James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing

James Bond is back! His first game since 2002's Nightfire provides a fantastic change of pace to the FPS Bond Formula. Instead, Bond has gone back to a 3rd-person shooter, but don't worry-- this isn't anything like the abysmal Tomorrow Never Dies. The story is a typical Bond-must-save-the-earth-from evil-diabolical-villain story. Nothing you really haven't seen before. If you like those kind, you'll like it, if you don't like those kind, you won't. It is as simple as that.

The gameplay is where Everything or Nothing shines. Although on the surface, it seems like a typical action adventure, what's best is the open-ended way you can tackle each mission one-by-one. Will you charge straight into a firefight or take out your enemies one by one from some cover? Will you use your gadgets to scout ahead or just keep your trigger finger ready when danger arises? Will you take out an enemy sniper from afar or use your grapple to get up to the ledge he's on and take him out with your fists? This kind of excellent gameplay allows the player to weave their own strategies on how to deal with each level. And like Nightfire, when you perform a move that's exactly like Bond would do, you'll get a higher score. And to add some variety, EA added in some awesome driving missions that rival some of the best chase scenes from the Bond flicks.

The graphics and sound are also excellent. The voice acting uses some top Hollywood talent, from the regulars like Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, and John Cleese, to newcomers like Shannon Elizabeth and Willem Dafoe, fresh off his stint from 2002's Spider-man video game. There's also the opening tune by Mya, one of the better James Bond songs in recent years. Plus, the graphics are amazing. They've been rendered to look EXACTLY like the voice talent, so much in fact that at times you'll actually believe at times that you're not looking at a video game, but the latest Bond movie on your TV set. The high production values just increase EON's movie-like quality.

There's only one small flaw in the film: The camera stinks! Like nearly every 3rd person action game in existence, the camera is just awful, it will often pan to obscure angles, often screwing your field of vision up. This is especially annoying when an enemy taking potshots at you, as by the time you adjust the screen to see them your health may be nearly wiped out. This annoying tidbit can get increasingly frustrating. However, that minor complaint aside, the game is another excellent addition to any gamer's library. I recommend this to any person who is a fan of action games, and eagerly await EA's next Bond title. 9.5/10.

This game is beyond comparison simply due to all the unique features and graphics. The graphics are simply the best. It has laser scanned images of top notch actors, including Pierce Brosnan, Willem Dafoe, Shannon Elizabeth and best of all John Cleese. They also supplied the voices unlike the previous two Bond games, which used other voice over actors doing terrible impressions. If thats not enough, the cars use real time reflections. For example, in one racing mission, your car will display reflections as they would be seen in real life and actually gathers dirt on the rear bumper as you drive. Anyway, onto game play. This is completely redesigned due to the game being in third person. It even has a mission in which you free fall off a cliff while having to shoot enemies and dodge outcroppings. It also introduces a new smart aiming reticule. This allows for easy head shots or targeting specific areas of ones body. It can also be confusing as it makes it difficult to free aim due to the fact that the reticule only appears upon pressing the lock on button. Great game nonetheless. 10/10

This game is the bomb and this is the 007 game of the year and should be on greatest hits. When I got Agent Under Fire, I thought that was a good game but then Nightfire came around and that was better, but now there is a new type of James Bond game. This time it a 3rd person shooter and there is more than 12 missions, the graphics of the game are out of this house. It even has all of the great actors and actresses in this game like Pierce Bronsan as once again James Bond, William Dafoe as the villain Nikolai Diavolo, and Judi Dench as M (forgive me all if I spell it wrong). This game would be own as the greatest James Bond game around.

I give this a 10/10

I was finally able to rent this game out yesterday, and I have to say, this game is breathtaking. I haven't beaten it as of this moment, but I've seen enough to say just how incredible this game is.

GRAPHICS The graphics are nothing short of spectacular. Lighting is geniusly done, and having to use the Thermal Vision every time you walk into a dark area is a nice touch. Particle effects have also been perfectly integrated, from bright flashes to EXPLOSIONS (and believe me, there will be a LOT).

SOUND If you've played the Max Payne games, you already know of the ear-splitting gunshots and explosions (which is a good thing), but if you haven't played the Max Payne games, you're in for a surprise. From the sound of your P99 going off, to the sound of a huge BOOM from inside a building, the sound is monstrously integrated. Also, for those who have played the previous James Bond games, you will get a twist here: the actual cast from the live-action films have signed on to voice the characters in this game (that's right, no more Pierce Brosnan sound-alikes). The star-studded cast will give you the feeling that something has finally been done right. The introductory theme song is highly addictive, too.

GAMEPLAY I'll say this right now...there's a lot of cover shooting going on. Unlike in the other James Bond games, you can't just run into a huge gunfight and expect to walk out without a scratch. You must use the environment to your advantage, and fire. It is sometimes safe to run out with guns a-blazing, but only do that if you're absolutely sure you'll win. Stealth is an important factor, too. You must keep yourself well-concealed on most missions in order to at least have a dying chance at completing a level. There are also vehicle levels here. These levels are so fast-paced and exciting, I immediately became obsessed with the "Train" mission. Try and play that mission with your finger on the "X" button as long as possible...I assure you, you'll be in for a wild ride. Unlike all the other James Bond games, this game includes a Training Level that allows you to get the feel of the game before actually playing through it. The gadgets are also well-done...the Q-Spider is probably THE most useful and most fun gadget to use. There's even a level where you have to fall down the side of a mountain to catch your partner in mid-air...they did the same thing in Operation: Surma, but that way sucked badly. Leave it to this game to show them the RIGHT way to do it. The Multiplayer game is also here with a vengeance...not only can you battle others, you can also team up with a second player and play story missions. If you're a hardcore gamer, you WILL find yourself returning to previously-completed levels to obtain Platinum ranks and unlock cheats and rewards.

BOTTOM LINE: This game is worth your money, whether rented or bought. If you're a huge Bond fan, you'll definitely want to pick this up.

Final Score: 10/10

A must-have for all 007 fans. The weapons and gadgets are good. Graphics look like real life. Driving levels are the BEST.

The only weapons I never liked and coulda bin improved were the MP5K(accuracy), Frag Grenade(hard to aim), and P99(clip size).

I loved ALL the gadgets, especially Q-spiders, and i enjoyed shooting with the SIG 552.

The Dragunov sniper rifle scope also keeps wobbling up and down when I try to snipe from afar. That is retarded! eg the enemy is moving real fast and keeps taking cover and just when i get a shot the scope wobbles upwards! no fair! i dunno if it is just my game or if it is a glitch or if it is deliberate.

but overall the game is good, despite the sniper scope flaw. Do not rent it, BUY it!