Classic Rare games are seeing a resurgence on modern consoles. The original Donkey Kong Country trilogy was added to Nintendo Switch Online in 2020. Banjo-Kazooie will also be added to its N64 library as part of the Expansion Pack subscription tier, following up the titular duo becoming a DLC fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Just yesterday, Xbox One achievements for a GoldenEye 007 remaster appeared online, and with all this activity it's a shame to not see Perfect Dark get some love.
The first Perfect Dark released for N64 in 2000, giving Rare another successful first-person shooter franchise after GoldenEye 007 in 1997. It had some longevity, with the prequel Perfect Dark Zero releasing in 2005 for Xbox 360 after Microsoft purchased Rare. Now Microsoft seems to be banking on the IP as something capable of changing the industry at large: it announced a Perfect Dark reboot at The Game Awards 2020 helmed by The Initiative; described as a "AAAA" studio. With much of Rare's older catalog coming back, it would make sense for the original Perfect Dark to get a remaster before this ambitious reboot hits shelves.
Perfect Dark is Rare's FPS With the Greatest Potential
There is still a possibility that Perfect Dark could be added to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Microsoft has been open about letting Rare's work stay in the Nintendo ecosystem, as with the aformentioned Donkey Kong Country trilogy and Banjo-Kazooie. It would be difficult to imagine GoldenEye 007 releasing via Nintendo Switch Online since the deal would also have to go through James Bond's IP owners, including Eon Productions and MGM given GoldenEye is a movie tie-in game.
Perfect Dark would have fewer hoops to jump through, and could slot in as a potential Switch Online release alongside Rare classics such as Diddy Kong Racing. Protagonist Joanna Dark has become something of an icon for fans of the franchise, and is a female lead who stands out from an earlier age of game development with Samus Aran or Lara Croft. The Perfect Dark reboot is being assisted by Crystal Dynamics, known for its work on the modern Tomb Raider games, which makes this comparison even more apt.
However, the franchise's cult status deserves more than just a re-release on Nintendo Switch Online, which has been criticized for less-than perfect emulation. GoldenEye 007 potentially receiving a remaster suggests there is still a hunger for fifth-generation console shooters, and while Joanna Dark is not as recognizable as James Bond, her original game did benefit from years of development following GoldenEye. With a fresh coat of paint over its sci-fi setting and updated controls, beyond what was possible when it received a remaster on Xbox 360 in 2010, Perfect Dark would be a great to bring back.
A Perfect Dark Remaster Would Benefit The Initiative's Reboot
Though Perfect Dark deserves a remaster in its own right, putting out such a project would also benefit Microsoft's push for The Initiative's reboot. Perfect Dark's 2010 remaster is the latest title to release, meaning this series has missed two entire console generations (discounting Xbox's push for backward compatibility). Franchises like The Last of Us and Horizon Zero Dawn have risen to prominance in that time, offering plenty more iconic female protagonists; meanwhile others like God of War and Doom have seen comprehensive reboots to keep their characters in the public consciousness.
What was originally Rare's Perfect Dark series has not been so lucky, and it's easy to imagine a substantial sect of video game fans today might not know anything about the N64 original or Microsoft's prequel. While The Initiative's Perfect Dark reboot has enough intrigue to stand out on its own, those who remembered those original games undoubtedly got more out of its announcement. Giving more people the opportunity to try Joanna Dark's previous ventures would go a long way to establishing Perfect Dark as a blockbuster franchise again, so a remaster appealing to modern sensibilities would be perfect.