James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing

"Listen up, 007..."

Following the success of Nightfire and Agent Under Fire, Everything Or Nothing is the next big Bond game to hit the 128-bit console world. However, EA saw fit to release a hand-held version well before the 128-bit versions appeared. The result was mediocre at best. Lacking the style of even the original GB Bond game, we are left with a blast-fest which is average in almost all respects.

Graphics: 6/10
A decidedly mixed bag. Characters are featureless mannequins, having no recognizable features, however the backdrops are fairly detailed. The character's ''mug shots'' displayed in cut-scenes are very detailed, and it's easy to make out Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Mya, Heidi Klum and Willem Dafoe during the conversation scenes. It's a pity this couldn't be transferred in-game, but that's due to hardware/screen resolution limitations.

The only other gripe is the cruddy 'special effects'. Grenade explosions and nanobot swarms are horribly aliased, looking cheap over the smooth characters and backgrounds. A little blending would have helped no end.

Sound: 8/10
All the themes are here, and the music that plays in-game always suits the situation. It's one of the best parts of the game. Sound effects aren't exactly groundbreaking, but as a reward for completing the game the player is treated to the excellent 'Everything or Nothing' by Mya, words an all. A great reward for completing the game.

Gameplay: 6/10
Just like almost every other GBA game, EoN is a third-person isometric affair. It's basically a gun-runner, and only players who want to unlock an extra blackjack game will need to use any stealth in most missions. This means that most levels degenerate into a sprint to the finish, shooting anything that gets in your way. Bond has a choice of three guns - the regular pistol, or one of two machine pistols. Unfortunately no matter which gun you choose, there is no significant power difference, and all gunfights consist of Bond running towards the enemy hammering the fire button until the guard is dead. A conspicuously large number of rappelling sections do little to help, since it's the same run-shoot action, just from a different angle.

There are three driving sections. They make a nice change, but all three are identical - take out truck/van/tank while avoiding or killing smaller cars.

The boss fights are also very similar. You face both Jaws and Diavolo during the game, and the premise is always the same - lure boss towards explosive barrel/tesla coil/broken television and watch them lose health. I did not make that last part up.

Lifespan: 4/10
The difficulty level is fairly high, but nothing that a skilled gamer shouldn't be able to conquer in about two hours. There's no replay value, unless you really feel the urge to play blackjack.

Overall: 6/10
It's difficult to recommend - it's a credible effort at a Bond game, but nothing you should waste hard-earned cash on. Don't buy.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 02/06/04