James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing

"James Bond needs to take a step away from Splinter Cell"

James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing has taken some giant steps away from the previous James Bond game style. First of all, there is a very different feeling about this game that wasn't there in any of its predecessors just because it is from third-person. Also, the levels do not feel anything like James Bond, and there is a good deal of problems with the new ammunition system. The multiplayer co-op mode lacked heavily, and playing against each other was just boring.

One of the best parts about a James Bond video game for a huge James Bond fan like myself is that you feel like for once in your life, “I am James Bond!” The whole aspect of this game being in third person really ruined it for me. I mean, Agent Under Fire, two 007 games before it, wasn't a hugely phenomenal game, but I still enjoy it more than Everything or Nothing just because I am 007. I was and will never be 007 in Everything or Nothing. Also, it makes the controls infinitely harder, making taking down enemies less fun because you die more often. Finally, you rely too much on looking around corners and counting the guards. A James Bond video game should have more excitement in it, and surprises, you shouldn't feel like the next step is to look around a corner.

The levels of this game were very unlike anything that has ever been seen in any James Bond game, or any James Bond movie. Climbing up a hill was never a problem for Bond to a point where they should have made a twenty-minute long level on. Plus, some of the levels seem totally unrelated to anything that has been happening. Not to mention the fact that one or two of the levels are just boring. It's like, what's the point?

Another problem with this game is the ammunition. You get maybe fourteen bullets for a machine gun per enemy. Okay, fourteen in real life would make me say, “Oh yes! I got these bullets! How useful!” But this is not real life. It is a video game. You should be able to carry at least 100 bullets for a machine gun. The game needs to move away from the whole Splinter Cell realistic feeling. That may be what's selling best, but it is definitely not James Bond. So when you get shot four times, you should not die. Again, it is very unrealistic, but it's a video game, it doesn't have to be realistic.

Then multiplayer; where do I begin? It was the worst part of the game. The co-op mode had no point, it was like you were a bounty hunter. I'm not a bounty hunter, I'm James Bond! I love games where you can go up against each other. This game's attempt at this was miserable. You could throw a pipe at a person. Oh boy. Not to mention the buttons that would cause bombs to go off everywhere on the other level. Also, you should be able to have at least ten multiplayer levels to start. Not one… it got boring, and for someone who wasn't good enough to unlock more, that's the end of that. Next game please?

Everything or Nothing needed some definite improvement, and missed out on a lot of potential, such as a semi-decent plot. Hopefully GoldenEye Rogue Agent can learn from this games mistakes, and that the James Bond video games can be more fun.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 10/06/04