Perfect Dark Zero sequel on the way?

by Richard Mitchell { Apr 11th 2007 at 4:30PM }

Seems like a good day for rumors springing from magazines, so why not add one more? This one comes to us courtesy of the Official Xbox Magazine. It seems that a recent press release regarding the next novel in the Perfect Dark series also mentioned a forthcoming sequel to the game itself. Given that Perfect Dark is really one of the only existing Rare IPs that Microsoft can leverage (Donkey Kong is out for obvious reasons), it makes sense that they would be gunning for a sequel. Perfect Dark Zero suffered from more than a few issues, no doubt brought on by a monstrous development cycle that saw the game jump from Gamecube to Xbox to Xbox 360 (the same thing that happened to Kameo, by the way). Considering these previous issues, a sequel designed from the ground up for the 360 is just what the doctor ordered. Still, with Halo 3 coming out later this year and a Gears of War sequel presumably falling in 2008, we wonder where Perfect Dark would fit.

For our two cents, we'd rather see a great sequel to Kameo, as the 360 is woefully short of decent platformers. At any rate, a sequel to Perfect Dark is all but assured. The only question is when.

Tags: microsoft game studios, MicrosoftGameStudios, pd0, pdz, perfect dark, perfect dark zero, PerfectDark, PerfectDarkZero, rare, rare studios, RareStudios

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Colin @ Apr 11th 2007 4:46PM

please god no anything but perfect dark

jacobmarsh @ Apr 11th 2007 4:58PM

please don't make this game

Tony @ Apr 11th 2007 5:15PM

PDZ's multiplayer wasn't bad. Normally I'd be really negative about this, but Rare's last game, Viva Pinata, was excellent. Sure, it's totally different, but at least there's somewhat of an upswing... seemingly.

I'd rather hear more about Banjo Kazooie than another Kameo, though.

Jack the Ripper @ Apr 11th 2007 5:24PM

Another Kameo would be fantastic. I have zero interest in the Joanna Dark character, and find her to be more of a pompous, murderous ass than someone I can empathize with and support.

Jason Seely @ Apr 11th 2007 5:37PM

i'd buy it

smfera @ Apr 11th 2007 6:35PM

Why oh why does no one bring up the most obvious Rare title that needs to be developed for the 360- Killer Instinct? I've been expecting the announcement of KI360 for years now. It is still Rare's IP, so why are they not developing this right now?

Imagine that- a good first-party fighting game on the 360? What's the delay?

Surreal @ Apr 11th 2007 6:50PM

I don't get all this PDZ bashing. I'm definitely looking forward for a sequel.

360 rulez @ Apr 11th 2007 7:02PM

Perfect Dark was bad-ass in the N64 era. If they want to start from the ground up and build a sequel worthy of taking a look at.. I'm all for it. Perfect Dark Zero kept me entertained for a launch title. A better control scheme.. better storyline, better A.I. and physics... hell bring it on. I thought the weapons with secondary functions where awesome. I would love to see a more polished sequel. I could see a fun multi-player game come out of the series if development stayed strictly to the 360 and not be carried over like it was from Gamecube, xbox, and xbox 360.

J.Goodwin @ Apr 11th 2007 7:10PM

How are you getting a good first party fighting title by sequeling Killer Instinct?

The guys who didn't give a shit about the games anymore at Rare are gone, things are looking up for all of their future products.

andres 360 @ Apr 11th 2007 7:14PM

Kameo sequel please!

I liked the first one, and it had issues too. But the LOTR-style battles were absolutely awesome. With a little more 360 experience I'm sure they can make an amazing sequel.

Boff @ Apr 11th 2007 7:26PM

Will it be called Perfect Dark One ;o)

James Sullivan @ Apr 11th 2007 8:13PM

I thought the Perfect Dark Zero game on the Xbox 360 was AWESOME, and I still think it is AWESOME!

Perfect Dark Zero was rated high by many websites and received many awards. For example, Perfect Dark Zero received the Gamespot Editor's Choice award, which is something no other Playstation 3 game accomplished for six months until Elder Scrolls 4 was released, and the funny thing was that Elder Scrolls 4 on the PS3 still wasn't rated as high as the Xbox 360 version, and it doesn't include all of the extra downloads the Xbox 360 version does.

Perfect Dark Zero includes one of the best Online Co-Op modes available for any game; it is in the same league as Gears of War in that respect. The part where you are Joanna Dark, and the other player controls Jack Dark, her father, is awesome, because you need to provide Jack with cover from a high building while he runs through several very difficult spots in the game. It is INCREDIBLY FUN!

