Decades later, people look to Nintendo 64's GoldenEye 007 as one of the greatest first-person shooters of all time. Its single-player campaign is based on the titular film. To say that a GoldenEye 007 mission is difficult is debatable. It depends on the difficulty you are playing, and if it is a speedrun or casual playthrough. 00 Agent, the most challenging base setting, adds additional objectives and increases enemy damage. The 00 Agent difficulty hits you like a brick wall as you struggle to cover against incoming fire.
This critically acclaimed game is nothing short of spectacular. Oddly, boxes and chairs explode when they are shot, but we wouldn't want it any other way. A popular way to complete the game, on LTK 007 mode with all settings maxed except Enemy Health, is almost impossible. With many ways to play the game, which mission is the hardest overall?
10 Cradle
"Finish the job, James — if you can." This one line from GoldenEye 007 sums up the experience of the level. Alec Trevelyan, the video game's elusive antagonist, plays a game of cat and mouse with James Bond in this final mission.
Trevelyan deploys every henchman possible at James Bond while trying to escape. With enemies wielding dual SMGs and Trevelyan shooting a US AR33 Assault Rifle, this is one of the game's hardest missions.
9 Egyptian
If you are one of the people who find the secret bonus mission Egyptian difficult, we don't blame you since it can be quite tricky. Egyptian is based on the James Bond movies The Spy Who Loved Me and The Man with the Golden Gun, with the hidden Golden Gun based on the latter.
The mission's difficulty is attributed to the rather strange puzzle you must complete to obtain the Golden Gun. Here, you must battle Baron Samedi, after he lures you into a trap.
8 Depot
Depot is dark and confusing to navigate, making it one of the most difficult missions in GoldenEye 007. You can find weapons like the Rocket Launcher, KF7 Soviet, and D5K Deutsche.
The location is taken over by a crime syndicate with illegal arms dealings. Even with all that firepower, a plethora of enemies makes Depot a challenge. Interestingly enough, whether you kill the guards at the end of the mission or let them live triggers a cutscene showing James Bond doing the former or the latter.
7 Jungle
The last place you want to be stuck is in a humid jungle while caught amid an all-out firefight. Jungle is one of the most chaotic maps in GoldenEye 007.
The mission requires you to fight Xenia Onatopp, one of the few bosses contained in the game. The Jungle map makes it challenging to pinpoint enemies when they are firing from behind shrubs and trees. At least you get heavy weaponry to help complete mission objectives.
6 Train
After finishing the grueling Depot mission, you find yourself on a fast-moving train headed for destruction. Alec Trevelyan holds Natalya hostage in a room on the train. You'll have to destroy the brakes and rescue Natayla, all before the train explodes.
Keep in mind that on 00 Agent, enemies withstand more bullets and have improved AI. The first two rooms alone are arduous shootouts. You'll likely fail the first time you attempt this mission because almost nobody expects you to shoot the guy in green. You probably will aim for Xenia or do nothing, which will result in Natalya being shot.
5 Silo
Silo is either the easiest or one of the hardest missions. It depends on if you play it on the Agent or 00 Agent difficulty. As soon as you start the mission, you are racing against the launch of GoldenEye satellites.
On the 00 Agent difficulty, you'll have to obtain circuit boards and fight against enemies while minimizing scientist casualties. You'll also face General Ourumov and his guards. The challenge of Silo is attributed to the timer and placement of enemies. Memorize enemy locations, and it should be a breeze.
4 Caverns
The map is not too bad once you get a feel for its design. At first, Caverns can be an overwhelming mission to complete. Like many other 00 Agent missions, it requires achieving many primary objectives to beat the mission successfully.
The dark atmosphere of Caverns can be offputting, but if you stay persistent, you can get your way through Caverns.
3 Bunker 2
The second time you enter the Bunker, you are locked in a prison cell and have to escape the underground complex. Surprisingly, the easiest part is escaping the jail cell without a key. Defeating the armed guard is a breeze, but it's the henchmen waiting outside with KF7 Soviets (yeah, the pencil gun) that makes it a challenge.
If completing this mission on the 00 Agent difficulty setting, you'll need to compare staff/casualty lists, recover a CCTV tape, disable all security appears, recover a GoldenEye operations manual, and escape safely with Natayla. It's a tall order in a congested area, which is why it's considered a tough mission.
2 Control
Many people's first instinct would be to say that Control is the most challenging mission in the game. It's not a stretch to say that since you have to protect Natalya while she reprograms the GoldenEye satellites.
Numerous guards rush in from all areas of the room, leaving Natalya exposed for a significant amount of time. The alarm sounds, and the mission becomes chaotic as you desperately try to beat the clock while defending against Jungle Commandos.
1 Aztec
The Aztec complex is a profoundly confusing place to navigate and is considered the most difficult mission in GoldenEye 007. The enemies have more firepower than any other mission. Some guards carry dual Moonraker Lasers, and the mission contains one troubling boss fight.
Aztec's boss, Jaws, first appeared in the film The Spy Who Loved Me. He also appears in this GoldenEye 007 bonus mission while wielding dual US AR33 Assault Rifles. Jaws can withstand approximately 15 Moonraker Laser headshots before being defeated. Aztec is undoubtedly the game's most difficult mission.