Photo: Rare
The one thing that people always loved about the James Bond franchise was the fact that the filmmakers rarely used CGI (mainly because it didn’t exist back in the 60s and later became a matter of tradition) as well as the fact that the protagonist was always a slick gentleman that could take a man’s life as easily as he could gulp that martini that’s shaken, not stirred. The popularity of the films in the 90s, with Pierce Brosnan in the main role, brought about a number of other releases including the now legendary video game called GoldenEye 007. The game relied heavily on the film, featuring the main actors on the cover and bringing gamers all over the world graphics that were groundbreaking for the time it was released – back in 1997. Along with the beautiful soundtrack and the incredibly immersive gameplay, the game was an instant classic hit. Here are some of the facts you probably didn’t know about GoldenEye 007.
Miyamoto’s Reaction
If you don’t know who Shigeru Miyamoto is, you probably aren’t much of a gamer. Namely, the creators of 007 GoldenEye stated that the legendary Miyamoto (who made classics like Mario and Legend of Zelda) faxed them about the game at one point and noted some changes he would like to be made. For example, he really disliked the violence and the scenes of close-up killings so he suggested they removed them from the game. Besides that, he wanted the main character to greet all of his hospitalized enemies at the end of the game, to show that they’re all actually OK. This was quite the opposite of what the creators had in mind at one point – to include exploding gore and make scenes of death as graphic as possible. In the end, as a tribute to Miyamoto, they made all the “deceased” characters take a bow at the end of the game.
Non-Linear Levels
When asked about the games greatest features, a lot of 007 GoldenEye fans stated its non-linear levels and freedom. That is quite true. The levels were designed in such a way that the player could reach his destination anyway he wanted and even stumble upon some dead ends. However, while this brilliant move made the game that much more popular, it was actually not planned. Namely, the levels were created first and then the designers came up with the objectives, placement of enemies and everything else. Because of this, there are some random rooms that serve absolutely no purpose, because they were created way before. These kinds of small unnecessary details are what made the game so enjoyable.
Gaming Pioneer
The GoldenEye 007 was actually one of the gaming pioneers when it came to gameplay. It popularized the first-person genre as with its atmospheric, cinematic single player missions that were incredibly immersive and satisfactory. What it also introduced was stealth, an element that became crucial in the years after. This was the first time that Pierce Brosnan appeared in a video game as James Bond and, from then on, became the most popular Bond actor. With such stellar reviews of the game, other developers also tried to adapt movies into games, but mostly unsuccessfully.
Forbidden in Germany
The censorship is apparently still very much alive and kicking in Germany. According to some sources, there is a Government department created in the 1980s that deals with content that could potentially be harmful to young people. It goes through a lot of material and removes any undesirable content, placing it on a list of prohibited items. It appears that GoldenEye 007 is on the list, even today, mainly because of its violent content. Because of that, it is forbidden to advertise the game in the media or show footage from it. You know they mean business when it is forbidden to even publish the list of all forbidden items. That’s some inception there.
Staff Villains
Seeing how it takes time and money to hire actual models for all the characters in the game, it’s only natural that the developers would opt for a somewhat more convenient option. Namely, all of the minor enemies you encounter during the game are actually members of the staff and various developers of the game. It is an interesting and a bit weird way to immortalize yourself in the video game form, especially considering the fact that all of these characters die constantly by the hands of the protagonist. Speaking of death, GoldenEye was famous for its unique death animations that continued to appear in all of the games in the franchise. The animation included the character falling dramatically to his knees and then drop on the stomach.
What are some other interesting things you remember about GoldenEye 007? Remind us in the comment section below and let’s honor this amazing little piece of history.
