No piece of entertainment of any kind has aged as gracelessly as older first-person shooters, which look like cave drawings next to their modern counterparts and often play just as unflatteringly. It's with that in mind that the blissfully nostalgic return to "Perfect Dark" with a level head, lest their memories of 2000's best shooter undergo harsh tarnishing. "Dark's" story holds up reasonably well by today's standards, and some of the things it does with regard to special enhancements -- remote-control spy cams, unique weapons with creative alternate fire modes, unlockable mods for a multiplayer suite (four players locally, eight online, with combinations of the two allowed) that's faster and looser than most modern-day counterparts -- are unique enough to still be special. But even with a new dual-stick control scheme, "Dark's" aiming mechanism and oppressive reliance on auto-aim feel really archaic, and players looking for a lean button will be dismayed to discover they can't even jump. The smooth framerate and high-definition sheen are welcome upgrades to "Dark's" rough visual exterior, but neither is nearly radical enough of a makeover to hide the engine's age, and the overriding level design -- lots of identical corridors, doors and elevators -- would never fly in a brand-new product.
For: Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade
Age rating: Mature (blood, violence)
Price: $10
-- By Billy O'Keefe, McClatchy Newspapers