James Bond 007: Everything Or Nothing (PS2 Review)

Man is a visually stimulated creature. Now when I say that, I’m not referring to the entire species. Rather, I’m taking this opportunity to be wholly and completely politically incorrect. It is a proven fact that a male is moved more by what he sees than the female counterpart. Marketing gurus have been aware of this for decades and have proceeded accordingly with grabbing a consumer’s eye by using flashy wrapping and bold colors on their packaging. The video game industry is no different; however they have succeeded in going to the next step.

 

Developers have been hard pressed to bring the most attractive graphics to games rather than concentrating on the more important aspect of control or overall quality. Known by the name “eyecandy” within the industry, it seems to be more demanding that a game look good rather than play well. Usually the goal is to make as many pretty screenshots possible and try to catch a ride of the hype bandwagon and get the game to market before any reviews make it to print. This way, producers can reap the pre-sale or immediate launch revenues before the sheet is pulled back from the eyes of the less disconcerting gamer. The other neat trick is to create an exceptionally wild game case, sometimes with the artwork having absolutely nothing to do with how the game is played, in hopes of attracting the casual shopper who completely missed out on the million dollar advertising campaign. 

Slapping a product license on top of the game has also been a nail in the less educated gamer’s coffin, especially when you ride the coat tails of a franchise that has been exceptionally successful. After the success of the N64 title GoldenEye, no other James Bond title has been looked at the same, as each one was expected to be as good, if not greater, than the fan favorite first-person shooter. The power of nostalgia seemed to be more forceful than the developers could hope to cope with, and there yet seems to be any worthy successor to one of Nintendo’s most beloved games. 

Then out of the mist climbs EA’s James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (EoN). Breaking from tradition, they looked to take the British super spy in a different direction that what made his video game legacy famous. With a new gaming perspective, EA has teamed up with MGM Interactive to remake the 007 series from being a first-person shooter to a third-person action adventure. Does this transformation withstand the rigors of our tastes or does it fall flat on its behind? I guess there is only one way to find out. Prepare for an intelligence briefing like no other.

Most gamers were exceptionally hesitant about the switch from the first to the third-person perspective. A lot felt that something deep and meaningful would be lost to the ages and the whole 007 series would take a dive into mediocrity. This also doesn’t take into account the earlier Bond releases for the PS2 that seemed to be missing that something special and did not meet the same fanfare levels that GoldenEye did. Since I was never an N-64 owner, I can in no way relate to the aura that the famous FPS radiated, but I can honestly say that the decision to change the perspective was the right one at the right time. The genre is heavily overloaded with since the release and success of titles like Halo and Perfect Dark and the worthy third-person perspective titles have been little seen across the board. 

If I was to simply judge this game on its presentation alone, this title would be setting new upper limits for the entire scope of the industry. I have experienced numerous games that have been created from a movie license and nothing has ever given such a dramatic feel or grandiose effect that Everything or Nothing radiates. Even EA’s other gigantic movie property, The Lord of the Rings, doesn’t come as close to bridging the gap between the big and small screen productions. From its opening moments, it feels more like you are taking part in an interactive Bond movie than simply just playing another video game. Every aspect oozes British blue blood, including the signature opening credits that roll right after the first mission is completed.

All of the supporting cast from the recent movies have left their mark on this game by including their screen likeness and voices to their characters. Even non-regular character actors joined in to add a special touch for this movie-styled conversion. Pierce Brosnan (007), Heidi Klum, Richard Kiel (Jaws), John Cleese (Q), Willem Dafoe and even Judi Dench (M) play their parts just like it was a silver screen production and the only thing that makes it seem like you are not in a theater is the missing sticky seats or the irritating couple behind you exposing the plot points before they actually happen. 

All of this effort would be wasted if the actual dialog was written by a duffer. That’s why EA went to a true professional and recruited Bruce Feirstein (Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is not Enough) to handle the script duties. Having someone who actually worked on the big-screen films only raises the bar even more for the quality that EoN radiates and it guarantees the player some classic verbal Bond-isms. Bar none, this has to be one of the best examples of voice acting ever seen in a PlayStation title, which truly reinforces the image of participating in something much more grandiose than just another video game. 

