seem to repeat quite often throughout the game. This would be ok if the animations of these enemies were varied and done well, however this is not the case. Each enemy seems very stiff as they move with little to no motion looking very robotic like. It was disheartening to see the same enemies do the same things over and over again (e.g. death sequences) and I longed for some variety. Something that also caught my attention as I played this game was that the colors did not seem to jump off the screen. Anyone who has read any of my previous DS reviews knows that I am a fan of the Nintendo's dual screened machine and its ability to display bright and vibrant colours. This time around I cannot say that this is so. On a positive note, the framerate of Goldeneye: Rogue Agent is pretty rock solid as the game maintains a regular framerate throughout the entire adventure. The level designs are very ‘spy like' inspired and the special effects (e.g. grenade explosions) are fairly well done. Overall I would say that this game is not the worse I have ever seen on the DS, but I have seen much better. Sound It is hard to believe but Goldeneye: Rogue Agent seems to be a major step backwards for sound design used in a DS game. It seems that the developers did not make the effort to put any quality in this area. The sound effects are very rudimentary and they seem to be very low quality. Now, I have to admit that I do not know if Tiburon (the developer) didn't have the time to make the effort or if the storage medium is to blame, however I have heard some really good sound come out of other games on the DS and I would tend to believe that the first explanation, and not the second, may be the case here. All the sound seems so digitized. Everything from the sound of the gunfire to the enemies' limited grunts or groans is all quite disappointing. As for the music, it is all very tin can like and does not add anything to the game. For what downfalls this game already has the sound could have lifted it up a notch or two if it utilized quality Bondlike music, but alas it does not. Gameplay Being that this is the only FPS game on the DS I was hoping for some depth to the gameplay. Maybe it is that I am so spoiled by playing this type of game on my home consoles, regardless of what it is though there I am left with the feeling that there is not a lot of depth to this game at all. It is basically a run around, shoot baddies, find more weapons/ammunition and then repeat type of game. Yep, it is that basic. During all the running and gunning the player has the ability to double wield (a-la Halo 2) and each gun can be fired independently of one another. To add some kind of strategy to what weapon one may choose the developer has decided that the weapons that are in one's hands are the only ones available. With that in mind players have to be very careful about which weapons they choose to use as there is not an unlimited choice on hand (literally) to switch back and forth to. For those wondering how this game controls it can be easily compared to the demo of Metroid Prime Hunters that shipped with the early versions of the DS. The touch screen is used as the directional look and it also allows quick access buttons for choosing what type of weapon one may carry in each hand. To really take advantage of the touch screen control one should use the ‘thumb nub' that is attached to the strap of the DS. This is very important as utilizing the dual weapon set-up which leads the gamer to use the shoulders buttons to fire each weapon, and this cannot be done if one has to use the stylus to control the on-screen action. The thumb nub control scheme provides compelling evidence that FPS games should be on the DS due to the almost PC like control when using the touch screen. Having good control is one thing, but the developers should have followed up with the rest of the game to make this an all around package. All the control in the world cannot make up for short comings in other areas. I found it very frustrating that the graphics, as discussed previously, did effect the overall gameplay. When shooting the various enemies on screen the lack of detail made it hard to note if I was even hitting my target. There were also many times that I hid behind various objects only to get hit by enemy fire. And yes, the premise of running and gunning does get tiresome after awhile. Overall these shortcomings made for an experience that I did not enjoy as much as I hoped I would. Sure, it was neat to find myself in various levels featuring Bond characters of the past (e.g. Dr. No or Goldfinger to name only two) but this could not lift the negative aspects noted here. Having experienced a rather average single player I was pleasantly surprised to find that Goldeneye: Rogue Agent offers a much better multiplayer game. Up to eight players, utilizing only one cartridge, can experience a taste of multiplayer mayhem. Sure, it is quite limited in options but to have eight players dive into a match with only one cartridge is pretty cool. For those looking for multiplayer mayhem of a full offering, up to 4 people can link up while each using their own copies of Goldeneye: Rogue Agent. Should anyone who owns a DS not find anyone to Wi-Fi with the game offers a Virtual Training mode that uses bots instead of real opponents, but as is the way with most bot games this is no substitute for real human opponents. Conclusion I honestly had some big hopes for this title having played past Bond games on the home consoles. On the positive side this game controls like it was truly meant for the DS's dual screens and it also offers a fairly good multiplayer component. However lackluster graphics and poor sound really kick this game right where counts...in its overall score. Fans of the FPS genre may find this game will help them pass the time until Metroid Prime Hunters is released, but they should be cautious and give it a rent first.