James Bond 007: NightFire

"The enemies lack something I like to call intelligence..."

As with most reviews involving a game set in the James Bond universe, a comparison with Goldeneye cannot be prevented. And after the failure known as Agent Under Fire, that comparison is even more likely, so I will go ahead and get it out of the way. Goldeneye and Nightfire are two different games created in two different time periods. Goldeneye was developed in a time when smart enemies stood in the open waiting to get shot, and textures were large pixels slapped onto a wall. Nightfire was developed in a time when smart enemies use cover and team tactics to bring you down. Environments look almost real with nice texturing and lighting. Nightfire, however, only delivers on one of those expectations, and sadly it is not the most important one, and in turn we have to play another disappointing 007 game.

James Bond has never really been known for cool or refreshing stories. Even the movies follow a pretty predictable plot. Some insane madman wants to take over the world in almost every movie. There are some variations to this, such as using clones, creating a special race in space (I didn't mean to rhyme), and building an underwater fortress. Nightfire is no different. The main enemy, Robert Drake, wants to use a device in space to take over missile defense platforms, and he also wants to launch his own special stockpile of missiles. As always, James Bond is called to stop this enemy from completing the plan. Oh, and expect the usual guns, gadgets, and girls seen in the movies as they are here as well. The story does contain a few small twists, but they are nothing that will seriously surprise you.

Nightfire's biggest downfall lies in the enemy A.I., and although it is better than Agent Under Fire, it could still use some work. The enemies in this game usually show some intelligence. Occasionally they will use cover, and sometimes they will spot your location and radio their friends, but this is rare. Most of the time they will see you, and shoot. They don't run or hide, but they just stand there. And if there is an explosive device somewhere, they will decide that cover might be a good idea, and they will use it as cover. The only time the A.I. poses a real threat is when they are in large numbers and/or they are armed with above average weapons. Even on 00 agent difficulty setting they are pretty dumb.

Unlike Agent Under Fire, Nightfire is actually fun to play despite the horrible A.I enemies. The only enjoyable missions in Agent Under Fire were the vehicle missions, but in Nightfire all the missions have something interesting or fun to do. And it starts right away. The first mission has you picking off cars from a helicopter using a high-powered rifle. One of the later missions has you going from a jeep to a jet and finally to a massive turret. The missions are always fresh, and they are always fun. Too bad there are only twelve, and they are fairly short. Don't expect them to last more than 6 or so hours.

Visually, Nightfire is better than Agent Under Fire. Agent Under Fire looked great, but Nightfire adds more detail and an overall cleaner look to the graphics. Textures are more detailed, and there is more variety. Guns also look a lot better, and the lighting adds to this. Light reflects of the metal scope in a realistic manner. Characters also sport more detail, and more variety. Levels also contain more scale. In Agent Under Fire, the levels took place in mostly cramped locations, but a few of Nightfire's missions are large and open. One tough that sticks with me is the Tokyo skyline. When you are in the skyscraper looking at Tokyo from 900 feet above, it looks real. Explosions and other special effects look great. My only complaint with the visuals is some minor screen tearing, but like I said this is minor.

Audio is just as good as the visuals. The game boasts an awesome soundtrack from the classic 007 theme to some new and cool spy-like music. In a stealth mission you will be treated to some quiet and barely noticeable tune, but when you are running from police in the Aston Martin Vanquish, the music is fast. All of the guns sound different, and they sound how they should. The P2K is fairly quiet and it sounds weak when compared to the Frinesi shotgun. Characters are all voiced well, and even the guards sound good when they are shouting orders.

Multiplayer is also pretty good. There are quite a few modes to enjoy, and some of them are pretty original. One mode has you seeking out discs while another has you attempting to destroy the enemy base. Once the mode is chosen, you will have a pretty decent amount of levels to choose from. Some are massive, while some are small. From here you will select your character. You will be able to choose from new and old characters such as Oddjob, Jaws, or even Nick Nack. Finally you will be treated to a menu that allows you to modify your options such as points, weapon sets, and even mini vehicles. The only downside to the multiplayer is that the bots aren't smart at all. Even with maxed out options they are pretty harmless.

There you have it. If it wasn't for the laughable A.I., this game could have been above average. It did everything else right, and Nightfire is a step in the right direction, but it proves that EA still has quite a bit of work to do before they can create a game as great as Goldeneye. Nightfire is not worth a purchase because it is short, and it can be cleared one hundred percent in a weekend.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/11/05