One usual disappointment for regular action/adventure games is when they try to step outside their normal boundaries and incorporate unique or different aspects into them to break from the mold. Most of the time, it’s a last minute inclusion and seems tremendously out of place with either shoddy control or lackluster gameplay. This is where EoN separates itself from pack, as the vehicle missions are just as well developed as the main aspects. Players will be able to jump behind the controls of cars, SUVs, helicopters, tanks and motorcycles, and each one functions outstandingly as if it was its own game rather than just being part of an adventure, thanks to some help from the Need For Speed driving engine. You should not expect this to be a dumbed-down affair with just a go-button and a steering wheel. Just like the Q-Machines of the movies, every one of your rides will come equipped with the entire custom package deal. Along with the leather seats and cruise control, look for the heavy traffic option package that has machine guns, acid slicks and missile launchers, plus some other rather neat gadgets to help you on the commute back and forth from the office.

Your vehicles are not the only things to receive that extra special loving touch from Q division. Bond is armed with the normal slew of hi-tech gadgets that span the gambit from stealth suits to thermo-vision goggles and even coin grenades. Besides the secret rappelling gear, the best toy would have to be the sneaky Q-Spider. Early in the game you acquire one of these to use in sneaking around to do recon work but later Q finds a way to outfit them with an explosive device which really helps out to waste guards without exposing your 00 hide to their hail of bullets. The reaction of the opposing forces when they discover the metallic creepy-crawly is priceless and they will even chase it down a passage trying to squish the robotic life from your little pal. The inclusion of the nifty toys helps to make the Bond-ness of the title shine and really reels you into the life of a MI6 agent, hook, line and sinker.

While all of these previously mentioned things are super-duper, EoN shows players what it actually means to step into the shoes of an international agent. The most important thing that differentiates the regular Joe from a person with a license to kill is the ability to think outside the box when presented with seemingly incredible obstacles. Instead of recreating a scene from the O.K. Corral, 007 has a unique way of using the surrounding environment to level the playing field and put his foes at a disadvantage. It is in these moments of “nonlinear” thinking where Bond shoots out the glass of a shark-filled tank to clear the path of hordes of flunkies so he can pursue the escaping evil mastermind. Everything or Nothing uses this special touch superbly with the inclusion of the super special “Bond Sense Moments.” 

Scattered throughout each level of the game, there are numerous special areas where using the environment in the same way that our hero does in the films will pay off with higher overall mission scores. Finding these hidden gems is not as easy as one might expect. To aid you in this endeavor, you are allotted the use of a “Bond Sense.” By pressing on the directional pad, the entire game goes into an extremely slow-motion mode and the screen changes to a grayish environment. Players need to be aware that time does not stop. You can still be eliminated by the slow-motion bullets or surrounding henchmen. Nevertheless, this mode gives the player the time they might need to take in their surroundings and find one of these special 007 aids by looking for the highlighted sections in the room. Anything that can be manipulated will have a red bull’s-eye around it, and these can vary from shoot-able items to things that might bring the house down around your feet. However, this is not the only reason why a player might decide to utilize this mode. Since time slows down to a crawl, it gives you a good opportunity to switch weapons or to target a troublesome opponent without having to fear of becoming a human-sized piece of Swiss cheese.

The rest of the controls work just as well. In fact, the detailed aiming system may be refined too much. Players will benefit from a simplified lock-on ability which works well when taking fire from all directions. However, this is further refined by being able to manipulate the pinpoint precision of your shot by moving the tiny dot within the main lock-on bracket for one shot surprise kills. But, this option will rarely be used during a heavy firefight, as it takes too long to be useful. Your enemies aren’t going to stand around all day waiting for you to get the correct spot picked out like you were looking for the prime place to lay your beach towel. Only when taking a sentry by surprise will this be utilized, and then let me suggest using a silenced weapon so you don’t invite the rest of the crowd to your private party. Bond also has the ability to sneak quietly and peek/shoot around corners to assist in taking down guards before they actually realize that you have arrived on the scene.

As with any action game, you have the opportunity to take on the forces how ever you would prefer. However, EoN has set itself to be less on the run-and-gun and more on the hide-and seek. Some missions do require you to move as quickly as possible to beat a set timer, but most of the time you can move at your desired pace. Nevertheless, moving too slowly will reflect in your overall score for the level as a time penalty and could be the difference between receiving a bronze or gold rating. And speaking of ratings, each of the 20+ missions have three different difficulty levels for the player to try their luck in. Only by completing the missions on the highest difficulty rating, will you have the opportunity to take another run through to obtain a platinum award. These gold and platinum rankings are important for unlocking the bonus items, mission cheats and other special rewards. So, if getting everything that a game has to offer doesn’t interest you, you probably won’t be worried about missing out on the excellent production stills or the shots of the actual voice actors working in-studio. Nevertheless, for the rest of us, this definitely adds to the replay-ability of the title and makes finding all those hidden “Bond Moments” so much more of a challenge.

