History VideoGame / PerfectDark

* BareYourMidriff: Joanna does this in some missions in ''Perfect Dark Zero'', [[ExposedToTheElements on a snow-covered mountain, no less.]]

** In ''Perfect Dark Zero'' Joanna Dark's outfit in a freezing cold snow covered mountain is torn jeans, a half jacket, and a half sweater that [[BareYourMidriff exposes her midriff]].

After being dormant for fifteen years, a new installment in the series, simply titled ''Perfect Dark'', was announced in 2020 for the [[UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS Xbox Series X|S]]. Rather than being developed by Rare, it is the first project of Microsoft's new first party studio The Initiative, and has been described as a "AAAA" game.

** Mai-Hem's outfits have to be [[http://inperfectdark.com/images/site/bio_maihem.jpg seen to be believed]].

* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: If you shoot any enemy in anywhere but the head, they'll stagger for a moment, then recover and start shooting back at you.

* FranchiseZombie: After Microsoft's buyout of Rare, as with most other Rare franchises.

* HighSpeedMissileDodge: The Rocket Launcher and Slayer are quite slow and easy to dodge (a form of FakeBalance since both can track you).

* FakeBalance: Even though the weapons are supposed to be balanced (eg. the Falcon 2 is a small handgun, but is much more accurate than the [=AR-34=]) some are clearly much more powerful than others (the [=FarSight=], Superdragon, anything with explosives etc.).

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

** Dr. Caroll being revealed as an AI at the end of the second level.

** [[DiscOneFinalBoss Trent]] being killed by Mr. Blonde, who is revealed to be a hostile alien, at the end of the twelfth level.
** Level fifteen's ending, which sees Joanna captured.
** Finally, level sixteen's opening, which shows Cassandra a prisoner aboard the Skedar ship same as Jo.

* ContinuityNod: ''Zero'' has two scientists in a Mayan shrine, arguing over whether the Mayans were visited by Gods or Aliens, and who exactly gifted them with the MacGuffin [[BigBad Zhang Li]] wants so badly. It's clear they are talking about the [[NamesTheSame aliens.]]

** Joanna's UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} in the Xbox Live version [[ShesGotLegs is considerably more revealing]].

* SpeedRun: Time attacking was encouraged by the developers, since not only does the game keep track of the player's best time on each level on each difficulty, but completing particular levels within specific target times (some lenient, some strict) unlocks bonus cheat options.

* WeaponOfChoice: The Falcon 2 for Joanna; the Phoenix for Elvis; the [=DY357=] for Jonathan; the [[GoldenGun DY357-XL]] for Trent.

* RareGuns:
** The Dragon is an assault rifle based on the design of the [=XM8=], as is the [=SuperDragon=] (which is same thing with an underslung, mag-fed grenade launcher possibly inspired by the one integrated on the below [=XM29=]). Appropriately enough, it's described as being a newly-adopted rifle for the Army, and you only see it in the hands of shock troops in the Datadyne building laboratory (where the weapon is made), guards at Area 51 and military escorts in and around Air Force One. Possibly just as appropriate, a predecessor to the [=SuperDragon=] seen in ''Perfect Dark Zero'' is instead based on the [=G36K=].
** A shortened Franchi [=SPAS-12=] appears as its version of the DEF-12 Shotgun; befitting its shorter length, it only holds 6 shells to the 9 held by the more generically-shaped version from the original game. Its secondary mode fires two shells in quick succession.
** A silenced variant of the Walther [=WA2000=] with some sci-fi embellishments shows up as the standard sniper rifle.
** The Laptop Gun looks to have been based off of the older ARES FMG Submachine Gun as a high-tech concept of it.

* CaffeineBulletTime: The [[SuperReflexes Combat Boost.]]

* ShootTheHostageTaker: In "Carrington Institute: Defense". [[CaffeineBulletTime This is much easier if you take the Combat Boost first.]]

* BenevolentBoss: Carrington.

* BigBad: dataDyne in the series, [[spoiler: and Skedar]] in ''Perfect Dark''.

* AwesomeMcCoolName: Joanna Dark. Doubles as a PunnyName.

* BadassInDistress: [[spoiler: Joanna, when she gets abducted by the Skedar after the attack on the Carrington Institute.]]

