I know what you’re thinking, “Alright, another Bond game! Surely this one will be just as good as or better than the last Goldeneye release!” Well, not to bring you down or mercilessly pop your birthday balloons, but “007 Legends” is far from being considered a triumph of the series.
You would think that a major institution like the Bond franchise would put just a little more effort into making sure that their video game tie-ins were more up to code. After all, this is the legendary James Bond we’re talking about here; 007, license to kill, shaken not stirred…you know the drill. Instead of an interactive experience where the gamer gets to experience the thrills and chills of an MI6 operative, we are met with a game that was obviously slapped together in a matter of months.
Visuals
Those that are used to higher-end graphics are probably going to be slightly disappointed with 007 Legends. In short, the same engine that was used for Goldeneye: Reloaded is also found here; only this time, things don’t look quite as interesting. It’s not that things look horrifically bad, because the game still has some appeal in terms of visuals; it’s just that you can tell that not a lot of effort went into its overall design. For example, recurring designs for levels is very disheartening to say the least.
Gameplay
In terms of gameplay, 007 Legends is anything but ahead of the curve. Simply put, you can really tell that this game was rushed. First off, the cover system for this game is more-or-less non-functional and the controls leave something to be desired as well. Secondly, the A.I. isn’t nearly as good as we’ve come to expect in more recent releases (which is a major problem that seriously affects gameplay).
Third, the QuickTime events are more of a bother than anything else and add very little enjoyment to the mix. In truth, there are simply too many problems to contend with (in terms of execution of gameplay and glitches) for 007 Legends to be truly enjoyable.
Verdict
Serious fans of the Bond franchise will probably pick this one up anyway, but even the most die-hard 007 lackeys are going to have a tough time enjoying this one. It is however refreshing to see some of the more neglected movies receiving screen time on a major Bond game; too bad that the game itself leaves much to be desired. In short, this game will leave you shaken with disappointment and perhaps even stirred up to go back and try to get a refund.