Nevertheless, as we stated at the beginning of this review, without decent visuals a game is destined to move to the bargain bin faster than Mr. Bond can sip a martini. There is nothing to dread, as EoN doesn’t fail in this department either. Widescreen owners will pleased to know that the game has a special support for their massive gaming shrines and they won’t be restricted to the limited 4:3 ratio. All of the full-motion videos are of exceptional quality and the in-game graphics are no slouch either. There are some minor clipping issues evident, and I do mean minor, as the only breakdown is being able to see some merging lines during the actual playtime, and these are very far and few in-between. The third-person camera works very well, with only rare instances when the environment gets in the view of the player. You also have the ability to manually adjust your sight and the developers were kind enough to add a quick correct button that snaps the view right back where you need it immediately.

The only thing that could challenge the graphics would be the audio selection. Brought to you in THX certified sound, the Dolby Pro Logic II sends your speakers into pure ecstasy. Every sound rings clear as a bell and you have a great sense of awareness when things are happening to the sides or behind your character. Whispered voices from the patrolling guards sound just like someone was sitting beside you holding a conversation and all of the weapon fire gives a realistic roar. There are separate controls for the dialogue, effects and music levels so you can adjust the audio portents of the game to your taste. However, I couldn’t see doing anything but pumping the volume all the way to the right. The background music keeps you within the Bond motif and fans are not only treated to an authentic rendition of Mr. Bond’s personal theme but also a unique opening song done by Mya. 

Somebody at EA must be a big fan of super-sizing because they have given us fans an extra big helping of extras in Everything or Nothing. Once you complete the story mode, gamers have two different VR-styled games that they can use to hone their spying skills. You can either run thru the weapon training levels where players can clear the rooms of set numbers of increasing enemies or they can go into the survival mode where the enemies respawn and it’s simply a test to see how long you can last. Points are awarded for how you dispatch the forces against you and increase significantly when you take them out by either stealth or hand-to-hand confrontation.

Once you tire of playing by yourself, go grab yourself a friend to take on the completely original co-op mode. There are three different two player versions (cooperative, race and scramble) and a four player arena free-for-all. Players also have the option for either a horizontal or vertical split screen and can reverse both the X or Y-axis to make controlling their spy much easier (this option is also available for the single player mode). Overall play for the two-player game is nothing less then outstanding and players are guaranteed many, many hours of co-op fun and excitement.

When you feel that you are ready, EA has included an on-line multiplayer mode for all of you broadband subscribers. You have plenty of options for this mode including, matchup lobbies, USB headset support for voice chat, news updates and a leaderboard for keeping tabs on your competition. For getting involved in the action, players can either select the instant matchup to jump right into a random battle or you can go into the lobby to issue challenges. Also, PS2 owners will be ecstatic to learn that their version is the only one that supports two-player online co-op, so you don’t have to get all dressed up to take on the standard two-player mode. EA is also using DNAS (Dynamic Network Authentication System), which is a proprietary authentication system to provide security and to help protect copyrighted content. Needless to say, hackers and modders need not apply as this system is designed to sort out the authorized gamers from the others.

As mentioned earlier, fans have the opportunity to unlock cheat codes, production stills and photographs of the stars as they created the game. There are some other interesting things that can be unlocked with higher numbers of gold and platinum awards, but I’ll let you find out exactly what they are on your own. Nevertheless, I will say that they are well worth the effort needed to acquire all of the awards. But excellent gameplay isn’t necessary to witness every special secret, as you will be treated to a montage of video interviews with the cast of the game once the credits stop rolling at the end of the story mode.

For those of you who were expecting another lackluster effort from James Bond, you will be pleasantly surprised with this result. From the moment that I put Everything or Nothing into my PS2, it literally rocked my socks off. The excellent storytelling and presentation brings this title to the forefront of the competition and the gameplay and options keep it clearly anchored in the must-have category for any PlayStation gamer. The only way you could not possible enjoy this game would be if you were so stuck in the nostalgic past that you refused to approach this third-person action title with a slightly open mind. The level of replay-ability should keep you occupied for months and this is the version you have to have if you are a multiplatform owner, simply because of the special online co-op play. While the holiday 2004 lineup for games has been nothing less that unbelievable so far, you really need to take a look to see what you might have missed that came out earlier this year. Stuff this into the stocking of your favorite gamer and you’ll be sure that they will have a merry Christmas.

