James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing

"Why others like me will hate this game"

I really, really, wanted to like this game, and i am not the kind of player who expects a lot out of his games, but after playing this game i have decided that it is seirously flawed, and that others who feel the way i do should not buy this game. Think of this game as: ''the matrix'' but with better graphics, James Bond instead of zionites, and no movie footage cutscenes,
First off, is it the ultimate James Bond game? the answer is most likely. while it still can't beat Golden eye in terms of gameplay, its more authentic than the other James Bond games, this is both a strength and a weakness. Yes, pierce brosman does do the voice work for James bond, yes, john cleese and all the other voice characters are there, but the gameplay is NOT. I don't care if the game's story is better than the recent bond movies, when a level is so porly designed that it makes me kick my gamecube in frustration, it's a sign of a bad game.

Control: bond is supposed to duck behind boxes, and lean against walls for cover before he leaps out and shoots. the only problem is that the z button is used for both of these functions, so in a dire gunfight, you often find yourself ducking when you want to lean and vice versa. this often costs you the game, especially when your enemy has rocket launchers, and anyone who's played Tomb raider: Angel of darkness knows that playing the same level over and over again because of clunky controlls is no fun. The targeting system is also wack, compared to games like Zelda:Windwaker, or Metroid:Prime, who's targeting system was near perfect, the targeting system in EON is horrendous. many times you'll see an enemy right in front of you, and you will be unable to lock on to them untill they have already clobered you.

Gameplay: run, duck, shoot, repeat. thats the majority of most of the levels. while this game does present some levels that can employ stealth gameplay, its mostly half-hazard. it's easier and more fun to shoot the guy than to try to take him out without them noticing. This game does have some good driving sequences, but they're hard to come by, and when they do, it's usually spoiled by enemies that pummel you with missiles, or the driving stealth sequences (wtf?). In some on foot missions, every now and then you'll be stuck in an underground maze, unable to see. the idea is to use your thermovision goggles to move around. the only problem is you can't see any walls. so you end up accesing enventory every 5 seconds, cause when you do, you're able to see around you. these levels are in no way fun whatsoever. In one of the coolest looking missions, james bond jumps off a cliff to try to catch the woman who was dropped from a helocopter, dodgeing platforms protruding out of the cliffs face, shooting at enemy's. not only is this level near impossible, any sense of originality it posses is ruined after you've attempted it for the fourty-second time.

Sound: Like i said, all the actors from the movie play thier video game counter-parts. so that part of the sound is pretty good. The background music is pretty standard bond fair, which greatly enhances the bond feeling of this game, but after restarting a horrible mission 15 times, the music will really grate on your nerves. all the sound effects sound like your standard explosions and gun sounds.

Graphics: nothing tremendously exciting. the graphics pale in comparison to games like Prince of Persia or Metroid, but then again, its no Matrix either. Pierce Brosman's(not sure of spelling) likeness is used quite well in the game, as the character looks much like him. Thats about it.

Replayability: I haven't had a chance to play the multiplayer portion, so i shouldn't comment. all i can say is once you beat the 1st player mode you sure as heck probably wont want to beat the game again.

bottom line: the gamecube has much, much, better games than this. while it does have a good story, and the James Bond moments, its not enough to satisfy this lacklustser attempt of a video game. This is a DEFINITE rent-and-see. if you hate driving games like i do, and were frustrated by games like ''splinter cell'' than you will most likely hate this game. if however, your a casual gamer who just wants his fix of James Bond, than knock yourself out.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 02/26/04