Perfect Dark Zero the prequel to the Nintendo 64 hit Perfect Dark, but this time you don’t need the expansion pack for amazing graphics.

Graphics: 8 / 10
The graphics for this game are stunning. In the beginning shot of the game it shows a shot of Joanna that truly looks lifelike. This is only the beginning. You can smash boxes and see them fall apart, bullets actually leave holes on the walls, and the cut scenes are really something else. It is obvious that Rare and Microsoft went all out on this X-box 360 launch game. These graphics will make your palms sweat and your heart palpitate.

Sound: 8 / 10
The sound in PDZ is great. You can hear bullets ricochet off metal bars and the sound of your gun hitting a thug in the back. When you use audio scope you can actually listen in on a thug’s conversation, and the music that is playing in the club behind you.

Controls: 4 / 10
The controls were a bit shaky and using items can be confusing. At times I would find my self switching weapons by accident in the middle of a huge gun battle, which can be more than frustrating. You can’t seem to turn fast enough to aim and kill someone sneaking up behind you. There also could have been more explanation of the controls. To top it off, there is not even a jump button. LAME.

Gameplay: 6 /10
The game play was a little disappointing, Joanna can’t run for the life of her and it seems impossible to get away from the throngs of thugs chasing her. On missions where you are supposed to be in stealth mode, there seems to be no way to not be detected. With such little ammo it seems impossible to kill everyone. The story line seems to be a little to typical: break in, find something, blow it up, and get out.

Overall: 5 / 10
Overall this game defiantly doesn’t live up to its predecessor. I was expecting a lot more from this game. This is a game that will make you throw that wireless controller across the room.