Perfect Dark Zero

The year: 2020. Joanna Dark, a young and ambitious would-be secret agent, tumbles into the first of many conspiracies which are to cast a long shadow across her future. In this life-changing episode, Joanna and her father Jack find themselves swept up in the wake of circumstances which, if left unchecked, could set in motion a worldwide power struggle of devastating proportions. As Joanna faces up to impossible situations, grim revelations and motives as cold and black as death, her life rapidly boils down to a single question: can Fate erase two generations of the Dark clan from history overnight, or can they stay alive long enough to help save a world that may not be worth saving?

If you were one of the millions of gamers for whom the original Perfect Dark's blend of high-tech espionage, corporate powerplay and brutal, showstopping force left a lasting impression, step into the world of Perfect Dark Zero and get ready to be grabbed by the throat. This inspired prequel invites you to see how Joanna grew to be the Perfect Agent of three years later, how an insidious, shifting world moulded her into a near-unstoppable covert one-woman force. Of course, just seeing it wouldn't be much of a game, so you're also offered the opportunity to play an important part in her destiny, to take on the role of Jo herself in an increasingly desperate fight for survival...

With key members of the Perfect Dark and GoldenEye development teams still at the reins, you can rest assured that the gameplay will live up to Rare veterans' expectations while providing a perfect jump-in point for newcomers. It's an all-encompassing stealth/shooter experience lifted to new heights by the compelling storyline, myriad game modes, high-definition next-gen graphics and of course an eye-popping selection of firearms, rides and lethal gadgetry.

In fact the advent of Xbox Live has freed up more gameplay options than ever before, so in addition to battling the spawn of endless conspiracies on your lonesome or huddling around the TV for split-screen deathmatching with friends that you can actually punch, you can also look forward to a wealth of online modes ranging from quick fixes to full-blown tournaments, offering support for up to 32 simultaneous combatants. It's a big thing. It's the future. And Perfect Dark Zero is all about the future.

As a flagship next-generation title for Microsoft, this little beauty is being primed and polished to blow the roof off this year's holiday season on behalf of the debutante Xbox 360. We're all very much looking forward to the fireworks. It's been a long wait for a new instalment in the PD saga, but we never gave up on Joanna, and on your first experience of Perfect Dark Zero we're confident that your faith will be rewarded too.

Last updated on August 14, 2015