Combat Arena is the multiplayer mode featured in Perfect Dark Zero, although like Combat Simulator in the original Perfect Dark, it can be played solo. The multiplayer is played via split-screen with a maximum of 4 players and 16 bots.
Advanced Setup
Scenarios
Deathmatch
Deathmatch is a sport-esque Combat Arena subdivision. Up to six weapons (can be seven if there are Hovercrafts in the game, which are usually armed with the M60) can be selected. The announcer is a male announcer who will announce various things, such as every time the player either scores a number of kills in a row (e.g. three kills in a row will make him say "Killtastic!"), kills a team mate ("Team Killer!"), or commits suicide ("Suicide!").
- Killcount: the standard deathmatch mode. Everyone is hostile to each other and must fight for the most kills. The player who reaches the score limit first or has the highest score by the end of the match wins.
- Team Killcount: a team-based deathmatch game. Here, if the map and game allow it, teleporters can be hacked, allowing players to teleport to places other than their starting base when they respawn. The team with the most kills wins.
- Capture the Flag: a team-based deathmatch game where one team attempts to steal the enemy team's flag and return it to their base to score. Players get one point for returning their team's flag and five points for successfully capturing the enemy's flag.
- Territorial Gains: a team-based deathmatch game where teams rack up points by commandeering and protecting different territories (marked as numbers) scattered across the map. The Datathief is used here instead of the usual Demo Kit.
Weapons
There are various weapon presets, which will almost always include armor. The player can customize five weapon sets to their liking.
DarkOps
DarkOps is a tactical-based combat subdivision of the Combat Arena. Here, all weapons can be selected, but must be bought with Credits (CR). The announcer is a female announcer.
- Eradication: a variation of Team Killcount, the player's team must destroy the enemy team before the enemy team can wipe them out.
- Onslaught: teams take turns attacking a base and defending it.
- Infection: a free-for-all DarkOps game, players face off against the "infected" (represented by skeletons). The "infected" score points by killing and infecting players, while the uninfected players score points by staying alive until the end of the round.
- Sabotage: a team-based DarkOps game similar to Onslaught where one team attacks an enemy team's stash and defends their own, taking turns in the process.
Maps
The game comes with six maps by default, but by purchasing the two map packs, another six maps are available. Maps can be customized with these options: Small, Random, and Base A+B Open.
As Perfect Dark Zero is backwards-compatible on the Xbox One, buying the game via Rare Replay unlocks all maps by default.
- Subway
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 1+2 Open, Base 3+4 Open
- Urban
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 2+4 Open, Base 1+3 Open
- Desert
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 1+2 Open, Base 3+4 Open
- Temple
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 1+3 Open, Base 2+4 Open
- Old Town
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 2+4 Open, Base 1+3 Open
- Tower
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 1+2 Open, Base 3+4 Open
The following maps were added in the first map pack released on June 17, 2006:
- Trench
- Selectable map options: Random, Base 1+2 Open
- Rooftops
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 1+2 Open
- Plaza
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 1+2 Open
- Gasplant
- Selectable map options: Small, Random, Base 1+2 Open
The following maps were added in the second map pack released on November 1, 2006. Both maps only have the Small map option available:
Bots
The amount of bots in any one advanced set up game can range from 0 to 16, although the "Small" map will restrict that number to either 15 or 7.
Bots have various difficulty settings:
- Agent: the easiest of all the bots to defeat and are, therefore, the best choice for beginner players. While they can be dangerous, they have a far lesser chance of scoring headshots. Equivalent to MeatSim and EasySim in Perfect Dark.
- Secret Agent: these bots are smarter, more skilled and aggressive, and harder to defeat. They start scoring headshots more often, as well as using the gunner position on a Hovercraft (if available). Equivalent to NormalSim in Perfect Dark.
- Perfect Agent: when set to this difficulty level, Perfect Agent bots are even more skilled, dangerous, and aggressive. They score headshots even more often. Equivalent to HardSim and PerfectSim in Perfect Dark.
