James Bond 007: NightFire

"007: Nightfire is the true heir to GoldenEye.........."

The newest James Bond game, 007: Nightfire, is perhaps, the true heir to Golden Eye. With its developers working on it more than 20 months, 007: Nightfire succeeds as the best 007 game since Golden Eye. With better visuals, better Weapons, better Gadgets, and of course, better cars, 007 is sure to please any FPS lover.

Gameplay- 7/10

007: Nightfire truly is a huge step from that of 007: Agent Under Fire. There are more missions, more Weapons, more Gadgets and of course, more good-looking Bond Girls. But under 007: Nightfire's graphical polish, and great sound effects, there are a couple of gripes that simply make other games such as TimeSplitters 2, a lot better. One of my gripes is that there is NO CUSTOM control option.....this is something that should be made STANDARD with all FPS games. There are a total of about 8-9 different control settings, all with names relating to the old 007 movies, such as Golden Eye, and Moonraker, but I suppose I am being really picky, because you are almost sure to find a control setting that fits you perfectly, and for me, that control setting would be 'Goldfinger'. It is as close to TS2's controls as you can get, and that makes me very happy. There is also a pretty good Single Player to 007: Nightfire, though you can beat it in about 4 1/2 hours, the game is really fun, with all the fast cars, Weapons, and Gadgets, you are sure to have a blast with this latest installment to the 007 series of games. Even if the Single Player doesn't make you happy, the Multiplayer is sure to make you happy; with a total of 12 different Multiplayer Scenarios, such as Golden Eye Strike, Demolition, and old classics such as Capture The Flag, and Deathmatch. There are also awesome modifiers in Multiplayer, such as Mounted Guns, and Remote-Controlled Miniature Vehicles, such as Helicopters, and Tanks.

Graphics/Sound- 7/10

Though TimeSplitters 2 still holds the crown for best-looking PS2 FPS, 007: Nightfire gives TS2 run for its money with all the splendid effects it has, such as the snow on the level 'The Exchange', and the explosions that create visible shock waves. The character models are sharp, and detailed, but one would hardly have time notice in a heated firefight with a group of enemies. There are also some great visual effects, such as the Infrared Scope on the AIMS-20 Assault Rifle, which looks really cool when you are sniping an enemy and see their body heat signature. But with all the good stuff, there is some bad....take for example the framerate: It is steady, but sometimes it can take hits, which really sucks....luckily, this doesn't happen very often, which leaves you to enjoy the game. The sound is also a very attractive part of the game, such as the main opening theme, which simply kicks ass, and the classic 007 theme is also added.....what kind of a 007 game would be complete without the distinctive 007 theme?

Story- 6/10

Same old Bond vs. Bad Guy/Evil Group storyline. The game starts off with info about a corporation called Phoenix Industries, which is dedicated to environmental clean-up, and charity work. Little known to the government, that Phoenix Industries is actually creating a plan to destroy civilization itself, and that they plan on using the United States own Space Missile Defense platform by turning the defensive missiles into massive offensive missiles, to destroy the whole world. Not only that, but they also create Weapons, such as the Phoenix Samurai Laser Rifle.

Play Time/Replayability- 8/10

With a good amount of unlockable Multiplayer Characters, Weapon Upgrades, and Gadget Upgrades, 007: Nightfire is sure to keep you busy for at least a month or two, and the great Multiplayer is sure to keep you coming back for more.

Final Recommendation- BUY!

Though not as good a TS2, 007: Nightfire is right up there with the PS2's cream-of-the-crop First-Person-Shooters, and should be very satisfying to any FPS lover, but if you are just a casual FPS lover, then you might want to skip out on Nightfire.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/04/03, Updated 04/05/03