* CutAndPasteTranslation: If you turn on the language filter in the N64 game, all lines of dialogue that contain profanity or religious euphemisms ([[BleepDammit anywhere from "Oh my God!" to a simple "Jeez!"]]) will be removed from the game. This also extends to cutscenes, where it's ever more absurd; not only will the sentence containing the obscenity be muted, but the ''entire'' line of dialogue as well. This leads to at least two instances of characters making a pithy remark in response to something the other character says, except ''[[OrphanedPunchline we don't get to hear what the other character said]]'', just because there was a small sentence in that line of dialogue that ''happened'' to contain a swear word could've easily been edited out without muting the whole thing.

''[[TitleDrop PERFECT DARK]]''

** Perfect Sims and Dark Sims seem to know exactly where all the good weapons and shields are on multiplayer and always have perfect aim. It's not really so much brilliant, though, than TheComputerIsACheatingBastard cranked UpToEleven.

** The "Perfect Darkness" cheat takes this UpToEleven: every single level will be pitch black (with flickering lighting if indoors). It's impossible to get around without using NightVisionGoggles.

* CutAndPasteTranslation: If you turn on the language filter in the N64 game, all lines of dialogue that contain profanity or religious euphemisms ([[BleepDammit anywhere from "Oh my God!"]] [[UpToEleven to a simple "Jeez!"]]) will be removed from the game. This also extends to cutscenes, where it's ever more absurd; not only will the sentence containing the obscenity be muted, but the ''entire'' line of dialogue as well. This leads to at least two instances of characters making a pithy remark in response to something the other character says, except ''[[OrphanedPunchline we don't get to hear what the other character said]]'', just because there was a small sentence in that line of dialogue that ''happened'' to contain a swear word could've easily been edited out without muting the whole thing.

* ExplosiveInstrumentation: Nearly any kind of computer, console, or keypad you can shoot at blew up in a [[ImpressivePyrotechnics spectacular fireball]]. In fact, some already exploded objects would explode ''[[UpToEleven again]]'' if shot a few more times.

** "Dark Agent" is the fan name given to a setting where all the Perfect Dark mode sliders are set to full. Unlike in ''[=GoldenEye=]'', a headshot is fatal even when an enemy has 1,000% health (as opposed to requiring ten), so it's actually doable. You can turn it UpToEleven by also throwing on the Enemy Shields cheat, which prevents scoring instant kills by head shot so long as the shield is active. This is a purely SelfImposedChallenge however, as you don't get any in-game rewards for doing this.

* NoisyGuns: Taken to [[UpToEleven ridiculous extremes.]] There are clicking sounds every single time you pick up ammo or reload, often followed by a DramaticGunCock.

''Perfect Dark'' is a series of FirstPersonShooter video games originally developed by Creator/{{Rare}}, initially created as a SpiritualSuccessor to Rare's previous FPS classic ''VideoGame/{{GoldenEye|1997}}''. Rare had failed to secure the ''Franchise/JamesBond'' license for a second game, but the ''Goldeneye'' development team had little interest in making another ''James Bond'' game regardless, having already decided to start work on an original FPS title with more of a sci-fi bent instead. The ''Perfect Dark'' series takes place in a MegaCorp dystopian future and stars Joanna Dark, an agent for the Carrington Institute, and her efforts against the rival [=dataDyne=] Corporation.

* DevelopersForesight: Impressive detail is one of the good reasons why ''Perfect Dark'' is considered one of the best shooter games of all time and the rightful spiritual successor to ''[=GoldenEye=] 64''.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997''. The ''VideoGame/TimeSplitters'' series went on to be one for this game.

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: The Skedar in the first ''Perfect Dark'' game are an alien entity that are hostile to the other factions in this game. [[spoiler:Trent Easton gets introduced to one of the Skedar when Mr. Blonde reveals his true colors.]]

** Cassandra De Vries' bodyguards are similar. They're all female, and they all have shotguns. They're also some of the first enemies to carry sidearms, making disarms less effective against them.

%%* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Cassandra [=deVries=].

* DaddysLittleVillain: Mai-Hem in ''Perfect Dark Zero''.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: Daniel talks Dr. Caroll to his lightly-defended villa rather than the heavily secured Carrington Institute, sells dataDyne the sniper rifles and handguns the force storming the building used, and repeatedly ignores the recommendations of his top agent and pointlessly endangering the life of the President of America.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: Daniel, repeatedly. Taking Dr. Caroll to his lightly-defended villa rather than the heavily secured Carrington Institute? Check. Selling dataDyne the sniper rifles and handguns the force storming the building used? Check. Repeatedly ignoring the recommendations of his top agent and pointlessly endangering the life of the President of America? Check.