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Rogue Agent (BW Small)GameCharactersEquipment


GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is a first-person shooter video game published by Electronic Arts. The player takes the role of an ex-MI6 agent, who is recruited by Auric Goldfinger (a member of a powerful unnamed criminal organization based on SPECTRE) to assassinate his rival, Dr. No. Several other characters from the James Bond series make appearances throughout the game, including Pussy Galore, Oddjob, Xenia Onatopp, and Francisco Scaramanga.

Despite its name and being part of the James Bond universe, the game has no relation to the 1995 film or the 1997 video game of the same name. In this setting the game's protagonist is given the name 'GoldenEye' after he loses his eye and receives a gold-colored cybernetic replacement. Electronic Arts has listed this particular title along with 007 Racing (2000) as spin-offs that do not make part of the canon, they have built with Tomorrow Never Dies (1999).

Plot

At the start of Rogue Agent, a recording by M (head of MI6) reveals that: "Three years ago, while on assignment, the agent was severely wounded in an encounter with Dr. No, and subsequently lost the use of his right eye. Consumed with vengeance, he frequently resorts to violence and brutality, and is no longer fit for service with MI6." According to the account, the agent was shot in his right eye by Dr. No during a mission.

Three years after the incident which claimed the agent's right eye, he is evaluated through a holographic simulation in which he is paired with 007 to stop Auric Goldfinger, a member of a criminal organization, from detonating a suitcase nuke inside Fort Knox. He fails the test and is held directly responsible for the "death" of 007. Charged with "reckless brutality", he is dismissed from MI6. As he leaves the headquarters, he is seen reading an offer by Goldfinger to enlist in his organization.

The agent accepts Goldfinger's offer and is recruited as his enforcer, meeting with him at Auric Enterprises, where Goldfinger's scientists have developed a weapon known as the OMEN (Organic Mass Energy Neutralizer), which releases energy capable of breaking down organic matter on a nearly atomic level, resulting in disintegration. For his job of eliminating Dr. No, a fellow official of the criminal organization who has declared war on Goldfinger's branch of the organization, he is given a gold-hued cybernetic eye created by Francisco Scaramanga, another official of Goldfinger's organization (from which he receives his code-name "GoldenEye") Scaramanga provides upgrades for the eye, starting with MRI vision. At Hong Kong, GoldenEye has to get a sniper rifle to take down Dr. No with the EM hack feature.

At the Midas Casino, GoldenEye has to get to the vault (which can be found in multiplayer) to protect the OMEN with the magnetic polarity shield. At the Hoover Dam, GoldenEye has to destroy the dam and kill Xenia Onatopp. GoldenEye also tosses Oddjob over a rail into a pit inside the Hoover Dam after he betrays and attacks GoldenEye for unknown reasons. At The Octopus, GoldenEye has to download the navigation coordinates to Crab Key with the help of the generated force field from his golden eye Dr. No's base. He is eventually sent to Crab Key, where he confronts Dr. No. During their duel, GoldenEye uses his mechanical eye to sabotage the island's nuclear reactor, causing it to electrocute Dr. No.

Upon No's death, Goldfinger contacts GoldenEye and informs him that he believes he is too dangerous to be left alive, and that he had contacted GoldenEye earlier and told him to activate a program which would shut down the Lair's defense grid. Goldfinger reveals that he is intent on taking over the Lair, and leaves GoldenEye to die in the impending nuclear meltdown. GoldenEye, however, manages to escape in Dr. No's osprey before the reactor overloads and the island is destroyed in a large explosion.

GoldenEye returns to the Lair intent on confronting Goldfinger. Pussy Galore rendezvous with GoldenEye and informs him that Goldfinger has used the OMEN to wipe out most of the Lair's guards and taken control of it. Scaramanga provides the mechanical eye with a computer virus which he can use to overload the OMEN.

GoldenEye fights his way through the Lair, rescuing the guards who are held in the detention blocks, implanting the computer virus in the process, eventually reaching Goldfinger and the OMEN. Goldfinger traps GoldenEye inside a chamber which he claims will soon be devoid of oxygen. The computer virus then activates the OMEN causing it to explode in a burst of energy, killing Goldfinger and his troops. GoldenEye and Galore leave the Lair aboard Galore's chopper, and Scaramanga and Number One (Ernst Stavro Blofeld) later discuss what to do with GoldenEye, and decide to simply see what he does next before proceeding.

Characters

Gameplay

The game featured a highly customizable multiplayer component with a four-player split screen play, as well as online play on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions. On November 26, 2006, the servers for both versions were shut down due to "inactivity" online. Players can unlock additional customization options, skins, maps, and gametype variations by playing through Story Mode and performing well. There are some locked skins such as Oddjob, Dr. No, and Xenia Onatopp. There are also locked maps such as the Pump Room, Carver's Press, the BathHouse, the Vault Core, the Lower Turbine, Dr. No's reactor, the Fissure Platform, and GoldenEye's Retreat.

