This review contains spoilers
Returning after the N64 version of The World is Not Enough, Eurocom make the next EA Bond game with another unique story. This time, it stars Pierce Brosnan’s face (but still not his voice), although is still a sequel to Agent Under Fire, with some returning characters.
The game starts with a cold opening, going straight into the game (which is a good idea, but you can’t access the game’s settings until you reach the main menu) where you have to rescue a French spy, who is in the middle of a car chase. It starts off with a turret section where you’re shooting from a helicopter, which I usually find annoying but this has a good spectacle and is fine to introduce the game.
Before long, you get to transition into the Vanquish, driving through the streets of Paris. It doesn’t have the cloaking device from Die Another Day, but will have its own surprises later on. The driving missions are more linear than Agent Under Fire, but still a ton of fun. This one is very short, though, which is a shame.
This is followed by the first unique Bond Opening Credits with a new song, which very much sets the tone for the game: This is definitely a Bond adventure.
A space defence station has been stolen by an unknown organisation. MI6 have a suspect: a company that deals with disarming nuclear missiles. They’re having a party in a remote castle and it’s up to Bond to infiltrate it and meet up with other secret agents.
You have a few ways to get into the courtyard, stealth or full on assault. There’s a handy truck that you can use to get past a few of the guards. The shooting in the game is solid and enjoyable, and a good amount of the game has a few options for proceeding.
As Bond gets rid of his snow gear to infiltrate a party in his tux, we get a good look at his face – which his is very well detailed – so much it has an uncanny valley effect as it looks so much better than his body or any other face in the game.
You get to sneak around the party and sit in on a secret meeting until one of the other spies are discovered, you have to shoot though enemies to get to her (there’s more alternative routes) – although she’s already saved herself and stolen important documents. Escaping via a cable car, you get attacked by a helicopter, which you need to defeat.
The next section is an alright turret section, but is again followed by a car section
I love this mission, it captures the spirit of a Bond car chase very well, having to combat enemies as well as slowing down police without harming them. As you swap between weapons, you get to see them come out of secret compartments and there’s even a proper first person view if you prefer. You can also unlock a race version of the level – so not only are the vehicle sections massively better than 007 Racing, but it even has an actual race.
Gadgets are done in a very simple way: in different parts of the level it changes to what you need, such as a smokescreen when the police are nearby. It’s a bit too basic and lacks player choice, but it helps keep the pace of the driving.
Off to Japan to pick up someone defecting with information on operation “Nightfire”. His house gets attacked, so you need to protect him – he’s actually pretty good at staying out of the way. It’s a fun level with plenty of hidden secrets, and the rain makes a nice atmosphere.
At the end, your informant gets killed by a ninja that you have to deal with, but he tells you where you need to go to get the information with his dying breaths.
Time for a stealth level. Unlike stealth levels in previous games, I enjoyed this. You have a dartgun, but ammo is scarce so it’s only for emergencies, but it’s definitely enough. Some areas have detection lasers (which you can see with one of the modes of your glasses), but exploration rewards you with ways to disable these.
One you get the data, you have to fight your way to the roof, fight another helicopter and jump off the building.
Time to find out what this organisation is really up do, infiltrating one of the facilities that they are “disarming”. This level comprises of two warehouses connected by a fairly open area, you discover a jetpack and a laser turret that you use to blow upon a door. It’s a solid level that uses Bond’s grapple more, along with climbing over wires.
Bond gets double crossed and captured by the enemy. You’re back in the phoenix level from earlier, but you get to blast your way through everyone this time. It’s simple, but it’s nice to revisit the stealth level in this way. At the end, Bond is rescued by an Australian agent, but Bond isn’t flirty due to a death at the start of this level, which is a nice moment for Bond.
Time to return to the Vanquish….underwater! This is what I wanted from the underwater base level of 007 Racing. The controls work very well and you have a remote controlled torpedo. It’s a very fun level although is let down at the end: you encounter an enemy sub that can take you out in seconds. Trying to figure out how to defeat is isn’t an issue – the problem is that you start from the very beginning of the level when you die.
Onto the island and you take on of their weaponised cars, blasting through their turrets. This is fun, but also has the same problem as the previous level: there’s a section at the end where you can die very quickly, with no checkpoints. The second part of this level is some decent turret sections.
Infiltrating the hidden base…I really hated this level. The first part is a fake chase – the progress of the enemy is based on when you hit certain locations. You then have to blow up some panels. I kept dying when this happened so had to look it up. Turns out there are red and green parts (I’m colourblind) and if you shoot the red, you die. Someone you blew up in a helicopter returns, announcing he’ll deal with Bond himself to pay him back for his injuries.
The level is mainly shooting through lots of enemies in really boring looking corridors. You do get access to a neat laser and have to escape the blast pit of a space shuttle (with an anti-climatic fight against the guy vowing revenge).
Bond is now in space. You have to break the launch mechanism of nuclear warheads and deal with waves of enemies. You can move around quite freely and a handy HUD display helps you keep track of which missiles are launching and when new enemies appear. It’s very cinematic and is a great spectacle to finish on.
