After years of radio silence about the project, we finally got a first peek at007 First Lightat the Summer Games Fest, which looked arguably even better than most people hoped. Developed by IO Interactive, which developed the widely popularHitmanreboot trilogy,007 First Lightaims to take the cinematic spirit of the films and combine it with the studio’s greatest strengths. Although tense stealth set pieces and player freedom giveFirst Lightthe potential to be the best Bond game yet, it’s far from the series' first game adaptation.
Starting back in 1997 withGoldenEye 007for the Nintendo 64,there has been a lot of great James Bond experiences that offer more than just a simple film adaptation. Despite an overall strong track record with the series, severalsurprising game cancellationsand lackluster outings ended the franchise in 2012. Being 14 years since the last James Bond game,First Lightcould pave the way for even more entries to follow, while learning from the strengths and weaknesses of its predecessors.
10007 Legends Is The Closest Thing To A Modern Bond Adaptation
Ending The Long-Running Franchise With A Mediocre, But Enjoyable Bang
007 Legendshad great potential to bethe definitive James Bond gaming experience with its collection of film adaptations, but ultimately failed to achieve its ambitious goals. Being criticized for its unfortunate level design, poor controls, and limited enemy AI, the007 Legendsexperience is one of the lowest-rated entries in the series, but the game still has its merits as a solid first-person shooter re-enactment of the series.
The007 Legendsexperience is one of the lowest-rated entries in the series, but the game still has its merits.
Despite its issues,007Legendsis by no means a terrible game on its own,feeling like an above-averageCall of Dutyspin-off to play rather than a true-to-form James Bond adaptation. The main aspect that makes007 Legendsso painful to remember, despite its enjoyable sequences and combat mechanics, is that the game’s negative reception likely contributed to ending the James Bond gaming legacy.
9007: Quantum Of Solace Is A Solid Film Adaptation
A Great Blend Of Film-Inspired Stories And Action Sequences
Balancing plenty of fan-service for enjoyers of the Craig films, the cover shooting action seen in007: Quantum of Solaceis more than worth your time to experience. Although the overall gameplay variety isn’t revolutionary for the series or genre as a whole,Quantum of Solaceoffers an enjoyable blend of action sequences and cinematic storytelling.
Compared to theyounger protagonist inFirst Light,playing an older Bond is a great way to freshen up before the new remake, with 007’s likeness and voice being incredibly accurate to the Craig films. AlthoughQuantum of Solace’s cover-shooting gameplay felt somewhat out of place for the spy series, it’s still a solid entry in the long-running franchise.
8The World Is Not Enough Expands Upon GoldenEye’s Legacy
GoldenEye’s Spiritual Successor Has Enough To Offer Fans Of The Original
Despite the strange decision not to follow up with a direct sequel after the lucrative success of Rare’sGoldenEye 007,The World Is Not Enoughstill managed to offer an inspiring gameplay experience.Improving upon the formula ofGoldenEye 007, there are even more stealth opportunities and gadgets to create memorable missions, even if some of them were incredibly clunky.
A great option for fans of the originalGoldenEye 007wanting more from the iconic Bond era.
While the PlayStation 2 version suffered from a less-than-favorable reception,the separately developed N64 release was incredibly ambitious for the time, with visuals and a sense of scale that were a considerable step up from its predecessor. Although the overall reception toThe World Is Not Enoughhas been more than mixed over the years, it’s still a great option for fans of the originalGoldenEye 007wanting more from the iconic Bond era.
7James Bond 007: Blood Stone Is An Underrated Gem
A Great Foundation That Offers A Glimpse At Bond’s Potential
Featuring tight gunplay, fast-paced combat, and dramatic driving sequences galore,James Bond 007: Blood Stoneis by far one of the most criminally underrated entries in the franchise. Sporting the film-accurate Craig in an action-packed new narrative,the third-person gunfights inBlood Stonefeel great to play, despite their drawbacks.
James Bond 007: Blood Stoneis by far one of the most criminally underrated entries in the franchise.
The biggest problem withBlood Stoneis that it feels like it had much more potential than what was ultimately delivered, which could have benefited greatly from a sequel or simply a longer runtime. With fun but repetitive gameplay loops and a poor voice performance from a disinterested Craig,Blood Stoneunfortunately failed to stand apart from competing shooters at the time.
6James Bond 007: From Russia With Love Is A Love Letter To The Film
One Of The Most Accurate Film Adaptations With Unique Gameplay Mechanics
Going back to the Sean Connery era of Bond,007: From Russia With Loveaccurately depicts the plot while simultaneously building upon its formula, adding in plenty of new set pieces to experience. Being praised by both general audiences and hardcore Bond fans alike,From Russia With Lovewas an equally emotional and action-packed adaptation of the film.
Despite being released 42 years after the film,007: From Russia With Lovefeatures both Sean Connery’s voice and likeness, making it his final performance for the series.
