This is the second time that a games company has decided to make use of the Goldeneye 'brand' for their own purposes. The less said about EA's GoldenEye: Rogue Agent the better, with terrible gameplay and the most tenuous of links to the original(the protagonist had a golden... eye...) it thoroughly tarnished the name once held so dearly in the hearts and RSI twitches of gamers.

The single-player mode features memorable locations and story events, but updated and altered. As has been much publicised, the likeness of Daniel Craig has now replaced that of departed 007 Pierce Brosnan, while the first level opens with an altered version of the classic Dam opening. Stalking through the snow, it all felt strangely familiar to us - more like a re-make than an entire re-imagining. Eurocom have stuck with a design that works, albeit one with updated graphical flair and cleverer AI.

We played the opening level a couple of times, choosing to go in stealthily at first, before returning for a second attempt all-guns-blazing. Whether you're a fan of the silent killing of Splinter Cell or the loud-and-proud Call of Duty, you should feel satisfied that both your options are covered. The game is an odd mix of classic levels, mixed with more updated gameplay - it feels like what the original Goldeneye 007 would play like if it were made today.

This means online 8-player modes, as well as classic splitscreen matches. We eagerly dove into a four-player battle, with the action taking place in a tiny square arena of twisting passageways. Playable characters include as Trevelyan (no longer Sean Bean's likeness, alas), Scaramanga and Oddjob, who instead of grenades can throw his hat - usually resulting in a cheeky one-hit-kill. As expected, matches end with a sprinkling of titles - from the expected like Most Killed, to humorous entries such as 'Spray and Pray' for poorest accuracy.

It seems as if Eurocom have captured the spirit of the original, although it remains to be seen how the game progresses over later levels. The multiplayer especially brought back many memories of the hours we spent in our youth, frantically mashing our N64 controllers - though we noticed the game's graphical capabilities were notably reduced when playing with more than one person.

We'll be keeping you updated with more on Goldeneye 007 as it nears release later this year. Are you excited for the title? Let us know below...

- Tom Phillips
Editor-in-Chief, N-Europe.com