Everything Or Nothing

The first observation is having to play the game in third-person view moving our Brosnan/Bond figure through each of the 29 missions. Alas my only game experience of this type is GTA: Vice City so I was comparing driving/bike missions. I am sure that some players will get pleasure of failing a mission in order to see Brosnan's slo-mo death again and again as 007.

The movie game opens with the customary gun barrel to reveal a full moon in Tajikistan with elements of TLD/DAD, the mission is to recover a briefcase containing some dangerous material. After completing and escaping to a nearby helicopter the title sequence starts with hundreds of tanks ( one moving its gun barrel around like one of Dr Who's Daleks ). Waving red flag emphasize the Russian connection and is accompanied by Mya's acceptable theme song.

As with previous 007 games passing one of the missions allows access to the next ( Gold & Bronze passes are awarded - Silver not seen ) with the chance to go back and improve your score at the three levels: Operative, Agent & 00 Agent hoping to gain Platinum passes. Each mission has key Bond Moments to help achieve a higher score.

With an all-star voice cast, we have a Brosnan likeness with his own voice ( unlike Nightfire ) but not delivering some of his lines very enthusiastically e.g. when jumping into a helicopter with lovely Nadanova ( model Heidi Klum ) he says "Bond, James Bond" in a fed up way even his likeness looks bored to have to say it ! Willem Defoe plays the Russian baddie Nikolai Diavolo, a prodigy of AVTAK's Max Zorin and he gets to deliver the title line. His henchman is "An Old Friend" as one mission is titled namely TSWLM's Jaws with the likeness of Richard Kiel. Bond's support like previously is M and Q with no sign of Moneypenny.

During missions both Dench & Cleese voices turn up to give guidance and unfortunately Dench's M interrupts the action sounding like an old granny "The train is getting away 007 !" which is repeated far too many times - strangulation was on my menu. Some of the dialogue is suspect but not helped by the narrative. The original music score adds excitement but poor use of The James Bond Theme e.g. at the start of a car rally ? The theme is used like previous outings for the game menu which gets repetitive, why not an instrumental version of the game tune ?

Locations take in Egypt, Peru, New Orleans and the final encounter in Moscow. Three interlude breaks include a visit to TWINE's MI6 castle. Despite being better at the driving missions the Aston Martin Vanquish was more awkward to control and despite reaching Professional level with WRC, the game's rally car veers off at every turning which is most unfriendly. Why in 007 Gameland do lamp posts shatter like glass when hit unlike say a Colin McRae's tree ? You hit the latter and you sustain damage. Also no change of in-car drive view except when stealing a van which made me feel I was reliving a Captain Scarlet night scene and the public cars still feel like they are going around on a Scaletrix track.

One of the highlights was the bike chase after Jaws' tanker which was fun & exciting helped by inserted action scenes which were well produced. Shame one of Q Bike's weapons was a shotgun which put 007 in Arnie T2 mode which isn't right for our hero. I also liked the train chase using the hinted car but not realising if you turn right you found an alternative bike for a different route.

Pleased to have completed the game with advice only on the final EON named mission which sent the baddie to a timely death. It's good enough to want to return to improve my fighting skills/use of gadgets ( the spider is very handy ). There's an early MI6 training section and at the end two hologram missions to further test your skills. The ending titles go on forever but are followed by a short game documentary talking to Cleese, Brosnan, Klum, Mya and Shannon Elizabeth ( who features posing with gun in opening titles & game menu ).

There is a Multiplayer section for 2 co-op players ( sounds like Half-life ) and other areas for up to 4 players. Alas unlike Nightfire there is no chance for a single player to test his skills against chosen 'bots' which is disappointing.

So a worthy addition to your Bond games section. A late discovery was before pressing START at the opening menu is to wait for a games montage trailer to kick in.