Perfect Dark is a 3D first-person shooter similar to Rare's earlier GoldenEye 007 , though with more of an emphasis on stealth. Joanna can pick up and use a variety of firearms, including shotguns, submachine guns, sniper rifles, various explosives, and others. In addition, she carries quite a few spy gadgets such as IR scanners, night vision, probes, and a deadly laptop. Most weapons have secondary fire modes and reloading them is displayed in an on-screen animation.
The game follows the story of Joanna Dark, an agent for the Carrington Institute, a secret organization that protects the world from terrorists, world powers, and strange happenings. When Dr. Caroll, a scientist wishing to escape the dataDyne corporation, sends a message to the institute, they send their best agent, Joanna, to infiltrate the company headquarters.
Gameplay in Perfect Dark is all about stealth and strategy. Shields are scattered through the stages and can be picked up for additional protection. There are no health-restoring items and Joanna cannot jump. The game has three difficulty levels, with the higher ones featuring more accurate enemies, less ammo, and more objectives for the player to complete within each mission. Cutscenes with voice acting advance the story between missions.
The game features a training mode set in the Carrington Institute, where players can complete challenges to unlock classic weapons from GoldenEye 007 . The campaign can be played in co-operative mode for two human players or one human player and up to three computer-controlled teammates, as well as in a "Counter Operative" mode, where one of the players takes control of an enemy. Multiplayer modes include deathmatch, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and more.
The Xbox 360 port has improved graphics with full HD resolution at 60 frames per second, and incorporates full multiplayer support over Xbox LIVE.