Of the many titles appearing during the Xbox Games Showcase recently, The Initiative’s Perfect Dark was arguably the most impressive. After its announcement in 2020, we finally got our first gameplay showcase, with Joanna Dark venturing to the Garden City in Cairo after Daniel Carrington. A mix of first-person shooting, stealth and gadgets was showcased, capturing the spirit of the previous games.
A new Xbox Wire post confirms the single-player title, made with “the blessing” of Rare, has taken inspiration from “elements of the first two games.” However, since this is a reboot, Perfect Dark offers an “entirely new story” and universe to explore.
“For previous fans and new players alike, the new game offers a fresh take on the secret agent experience and is a great opportunity to jump into the world and character. Though fans will have moments that resonate with the history and memories of the original games, no prior knowledge is needed in this new experience.”
Blending first-person shooter gameplay with stealth action and immersive sims, The Initiative aims for a “true secret agent fantasy” where players can “use their various tools and abilities in the way they want is key to this.”
The story is in the near future, with The Cascade affecting the world in various ways. Core Mantis, a hypercorporation, implements The GEN Network as a solution to restore ecological balance in Cairo. While other corporations follow suit, they don’t all have such noble ambitions. “It is key that the setting communicates a hopeful future, seeing a world with both destruction and restoration, the bleakness of the past countered with a sense of promise.”
This is where Joanna Dark, played by Alix Regan and featuring the likeness of Elissa Bibaud, steps in. As a dataDyne agent, she has a “deeply personal connection” to what’s happening. Players will also learn more about her identity, described as “compelling as the story itself.”
Perfect Dark doesn’t have a release date, but it’s coming to Xbox Series X/S and PC. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.