From Russia With Love

"From a gamer with a middle finger"

Just when you think a developer can be on a roll, they instead roll back some great advances and regress gameplay to when it was flawed. Electronic Arts had a good blueprint (they really did) with Everything or Nothing, the last James Bond entry, but as usual decided it wasn't worth following entirely. From Russia with Love marks the first and last attempt by EA to make a game based on a classic era of James Bond lore, and unfortunately it's not a very good, nor a very respectful attempt to do so.

I have to admit to not remembering the film that well, as it's been ages since I've seen it, but even I can question some of the things brought into this game. For one thing, because of licensing issues S.P.E.C.T.R.E is not in the game, instead a group known as Octopus are the ones trying to get their hands on a device known as the Lektor. Red Grant, James, along with a Russian spy named Tatiana Romanova are involved a spy game for the prized decoder (along with others).

The narrative does follow some of the films plot, that I remember, but unfortunately gets messed with by process of adapting to video game. I would say the music, with its good retro John Barry-like Bond feel and interpretations, is the second constant along with Sean Connery's Bond in making the game feel consistently connected to the original era's film. However, I hardly think many fans will agree with a producer of this game, in a given interview, that this is a "director's cut," for the reinventing of the final battle with Red Grant is one instance of being too Sci-Fi and different for the overall cemented 1960s plot.

Most of the original actors "return," though, having their likeness done to great detail. I would say that some these models are some of the best I've ever seen in a game. Sean Connery's image is downright picture perfect (I'll agree with Mr. Connery when he says his model is "better than the original" in the "making of" interview on the disc). New additions to the story in the inclusion of a model/"actress" and a British singer to the game add nothing to the story, and are quite forgettable. EA could have hired ladies off the street, or worse, some soap opera actresses, and–mission accomplished!–equal portrayals.

Maria Menounos portrays Red Grant's right hand gal, but all she does is offer few too words while spewing them through a mandatory villain accent. Her final act and exit is absolutely hilarious, in that a complete moron would have had better sense to stay alive and not be so stupid. The British singer, Natasha Bedingfield, only shows up at the beginning, which I have to admit was a great opening action stage, but she doesn't do anything a regular professional voice actor, or temporary walk-in, couldn't do. Both performers provide minimal input to the overall game and are just another example of EA wasting...money for nothing. (Now, there's a missed title for an EA James Bond game.)

While original likenesses of the actors return, only Sean Connery completely reprises his role from the film, in appearance and voice, and does a commendable job recreating his style in video game form. Yes, he is a bit up there in years, and, yes, I agree he sounds as if he's in need of a Sucrets (okay, a few...perhaps a bag), but it's Sean Friggin' Connery! Well, actually EA could have used some of his old recorded dialogue and it would have been just as good, as I am finding more and more that voice acting done by film/TV actors is not particularly exciting anymore. His portrayal is nice, though–a little flat, but it somewhat saves the game from complete blasphemy at the hands of EA's interpretation of the film.

So how goes actually playing as ancient James? Fairly well. EA did keep Everything for Nothing's third-person handling, and even made things a bit easier. Repelling up and down a wall is much more forgivable, as you don't need to take out a repel gun (it's not even in your given inventory), rather you simply walk to a glowing point and with the press of the A button automatically fire, repel, then walk up or down a wall. Even the hand-to-hand combat is easier, allowing you to take out an enemy by pressing the button that flashes on screen. This method is actually quite cheap, as you can run up to any enemy and with a couple of button presses take them out instead of firing many rounds of bullets into them, but it is very welcome if surrounded by many enemies. And there is now a difference between buttons that select crouching and leaning on a wall, along with a radar, so as to be able to see enemies in-front of you if you are upon a wall leading to a lot less frustrating moments compared to Everything or Nothing. I would have liked, however, that some consistency was taken with some of the handling, as when you get behind the wheels of Bond's Q outfitted car the controls revert to the A button being the acceleration button instead of the shoulder triggers that has been used in past Bond games.

Selecting of guns and gadgets is still a breeze with the D-Pad, though, and targeting, while still limited (you still can't shoot at whatever you want), has been cleaned up, as the inclusion of "Bond Focus" adds some great target practice. When implemented, Bond Focus zooms in on an enemy and adds small circular targets on him. If hit within the target, the damage dealt to the enemy is sweetened. Oftentimes the target will be on a grenade attached to an enemy's belt. Shooting this "sweet spot" acts like a headshot does in many other games, killing the enemy in one blast, or two enemies if another's close by. Unfortunately, it's more easier to take out an enemy that way since headshots in this game can take more than one with the additions of some enemies wearing helmets, bulletproof beanies and gas masks (not kidding), and some hits not registering properly.

