Back in 2020, a new Perfect Dark game was revealed. Today at the Xbox Games Showcase, we got the first look at gameplay for the upcoming reboot. The new gameplay trailer released today gave us hints to secret agent Joanna Dark’s mission, showed us her descent into the game’s near-future Cairo setting, and then gave us a tantalizing glimpse of the all-new secret agent-inspired gameplay.
Perfect Dark will be a first-person, single-player secret agent thriller in the near future. Team Perfect Dark consisting of The Initiative, Crystal Dynamics, and other partners got the blessing of the original studio, Rare and pulled inspiration from the elements of the first two games, but crafted an entirely new story and universe around them for this reboot.
The game’s single-player experience, with a set of missions will able to be tackled the way the player wants. Traversal and gadgets will play a big role with new parkour abilities available for both movement and combat. The developers wanted to create a new, intuitive movement that would let players find interesting ways to tackle the objectives. The combat system allows for both melee and gunplay plus the game features stealth mechanics and liberal use of gadgets. Team Perfect Dark didn’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.
Some of the gadgets Johanna Dark will use this time around includes one that can analyze NPC voices and create vocal “deepfakes” to trick security or impersonate other characters, as well as create distractions. Gadgets can be used for misdirection and manipulation but Johanna can also use a tool to scan NPCs and learn details about them. Team Perfect Dark says that looking around the world is key on how players can tackle their objectives.
Regarding combat, Team Perfect Dark wants to create a “symphony” of mechanics, merging traversal, close-quarters-combat, gunplay, unlockable abilities, environmental elements, and gadgets into a unified experience for players, giving them the freedom to engage however they want.