There are few video games out there in the wild that nearly all of us can agree are pretty much perfect, but they do exist. Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Grand Theft Auto V - all shining gems that are near-impervious to any and all criticism, for better or worse. I would also humbly suggest that Rare's genre-defining first person shooter GoldenEye 007 deserves a spot on that list, and I doubt that suggestion would get much pushback.
The N64 Bond outing always has itself a guaranteed spot in any list counting down the console's best offerings, and even made our own list detailing what the GAMINGbible team reckons are the 13 most essential Nintendo titles of all time. While GoldenEye 007 has always been adored for its four-person multiplayer mayhem first and foremost, it also boasted a challenging, cinematic single-player campaign that's not to be sniffed at, and it's this part of the game that is the focus of an extensive, gorgeous fan project.
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GoldenEye 25, so named because it's planned to release in time for the original game's 25th anniversary in August 2022, is an ambitious undertaking by 3D artist Ben Colclough. His goal is to remake the N64 classic's entire campaign in Unreal Engine 4, applying shiny new HD visuals and enhanced textures and effects while preserving the map layout, gameplay, and general essence of the original game.
Colclough released a short preview of the Facility level back in 2018, but this time he's shared a much more extensive look at the project, and it's coming along beautifully. See for yourself in the video below, which takes us through the Silo map all the way up to the satellite room on Secret Agent difficulty. Colclough notes that "this game is a work in progress and there are many unfinished assets," but even so, it already looks absolutely fantastic.
Not to put a downer on what I genuinely believe looks like a fantastic piece of work, but a lot could go wrong between now and August 2022. Provided nobody visits Colclough with a cease-and-desist, the world doesn't end, and everything else goes to plan, GoldenEye 25 will be available on PC for free. Hopefully Colclough doesn't run into any real problems, as the project is already drawing praise from all corners, including ex-Rare developer David Doak, who took to Twitter to call Colclough's work "Kyrgyzstantastic!"
Featured Image Credit: Rare/Nintendo/Ben Colclough