The original Perfect Dark was nothing short of a masterpiece in action gaming and after years of sifting through news snippets, innuendo, and other juicy factoids, its prequel-sequel had a lot of expectations to meet. To be certain, Perfect Dark Zero has been one of the most highly anticipated/promoted flagship titles for the Xbox 360, but it hasn't been an easy time coming. After having our hopes momentarily crushed by the abandonment of the Xbox version, and then later repulsed by a few questionable in-game E3 shots for the Xbox 360 version, many of us became unsure as to the future of the game and the direction of its developer. Yet finally, after waiting no less than a small eternity (although it didn't quite take FOREVER; we're looking at you, Duke Nukem), the reclusive sprites at RARE opened up their pearly gates and paved a road of gaming bullion right to the front of our distributably challenged shores. Perfect Dark Zero is here leading the Xbox 360 charge in a blaze of espionage, science fiction, and flaming red fem-fatale ferocity.

Perfect Dark Zero is the follow-up prequel to the much acclaimed Nintendo 64 hit, Perfect Dark. At the time Perfect Dark represented a stellar continuation of RARE's innovative gameplay from long standing first person annihilator GoldenEye. As such, the announcement of Perfect Dark Zero rekindled the hopes and fantasies of those wishing for a return to the glory days of first person spectacle. Fortunately, by-and-large RARE have managed to pull this feat off this time, as the game provides an authentic continuation of the Perfect Dark saga. New comers to the series (who fortunately won't suffer from their inexperience) will most likely enjoy what the game has to offer, however veterans may feel a little uncertain.

Like all sequels it can be difficult to live up to the rosy memories of the past and considering how far games have advanced in the past decade reinventing the wheel proves to be an even trickier challenge for today's developers. Perfect Dark Zero's gameplay isn't overly complex at an abstract level, but suffice to say it does work and I enjoyed the experience immensely. From an entertainment perspective Perfect Dark Zero certainly exudes a super-sexy-secret-agent theme with plenty of globe trotting, complemented with a hefty dose of rapid fire, and jet packs for good measure.

The missions of Perfect Dark Zero are a non-stop cavalcade of run and gun action. If you ever wondered what it might be like to be a curvaceous secret mercenary agent, then Perfect Dark Zero provides the ideal opportunity for such an adventure. You play as Joanna Dark a new gun for hire that is learning the ropes alongside her father Jack Dark, and mission coordinator Chandra. Together they form a trio of specialist bounty hunters, who are draw into a cat-and-mouse game against the evil mega corporation, dataDyne. From this point the gameplay revolves around Joanna progressing her way across a 10-15 hour rampage of brazen warfare against the all-pervading corporate empire, while blowing up as much of the game's furnishings along the way.

However, that is pretty much it for Perfect Dark Zero's concept. I love a good narrative and from my perspective it is one of the critical points of difference for a title, which is positioned in a genre saturated by design complacency. Regrettably, Perfect Dark Zero really doesn't have much of a tale to tell, at least not one that is clearly articulated. The game plays on the basic premise of two spying factions shooting it out over land, air, and sea, with Joanna and her father teaming their way to victory (no this isn't a team based game, but some aid-and-assist missions do rear their frustrating heads i.e. that early sniping level). So, apart for a few - spot them from a mile away - twists, Perfect Dark Zero's plot is amazingly paper thin. As a result elements like presentation become exceedingly more crucial.

However, if there is one thing I can say about Perfect Dark Zero is that the game has an abundance of flare on. For example, one novelty that sticks to my mind is the artistic addition of the game's TPS trimmings. Interact with the environment around you (i.e. duck behind a crate, hide behind a wall, climb a ladder) and this signature move will fluidly reposition the gamer's perspective into a third person mode. It is a really nice feature and even from a cinematic point of view it helps to make laborious tasks, like taking cover, a pleasure to exercise. In addition, players will gain a more holistic view of the action and feel at ease to scale out enemies or targets. Mind you one drawback I experienced is that aiming in third-person-view is not an easy affair. I often found that once I had positioned my crosshairs, the moment I took the shot the aim would be off just enough to miss the target. This can be a little frustrating especially when the game's pace is helter-skelter, which it often is.

During missions you will also frequently receive radio chatter from mission coordinator Chandra (think Metal Gear Solid, but without the epic discussion) guiding you towards your next mission-goal and advising you of your current situation. It is a nice touch and helps players to feel as if they are apart of a covert operation. A guiding hand is also provided by the game's unique directional system, which I must admit came in handy a few times. When given a new objective and after several minutes of idle meandering, transparent blue arrows appear along the ground directing you towards your next way-point. And it's not blatant or jarring either, as you will often receive a communication from the mission coordinator advising you of the navigational update. The system is dynamic, also, and the direction of the arrows will change depending on your position within the environment. It is a really smart feature and elements like this help to make Perfect Dark Zero a very accessible game.

However, there are some aspects of Perfect Dark Zero that would make any old-hand quiver with frustration. The game's save/checkpoint system is a complete dog's breakfast. Players cannot save during missions, and checkpoints are frequently spaced too far apart with multiple objectives located in between. In addition, when you do reach a checkpoint you can't save up to that location. Turn your Xbox 360 off and it's back to the start of the level... again. This can be frustrating especially when you want to put the controller down for a while. Also, while some aspects of PD0 are very straightforward, some sections can be a little difficult to master. During the Jungle Fever chapter there was a section where I was required to battle it out with a number of enemies equipped with high powered weapons and jet packs. I had previously rescued an NPC and now had to protect them, myself, and maneuver our way past these formidable enemies. Needless to say Perfect Dark Zero's AI ensured that my companion frequently ran into the line of fire and got both of us killed in the process. I lost hours of gametime on this section and if there had of been a save option all could have been right with the world.

