Home > Reviews > Xbox 360 > #1077

Screenshots (19) | Reviews Archive

Quantum of Solace Review - Xbox 360

Introduction

Bond is back on the console. Many older gamers would have fond memories of GoldenEye 007, released on the N64 in 1997, which on its own helped sell many consoles, and has been the benchmark of a great Bond game ever since. It was one of the first-person shooters on a console that really worked quite well, and also offered a great split-screen multiplayer mode. Since this reviewer has recently seen (and been disappointed by) the Quantum of Solace movie, the obvious question is whether the game can improve on the mediocrity of the latest Bond film.

Gameplay

Quantum of Solace is developed chiefly by Treyarch Studios, most recognised for Call of Duty 2, 3, and the most recent World At War. It utilises the Call of Duty 4 engine, this time wrapped around the James Bond universe. While the game is titled 'Quantum of Solace', the action in the game takes place over the scenes shown off in both Casino Royale, and the latest movie. In many ways, this is no bad thing, picking up many of the better parts of the more exciting Royale. It's a little disjointed as it tries to tie the storyline of the two movies together, but the developers do manage to pull it off for the most part.

At it's core, Quantum of Solace is similar to any other first person shooter, with lots of running around shooting bad guy after bad guy, with storyline sequences based on the movies. The game branches slightly out from this when occasionally you have to guide Bond in third person as he balances across tight spaces, jumps across ledges, climbs ladders, or ducks behind cover.

Rather than lifeless and flat environments, Bond finds himself transversing a very-much 3D world of tight alleyways, building sites, tight stairwells, and other authentic locations from the movies. The game plays out quite linearly, requiring you to navigate through levels in a pretty set out path, guided by a circle on your compass towards your next target. While non-free roaming is generally frowned upon these days, in QoS, due to the fact that the environments are very detailed, and it seems to be framed less by obvious invisible walls, it really doesn't become an issue. Also, because the game moves with such a brisk pace, there never really is time to stop and look around, and the action keeps you moving quickly.

While the basics of a standard shooter are there, rather than simply charging into the action, Quantum of Solace requires that Bond use effective cover. By pressing the cover button, Bond can hide behind furniture, walls, or other objects, then lean over and fire upon enemies with greater accuracy and less chance of being hit. This element really gives a much grittier, and authentic feel to the game, forcing you to move quickly from point to point, and avoid being caught in the open.

007 has a lot ...

(continued next page)