Difficulty: 8

Control: 9

Audio: 10

Visuals: 9

Replayability: 9

Overall: 9.2

Rygar: The Legendary Adventure (PS2 Review)

The gaming industry is a strange animal indeed. In what way the system actually works has passed beyond my meager knowledge to hopefully be understood by more veteran masters. Why some better-than-average titles receive sequel after sequel, while outstanding franchises have one shot at the gold ring, baffles me completely. Now before I lose you completely in my rant over the state of our beloved choice of entertainment, let me redirect you back to the source of my bewilderment. 

 

In the days when the world was young, and 8-bit systems ruled the Earth, Nintendo released a remake of the arcade hit, Rygar. This game brought a unique and innovative gaming style to what would eventually become the defunct genre of side-scrollers. Expanding on everything that was great in the arcades, they reinvented the wheel by taking a basic game, for the times, and turning it into a full-blown action-adventure. Overstuffed with massive boss battles and topdown sequences, Tecmo brought us something much more than a simple port of a cult classic. Considered by many to be a shining star of accomplishments for the era, the game disappeared into hibernation for 15 years, only to stir slightly for a short rebirth on the Atari-Lynx. Now, at the height of the current love affair with video games, the sleeping giant has once again awakened, to the rapture of fans, with a whole new adventure. Welcome to the stage, Rygar: The Legendary Adventure.

Unlike the previous games, Rygar is set within the Greco-Roman time frame. Rygar, a mighty gladiator whose past is shrouded in mystery, witnesses the kidnapping of the lovely Princess Harmonia by the Titans. Their ultimate goal is to use her to free their captive master, Cronus, and regain their reign over the Earth. Led by Icarus (who remarkably resembles Raziel from the Soul Reaver franchise) and the reincarnated form of Cleopatra, they release the denizens of Hades and begin their dastardly plot. Single-handedly, you begin your quest to save the world and free the Princess.

Just like the original, the entire game revolves around the Diskarmor. Most likely to be compared to a yo-yo with teeth of steel, this gift of the gods is both your only means of offense and defense throughout the entire game. Moreover, in the later stages of the adventure, you will also be able to use this pseudo Swiss army knife for your means of travel, by transforming it into a grappling hook. It can also summon elemental assistance and be upgraded with mystic stones and experience points. There are three different versions of the Diskarmor, each with their own unique abilities, and you can switch weapons on-the-fly without risking death or non-defendable injury.

Designed as an action-adventure title, Rygar keeps players on their toes through a wide assortment of methods. To begin with, you have all of the ingredients of a hack-n-slash button-masher with the large amount of enemies that you can be facing onscreen. However, for those that want to be able to proceed with more depth than repeatedly pressing the basic attack button, there are a bunch of combos (some of which need to actually be uncovered in the game) for each of the three different Diskarmors, which adds strategy and challenge to your experience. Every boss battle is unique and requires a different approach, depending on their particular strengths. Simple button-mashing won’t cut the mustard, especially in the advanced difficulty levels, and usually you will have to try a handful of times before success is complete. 

The adventure aspect is two-pronged. First, underneath all of the flat wide-open plains, lays an introverted platformer that would make any Mario veteran proud. Level design is fresh and challenging, without the normal frustration that usually is included. Tecmo felt sorry for all of us less-coordinated folks and didn’t count falling off cliffs as a character death, which would have resulted in restarting at your last save point. Instead, they utilize a player-friendly checkpoint system, which usually puts you back at the last major platform. Nevertheless, the jumping from rock to rock is natural and easy for beginners to master quickly. The other part of the adventure is the utter destruction of just about everything that you find in the game. As it is described in the beginning of the game, the blood of the Titans can infect any object and enable them to continue living in inanimate objects. So, it is up to our hero to yank that ham-bone from their plate and obliterate any chance for returning back to the land. This may seem to get tedious for some players, as there are literally hundreds of columns and rocks to destroy, but I found this avenue personally fulfilling, since I prefer to make sure I leave no stone unturned as I progress through an area. By smashing items, along with monsters, you can uncover upgrade points for the Diskarmor and other helpful items, including health and strength improvements. At least Tecmo came up with a logical reason behind all the wanton destruction, and didn’t leave us in the dark as to why we should care to break everything in sight.