On this note, the AI of Perfect Dark Zero is a bit of a sore point. On the surface it looks adequate, but when characters, like my NPC companion above, blindly walk into spider mines and needlessly attract gun fire, or run away from gun fire when they should be ducking for cover (in reference to the game's multiplayer component), then one can only deduce that the game's AI is a little half baked. Mind you enemies will dodge about and call for backup, or call for attack when you are reloading your weapon, so this at least balances its deficiencies out a little.

On the plus side Perfect Dark Zero also provides a healthy dose of unlocakable content. As players progress throughout the game new weapons will become available for future selection upon the completion of each additional level. The weapons and secondary objectives that become available (influenced by the difficulty level chosen) will often persuade your approach to objective completion. Weapon selection can be a critical ingredient for completing each chapter. I found my efforts during the Jungle Storm portions of South America were futile without the aid of the RCP-90's infrared capabilities. And while the gameplay is far from realistic, the ability to select weapons that will have an influence on your ability to manage environmental conditions is a nice touch. Players can also dual wield pistols and to great advantage, too. For the first time in quite a while Perfect Dark Zero is a game that forces you to pick and chose your load-out with thought and not just mow down your opponents with a generic shotgun or M16. This certainly makes for a rewarding change.

And Perfect Dark Zero's arsenal is quite substantial. Players can experiment with an outstanding array of sub-machine guns, assault rifles, pistols, BFGs and explosives, as well as several inquisitive gadgets (my favorite being the locktopus, a universal lock-pick that operates by using multiple "tendrils"). Don't expect just one or two variants in each category either, because Perfect Dark Zero comes fully loaded with a collection of firepower large enough to make even Charlton Heston himself swell with delirium.

Perfect Dark Zero's theme is really conveyed through its visual tendencies of brute, yet stylish, action over literary substance. The game does look lovely, although for much of its "purdy" bobbles (the motion blur when panning is neat) one can't help but feel the conflict within rise. Yes, Perfect Dark Zero was in development for a long time. So, it has been through the Gamecube, Xbox, Xbox 360 roundabout and as such gamers might be forgiven for thinking they are looking at something not quite "next gen." Even though such an issue is incredibly subjective, certain visual issues do crop up; namely the "varnished" textures and some jaggies on the shadow-lighting (although I hadn't noticed them until the issue was pointed out to me by some eagle-eyed Xbox World members!).

The character models don't look particularly flattering either, although they are very nice, but if you have played games like Doom 3 and Far Cry on PC, then you would know what to expect –personified candle sticks. Mind you the game also looks utterly gorgeous in some parts. Environments look exceedingly gratifying and to use my South American example again (I think this level has been permanently scorched into my organic memory banks), the jungles are filled with beautiful foliage, streaming light, gentle mist, waterfalls, rivers, structures, and other authentic ambient textures. Overall the game looks gorgeous and it certainly isn't something you would witness on a last generation console.

Explosions also look grand however the game's physics is not overly exciting, although quite adequate. The cause-and-effect reality of Perfect Dark Zero feels more like Half Life 2 with a muzzle over its chops. Objects in the game just don't move like they should. In Half Life 2 you could run into tables and chairs and watch them roll all over the place, but in Perfect Dark Zero these items act as if they were made of stone. Yet, the small details, like watching your armor get ripped to shreds and other lively details such as enemies hurling their way across a room helps to make the game's physics interesting enough... just not quite as desired.

The audio of Perfect Dark Zero is incredibly strong. It vividly adds to the combustible environment that players are exposed to. With the resonating shatter of pelting gunfire, the zip of snipers clipping your ears, to the commands of enemies working their way toward your position (although some can sound a little repetitive) the game's aural direction is incredibly satisfying. More colourful is the game's soundtrack and interesting mix of techno beats (reminiscent of something from the TV series ALIAS), to the brass "Bonding" vibrato of secret agent accomplishments, and the locational flavoring of regions, is very enjoyable. The voice acting is satisfying to, but considering that the game doesn't really focus on narrative it never seems to come to the forefront, although it is still passable.

The multiplayer component of Perfect Dark Zero really is a comprehensive addition to the single player campaign itself. And yes it does have bots! Overall I was fairly satisfied with the multiplayer options of this game and spent many hours just playing various maps totally engrossed in being the last girl standing (err man, yeah that's it). Multiplayer comes is a variety of assorted flavors: deathmatch, killcount, team killcount, capture the flag, territorial gains, eradication, onslaught, infection, and sabotage. There are a few other variants, but otherwise Perfect Dark Zero has a wide selection of multiplayer modes (with cooperative play) available and each are exceedingly fun. Combat during multiplayer is also remarkably more frantic than the single player campaign itself. I found there was a slight learning curve of about half an hour, and once in full swing I was dual wielding my way to stardom... well, in my own special way that is. The use of Joanna's roll and melee attacks became quite useful during multiplayer, especially on the tighter maps (i.e. the subway). In fact, things get so fast and frantic that standing still makes for a certain respawn encounter. Apart for some really odd death animations the multiplayer component of Perfect Dark Zero is quite enjoyable.