For the second time this year, James Bond: No Time To Die has been delayed. The blockbuster, which sees Daniel Craig joined by newcomers Rami Malek and Ana De Armas, was originally meant to release in March. After it was postponed, it was then given a release date of November but now, as a result of the coronavirus crisis, fans will have to wait until next year to see 007’s latest adventure on the big screen.
However, we’re still in the Bond mood, and so are many people. So it’s worth revisiting the video games the series has released since 2000 to pass some time. Some titles are better than others, however, so here’s GameSpot’s verdict on the best and worst in the series.
12 007 Legends: (3.5/10)
In 2012, to coincide with the release of Skyfall in theatres across the globe, 007 Legends released on the PlayStation 3. It was a chance for fans to play through some of 007’s biggest adventures to date, allowing you to go up against the likes of Jaws, Gustav Graves, and Auric Goldfinger as you look to save the world.
Sounds fun, right? Well, the end product left much to be desired and it scores just 3.5 in Gamespot’s review. The gameplay was clunky, the graphics pretty appalling and the whole story was far too short. Given how much it had going for it, it was a crushing disappointment and sits bottom of this list.
11 007 Racing: (5.3/10)
Releasing on the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast back in 2000 was 007 Racing. Cars have always been a big part of Bond’s world, with the British spy getting a new vehicle in every single movie (usually because he’s destroyed them trying to stop the world from falling into the wrong hands). And this title allowed fans to get behind the wheel and drive until their heart’s content.
Again, the premise sounds good enough. But it didn’t meet the mark with its visuals, repetitive nature, and clunky controls holding it back. It lacked polish, too, though did pick up something of a cult following among diehard fans of the series in the years that followed.
10 GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (6.3/10)
During the years between Bond movies, many games came out to try and fill the void. One of those was GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, a first-person shooter that permitted you to play an ex-MI6 agent recruited by Auric Goldfinger, who gives you the task of assassinating Dr. No. Its gameplay wasn’t particularly revolutionary but it nailed the fan service elements, with characters such as Pussy Galore, Oddjob, Xenia Onatopp, and Francisco Scaramanga all making an appearance.
Ultimately it was an enjoyable, but forgettable, experience. Despite its unique story, it suffered from a lack of innovation and it was considered a poor rehash of the popular 1997 game Goldeneye 007. That said we certainly liked being able to wield two guns which allowed you to fire away with vigor.
9 James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire (6.8/10)
Releasing in 2001, borrowing the likeness of Pierce Brosnan, James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire came out on the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox game consoles. It had an original story and a variety of different weapons and was a fun, albeit sometimes laborious experience.
It was certainly popular among console players, with the PlayStation 2 version alone selling 1.5 million copies and raking in $58 million in the United States alone. The story held it back, being far too short in length, but the multiplayer mode meant fans spent hours and hours on it attempting to stop the enemy – or each other – from reigning supreme.
8 James Bond 007: From Russia With Love (7/10)
In 2006, James Bond: From Russia With Love decided to mix things up a bit. The movie isn’t the most action-packed adventure in the series but the decision was made to take it to video game form, allowing fans to play as Sean Connery’s version of 007. Connery himself even signed on to do the voice work, adding to the authenticity of the title.
It was Electronic Arts’ last crack at Bond before passing on the license to Activision and was certainly fun, with the missions varied and the missions well designed. It suffered from poor AI, however, and there were some moments that were outright boring. Still, that said, 7/10 is not bad.
7 007: Quantum Of Solace (7.10)
While Quantum Of Solace is based on the movie of the same name, it also allows fans to step into Bond’s suit and tie for the events of Casino Royale as well. The story spans roughly 13 missions and it’s pretty accurate, too, allowing you to battle it out against enemies such as Dominic Greene and Le Chiffre.
Unfortunately, it’s a product of its time period. The visuals are so-so, the gameplay feels like something ported directly over from Call of Duty and it wasn’t particularly inspiring. All of that contributes to its score of 7/10, which is still respectable enough.
6 The World Is Not Enough (7.4/10)
Releasing in 2000, the same year as 007 Racer, was The World Is Not Enough. It was a game based on the movie of the same name and allowed you to play as Bond and take down Renard, who had been working with Elektra to help finance terrorism across the globe.
It received generally positive reviews from critics and multiplayer was fun, pitting you against numerous foes either by yourself or with a friend. It’s forgettable, however, and nowhere near as good as some of the other titles on this list – which may explain why it didn’t rank higher, despite remaining pretty true to the source material.
5 James Bond 007: Blood Stone (7.5/10)
The penultimate Bond game to release was James Bond 007: Blood Stone, which came out on consoles PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as well as on PC and the Nintendo DS. It was a third-person shooter that let you play as Craig’s Bond and was also the last title released by Bizarre Creations before it closed in 2011.
It had an original story, fun gameplay, and the graphics were certainly enjoyable. That said, it wasn’t anything particularly revolutionary and many found it repetitive and short of imagination. Joss Stone provided a decent soundtrack, though, so that’s perhaps why it scores so highly.
4 James Bond 007: Nightfire (7.9/10)
Releasing on the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC in 2002 was James Bond 007: Nightfire. That year, Die Another Day released on the big screen. But while that’s the case, the developers decided to give fans their fix via an original story instead.
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Multiplayer on this was superb, especially given the graphics – which were pretty awesome for its time period. It had a variety of different missions and you could even play as Bond at a party, using his charm to pick up women. It was full of easter eggs and, to this day, is still worth playing.
3 GoldenEye 007 Reloaded: (8/10)
Onto the podium positions now and GoldenEye 007: Reloaded was a third rehash of the popular title. The original game hit the small screen back in 1997 and there were also Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS versions (more on that to come).
It was a polished remaster but didn’t add anything new, merely utilizing the same features introduced in the Wii version. The visuals were slick but, ultimately, that’s the only thing it had going for it that was different from before.
2 Goldeneye 007 2010: (8.5/10)
This was the Wii version we were talking about. So we’ll keep things short and snappy.
It was definitely a good remaster of the original title and that was reflected by its high score of 8.5/10. Probably the best thing was using the Wii remote as a gun, making you feel like you were 007 yourself. The only difference between Bond and ourselves was he was wearing a suit, and we weren’t.
1 James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing: (8.8/10)
We’ve already mentioned how there were a plethora of different Bond games released during the 2000s. And taking the top spot on the list is 2003’s James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing. It was the perfect blend of single-player and multiplayer, enabling fans to live out their fantasies as the British spy.
The plot centers around Bond dealing with the use of nanotechnology as terrorism, which makes it almost futuristic for its time period. You can shoot, you can drive, and you can save the world. And that’s everything people ever want from a title revolving around the most-iconic spy in movie history.
