Releasing in 2000, Perfect Dark was the spiritual successor to the classic Nintendo 64 title GoldenEye 007, and it didn't just carry over the game's best parts but also its worst multiplayer opponent. Both developed by Rare, Perfect Dark had a unique plot and a substantial upgrade on the now-legendary GoldenEye 007 multiplayer, with players looking for every advantage to defeat their friends. In GoldenEye, playing as Oddjob was nearly considered cheating because of his model's short height. Perfect Dark's Elvis takes that a step further, being both too short to hit easily and also incredibly slender.
Mechanically speaking, both Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark were tight, engaging experiences for their time. Both games offered a multitude of weapons, objectives, and tactics for completing missions. What they lacked was an engaging system of fine aiming like gamers have become accustomed to today. The dual-joystick controls for both movement and camera didn't exist on the Nintendo 64 controller, with its odd design and single, central joystick. Instead, players could aim with a reticle at the cost of sacrificing movement. This wasn't an issue for the core gameplay, as both games had a default aiming height around mid-chest, with options for auto-aiming in close range. What makes facing off against Elvis in Perfect Dark's multiplayer (or Oddjob in GoldenEye 007's) so frustrating boils down to the fact that both characters are the shortest in their respective game.
Perfect Dark's wide array of enhanced weapons and more complex multiplayer levels (as well as the optional inclusion of bots) makes for a more frantic experience than its predecessor. While players are trying their best to survive in the chaos, it becomes notably more frustrating when the enemy is too short for the default firing height and aim-assist to deal any damage. Players who choose the Maian protector do so knowing there is an unmistakable advantage, much like Oddjob, with the added benefit of the alien's classic "Grey" physique; with a slim torso and limbs, only the large head is a viable target. Explosives and other AoE or automated weapons prove a useful tactic against them, but players often risked putting themselves in harm's way out of destructive frustration.
How Rare Improved GoldenEye 007's Oddjob Problem
Rare made a few adjustments to GoldenEye 007's formula in Perfect Dark which helped combat the Oddjob/Elvis problem. Players could now crouch to two different heights, making themselves a slightly smaller target and lining up their sights with Elvis' height - however, this comes at a significant loss in movement speed. After Rare was purchased by Xbox, the Rare Replay collection was released with updated controls and graphics for a number of their classic titles, including Perfect Dark and its sequel Perfect Dark Zero on the Xbox One. This offered more modern controls using both joysticks to alleviate this stress, but for those looking for the classic feel, the original inputs are an option as well.
Dual-stick controls significantly help when dealing with Elvis in multiplayer, but his smaller frame at no loss of speed or power makes choosing him an intentional act of in-game trolling and aggravation. Choosing to play as Oddjob was quickly regarded as a cheap advantage, yet scrutiny for Elvis has been widely overlooked. Hopefully, with the next entry in the Perfect Dark franchise announced, Elvis and the Maians will no longer be at such an unfair advantage.