It’s 25 years since the release of GoldenEye 007, one of the most influential FPS video games. The game was released in 1997 and sold over 8 million units, but the most impressive accomplishment of the game was that it set the standard for future first-person shooter games to follow.
Now, the documentary GoldenEra, directed by Drew Roller, gives fans the chance to discover the story behind the game, which is described by many as one of the best ever.
A new Bond era
Due to delays, the video game actually arrived two years after the GoldenEye film was released in 1995. The film itself celebrated a number of firsts. It was the Bond film debut of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan and Judi Dench’s inaugural appearance as M, the Head of the Secret Intelligence Service, making her the first female actress to play the part. It was also the first Bond film where Albert R. Broccoli did not feature as the producer with his daughter Barbara Broccoli replacing him in the role.
Bond films, which have almost become a genre in their own right, have not only inspired copycat versions hoping to tap into the success of the series of films such as the 2022 Netflix release The Gray Man but there have also been satirical spies such as the Johnny English films starring Rowan Atkinson and Mike Myers’ Austin Powers movies. The influence of Bond films can also be seen in the iGaming industry with spy-themed slot titles inspired by 007 such as Codename: Jackpot and Double O Dollars which can be played in a casino online Canada which is safe and secure. The success of these game titles certainly owes a great deal to the similarity with the James Bond theme.
Innovative gameplay
The GoldenEye 007 video game was created by a team of just 12 talented people through the UK game development company Rare and was released by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. The game also featured a revolutionary multiplayer mode, which allowed up to four players to compete against each other with the screen divided up into four parts. GoldenEye 007 also included the stealth elements we have come to know and love. It also gave players the opportunity to take part in scenes from the film, such as taking control of a tank and driving it through the streets of St. Petersburg.
GoldenEye 007 ushered in a wave of FPS titles in the late 1990s with games such as Half-Life, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six and Counter-Strike. But despite its huge influence, the Nintendo 64 remains the only console for the iconic game worldwide, although there have been rumours about a possible Nintendo Switch release.
Game animator Brett Jones revealed that without the internet, research for GoldenEye 007 involved watching sections of as many Bond films as possible, as well as reading Ian Fleming’s Bond novels and reference books. He also said the multiplayer mode was a unique element of the game design and highly popular amongst players: “We had crowbarred it in, but everyone was playing it all the time.”
GoldenEye 007 is the forerunner to modern FPS games and the documentary release will give gamers the opportunity to discover the remarkable story behind its development. As calls grow for a remaster, there is still a chance for gamers to experience the game for themselves.
