James Bond is the perfect video game protagonist. His adventures take him all over the world, facing off against some of the most evil men (and women) in an attempt to stop their change-the-world, topple-the-government plans again and again. This year is going to be another huge year for the double-oh agent, with much anticipated film Skyfall being released this October, along with the upcoming 007 Legends video game for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. If you’ve never had the chance to jump into the shoes of the suave British spy, here is a list to help you find the best of the James Bond video games.
007 Everything or Nothing (PS2, Xbox, GameCube)
Players have spent years looking through the eyes of James Bond because of the success of Goldeneye. It seems that every studio to tackle the franchise after the release of the iconic Nintendo 64 game thought that first-person shooters were all that the secret agent could handle, until EA Redwood Shores finally decided to do something different. Once again featuring an original storyline, this time written by Bruce Feirstein who worked on scripts for James Bond films, Everything or Nothing was a third-person action game that still remains one of the highest-rated Bond games in history. Featuring car chases, excellent third-person controls, a two-player cooperative mode, and a well-written story, it’s a game that James Bond fans shouldn’t miss.
From Russia With Love (PS2, Xbox, PSP, GameCube)
From Russia With Love is one of the best-loved 007 films, so attempting to turn it into an action game was a bit of a risky move, especially when the original film was released way back in 1963. Luckily, hot of the success of Everything or Nothing, EA Redwood Shores took the license and made a great game, even enlisting Sean Connery to reprise his role as Bond. The game does make some changes to the film’s plot, most notably with the absence of the organization SPECTRE (renamed OCTOPUS due to licensing issues), but for the most part it stays true to its source material. Though there is no cooperative mode, From Russia With Love features some fun third-person multiplayer, and once again it’s a game that fans shouldn’t overlook.
Goldeneye (2010, Wii)
Many people feared a complete remake of Goldeneye, but somehow Eurocom was able to make it work. Normally, I would suggest picking up cross-platform titles for anything other than the Wii, but in this case, the Nintendo version is far superior because it was made specifically for the console. The Wii’s motion controls works very well for the first-person shooter genre, and Goldeneye features some of the best controls of any Wii shooter. Featuring an excellent online multiplayer mode, and levels based around all of the original locations from the Nintendo 64 games, Goldeneye is more than just a great James Bond game, it’s an overall fantastic first-person shooter.
James Bond 007 (Game Boy)
You might be surprised to find a James Bond game for the Game Boy, and even more surprised to know that it’s more of an adventure game like Legend of Zelda than a side-scrolling action game. The plot of the game is an original story that has Bond traveling the world to find a secret stash of weapons that just happens to be in the hands of the enemy. Throughout the adventure, you get to meet some very familiar faces, such as Oddjob and Jaws, and the story takes some interesting twists along the way. The game is played from a top-down perspective similar to the aforementioned Zelda, and focuses on exploring areas to find new weapons and gadgets to help solve puzzles and defeat your enemies. There are also some great boss battles that require a little bit of thought rather than just “shoot to kill.” Easily one of the most unique titles involving James Bond, it’s definitely worth picking up.
There are a ton of James Bond video games out there for all different systems, from the Commodore 64 and Atari to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but it’s a franchise that has seen a lot of lows. Everybody has played the original Goldeneye, but luckily the games listed here prove that Bond is more than just a one-hit-wonder in the gaming world. So make yourself a vodka martini (shaken, not stirred) and jump into the life of the world’s greatest secret agent.
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