GoldenEye 007 N64 remaster could finally be released for Xbox soon

- The HD remaster of N64 classic GoldenEye 007 could finally be made available to Xbox console owners soon.

Achievements for the game have recently appeared on Microsoft's servers, giving the best indication yet that the game is set for release on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

Previously, employees of original developer Rare had progress in a HD port of the much-loved shooter tracked online. And it was revealed beforehand that an original attempt to revive the game for the Xbox 360 had failed.

Now it seems Microsoft has managed to cut through the legal red tape that had prevented the game from a rerelease all these years.

First released for the N64 in 1997, GoldenEye 007 became an instant hit for its clever FPS campaign and, more importantly, split-screen multiplayer mode. It is considered by some as one of the best shooters of all time, if not the best game overall.

But, due to different rights over Bond and Bond games being held by multiple licensees, it has never been successfully released for another platform. A new game - GoldenEye 007: Reloaded - hit shelves in 2011, but was nowhere near as good.

The failed Xbox 360 remastered version of the original did leak online not too long ago, but that version never made it to a full consumer release.

Writing by Rik Henderson.

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MultiVersus: Maddening Local Multiplayer Mode

Warner Bros. Games’ MultiVersus officially launched in open beta this week. The game has received a significant amount of attention since, even ranking as the most played fighting game on Steam. However, there are some significant flaws in the game. Chief amongst them is the terrible support for MultiVersus local multiplayer gameplay.

MultiVersus is a straight-up Super Smash Bros. clone. Just like last year’s well received Nickelodeon All Star Brawl, MultiVersus never once tries to shy away from the fact that it is simply applying a new cast of characters to a very familiar template. The difference here of course, is that MultiVersus is a free-to-play title, including ‘premium’ editions, Battle Passes and all that jazz.

Of course, unlockable characters and stages is par for the course. The same exists in both full price and free-to-play titles. There’s some debate about the lengths players have to go to in order to earn new rewards in MultiVersus, but that’s an article for another time. One of the key issues however, is a lack of any rewards for local multiplayer matches. Which certainly is worth discussing here.

The local multiplayer in MultiVersus feels like an afterthought. It’s true that Warner Bros. Games needs to recoup their investment, and as such dolling out rewards in local multiplayer (wherein, technically, someone could play against controllers without anyone behind them) could well dampen that ability. However, a better plan should’ve been thought-out long before launch. As it stands, there are no rewards for local multiplayer matches. None whatsoever – and that includes progression in your Battle Pass or daily missions.

How to Play MultiVersus Local Multiplayer

This however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Even gaining access to the MultiVersus local multiplayer is a frustrating exercise at present. In order to access it, you must go through the following steps:

On the Main Menu, hit the Play Button
Scroll to Custom on the tabs at the top of the screen
Select Local Play

Sounds simple enough? In practice, it a strange button press heavy process. Especially when you consider that, on the main menu, there already is a ‘Custom Game’ function, yet this doesn’t grant the ability to switch to local multiplayer! It’s almost as if the design team new they had to offer MultiVersus local multiplayer, but wanted to push it to the back as far as they could in the hopes we all forget about it.

And the pain doesn’t stop here. Once you’ve managed to find the right places to access and set-up your MultiVersus local multiplayer match, you must ensure you have an even number of players present. That’s even when playing in Free For All mode! There’s no allowance of bots, despite being present in online modes. No mixture of local and online players in a single match. You’re simply allowed two or four local players; never three.

With MultiVersus performing well currently, and from what has been seen so far offering a decent enough Super Smash Bros. clone, we certainly hope Warner Bros. Games will look into fixing these issues sooner rather than later. What’re your thoughts on MultiVersus local multiplayer? Have you been stumped by the game? Noticed any issues we neglected to mention? Let us know in the comments below!

Saints Row's Frenetic Opening Hours Are a Sign of Good Things to Come - Gameplay

As you'll likely already know, Saints Row is effectively a reboot for Volition's offbeat open world crime saga, which the studio claims is slightly more serious in tone, being not nearly as batshit crazy as Saints Row: The Third and Saints Row IV. I can confirm that is most definitely the case based on our hands-on experience. That's not to say that it's not as suitably off-the-wall as ever, but it's grounded in a relative sense of realism, more so than the previous two games. And by grounded, I don't mean that is a gritty crime drama - it's still very much the Fast & Furious of video games, in as much as it provides the same brand of big dumb fun and overblown set pieces you'd expect from the series.

In fact, the most impressive thing about the opening few hours is the sheer diversity of set pieces – one minute you'll be climbing on the back of a jet and shooting bad guys, the next you'll be racing through the desert directly into a sandstorm while jumping from car to car, then firing rockets at rival gang members from the roof of a car. Later, you'll be shooting up a museum with a minigun (unintentionally, of course), with scant regard for the priceless antiquities you're shredding to pieces with your bullets. Each mission has its own unique hook, and if the rest of the game can keep up with that breakneck pace, it should be an immensely fun way to while away a good few hours next month.

It helps that the shooting is still enormously gratifying and robust (and fun), as is the loose arcade-style driving model. And while it’s not going to win an Oscar for best story, or be in the running for Game of the Year, there’s one thing that Saints Row seemingly has nailed… it's fun. Incredibly, unapologetically fun. Did we mention that it's fun yet?

While there’s nothing necessarily new or overly innovative to report in terms of game mechanics, based on what we've played thus far, the stuff that we’re most excited about is the 'build your own empire' aspect of the game, which was sadly out of bounds for our hands-on. We can only hope that the empire-building part of Saints Row is deep and involving. What I can report is that Saints Row has dialled back the more unhinged characteristics of the latest entries, adopting a tone closer to Saints Row 2, while still retaining the deliriously entertaining gameplay. If it can keep that up through the duration of its narrative, and open-world dalliances, then I have no doubt it'll bring a smile to players' faces when it launches next month. Also, shoving a grenade down someone’s pants and then throwing him at enemies never gets old. Ah, the 'pineapple express' move – it's destined to become a classic.

You can take a look at the variety of activities you can expect in Saints Row, when it launches on 23rd August, in our 23-minute gameplay video embedded above. It looks like crime does pay, after all.

Saints Row's Frenetic Opening Hours Are a Sign of Good Things to Come - Gameplay | XboxAchievements.com

GoldenEye 007 N64 remaster could finally be released for Xbox soon

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MultiVersus: Maddening Local Multiplayer Mode

How to Play MultiVersus Local Multiplayer

Saints Row's Frenetic Opening Hours Are a Sign of Good Things to Come - Gameplay

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