James Bond has a long history with video games, so the announcement ofProject 007garnered plenty of interest. Between 1983 and 2012, the British spy has been more prolific in games than in films. However, much like the movies, not every game released under theJames Bondlicense has been a critical success, with some titles polarizing critics and fans. In 2012, publisher Activision released007 Legendsto coincide with the 50th anniversary of the series, featuring a mission from each of the six eras of James Bond movies but ultimately receiving average reviews. Regardless ofwhat went wrong with007 Legends, it would be the lastJames Bondgame for over a decade.
While the film franchise gained new momentum as Daniel Craig took on the role of the famous spy,Bondgames flew under the radar until November 2020, whendeveloper IO Interactive announcedProject 007-the working title for a newJames Bondgame. Very few details are known about this project, which leaves plenty of room for fans to speculate on what kind of game to expect.
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What We Know About Project 007 So Far
The game is being developed by IO Interactive, most famous for itsHitmanseries that focuses heavily on stealth mechanics. It will be a completely original Bond story focused on the spy earning his “00” status. Bond’s origin story is depicted in 2006’sCasino Royale, Craig’s debutin the role, and it has also been covered in several books. This will be the first time it is seen in a video game though, so it will be interesting to see how events unfold.
The game will feature a completely new James Bond, not based on the likeness of any previous actor. With the big-screen role of 007 currently vacant, this is a wise move. While thesearch for the next 007takes place following Craig’s 15-year run, IO Interactive freeing itself from the shackles of established actors and voice likenesses ensures it is not linked to any given era of Bond. With this comes a new sense of creative freedom, especially compared to previous titles that almost all base their Bonds on one of the movie iterations.
Having Bond based on one of the actors who portrayed him is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it ensures audiences are familiar with the face they see, and are able to identify the character with his big-screen counterpart. That being said, it also restricts the developer in terms of the direction it can take a character in. For example, a video game James Bond with Sean Connery’s likeness couldn’t be a martial arts expert, as this would be too removed from the barroom brawl fighting style displayed in everyConnery 007 movie. For a unique iteration of Bond exclusive to a video game franchise, he could be a former Karate champion without taking away from the audience’s engagement.
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What Should be Expected From Project 007
Over the years,James Bondgames have not followed one singular format, but the vast majority of them have either been first-person shooters or third-person action games. Despite not knowing which route the new game might take, third-person could well be the most likely option.IO Interactive’sHitmantrilogy could influenceProject 007in a variety of different ways, with the stealth and espionage gameplay used in these titles seeming like a perfect match for the license. That’s not to sayProject 007will just beHitman 4under a different guise, but without a doubt Bond could borrow a thing or two from Agent 47’s arsenal.
A first-person game cannot be ruled out at this point though, and IO Interactive could flex some creative muscle by moving out of its perceived comfort zone. Previous Bond titles such asThe World is Not Enough,007: Agent Under Fire, andGoldenEye 007are all excellent examples of how well the franchise can be captured in a first-person format. That’s without mentioning that the N64’sGoldenEye 007is considered one of the greatest movie tie-ins of all time, and one of the most influential first-person shooters in the genre.
We’ve Been Expecting You, Mr Bond
There is no release window forProject 007, and not much more than a brief teaser trailer that revealed the working title. Given it was announced almost two years ago now, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to assume the project should be farther along, so more news will hopefully be on the horizon. Ten years have passed since007 Legends, and the video game world is more than ready for the return of the world’s most famous spy. If IO Interactive is able to tap into what made previousBondgames so successful, while implementing its own highly polished stealth mechanics displayed in games likeHitman 3, there’s every chance thatProject 007will be a huge success.
Project 007is currently in development.
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