To play this game is a golden opportunity
For those that don't know the story, it's about MI6 agent James Bond on a mission to find General Orumov, who has been selling weapons on the black market. Orumov I also in possession a deadly weapon called the goldeneye satellite which Bond must destroy. Like the N64 game, Goldeneye has an emphasis on stealth, however you can run and gun like in Call of Duty, but I don't recommend it. The game is difficult even when played on easy. Enemies will flank you from every corner and dive for cover when you attack. You come armed with a Walther P99 and suppressor and can carry up to two other weapons. Some other weapons have silencers as well, and while they don't do as much damage, they are still reliable. There are four different difficulty levels, and the harder the difficulty you choose, the more objectives you have to complete. There is also a classic mode for fans of the original. In this mode, your health does not regenerate, and you need to find armor vests to protect yourself. Outside of combat, you will also have a smart phone made for hacking, taking pictures for MI6, and scanning. It's a good break up from all the action.
There are also vehicle missions, which is a rarity for a Wii shooter. The one stand out mission, however, is the tank mission. In this mission, you drive a tank through St. Petersburg and get to wreak havoc. Another fun vehicle mission has you riding on a motor cycle while trying to catch a plane. While pursuing the plane, you have to gun down other riders that are trying to hinder your progress.
Goldeneye succeeds in providing a true James Bond experience not only through its campaign, but it's actors as well. Daniel Craig does a fantastic job portraying James Bond along with Judi Dench as M. Even Rory Kinnear portrays Bill Tanner. Some people may argue that Pierce Bronson should have portrayed Bond, but regardless the acting was great.
Graphically, it's pretty impressive. Characters are well designed and weather effects look great. However, the frame rate does drop when the action really gets going. It is, however, one of the best looking third party titles in the Wii.
Unlike most Wii shooters, Goldeneye supports the classic controller pro. You can play with the Wii remote and nunchuck if you really want accuracy. It also has a lean function not found in the CCP. If you move the nunchuck sideways to either side, Bond will lean in that direction. However, I feel the CCP is smoother, so I prefer it over the Wii remote and nunchuck.
Outside of the campaign is split screen and online multiplayer. In splitscreen there is a plethora of characters and weapons to choose from. You can also choose modern and classic game modes as well as modifiers such as paintball and melee only. There is also 8 person online multiplayer with gameplay similar to Call of Duty. There are kill streaks, load-outs, and accolades (think Xbox 360 achievements). You also have to play to unlock weapons. The online does suffer from occasional lag, and the lack of a hos migration system is a bummer, but overall the multiplayer is a blast local and online.
Goldeneye is a fantastic shooter, and a great example of a great Wii third party title. It's the kind of game that Wii owners and James Bond fans will enjoy despite its flaws.