Agent Under Fire

The game opens with a montage of scenes from the game accompanied by the James Bond Theme (JBT). This first excursion into PS2 game land allows you to play at 3 levels: OPERATIVE, AGENT or 00 AGENT with the object of completing each of the 12 missions at Gold status to unlock Bond goodies ( e.g. a Golden Gun, TSWLM's Lotus Esprit etc. ) to use on further missions in order to gain Platinum status for further rewards.

Before each mission the usual briefing from M to introduce characters and your mission's aim, this is followed by a weapons & gadgets briefing from a crusty old R ( nothing like Mr Cleese ) who has a shapely assistant called Z.

The opening mission is to obtain a courier case and rescue CIA agent Zoe Nightshade in Hong Kong ( yes YOLT and now DAD ). World locations from the movies are used e.g. TND's South China Sea & OHMSS's Switzerland as well as Mediterranean Sea & Romania. During another mission 007 poses as Mr Somerset ( remember FRWL ? ). Progress through each of the 12 missions ( easier said than done ) unlocks the next one at the tried level, if you fail you restart at an earlier point but after 3 tries you're back to the mission start ! Some of the music I recognise from PSOne game of TWINE and as no game theme music, use of JBT gets rather repetitive.

The game's baddie turns out be another in the mode of TWINE's Elektra King called Adrian Malprave, head of Malprave Industries, helped by a henchman called Nigel Bloch ( NIGEL ! ) and a lady assassin called Carla the Jackal. There is an enjoyable car chase in the DB5 around Budapest ending up in a tank - shades of GE. It's a pity that the segment action doesn't update when you unlock the Esprit because as you crash after the jump it's still an Aston in the background. Shame about the stereotype voices especially the British Minister in the final mission and aforementioned pantomime baddie Nigel.

Will this unfamiliar looking 007 ( a cross between Lazenby & Dalton ) work out her sinister plot and save the day ? Experienced gamers still prefer this first entry into PS2 game land rather than later entries, I'm still undecided but with help it was the first 007 game story that I managed to finish so that must be something for this old timer. Alas the multi-player is just that so this single player is unable to comment but overall a good entry with some Bond moments.