- Dark Agent: Dark Agent bots are the most dangerous, with nigh omnipotent intelligence, superhuman skill, and ultraviolent aggression. They will almost always score headshots. Equivalent to DarkSim in Perfect Dark.
Bots can also have various personality settings:
- Vanilla: A bot with no specific personality.
- Ghost: Appears cloaked as though carrying a Plasma Rifle with its secondary function enabled, but is revealed when firing weapons or using vehicles.
- Judge: These bots will stop at nothing to challenge the enemy player with the highest amount of points. Equivalent to a JudgeSim in Perfect Dark.
- Bully: Disgraced combatants who will oppress and gun down the enemy player with the lowest amount of points.
- Venge: Bots who are vengeful, they will hunt down and destroy the last person who killed them. Equivalent to a VengeSim in Perfect Dark.
- Feud: Upon spawning, be careful of these bots, as they will target a certain player and hammer on them until they are finished. Equivalent to a KazeSim in Perfect Dark.
- Prey: Prey bots choose heavily injured players as prey. Equivalent to a PreySim in Perfect Dark.
- Random: Picks a random personality for the bot to use.
Player Appearance
Players can choose one of six characters to play as in the Combat Arena:
In team-based games, if the "Model Selection" option is set to Free Choice, players will play as the character they chose. Otherwise, depending on what team they picked, their character will be picked from that team at random (e.g. playing on team Carrington will give the player a chance of playing as Joanna Dark in her Carrington Institute outfit).
Depending on their name and in the advanced settings, bots will appear as one of the six Combat Arena-playable characters. This is if the game mode is either Killcount or Infection, or the "Model Selection" option is set to Free Choice. Full list below.
- Buffbrass
- Elvis
- Gargos
- Humba Wumba
- Marble
- Pentagram
- Rattle
- Rodders2nd
- Sabrewulf
- Snake
- Spike
- T.J. Combo
- Tiptup
- Toby
- Vela
The names of bots are references to characters in Rare's past games.
Teams
In team-based games, you can choose which character themes will be selected:
- Dark: Joanna Dark (in Adventure outfit), Jack Dark, Chandra.
- dataDyne: Mai Hem, Helmet dataDyne soldier, Helmet-less dataDyne soldier.
- Carrington: Joanna Dark (in Carrington Institute outfit), Jonathan, Carrington Institute soldier.
- Trinity: Eustace Caroll, scientist, Trinity soldier.
- Henchmen: Henchmen featured in the Nightclub Stakeout and Subway Retrieval missions.
- Killian: Killian, biker punk, and enforcer.
Achievements
Achievements are given to the player when a game has finished.
- Played 10 Deathmatch Games
- Played 100 Deathmatch Games
- Played 1000 Deathmatch Games
- Played 10 DarkOps Games
- Played 100 DarkOps Games
- Played 1000 DarkOps Games
- 10 Kills in Killcount
- 100 Kills in Killcount
- 1000 Kills in Killcount
- 10 Kills in Team Killcount
- 100 Kills in Team Killcount
- 1000 Kills in Team Killcount
- 10 Flags Captured
- 100 Flags Captured
- 1000 Flags Captured
- 10 Players Infected
- 100 Players Infected
- 1000 Players Infected
- 10 Territories Held
- 100 Territories Held
- 10 Rounds Survived
- 100 Rounds Survived
- 1000 Rounds Survived
- 10,000 CR Property Destroyed
- 100,000 CR Property Destroyed
- 10 Minutes Survived
- 100 Minutes Survived
- 10 Sniper Kills
- 100 Sniper Kills
- 1000 Sniper Kills
- 10 Headshot Kills
- 100 Headshot Kills
- 1000 Headshot Kills
- 10 Melee Kills
- 100 Melee Kills
- 1000 Melee Kills
- 10 Explosive Kills
- 100 Explosive Kills
- 1000 Explosive Kills