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  News > Game Chronicles: Quantum Of Solace Review

James Bond 007 is the type of man legends are made of, not to mention a multi-billion dollar franchise that got its start in 1953 when writer, Ian Fleming, created the British secret agent in what would ultimately be the first of 12 novels and two short story collections. James Bond has gone on to inspire 21 successful feature films turning actors like Sean Connery and Roger Moore into household names, and within weeks we will be treated to Quantum Solace, the 22nd Bond movie and the second film to feature Daniel Craig in the leading role.

Quantum Solace is also headed to a variety of game systems on November 4th, with the first simultaneous Bond game-movie release. EA, who had previously taken on the Bond franchise, has passed the torch and Activision along with Treyarch studios, using the outstanding Call of Duty engine, has taken over the reigns and issued in a new era of James Bond.

At a recent press event I had the chance to schmooze with the developers, imbibe a few cocktails (shaken, not stirred), and even play a few of the single player levels and show off my crazy multiplayer skills in some 12-player matches. For those thinking that Quantum Solace is merely Call of Duty wearing a tux, let me tell you that you couldn’t be more wrong. This is one of the few games in the Bond legacy that really captures the cinematic intensity and puts you, not only in the movies, but also in the key role as James Bond.

Sure, past Bond games have used scanned images of Pierce Brosnan and even Sean Connery, but those games pale in comparison to the realism of the Daniel Craig model used in Quantum of Solace. Admittedly, the game is primarily an FPS, so you only get to see Daniel when the camera zooms out for cinematics or cover combat, but the effect is seamless, not only allowing you to see Bond but also be Bond.

Treyarch had an abundance of story material going into this game. Quantum of Solace is the first theatrical sequel in the history of Bond, picking right up where Casino left off. The designers have managed to pack in all of the key story moments from both movies as well as a few scenes that never made it to the big screen, and put them all into one explosive spy-shooter.

At the core of Quantum of Solace lies the COD4 engine, which has already proven itself to be one of the finest 3D engines out there, at least for large scale warfare. Treyarch has taken that engine and tweaked it to fit with the espionage play style. You now have the freedom, as Bond, to play many of the levels in this game as either run and gun, stealth, or any mixture of the two.

From a gameplay and camera perspective, the game is primarily a FPS with a bobbing weapon out in front of you. You can use iron sights to aim down the barrel or in a move that has still eluded the COD franchise, you can now snap to cover, much like Rainbow Six or Ghost Recon. Not only does this give you a great view of the Daniel Craig character model, it allows for some more strategic and precision gunplay.

One important tweak was the enemy AI, which Treyarch had to carefully balance to allow you to play some of these levels as stealth. You couldn’t have enemies that are instantly aware of your presence without good cause, but rest assured that once these enemies have spotted you they will employ very effective combat and flanking techniques to make sure you have a bad day. And on those rare occasions where you do get up close and personal with an enemy, you will get to enjoy all sorts of stealth and action takedown moves using timed button presses.

The Daniel Craig Bond is more about action than gadgets, but you will have access to a multi-purpose cell phone that will allow you to hack computers, pick locks, and receive important mission updates. And while the Aston Martin does make an appearance, there is no driving level in Quantum of Solace.

The variety of gameplay is surprising and keeps things fresh. One minute you are sneaking through a science lab and the next you are engaged in a shootout on a speeding train. There are integrated mini-games, QTE cinematics, and a refreshing blend of stealth and action gameplay, and all of that is before you even dive into the multiplayer modes.

Remember, Quantum of Solace is riding on the COD4 engine, which literally reinvented multiplayer gaming last year, and while Bond won’t feature all the nifty perks and challenges that elevated Call of Duty into a league of its own, there is a surprising amount of multiplayer content with more on the way in the form of downloadable content.

What you will get out of the box should keep you busy indefinitely with classic modes like DM, Team DM, Domination, Golden Gun, Bond Versus and even a few surprises we weren’t even told about. Golden Gun is a great mode that allows everyone to rush for the special weapon that offers a one-shot kill. Of course, once you have the gun everybody else is coming after you to take it away. Bond Versus has a single Bond player being hunted by the opposing team, and Bond Evasion has one team escorting a VIP to an extraction point while the other team tries to kill the VIP.

Bond multiplayer, or at least the two hours I spent with it, was nearly as much fun as the COD4 multiplayer – they both certainly look similar with character classes and special loud-outs. The snap-to-cover system allows for some more strategic gameplay, while the lack of perks and challenges might impact the longevity of the title…only time will tell.

From a presentation standpoint, Quantum of Solace looks amazing, although not entirely as realistic as COD4. Call of Duty had that element of gritty realism while Bond retains a slightly more colorful element with higher contrast and richer textures. The game looks great…just not as “raw” as its military cousin. The real show stealers are the character models. While all the primary cast members lent their faces and voices to the project, Daniel Craig (who is an avid gamer off camera) really amps up the realism with a great virtual performance. Expect some quality voice acting as well as signature Bond themes and movie music.

With an experienced and passionate team of designers behind the helm, complete studio cooperation from the filmmakers, and a proven 3D game engine under the hood, there is no way this game can possibly fail, and after playing both the single and multiplayer modes, I can’t wait to dive into the finished game next month. Quantum of Solace is the next-gen Bond we’ve been waiting for.

While we anxiously await the calendar to flip to November 4th, enjoy our screenshots and check out our developer interview in the Q&A; section.

http://www.gamechronicles.com/previews/360/quantum/solace.htm