JAMES BOND 007: EVERYTHING OR NOTHING REVIEW

STORY (9/10)

You start the game in a prologue, like at the beginning of the James Bond films. After the stunning intro you are launched into the game. The story has many twists and turns and, without spoiling anything, has a fantastic finishing level with many memorable boss fights with some familiar foes. The story in the multiplayer is less memorable but is still very good.

GRAPHICS (10/10)

The graphics are incredible. James Bond looks exactly like Pierce Brosnan and the supporting characters all look like their film counterparts. The game has very good texturing and special effects, for example in one boss fight the fire is extremely realistic and creates amazing lighting effects. The FMV cut scenes are look incredibly like the films with real-time refections and lighting.

GAMEPLAY (9/10)

Rather than bothering with a fixed sight, pressing L1 locks Bond onto any target vaguely in front of him. Once you've got the hand of this button-intensive system (which still requires quite a bit of right-analogue dexterity) it's the perfect way to sweep through rooms. The down-side is that there is no free-aiming, which is annoying because Bond doesn't always look to the most threatening target. Another effect of this change of perspective is the ability to be able to see 007's surrounding much easier. To help even further, preesing left or right on the D-pad brings up "Bond Sense", bringing up 007's kit list and turning the screen blue as it almost, but not quite, pauses the game. This is also the mode where Bond "spots" useful objects, a perfect way to emulate Bond's calculating spy brain. There is a huge variety of missions, for instance, at one point 007's charged with winning a rallying race to earn an invite to dinner with Diavolo (the bad guy, played by William Dafoe). This is an excuse to cram in the NEED FOR SPEED engine with a few trackside boxes of dynamite to spice things up. Elsewhere there's a chopper-chase, an on-rails, tank-turret blaster and a section where you take control of Diavolo's Platinum Panzers. All in all, this is a real rollercoaster of a game where all the sections are pulled off with the same panache.

REPLAY VALUE (8/10)

The US gamers get an online co-operative mode but it's been left out of the European release to get them out in time. Honestly though, it isn't that much of a loss. There's a perfectly decent split-screen co-op mode with its own set of missions, so sociable gamers needn't feel left out. Unfortunately, there's no deathmatch mode as such because it wouldn't work with the perspective and aiming system. Instead, there's a set of screen-sized arena levels for 2-4 players, firmly based on dashing about and setting off traps. If you want a four player shooter, stick to the TIMESPLITTERS series. Otherwise, there ae plenty of unlockables in the single player to keep you coming back.

OVERALL

STORY - 9/10
GRAPHICS - 10/10
GAMEPLAY - 9/10
REPLAY VALUE - 8/10

As a game, Everything or Nothing is great. As a Bond experience it's an absolute classic. It won't define the gaming landscape, but Everything or Nothing is one of the most unapologetic thrill rides on PS2. I mean, what other game do you know of which one minute has you frantically trying to defeat a maniac with a flame-thrower while plummeting to the ground on a broken elevator and the next where you are exploring the underground tunnels beneath the Red Square in a platinum tank.

Excelent game with only a few problems with can easily be overcome. A definate buy for any Bond/action fan.