After the huge amount of Bond games being thrown at us around the millennium, there hasn't been much going on in the double-0 department recently. However, that's about to change big-time, with Treyarch developing the latest game to star the famous spy - Quantum of Solace.
Quantum of Solace follows the storylines of both Casino Royale and the title movie, and release of the game is set to coincide with the release of the upcoming movie. The developers had access to the scripters and actors from the film to try and make this latest Bond experience as genuine and well-done as it can be – and so far they seem to be making a decent job of it.
The game is based on an adapted version of the Call of Duty 4 engine, and that much is obvious just by looking at it – same sort of weapons, same targeting system, same basic controls. But that isn’t to say it’s a bad thing – if anything the basis on such a brilliantly developed engine will just add to the whole experience.
The graphics look very good indeed, although they’re still lacking a certain something to give them that real ‘wow’ factor – they’re still up there with some of the best though. The locations look fantastic - all soft lighting and grand décor – and really give the exotic feel that anything Bond-related should have.
The gameplay does look excellent. The weapons look like fun to fire, and nice little touches like firing at unknowing enemies around corners will make it that much more satisfying. The hand-to-hand combat looks brilliant too – Bond can sneak up on an unsuspecting guard and promptly throw them off a building, break their neck or smack ‘em round the face, and all with wince-inducing sound effects.
The best feature by far has to be the dual-cameras. The majority of the game plays out in classic first-person view, but at key points of the game the camera will switch to third-person to really make you think ‘oh yeah, I’m Bond’. This third-person camera will be used when Bond is taking cover – you can clearly see Daniel Craig’s rugged appearance as he shelters from oncoming bullets. Fantastic.
Activision have also confirmed that there will be a multiplayer mode of some sort for up to 12 players – but to be honest, I’d be content with just the single player. Quantum of Solace looks like it’s going to leave you shaken, not stirred.
Linford
Labels: 007, Activision, Bond, Call of Duty, Hype Train, Preview, PS3, Quantum of Solace, Treyarch