Why I think Perfect Dark has the potential to be Microsoft's God Of War

[martymcfly]

I know the title sounds weird but I will hopefully be able to convey my thoughts by the end of this post.

First what is Perfect Dark. It is a FPS series created by Rare and originally published by Nintendo and now by Microsoft who also owns Rare and by extension the Perfect Dark IP. Rare were the developers of the critically acclaimed Goldeneye 007 based on the James Bond film of the same name and had been preparing to make a sequel only to have the rug pulled out from under them by EA who nabbed the James Bond rights. This did not hurt Rare rather it was to their benefit as they were able to transition the game into an original IP and released Perfect Dark on the N64 in 2000 to critical acclaim with the title currently sitting as the 19th best selling N64 title. A Game Boy Color game was also released the same year. A sequel then began development for the Gamecube later transitioning to the Original Xbox upon Microsoft's acquisition of Rare before ultimately shifting to the Xbox 360 where it was released as a launch title under the name Perfect Dark: Zero. While I can't call the game horrible I also can't say it was good the game was far what fans wanted and failed to be a true follow up to and live up to the original Perfect Dark.

In fact Rare has had a very troubled time reviving their IP over the years. Conker: Live and Reloaded gave us a remake nobody asked for that censored the game more so than the N64 original (think about it the Nintendo version was more mature than the Microsoft version) and also included lackluster multiplayer. The aforementioned Perfect Dark: Zero which failed to live up to its predecessor. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts took a series of beloved platformer games and turned it into a car building simulator game with a gigantic open world that had practically nothing in it and also stripped the bear and bird of most of their moves. Jet Pac Refuled on XBLA which wasn't bad but also wasn't anything special. And finally the recent Battletoads revival which again failed to live up to its predecessors and properly serve its series legacy. In fact the only time a Rare IP was revived and it actually turned out good was with Killer Instinct in 2013 which was a great reboot that stayed true to what made KI awesome in the first place while also allowing itself to try new things, the game is still loved by fighting game fans and recently had a fan documentary released that went into that games development. Of course Banjo Kazooie's appearance in Smash Ultimate was amazing and they are without a doubt my favorite inclusion thus far but that was DLC that Nintendo specifically requested, and Sakurai has shown us time and time again how much he cares about accurately portraying characters in Smash so it's no surprise the bear and bird turned out as good as they did in that game.

Anyways onto my main point which is in the title. In 2013 God Of War: Ascension was released. The game is by no means bad it's a fun adventure with Kratos but the game also wasn't exactly trying anything new upon release it was the 6th game to feature Kratos battling the Greek gods. The game also didn't do anything to evolve Kratos as a character, he still felt like the same character we played as in GOW 1 back in 2005. Fans and reviewers took notice stating that they felt the God Of War series felt too samey and that Kratos either needed to be evolve as a character or needed to get killed off/put away for awhile. In response to this Sony brought back Cory Barlog and had him retool the series and try and create something unique and different. During GOW 2018's development the creators worked to find a balance between maintaining what made the series great to begin with and what fans loved about it while also trying new things and making sure they weren't treading the same waters as previous entries. With the latest entry the Santa Monica team reinvented the franchise and by taking proper time and care to make sure they did it right breathed new life into the franchise. They created a game that both stayed true to what fans loved about the series while also feeling like something completely brand new and different, and their hard work paid off as the game has sold over 10 million copies (as of may 2019) and became one of the fastest selling first party PS4 titles and a crown jewel among Sony's first party lineup.

I think Perfect Dark has the potential to do the same thing. If Microsoft gives the developers (The Initiative) the proper time and resources to work with than I believe the game could reach massive levels of success. If the devs are able to take the time to reinvent Perfect Dark bringing it up to the standards of modern games and include a lot of quality of life enhancements not seen in the N64 days whilst also staying true to what made Perfect Dark a fan favorite game in the first place than we could have a really special game on our hands. God of War breathed new life into a franchise that felt stagnant, Perfect Dark can do the same. If they are able to give the game a meaty single player campaign with a very compelling story mode that makes Joanna Dark a very likeable character who's journey you want to follow through to the end, and add multiplayer that takes full advantage of Xbox Live like Halo 2 did when it launched then we could have a pretty important game release on our hands.

Unlike previous attempts at reviving Rare IPs (except the aforementioned KI in 2013) I think this one has potential because of the talent behind it. The studio which was created from the ground up in 2018 is being lead by Darrel Gallagher. If that name sounds familiar its because he was previously the head of Square-Enix subsidiary Crystal Dynamics where he leaf the charge in the development of the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot which like God Of War served as a reinvention of its series that stayed true to its roots and fan following. That game released to critical acclaim and often regarded as one of the best games this generation and is often cited as an example of the right way to breathe new life into a franchise that had lost its magic. The studio also employs many talented developers that previously worked at Sony Santa Monica Studio (who are funnily enough the creators/developers of the God Of War series)  and Naughty Dog, both studios known for their impressive library of quality titles.

If the team at The Initiative are able to pull this off than I think that this game has the potential to become a genre defining game and a crown jewel in Microsoft's Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass Lineup. While I understand that this came could still release to a lackluster or negative response from the Perfect Dark fandom and the gaming community I believe this game out of all of Microsoft/Rare's attempts at reviving their old franchises has the best chance at turning out a true phenomenal triple A experience that could help to put The Initiative on the map and help Microsoft gain a quality first party title that gives gamers a reason to get an Xbox something which Microsoft desperately needs right now.