Behind the scenes

GoldenEye concept ar (GoldenEye - Rogue Agent) 1

GoldenEye concept artwork from GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (2004).

Announced in February 2004, under the working title of GoldenEye 2, the game was scheduled for release in the fall of 2004.[1] In May 2004, the game was unveiled at E3 as GoldenEye: Rogue Agent.[2]  The script was penned by veteran writers Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo in collaboration with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Danjaq.[3][4] Bilson and De Meo had previously formed the storylines of the preceding three instalments in Electronic Arts' James Bond video game series - Agent Under Fire, Nightfire and Everything or Nothing. It was Bilson who pitched the idea of creating a videogame in the dark side of the 007 universe, in an alternate timeline, relocating the perspective at the underworld. It was originally titled Goldfinger vs Dr. No.[4] Noting that the original concept had "much more scope and depth. More environments, [and] more encounters", Bilson intended to give James Bond a larger role than the cameo he delivered in the first level but was restricted by the 007 license's rules about what the character can and can't do.[4]

At the suggestion of Bilson, Ken Adam, a production designer of the Bond films during the 1960s and 1970s, served as production designer for the game.[4][5] Kym Barrett, who was most famous for designing the costumes on cult films such as The Matrix, was also involved in development, as well as Paul Oakenfold, who created the music for the game.[2] Takayoshi Sato, who was known for building the character models and concept artworks for the Silent Hill video game series, served as associate art director.[6] EA's original plan was to recast every classical character derived from the series with newer actors, leading them to cast Jessica Biel in the role of Pussy Galore,[7] but it eventually fell apart. Instead, they have based every single classic character on the actors and actresses that portrayed them in the films and hired voice actors to imitate the originals for the most. A few of the exceptions have been made as well, as famous cinematic screen veterans such as Judi Dench and Christopher Lee were brought to reprise their roles, playing M and Scaramanga, respectively.

Cancelled sequel

A sequel was originally planned but scrapped due to poor sales and reviews. The game's ending heavily suggested a sequel as well. According to various sources, the sequel would have included vehicles and a longer story mode. On the EA website for GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, a form with many questions about what fans wanted to see in the next game was available. Rogue Agent's engine for the DS was used as a concept for a version of Halo: Combat Evolved for Nintendo's handheld (informally called Halo DS), but didn't get past verification, despite a playable demo being made.

Reception

Hunter, GoldenEye - Rogue Agent (transparent)

Rogue Agent was largely considered to be an attempt to recreate the success of one of the best-selling video games in recent history, GoldenEye 007, which was a first-person shooter for the Nintendo 64 based on the Bond film GoldenEye. Aside from the character Xenia Onatopp, the Uplink multiplayer level, and the fact that both involve a good agent going bad (although in the case of the original, not the protagonist), GoldenEye: Rogue Agent actually has nothing to do with either the film GoldenEye or its video game adaptation, although the protagonist's scarred appearance considerably resembles Sean Bean's portrayal of rogue agent, Alec Trevelyan, in that film.

Rogue Agent was preceded by the critically acclaimed Bond game Everything or Nothing which featured the likeness and voice talents of Pierce Brosnan, Willem Dafoe and Judi Dench, along with other Bond actors. Rogue Agent, however, was released to mediocre reviews. Reviewers criticized its lack of innovation and personality despite its unique premise, as well as its mediocre gameplay. Several reviewers also disliked its departure from James Bond canon in its introduction and killing off of characters.

The game was however noted for showcasing certain levels and multiplayer maps based on locations from the Bond movies, such as Fort Knox from Goldfinger, the space shuttle base from Moonraker, and Scaramanga's hideout from The Man with the Golden Gun.

Gallery

Screenshots

Concept artwork


References

  1. Perry, Douglas C. (February 27, 2004). EA Makes Goldeneye 2 Official. Retrieved on 2014-12-11.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Perry, Douglass C. (May 12, 2004). E3 2004: Goldeneye: Rogue Agent. Retrieved on 2014-12-11.
  3. BondMovies.com GoldenEye Rogue Agent Pat Gilmore Interview. BondMovies.com (January 2 2007). Retrieved on 2016-12-31.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 'GoldenEye: Rogue Agent': An interview with Danny Bilson. The Spy Arena Weblog (June 27 2014). Retrieved on 2016-12-31.
  5. Perry, Douglass C. (May 11, 2004). E3 2004: Goldeneye: Rogue Agent Interview. Retrieved on 2014-12-11.
  6. Sheffield, Brandon (August 25, 2005). Silence Is Golden: Takayoshi Sato's Occidental Journey. Retrieved on 2014-12-11.
  7. The Game That Never Was. MI6-HQ.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-11.

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