Nightfire is a great Bond game. This story captures the films really well, with really fun combat, nice use of gadgets to find secret and alternative routes and very enjoyable driving missions.
The game starts with a cold opening, going straight into the game (which is a good idea, but you can’t access the game’s settings until you reach the main menu) where you have to rescue a French spy, who is in the middle of a car chase. It starts off with a turret section where you’re shooting from a helicopter, which I usually find annoying but this has a good spectacle and is fine to introduce the game.
Before long, you get to transition into the Vanquish, driving through the streets of Paris. It doesn’t have the cloaking device from Die Another Day, but will have its own surprises later on. The driving missions are more linear than Agent Under Fire, but still a ton of fun. This one is very short, though, which is a shame.
This is followed by the first unique Bond Opening Credits with a new song, which very much sets the tone for the game: This is definitely a Bond adventure.
A space defence station has been stolen by an unknown organisation. MI6 have a suspect: a company that deals with disarming nuclear missiles. They’re having a party in a remote castle and it’s up to Bond to infiltrate it and meet up with other secret agents.
You have a few ways to get into the courtyard, stealth or full on assault. There’s a handy truck that you can use to get past a few of the guards. The shooting in the game is solid and enjoyable, and a good amount of the game has a few options for proceeding.
As Bond gets rid of his snow gear to infiltrate a party in his tux, we get a good look at his face – which his is very well detailed – so much it has an uncanny valley effect as it looks so much better than his body or any other face in the game.
You get to sneak around the party and sit in on a secret meeting until one of the other spies are discovered, you have to shoot though enemies to get to her (there’s more alternative routes) – although she’s already saved herself and stolen important documents. Escaping via a cable car, you get attacked by a helicopter, which you need to defeat.
The next section is an alright turret section, but is again followed by a car section
I love this mission, it captures the spirit of a Bond car chase very well, having to combat enemies as well as slowing down police without harming them. As you swap between weapons, you get to see them come out of secret compartments and there’s even a proper first person view if you prefer. You can also unlock a race version of the level – so not only are the vehicle sections massively better than 007 Racing, but it even has an actual race.
Gadgets are done in a very simple way: in different parts of the level it changes to what you need, such as a smokescreen when the police are nearby. It’s a bit too basic and lacks player choice, but it helps keep the pace of the driving.
Off to Japan to pick up someone defecting with information on operation “Nightfire”. His house gets attacked, so you need to protect him – he’s actually pretty good at staying out of the way. It’s a fun level with plenty of hidden secrets, and the rain makes a nice atmosphere.
At the end, your informant gets killed by a ninja that you have to deal with, but he tells you where you need to go to get the information with his dying breaths.
Time for a stealth level. Unlike stealth levels in previous games, I enjoyed this. You have a dartgun, but ammo is scarce so it’s only for emergencies, but it’s definitely enough. Some areas have detection lasers (which you can see with one of the modes of your glasses), but exploration rewards you with ways to disable these.
One you get the data, you have to fight your way to the roof, fight another helicopter and jump off the building.
Time to find out what this organisation is really up do, infiltrating one of the facilities that they are “disarming”. This level comprises of two warehouses connected by a fairly open area, you discover a jetpack and a laser turret that you use to blow upon a door. It’s a solid level that uses Bond’s grapple more, along with climbing over wires.
Bond gets double crossed and captured by the enemy. You’re back in the phoenix level from earlier, but you get to blast your way through everyone this time. It’s simple, but it’s nice to revisit the stealth level in this way. At the end, Bond is rescued by an Australian agent, but Bond isn’t flirty due to a death at the start of this level, which is a nice moment for Bond.
Time to return to the Vanquish….underwater! This is what I wanted from the underwater base level of 007 Racing. The controls work very well and you have a remote controlled torpedo. It’s a very fun level although is let down at the end: you encounter an enemy sub that can take you out in seconds. Trying to figure out how to defeat is isn’t an issue – the problem is that you start from the very beginning of the level when you die.
Onto the island and you take on of their weaponised cars, blasting through their turrets. This is fun, but also has the same problem as the previous level: there’s a section at the end where you can die very quickly, with no checkpoints. The second part of this level is some decent turret sections.
Infiltrating the hidden base…I really hated this level. The first part is a fake chase – the progress of the enemy is based on when you hit certain locations. You then have to blow up some panels. I kept dying when this happened so had to look it up. Turns out there are red and green parts (I’m colourblind) and if you shoot the red, you die. Someone you blew up in a helicopter returns, announcing he’ll deal with Bond himself to pay him back for his injuries.
The level is mainly shooting through lots of enemies in really boring looking corridors. You do get access to a neat laser and have to escape the blast pit of a space shuttle (with an anti-climatic fight against the guy vowing revenge).
Bond is now in space. You have to break the launch mechanism of nuclear warheads and deal with waves of enemies. You can move around quite freely and a handy HUD display helps you keep track of which missiles are launching and when new enemies appear. It’s very cinematic and is a great spectacle to finish on.
Nightfire is a great Bond game. This story captures the films really well, with really fun combat, nice use of gadgets to find secret and alternative routes and very enjoyable driving missions.