It is good
Goldeneye was great... truly, but now, 6 years later I just can't play it without thinking "god, the frame rate is awful..." or "these controlls are unresponsive." What can I say? I'm fickle, I need 60fps The thing is, EA games tried to copy the goldeneye feel (unsuccessfully I may add) with their 1st two fps offerings (that, let's face it, weren't bad but were hardly great games) before finally deciding that:
a.) Bond should have more versatility... lets add some splintercell/MGS style action and make it 3rd person
b.) The whole "Bond film" feeling has never been captured by a game, why not try and create that feel
And they succeed on both parts, to the brilliant feeling that you are actually playing a Bond film, to the seamless switching between 3rd person spy shooting action sequences, fmv sequences and vehicle sequences you really feel like this is original, like it's not trying to live up to anything.
Bond is a god really. A master of guns, dress sense, women and a generally suave bastid all round (sam fisher can only dream of being bond tbh) so actually playing as Bond is always a huge selling point...
Did I mention the feeling that you're playing a Bond film? Well it really feels like it. thrown straight into an action sequence during what you think's the intro only to see a beautfully rendered title sequence after with a theme tune by Mya. Oh, and EA have spared no expense with the license - Pierce brosnan is now modelled and voice sampled to full effect as mr cool himself, along with voices from Willem Dafoe, Heidi Klum, Shannon Elizabeth, Richard Keil, Mya, Misaki Ito, John Cleese and Judi Dench (oof!) Tis a cinematic masterpiece.
Graphically it's beautiful. I can't use a better word - the only faults ive noticed so far are slightly jerky animations during some of the "one off" events (such as picking up a telephone) and occasional frame rate drops... intentional or not I dunno... could be slow motion in the cut scenes but everything's fast, smooth, well rendered and just fantastic. In one of the 1st levels you (as bond... eheheheh) throw yourself off a bulding as it's engulfed in the explosive flames of an MI6 mine, only to turn mid air, fire your rappel at the top of the building and absail down as fast as possible as the building explodes around you... CLASS
Another level sees your girlie thrown out of a helecopter and you (as bond... EEEHEHEHE) have to take a leap of faith off the cliff after her and catch her up... maaaad stuff
and the variation of the levels doesn't stop it being a smooth experience. You never feel like you're playing a badly put-together mismatched game, it's all well-thought out and well made.
It's available in 3 flavours via the 3 different systems it's out for... the Xbox and GC versions thought to be the best graphically but the PS2 version being the only one to support online play (xbox live?) Multiplayer wise it's fun, has a deathmatch mode, an extensive co-op mode with it's own co-op storyline (which my gf enjoyed playing!) and a head to head mode to get the most kills in a co-op game
the only "Goldeneye-esque" part of the game comes with you being able to choose "operative", "agent" or "00 agent" difficulty levels, each with varying degrees of enemy accuracy/health and objectives to complete, rewarding the completion of higher difficulty levels with artwork and unlocked gadgets. Depending on how well you do on levels you'll recieve a Bronze/Silver/Gold award... after completing 00 Agent mode on a level you're given a "Platinum" challenge to complete (such as only taking so much damage, or completing within a time limit) and this can unlock you a cheat The levels are v. hard on the higher difficulty tbh. It'll please replay fans
Xbox controll wise (only console I have it on) it's a little buggy - aiming comes from clicking the left trigger to lock on to something and firing with the right trigger, weapon/gadget selection is done through the d-pad menu, running with the left analogue stick and looking around with the right. You can't aim wherever you like (sniper rifle excluded) so, even though you'll always be able to aim where you need to this takes away some of the freedom you'd come to expect, also aiming at a specific enemy in a sea of enemies is nigh on impossible. Another litle gripe I have is Bond's always spot on with the aiming - lock on - fire - lock on - fire... doesn't mean it's easy, but you can always hit someone without any "aiming" as such. You can crouch, hug walls, move stealthilly behind people only to silently knock em out etc (even though this stealthy gameplay is not usually necessary). You can even go hand to hand (though you hardly ever will) countering attacks, grabbing guns and suchlike.
There are a variety of weapons that you'll find as you go through the game. To your trusty PP7 (P99 in the game mefinks) to SIGS, shotguns, MP5's, rocketlaunchers, sniper rifles, YUM!! And the gadgets are there... OOOH are they there. Coins that explode, a remote controlled spider camera and buggy, cloaking devices, vehicles... the list goes on
I can't finish this review without talking about "bond sequences"
basically recognition for something Bond would have done in that situation... like jumping over flames rather than going around them. Usually you're treated to a nice little sequence if you manage to find one and it adds to the replayability trying to find them all.
007: Everything or Nothing will keep you occupied for quite a while if you're interested in finding EVERYTHING (or nothing... k that was bad ) in a game. It's not perfect, but neither was Goldeneye (it is impossible not to compare 2 bond games btw) but it's fun, really REALLY good fun and well worth a buy imo.