Xbox’s new Perfect Dark project has been one of the biggest outstanding questions this generation. In development for around six years at new “AAAA” studio The Initiative, with Crystal Dynamics pitching in to help since 2021, the new Perfect Dark has largely remained sequestered in the shadows, and we’ve received multiple concerning reports the project is in a “rough state.”
Well, today during the Xbox Games Showcase we got a first look at the new Perfect Dark in action, and it seems like it’s actually coming together fairly well. Of course, this is likely just a small vertical slice of the game, and the full project could still have its share of problems, but it seems like The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics at least laid down a solid foundation of what the game should be.
A first-person adventure, the Perfect Dark footage starts with some Hitman-esque stealth, followed by some Mirror’s Edge-style parkour. Finally, the footage culminates in some shooting, which looks too incorporate both the ability to take cover and use various gadgets, like tasers. Check out the Perfect Dark footage for yourself, below.
Looking fairly promising! Here’s a bit more detail about how the new Perfect Dark will play out…
“Perfect Dark is a first-person secret agent thriller in a near-future world. With the blessing of the original studio, Rare (not to mention some of the leads from the original titles), Team Perfect Dark has pulled inspiration from elements of the first two games, but crafted an entirely new story and universe around them for this reboot.
At the widest level, Perfect Dark will be a single-player experience, with a set of missions – but with choices offered in how you complete those missions. Looking at the trailer, it’s clear that traversal and gadgets are a huge part of this – we see new parkour abilities used throughout, both for movement and combat. The developers tell me that the focus was on creating an intuitive movement system, which will let players find interesting ways to tackle their objectives. Add to that a combat system that allows for both melee and gunplay, stealth mechanics, and liberal use of gadgets, and Perfect Dark is a game that will present players with an objective, but let them figure out how they want to achieve it.
Team Perfect Dark doesn’t want this to feel like any one genre – it takes in elements of first-person shooters, immersive sims, and stealth-action, but blends them into a seamless whole. The goal is to offer a true secret agent fantasy – and letting players use their various tools and abilities in the way they want is key to this.”
Perfect Dark is coming to PC and Xbox Series X/S. A release window has not been specified. What do you think? Excited for the return of Joanna?