The in-game visuals and the Full-Motion Videos (FMV) are both lush and glamorous. In fact, the final level of Arcadia rivals anything that has been developed by Square-Soft in any of their games. I had to keep stopping my forward progress just to marvel at the beauty presented before me, and was even backtracking through the platforms to enjoy the sights. The use of color is spread around evenly and no two levels have the same appearance or feel. Characters have unique traits and have been developed independently, unlike some games where the faces change but the bodies look identical. All of the environmental effects, including the water, mist and fire, give a realistic appearance and really push the eye-candy meter towards the uppermost limit. Each building has the Greco-Roman feel and has been realistically recreated to mirror that of the ancient architecture to the smallest detail. It is exceptionally hard to come up with any negative comments for this department, since it is evident that Tecmo put their full effort into giving us a great presentation.

The audio portions, however, are not so lucky. Only available in the standard mono or stereo options, one just does not get the opportunity to enjoy a game of this magnitude. If Tecmco would have utilized a surround sound aspect and channeled the sound effects to their respective speakers, I could have truly imagined myself being transported to the land of yesterday. The background music was done by the Moscow International Symphonic Orchestra, and each piece is nothing less than exquisite. The audio effects are true to character and have a very realistic ring to them, especially anything concerning the use of the Diskarmor. On the other hand, the lip-synching of the actor’s voices and their onscreen counterparts just don’t match up well and could have used some more time in the studio. The dialog flows well most of the time, but there are instances when things just don’t seem to mesh properly and it appears that the translation team struggled to Americanize the game.

During gameplay, the frame-rate maintains a steady pace and there is no clipping or draw-in evident. The only negative aspect was the locked camera perspective, simply because I like to look around levels to help me keep my bearings. Camera angles change as you move from room to room, which gives the game a movie-styled presentation and also can account for slight disorientation. Nevertheless, you almost always have a clear view of your surroundings and never once did a lack of vision cause a single death.

The control scheme for Rygar is simple enough for beginners to quickly pick up and play, but has enough depth to keep you coming back after you have conquered the basics. The button assignments feel natural and make proceeding through the game a breeze. Our hero has two different versions of attacking the hordes of baddies that can surround him, and these can be modified by changing the pattern in which you use them. The combo system is expanded by the additional moves that Rygar learns, one of which is a nifty slide move needed to get under low hanging obstacles. Luckily, this gladiator begins the game with the mystic knowledge of ‘jumping’ and doesn’t have to learn how to do this, unlike other games of the genre. By utilizing these attack and evade techniques, most players should be able to lay waste to the attacking mythological beasts and barely break a sweat.

In a nod to the difficulty of the original, Tecmo has included a 30 level mini-game, with various difficulty levels, called the Necromondio Cave. Once you enter, you have to progress through all of the levels without the ability to save your progress. This is only for the seasoned Rygar veteran and will take you about an hour to finish. Proceed with caution and bring a healthy level of supplies, because if you leave the dungeon, you will have to start all over from scratch. 

The main game has four difficulty levels, and only by completing each version will you be able to collect all of the mystic stones and other items in the game. Moreover, each time you complete a difficulty level, you receive a unique, unlockable skin for the Diskarmor. While they don’t help with the next level, they are rather interesting to have attached to your arm. Also, through your travels, you will come across items that will unlock cinema sequences and musical selections along with tons of production and concept art from the game. All of these can be viewed in the gallery located in the main menu.

Tecmo looks to have once again put together a quality product, while offering something old and new at the same time. Revamping a successful old-school franchise to the new generation platforms seems to be child’s play for the company. The introduction of the Greco-Roman environments do nothing but help immerse the player into the game and brings a fresh taste to what could have been just another platformer. Using the city of Argus (known by Clash of the Titans fans to have been destroyed by Zeus) was a brilliant tie-in for children of the 80’s. Every time the city was mentioned, its name brought flashbacks, from my youth, of Medusa and the Kraken. Although not a title for every player, fans of both ancient mythology and action-adventure games should definitely give this game a sampling.

Difficulty: 7

Control: 9

Audio: 7

Visuals: 9

Replayability: 8

Overall: 8.6