Fans of superspy Joanna Dark have been wondering what form the heroine’s next adventure would take ever since it was announced that Microsoft was planning aPerfect Darkreboot, and now a new job posting from Crystal Dynamics may provide some hints. Well known for its iconicTomb Raiderfranchise,Crystal Dynamics is co-developing thePerfect Darkrebootalongside Microsoft’s new first-party studio, The Initiative.
ThePerfect Darkfranchise began life as a spiritual successor toRare’s legendaryGoldenEye 007.Released for the Nintendo 64 in 2000,Perfect Darkkept the tight controls and acclaimed gunplay ofGoldenEye 007while adding in a slew of high-tech gadgets for players to use in the game’s then-futuristic sci-fi world of 2023. The stylish shooter was praised by many critics and players upon release and is regarded by somePerfect Darkfans as one of the best games of its era. AlthoughPerfect Darkwould go on to receive a sequel for the Xbox 360 and a remastered release in 2010, the game never quite managed to achieve the same level of lasting acclaim asGoldenEye 007.
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A new job posting for a Lead Gameplay Animator atPerfect Darkco-developer Crystal Dynamics provides some insight into what the developer may have in store for fans of the franchise when the game is released. Specifically noting that the position is forPerfect Dark, the posting states that the Lead Gameplay Animator will play a major role in bringing the title to life. While the work history requested of applicants mostly consists of generalized tasks that would be expected for any such high-level development role, some requirements strongly suggest the reboot may stray from the series' traditionally first-person past. In addition to the expected experience working on first-person titles, the job listing states that the developer wants someone with “deep gameplay knowledge” about third-person gameplay, traversal, and melee combat.
Knowing that the game could feature third-person sections may cause some gamers to have flashbacks to the tepidly receivedXbox 360 launch titlePerfect Dark Zero, but it doesn’t mean that a complete perspective shift is in store for gamers. With traversal gameplay and melee combat becoming fairly common in first-person shooters, these job requirements may simply indicate that thePerfect Darkreboot could play similarly to some of its peers. Additionally, while predecessorPerfect Dark Zeroalso featured third-person gameplay, it wisely limited the change in perspective to when players were in cover.
Regardless of what form it takes whenever it finally arrives,thePerfect Darkreboot probably won’t be released any time soonaccording to some recent reports. And while it’s unlikely that anyPerfect Darkreboot would ever be able to please every fan of the series, at least this job posting shows that the developers are willing to take some risks as they seek to revitalize the franchise.
Perfect Darkis currently in development.
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