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As the Nintendo 64 release schedule finally starts to build up a head of steam, one of the original titles announced for the system has finally found its way into the homes of N64 owners everywhere. Hardly what you'd consider a timely release, GoldenEye is based on the most recent James Bond film of the same name.

Although GoldenEye is yet another 3D corridor shooter for the N64, it actually has a little more depth than its brethren. This is accomplished by having specific objectives in each mission, almost none of which are the simple "destroy everything that moves" directives we've all become accustomed to. Many of the missions are covert, so you'll find you have to avoid the security cameras and make good use of your silencer. Whether they be search and destroy, recon, or simply escapes, 007 stays fresh by never having you do the same thing twice. Players also has a bit of freedom as to what they want to do in any given situation, and what order the directives are completed in.

Controls are basically the same as Doom and Hexen, use the analog stick to move, yellow buttons to look and strafe, and the trigger to fire. The frame rate is silky smooth, and while the graphics are the same N64 style we've been seeing for a while now, the good news is that the infamous fog effect is almost non-existent. I can't say how happy this makes me, as you can see for a great distance in all directions.

The sound is, well, decent. While the Bond atmosphere is there, the cartridge music just doesn't do it justice. Aside from that, the effects and voices are all very nice, and the music really doesn't hurt the game on the whole.

Overall, GoldenEye, while being a good corridor shooter, is a corridor shooter, nonetheless. I have no problem with Nintendo releasing quality games, but I think it's time they expand the horizons of the system a little. However, 007 does get credit for being the first game in its genre to finally rid itself of the crutch called 'fog'. All in all a very nice product, worthy of purchase.