Another problem, as I see it, is the lack of being able to shoot guns out of the hands of enemies. This was one of my favorite features in Everything or Nothing, and I am puzzled as to the reasoning it was taken out. Also, the body hit detection is more wonky, as sometimes hits do nothing to stun an enemy. Sometimes enemies will react to being shot, other times, not so. The lack of these two gameplay features was really disappointing, since I thought EA was finally on a good path....No.

Lingering disappointment could be felt in many elements of the game, really. The cheats for elongating replay? Gone. You can find schematics to upgrade weapons and gadgets, and increase armor protection, but you get absolutely nothing worthwhile for beating given tasks for a level, such as beating the target time, subduing enemies, etc. Instead the points you do earn go for unlocking tripe like "interviews" and multiplayer characters.

Speaking of which, the multiplayer is downright ridiculous–one of the worst in a James Bond game from EA. With only seven multiplayer levels (some very cramped), and four game modes, the time spent with the often fun addition is just as wasteful as much as the single-player. You cannot even battle with James, or what is supposed to be Bernard Lee's M, or any other "good" characters; only 3 classic villains, From Russia with Love villains, and generic henchmen are available for play. Oh, and bots? Forget about it again. (Another EA Bond title missed?)

There are also some of the absolute worst "bonus" levels I've ever seen and played waiting to be unlocked. These "bonus" levels had to have been underdeveloped and leftover from the main game, because these levels are absolutely horrid and there is no possible way anyone could have made them from scratch intending for them to be rewards (yes, I know this is EA, but still...c'mon!). One ruins-type "bonus" level repeats over and over again, making it feel as though it will never end. Another level has you going through a tunnel disarming bombs. Yet another has you sniping from a balcony. That's it–you're just sniping enemies–that's the whole friggin' level. I have to admit to not unlocking the last gem, some airport deal, as I just got so bored with the game and the stuff I unlocked so far. Maybe one day–but not today...or soon.

The reason I'm delaying the joy I will receive when I do unlock that last treasure is that I just grew tired of going through the main game over and over. Some of the levels are fun, and offer some good action, like when you get your hands on a rocket pack armed with explosive firepower and fly through a warehouse blasting everything, or when you get behind the wheel of the Q outfitted car (civilians don't matter anymore–took long enough), but other times you can see just how regressive some approach to gameplay was taken.

Such is the case as when you take on some on-rails action: the quick turn around has been abolished for this game's rail shooting, making it a chore to turn and take out enemies from the front and from the rear. And the gadgets for use here are really forgettable. It's possible to not use many gadgets and only have the "Q Copter" as a necessity, because it takes the place of the Q Spider from Everything or Nothing in giving flight for reconnaissance, and in being a mobile armed explosive.

The levels are also a horrid length. Many of the levels would have been better had they'd been segmented and broken into a better action size pieces. A good example is the hedgemaze level: you work through the maze fighting foes, then have to go to a briefing with M, then proceed to go through a sort of tutorial with Q. A better example is in the level entitled "Border" when you must drive (while dispatching enemies in your Q outfitted car) to a pier, get out of the car, run and gun to get a specific item, run and gun back to your car and drive to another pier (again while dispatching enemies), get out of the car, run and gun again while protecting Tatiana and while lowering a boat into the water, and then participate in a long on-rails segment taking out enemies from said boat. Yes, there are checkpoints, but would you want to do this over and over again to net points only to find out you didn't achieve a requirement to get some?

Oh, and you know what makes the levels even longer? You cannot skip cut-scenes. Yep. You have to sit through some lengthy ones, even if you make a mistake and want to "retry" a level, but get this: if you fail a mission, you don't have to sit through the cut-scenes. Make sense? I know EA must have spent a fortune for the appearances of the actors and for Mr. C., but really, making us sit through these "movies" over and over to legitimize their throwing around of money is just disgusting. To paraphrase Mr. Connery: The developersh desherve a good shlap.

If you value your time, I would recommend staying away from this boring and mediocre representation of the film, either in buying or renting, as there's a chance the longer you spend with the game, the lower your tolerance will be for its lacking. It's a shame that EA's last Bond effort is so lackluster, but that has been their treatment for most of their years with Bond, really. If only they didn't phone it in and merged Everything or Nothing's good offerings with this game's improvements, perhaps the series would have ended with EA on a high note.

Hopefully, 007's new home at Activision will be better, and one of their development teams will deliver the justice this series has deserved since being dropped by Rare. Then again, Activision is the publisher that loves licenses and movies too, World War II, and Tony Hawk almost yearly. We'll see, of course, but I'm glad it's before EA could have us fighting Goldfinger in a giant golden robo, or fighting a cross dressing Blofeld-like villain atop a giant kitty cat (not to mention what they would do with his two too "fancy" henchmen.) Everything or Nothing is your best bet for the last great outing for Bond on the Cube by EA, and if some sense was taken, it wouldn't have had to end up that way.

Hey, EA, how about giving up that boy who lived, next?

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 10/02/06, Updated 10/02/08

Game Release: From Russia With Love (US, 11/15/05)