GameCube

007: Nightfire

Eurocom Entertainment hat aus den Fehlern des Vorgängers gelernt und liefert mit Nightfire ein äußerst solides Spiel ab, welches nur wenige Mängel besitzt. Alles in allem kann der Titel durch eine saubere Technik, eine fast perfekte Präsentation und lupenreines Agentenfeeling den Spieler in seinen Bann ziehen. Das Gameplay wirkt wie auf angehende Agenten zugeschnitten und bietet einiges an Vielfalt, was die einzelnen Levels sowie die Handlungsmöglichkeiten des Spielers betrifft. Der Mix aus Egoshooter-Abschnitten und Rennsequenzen kann durchaus gefallen, auch wenn die Kämpfe mit den Autos einen inhaltlichen Feinschliff vermissen und somit eher als spielerische Zugabe gewertet werden sollten. Größtes Manko von Nightfire ist sicherlich der etwas geringe Umfang, da im Endeffekt nur sieben reine FPS-Levels übrig bleiben, was uns etwas wenig erscheint.

It's pretty amazing when you think about it. Developer Rare's GoldenEye came out for Nintendo 64 in 1997 and in the five years since, on more powerful next-generation consoles, competing software houses have still been unable to make a significantly better Bond first-person shooter. Look at publisher Electronic Arts' track record, though, and you'll know that it's not for lack of trying. The company has released several 007 follow-ups, a few of them noteworthy, but none of them good enough to officially dethrone Nintendo's gargantuan success of old.

The gameplay has been set up in such a way that you actually get the illusion of freedom: you get your objectives and you have to achieve them any way you see fit. But besides the great gameplay the game also has some nice graphics. you can actually see emotions on the models faces (in the cut-scenes) and everything looks pretty real (from a certain distance). But eventually the graphics didn't really matter in this game, it was the atmosphere it was able to create that made me sneak around each corner scared that a guard would see me and sound the alarm.

Overall, 007 Nightfire is the best Bond game since Goldeneye. It is one of the better first person shooters on the market today, with only a few other titles beating it. A must have for Bond fans, and worth looking into for any action fan.

Overall, Nightfire is an enjoyable game. It manages to weave a strong story line and capture many of the aspects that make the Bond franchise so enjoyable. Those in the market for an enjoyable single-player game should give Bond's latest a try. However, those looking for a rewarding, addictive multi-player experience may want to stick to TimeSplitters 2.

007 Nightfire would easily have received a score near 9 if it were just longer. The multiplayer modes give the game some replay value, and the presentation is nearly cinematic. Highly recommended as a rental.

It's hard to get excited about another Bond game these days. To the jaded gamer, each new 007 title feels like a direct attempt to profit from Rare's groundbreaking GoldenEye by offering a cheap substitute. While EA Games certainly plans to profit from the James Bond license, it hasn't failed to whip up a surprisingly tasty single-player experience with worthwhile multiplayer action.

While NightFire is hurt by its relatively short length, the game's single-player mode is well constructed, and its multiplayer mode is good too. If you're a fan of multiplayer first-person shooters, NightFire has a nice selection of options, though a multiplayer-focused game like TimeSplitters 2 does a better job in this department. Those purely looking for a first-person shooter won't find that NightFire is the best choice around, but as a Bond game, NightFire successfully re-creates the style, presentation, and action of its source material.

NightFire looks great and plays well. The game is over all too soon, but it does own decent replay value and the multiplayer modes are a welcome addition. On the GameCube the performs very well -- much more so than the choppier PS2 title -- so forget about the minor Xbox aesthetic improvements because they don't really detract from the gameplay experience. NightFire offers 007 fans and action junkies alike a nice chance to get in on some global espionage, so be sure to check it out if this kind of game appeals.

On reste finalement pas mal déçu de ce nouveau James Bond. L'absence de véritables nouveautés associée à une réalisation plutôt quelconque nous font une nouvelle fois regretter l'époque bénite où l'espion se produisait sur N64 dans Goldeneye.