NOT QUITE A LEGEND – 007 LEGENDS review

007 LEGENDS cover artwork - now you
can judge a game by its cover!

Note: for an unknown game glitch I’m stuck on a part of the MOONRAKER mission where I have to hack a WiFi port, but for some reason, every time I press “E” on my PC, the thing doesn’t works. I don’t even have the “Press E To Hack” disclaimer. I’ll review the game until this point.

While SKYFALL was a true 50^th Bond anniversary celebration, 007 LEGENDS, the latest James Bond game by Activision after QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008), GOLDENEYE 007 (2010), BLOOD STONE (2010) and GOLDENEYE 007: RELOADED (2011), is quite a disappointment.

Since EA Games lost the Bond license by 2007, Activision handled the Bond franchise with the task of bringing Bond to next-gen consoles with bad results, except for the GOLDENEYE 007 remakes and QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Besides making games for PC, which I think was something really good, their games fail to capture the essence of “being Bond”, turning the gameplay into a CALL OF DUTY (I’ve barely played a version of this game before, so here I’m posting what other people say) first person shooter style more that the Bond feeling EA could provide us – you can notice how boring was driving the gadget-less Aston Martin DB5 & Vanquish in BLOOD STONE in opposition to EA’s EVERYTHING OR NOTHING or NIGHTFIRE, where the cars kept their original gadgets. And not to mention the “Bond moment” bonus that gave you rewards for making typical 007 actions.

Now, back to the game: a first person shooter in the CALL OF DUTY style, so they say, where you play five chapters based on six classic Bond films, one for each actor but this time contemporized to the 21^st century with Daniel Craig as 007 (tough he didn’t provide the voice talent, but the actor sounds like him a lot). After “taking the bloody shot” in the game’s opening based on SKYFALL, Bond falls to the water and remembers his “past”: through a series of flashback we then start with GOLDFINGER, who has a modern-look like Auric Enterprises opposed to the 1964 film version. All you do here is practically what you’ll do in the following missions: shooting a few goons, search for fingerprints and evidence, and hacking ports with your Sony Xperia cellphone. Then the villain discovers you and you get away, only to be recaptured and fighting again until you finish with a PUNCH-OUT fighting game style and you win!

The ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE ski chase.
More than boring, annoying!

Then it’s the turn of ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE and the ski chase: can we jump and make great stunts? Can we punch adversaries away or jump over precipices? No. All we gotta do is skiing down the alps, avoiding trees, shooting goons in snowmobile and trying to reach Tracy who is escaping in a snowmobile: the one that was expected to be the greatest part of the game turned out to be one of the most annoying –and boring- parts of the game.

We follow on with LICENCE TO KILL and DIE ANOTHER DAY, where you get to drive a jeep truck (replacing the tankers from the 1989 film) and the Aston Martin DBS (replacing the film’s Vanquish). The driving missions are probably the most entertaining parts of the game, kind of a reward of being trying to stealthly infiltrate into the villains HQ and getting discovered and shot by the hundereds and hundereds of enemies and failing the mission (something made in a much more interesting way in Rare’s GOLDENEYE 007 for Nintendo 64). But guess what? The driving missions are too short, too easy, and you use few (and harmless) gadgets.

The DIE ANOTHER DAY car chase, one of
 the few game positive-ish points

Then everything ends on MOONRAKER, where you meet Holly Goodhead who had a painful haircut to make you forget (or ask yourself why) they took out Lois Chiles likeness from the game. And there’s not only Dr Goodhead’s voice to annoy you, you got drone machines everywhere and lots of corridors that will drive you absolutely mad (mind you, you might have to do the same every time you get killed thanks to the crappiest “checkpoint” style). The only interesting part here is escaping from the shuttle ignition fire as seen in the 1979 movie starring Roger Moore.

Oh, you can also download a SKYFALL free mission if you still want to get more of this game. But no, it’s way too complicated. I haven’t even finished MOONRAKER, so there you go.

As I write this words I’ve learnt that Activision took out their Bond games from the Steam server and their official site. Does that means they’re out of Bondage? Well, as old Sean said in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, “I sincerely hope so.”