Specializing in a wide variety of film-accurate gadgets and environmental setpieces, playing throughFrom Russia With Loveis a perfect way to relive the nostalgia of the films, even if its gameplay was somewhat simplistic even for its era. Being one of the darker films and games in the franchise, it’s not too surprising that there’s been moredemand for a return to formpresented in both adaptations.
5GoldenEye 007 Reloaded Is More Than A Generic Shooter
A Remake Of A Reboot That Offers A Definitive GoldenEye
Being a remake of a reboot of the original GoldenEye 007 on the N64,the gameplay experience offered inGoldenEye 007 Reloadedis more than enjoyable from start to finish. Despite all odds, the strangely rewritten adaptation to fit Craig into the narrative had all the upgraded fidelity and gameplay mechanics you would expect, with a few notable changes.
Being far from the first reimagining of the N64 classic,007 Reloadedhad a fantastic mix of stealth and first-person firefights that made up for its flaws. To top off itsGoldenEye 007inspirations,Reloadedoffered a fantastic multiplayer mode that could fit up to 16 players at once, being relatively well-received thanks to its improvements from the original formula.
4James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire Laid The Foundation For James Bond’s Best Games
A Unique Story That Feels Right At Home With The Spy-Thriller Franchise
Being the first game to kick off the legendary PS2 era of Bond games,007: Agent Under Firebrought in all the best aspects of the iconic film franchise in one distinct package. With an engaging storyline, fast-paced driving segments, and a surprising variety of stealth and action for such a relatively short game.
Boasting one of the best single-player campaigns in the series.
On top of the core experience,Agent Under Firealso innovated greatly on the driving and gadget experience for future games to follow, making them more than a simple puzzle requirement. While boasting one of the best single-player campaigns in the series,Agent Under Firealso more than lived up to the multiplayer expectations of the past, with incredible depth for PvP customization.
3James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing Felt Like A Perfect Evolution For The Series
Offering A Complete Package For Bond Fans To Enjoy
Acting as a successor to the 007 games that followed,007: Everything Or Nothing’s scale had several massive improvements for the franchise, which is still considered one of the best original Bond games. Telling a unique storyline with a masterful cast of actors, including Pierce Brosnan, Willem Dafoe, and Judi Dench, the ambitious package of both diverse gameplay variety and narrative was a smashing success for 007.
Everything Or Nothingutilized the new perspective to its advantage in more ways than one.
With a diverse mix of third-person action, stealth, and gadgets you would expect from the series,Everything Or Nothingutilized the new perspective to its advantage in more ways than one.Rather than traditional PvP multiplayer,Everything Or Nothingalso included a co-op mode to bring a friend in on the strategic fun, on top of immersive driving sequences that Ihope007 First Lightborrowsin the future.
2It’s Hard To Beat GoldenEye 007’s Genre-Defining Experience
The Classic Game That Revolutionized The First-Person Shooter Genre
There’s no doubt thatGoldenEye 007is easily the most influential and historic entry in the James Bond franchise, still standing as a pillar of the first-person shooter genre. Combining a faithful adaptation of the film’s storyline with purposefully designed gameplay and difficulty settings that provide excellent mission replayability,GoldenEye007quickly became the gold standard for not only future adaptations to come, but shooters in general.
On top of a historic single-player offering,GoldenEye 007’s multiplayer was an absolute joy to experience in its prime, delivering a surprisingly addictive and precise PvP experience with plenty of customization choices. AlthoughGoldenEye 007is still an absolute blast to revisit, some of its gameplay mechanics and controls have started to show their age in more ways than one, making it hard to earn the title of the best game in the series.
1James Bond 007: Nightfire Is Everything I Wanted From A James Bond Game
The Perfect Blend Of Espionage And Action For The Beloved 007
Aside from the legendary status ofGoldenEye 007, there’s a good reason why Nightfire stands as one of the highest-rated entries in the series, being fondly remembered to this day. Taking an original Bond storyline with all the hallmarks of the films, and injecting a variety of stealth, action, and gadget-based espionage gameplay for a unique experience.Offering an immersive variety of ways to tackle a single mission,Nightfiretakes full advantage of the hardware at the time,minus its unfortunate PC port.
Taking all the elements that made both the films and past games so beloved,Nightfire’s globe-trotting adventure encourages creative solutions across its varied level design, offering some of the most memorable maps and multiplayer offerings in the series. WhileGoldenEye 007is easily more iconic,Nightfire’s stylish offerings are much more in line with a triple-A adaptation of the series. With Interactive IOpromising more Bond gamesto follow if007 First Lightis a success, there’s a desperate hope it borrows from games likeNightfireto ensure a long road ahead for fans of the series.
James Bond
The James Bond franchise follows the adventures of British secret agent 007 as he combats global threats. With a license to kill, Bond faces off against various villains and criminal organizations, employing high-tech gadgets, espionage, and charm. The series spans multiple films, featuring exotic locations, thrilling action sequences, and memorable characters. Bond’s mission to protect the world and uphold justice remains central, making the franchise an enduring icon in the spy genre.