[kamikazekeeg]

It definitely has the possibility of being that big for them with the people involved and hopefully a budget to match.  Lord knows that Microsoft is in need of a real heavy hitter first party title they can tout about, since a lot of their big games from studios they bought are pretty far off, but unfortunately, much like with those games being far off, Perfect Dark is also a long ways off according to the developers before they showed the teaser.

[seether]

No.

[pzeke]

Yeah, I don't see it either. If it's potential we're talking about, then almost anything has the potential to be whatever. Don't get me wrong, though, I get where you're coming from, but I think it's going to take a lot for it to happen, like the stars having to be aligned type of deal. That said, the Killer Instinct reboot is a great example of what a passionate and dedicated team can accomplish, so if the team behind this one takes the same cues from their colleagues, then I'm sure they'll go places. It may not be another strike out for Rare, and there's the possibility the game garners them accolades similar to how Killer Instinct did, but I don't see it taking the world by storm like God of War did.

As an aside, in regards to the Killer Instinct reboot, while the team obviously had a lot to do with the game and its success, I also think part of that success was in part thanks to people like Maximillian Dood, who Rare recognized, becoming an essential part of the game's development and promotion during its second season and onward.

[bikingjahuty]

As long as it's more N64 Perfect Dark and less Perfect Dark Zero I'm all on board.

[retromangia]

It's Microsoft, there going to fuck it up some how.  I'm sure it will be fine, and that's about it. RIP RARE.

[weirdfeline]

With all the talent they've acquired they should have made a new IP and a third-person game.

[martymcfly]

With all the talent they've acquired they should have made a new IP and a third-person game.

I disagree. by using the Perfect Dark name/IP that helps them to instantly get recognized and grants them a much higher chance to obtain success and notoriety. If they succeed on this game they could be elevated to a status where they are seen as a force to be reckoned with, one that gets a big reaction out of simply seeing their logo pop up during press conferences (think Santa Monica Studio or From Software).

If they had gone for an original IP they would have been lost in the sea of FPS games and have a far greater struggle trying to stand out among the crowd. By using the Perfect Dark name they've guaranteed eyes on their studio/game and ensured that they will have a pretty sizable audience interested in picking up their product at launch. Although simply using the Perfect Dark name doesn't automatically guarantee them success they still have to deliver and future trailers have to do a fantastic job selling people on the game and quelling people's fears of it being Perfect Dark: Zero 2.

[martymcfly]

It's Microsoft, there going to fuck it up some how.  I'm sure it will be fine, and that's about it. RIP RARE.

Not really this isn't being done by Rare it's by a studio employed by top talent from the industry. (Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog, Respawn ETC) and run by the former head of Crystal Dynamics who was instrumental in Tomb Raider 2013.

I'm not saying this game is guaranteed to be a hit when it launches but it compared to all of Microsoft's previous attempts at reviving their IP's over the years easily has the highest chance of success.

[dhaabi]

With all the talent they've acquired they should have made a new IP and a third-person game.

I disagree. by using the Perfect Dark name/IP that helps them to instantly get recognized and grants them a much higher chance to obtain success and notoriety. If they succeed on this game they could be elevated to a status where they are seen as a force to be reckoned with, one that gets a big reaction out of simply seeing their logo pop up during press conferences (think Santa Monica Studio or From Software).

If they had gone for an original IP they would have been lost in the sea of FPS games and have a far greater struggle trying to stand out among the crowd. By using the Perfect Dark name they've guaranteed eyes on their studio/game and ensured that they will have a pretty sizable audience interested in picking up their product at launch. Although simply using the Perfect Dark name doesn't automatically guarantee them success they still have to deliver and future trailers have to do a fantastic job selling people on the game and quelling people's fears of it being Perfect Dark: Zero 2.

At the same time, using the Perfect Dark IP sets the team for an even greater fall if the title doesn't meet fan expectations. It's a double-edged sword.

If The Initiative are really to be creating "AAAA" titles as they've been on record to say, then relying on an old IP's name doesn't seem necessary, as the project quality alone would be enough for it to stand out among the "sea of FPS games."

[pzeke]

Not really this isn't being done by Rare it's by a studio employed by top talent from the industry. (Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog, Respawn ETC) and run by the former head of Crystal Dynamics who was instrumental in Tomb Raider 2013.

I'm not saying this game is guaranteed to be a hit when it launches but it compared to all of Microsoft's previous attempts at reviving their IP's over the years easily has the highest chance of success.

Now that you mentioned it, I think Tomb Raider is the better example to use in your initial comparison.

[martymcfly]

Not really this isn't being done by Rare it's by a studio employed by top talent from the industry. (Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog, Respawn ETC) and run by the former head of Crystal Dynamics who was instrumental in Tomb Raider 2013.

I'm not saying this game is guaranteed to be a hit when it launches but it compared to all of Microsoft's previous attempts at reviving their IP's over the years easily has the highest chance of success.

Now that you mentioned it, I think Tomb Raider is the better example to use in your initial comparison.

Yeah Probably