The first game in the series was for the N64 game syste, while Perfect Dark "Zero" has that name because it is "prequel" to the original; it takes places before the storyline in the original N64 version.

This new Perfect Dark game would be called "Perfect Dark 2," because it would be taking placed AFTER the original N64 version of the game.

Perfect Dark 2 is going to be AWESOME!

I actually use the image of the scientist, Dr. Ziegler, for my Xbox Live profile, and I have a Perfect Dark Zero Theme for my Xbox 360 Dashboard.

Nintendo may have worked with Rare to create Donkey Kong, and a couple other ones, but there are PLENTY of Rare Intellectual Property franchises that could be placed on the Xbox 360. Rare owns more Intellectual Property franchises than just about every other company in the game industry. And I want to make it clear that Rare has FULL legal access to ALL of them, except for those few created while working with Nintendo in the 1990's.

For example, games like R.C. Pro Am, made for the original NES system, could be put on the Xbox 360, and I think that would be GREAT!

Kameo: Elements of Power is also a great game, and I wouldn't mind a sequel to that one, too. But, I think if Rare was going to make a platform game, it would be better to design a new platform game--something that could include four-player action.

Perfect Dark 2 is one that is going to draw a LOT of attention, because the Perfect Dark franchise is a killer-app franchise that sells systems!

NeverSage @ Apr 11th 2007 8:29PM

@Boff

Well played :)

"Perfect Dark Zero suffered from more than a few issues, no doubt brought on by a monstrous development cycle that saw the game jump from Gamecube to Xbox to Xbox 360"

Ironically Mitchell uses the word "jump". I better be able to do that in the sequel.

heritic-falcon @ Apr 11th 2007 8:52PM

perfect dark zero was a prequel, therefore a sequel would have to be the original perfect dark, so really it would be a threequel.....perfect dark 2.
hell id buy it for the multiplayer alone.

Brandon Johnson @ Apr 11th 2007 9:32PM

I wouldn't mind a true sequel to the N64 Perfect Dark if anything it had way better weapons and items than PDZ.

Luis @ Apr 11th 2007 10:18PM

Forget a new Kameo! Bring on Banjo-Threeie!

Archangel004 @ Apr 11th 2007 11:51PM

Give me KI for the 360 NOW!!!! come on microsoft we know you can make it now so just do it, it was the best rare property in my opinion. I always loved that game and I am getting tired of trying to emulate the arcade version of KI2 with my crappy PC... at the very least release a perfect arcade version of 2 on the marketplace and I'll buy that for now.

Here is my money just let me buy it already!

superbagman @ Apr 12th 2007 12:13AM

Yeah, PD0 was pretty weak compared to the original...and, well almost every FPS I've played in the last 5 years. But online that game rocked, 32 players online was insane. There are almost no games on Live that support that many players (most of the clancy games only support up to 16).

mattclarkie @ Apr 12th 2007 5:20AM

Perfect Dark Zero wasn't a great game, but it was definately good enough to warrant a sequel. If you consider it was a launch game, and had been rebuilt 3 times, they did quite a good job on it, and the multiplayer was really fun. I would play it more, but I got a bum disc.

mattclarkie @ Apr 12th 2007 5:24AM

Oh, and the whole prequel- sequel thing by heritic-falcon

So the sequel to Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace was Star Wars Episode IV, A New Hope. I think not.

You can still have a sequel that is a prequel.

Viridium @ Apr 12th 2007 8:41AM

I agree that there's too many shooters on the 360 now. If they *have* to do a sequel, may as well try Kameo instead. Just try not to make it suck as much ass as the first Kameo game.

mike @ Apr 12th 2007 12:20PM

Im playing cameo now (bought it for $9.99), and its crap. Im almost done the game after 4 hours of playing. I dont know how anyone could think these simple puzzles are fun? NO KAMEO SEQUEL.

NOW PDZ I bought at launch and was a great game. people did not like it because they were expecting it to be similar to PD64. I consider PDZ has just a shooter, not even related to PD64. When you look at it like that, it looks much better. To date it is still the best multiplayer for the 360. Although I have moved onto gears of war, PDZ still wins in terms of sheer options, game modes and overall fun. No other game on 360 has been able to touch it in the online shooter department in terms of options (until halo 3 of course).

People need to give PDZ more credit then they should. And dont forget the game was rushed for launch. A sequel would be most welcome.