4/10

Nicolás Suszczyk.
Editor, THE GOLDENEYE DOSSIER

GOODBYE, MR. ACTIVISION? - Activision Might not Return for Another Bond Game

After the tremendous fail of 007 LEGENDS, that led to the close of developer Eurocom, Activision, the video game enterprise in charge of the James Bond videogames since 2008, could not return for another Bond video game.

Artwork for Activision's
GOLDENEYE 007 RELOADED.

Their Bond videogames QUANTUM OF SOLACE, BLOOD STONE and 007 LEGENDS were deleted from Steam and official site online catalog, which means they could have ended up their 007 contract originally due to end in 2014.

Thanks to James Bond Brasil for the alert.

007 LEGENDS: Mission Round-up

All the 007 missions were revealed in the last months with trailers for each movie plot adapted and updated to fit with the Daniel Craig era. MOONRAKER, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, LICENCE TO KILL, DIE ANOTHER DAY, GOLDFINGER and possibly SKYFALL are the six missions that PC, XBOX360, Wii U and PS3 users will be able to play.

No GOLDENEYE? well, I'm afraid we can't complain since we've had four games re-adapting the story!
007 LEGENDS will be released on October 16th worldwide.

Activision announces 007 LEGENDS - The next Bond game!

Press release:

Experience James Bond's Most Iconic and Intense Missions as the World's Top Undercover Agent in 007™ Legends

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the James Bond franchise's 50th anniversary, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), will launch gamers back through time to relive a selection of Bond's most iconic and intense undercover missions from the popular Bond film franchise with 007™ Legends.

A first-of-its-kind Bond video game, 007 Legends features an original, overarching storyline tying together six classic Bond movies, concluding with this year's highly-anticipated 23rd installment — SKYFALL — to offer the most diverse Bond gaming experience yet!  As with the feature films, 007 Legends equips players with state-of-the-art spy gadgets, an arsenal of weapons, including Bond's signature Walther PPK, and sleek vehicles as they jet off to exotic locations and utilize Bond's quick wits, class and style to take down notorious villains and their brutal henchmen, perform impressive stunts, and of course...mingle with gorgeous Bond women.

"To honor 50 years of the world's top secret agent, 007 Legends offers a collection of his most famed moments in the smartest and most treacherous Bond game yet," said David Oxford, Executive Vice President at Activision Publishing, Inc.  "Creating a video game storyline that ties together six popular, yet very different, Bond movie narratives can be challenging, but together with EON Productions, our developer Eurocom, has pulled it off to create an homage that we think will be a unique and highly entertaining Bond video game."

In addition to 007 Legends' main story, the game will feature the return of fan-favorite single-player Mi6 Ops Missions, which debuted in GoldenEye 007: Reloaded and challenges players to complete extra missions ranging from all-out action to stealth and gadget-based gameplay and compete for the highest online leader board scores.  For the first time ever, players will be able to participate as one of Bond's cohorts or villainous foes, reliving the missions through their eyes, as well as 007's.  The robust James Bond multiplayer experience includes local four-player split-screen game modes and online competitive gameplay with new maps, weapons and characters derived from Bond's 50 year legacy.  With more gadgets, deeper stealth and spy investigation gameplay, gamers will have every opportunity to truly feel like the world's favorite spy.

Planned to launch this fall, 007 Legends is being developed by Eurocom, under license from EON Productions Ltd. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. (MGM) for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.  Stay tuned for more information on the game's official Web site and Facebook page.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise.  The company owns the world's largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles.  Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution In, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive.  In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries.  MGM ownership is as follows:  Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%).  For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

About EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC

EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family.   Danjaq is the US based company that co-owns, with MGM, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films as well as all worldwide merchandising.   EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company which makes the James Bond films.   The 007 franchise is the longest running in film history with twenty-two films produced since 1962.  Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccolisucceeded Albert R 'Cubby' Broccoli in 1995 and have produced some of the most successful Bond films ever including CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE. They are currently producing the 23rd film, SKYFALL.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com. 

Sources: Activision, James Bond Brasil, MI6-HQ