Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch
Release Date: November 4, 2008

Seeing how "Casino Royale" was a sort of rejuvenator for the long-running Bond film franchise, it's not so unreasonable to hope that Quantum of Solace, the game based upon the direct sequel to "Casino," could bring about a similar type of rebirth for the video game treatment of the series. Although it gets some of the presentation right with an accurate in-game model of Daniel Craig and plenty of action-filled scripted moments, it's just not enough to help Quantum stand out from other shooters, let alone provide us with the proper Bond game that every gamer was waiting for.

The game is based upon the new film, picking right up with Bond confronting Mr. White at the Italian villa, but also takes the liberty of branching back into "Casino Royale." Anyone who's worried about spoiling the move for themselves can relax, though, because out of the game's 15 levels, only five take place within Bond's latest adventure, and even then, the events of the film are told with very scant details about who you are fighting and why. Like many games before it, Quantum falls into the classic movie-game trap of only providing an after-experience to the film, rather than one that can stand on its own.

One decision I was happy to see was the return of Bond to the first-person perspective, and since he's all about shooting stuff, I've always believed it's right way to go. But the game still lets players get a glimpse of Daniel Craig as the camera pulls out to third-person view when taking cover. This is a necessity because while Bond may be invincible in the films, it is possible to get shot down in the game. When he is taking too much damage, the classic barrel will begin to appear on-screen, eventually resulting in a cascade of blood if you can't manage to find cover.

The James Bond of the recent films has been touted as a more physical secret agent instead of relying on his cell phone to do all the fighting, and that same idea is brought to Quantum of Solace through melee moves that can be triggered by clicking the right thumbstick when near an enemy and finished by hitting the correct face button. Although the player is provided with a variety in firearms like sniper rifles, SMGs and the good old Walter, Bond will still have to use his stealth skills from time to time by hacking security doors or sneaking along ledges while avoiding search lights.

Quantum's gameplay is not terrible or broken, but it is incredibly boring. There are some stand-out sequences ? running through old Roman catacombs as they collapse, escaping an exploding building, and controlling Bond after he's been poisoned (or perhaps just had too many Vodka martinis) ? but they aren't enough to cover up the extremely generic FPS gameplay. With a few exceptions, all levels simply involve getting from point A to B, and shooting anyone who gets in the way, and the fact that the Bond theme is playing just isn't enough. I know that gadgets aren't a part of this new breed of Bond films, but when it came to the video games, I think they actually helped in creating a bit more originality. In this case, the developers were unable to come up with any real compelling gameplay to compensate for their absence. The melee encounters are way too short, and feats such as slinking along ledges are nothing new, even with a separate screen to let us know where the bad guys are.

It's a shame that even though Treyarch was provided with not one but two Bond films to work with, they couldn't supply enough moments that deviate from Quantum's bread and butter core FPS experience. Too much of the time, I was going through tedious levels like office buildings or a train, and when an exciting moment did come up, like the chase through the construction site in "Casino Royale," the ensuing event was very underwhelming. In hindsight, I'm not sure why anyone thought that parkour chase through the partially complete building would be so much fun, since Quantum is clearly not a platformer. I won't spoil the final confrontation in the game, but expect to be disappointed upon reaching it.

All through Quantum's development, the Call of Duty 4 engine was constantly name-dropped when talking about the graphics, so naturally, I was mortified to see poor visuals running on such a reputable engine. All of the environments are extremely lacking in detail, and while we get to see plenty of explosions, they're hardly satisfying ones because the flames look laughable. There is a high amount of destructibility to the world from propane tanks to pillows, but none of it packs that much of a punch. Daniel Craig's facial representation bears a close resemblance to the real man, but the same can't be said for Judy Dench's likeness, or any other supporting member. Fortunately, the game pulls through in the sound department, using the very voices of the actors just mentioned to add some franchise credibility, complemented further by music from the latest films and that unforgettable Bond theme.

If we're going to make comparisons to Infinity Ward's games, it should certainly be noted that the multiplayer portion of Quantum is an exact carbon copy of Call of Duty 4's. The same party system and lobby options are all here, but things get really familiar when the time comes to equip yourself with primary and secondary weapons, grenades, and gadgets. Besides trip mines, the gadgets are actually just perks, including a flak vest and accuracy improvements that can be bought through credits earned in multiplayer matches. The problem is that there's no real form of progression through leveling like in Call of Duty 4, potentially making for some unbalanced gameplay.

The multiplayer comes with a decent offering of 12 maps, all inspired by the single-player campaign, and can be the setting for classic deathmatch game types or a few Bond-specific ones like Golden Gun (you should all know that one) or Bond Versus, where one player assumes the role of Bond and must defuse a series of bombs while eliminating everyone else. In the end, the multiplayer feels just as uninspired as the campaign, and anyone who's played Call of Duty 4 or is in the process of playing World at War will find little reason to stick around. There's nothing wrong with being inspired by the greats, but when the similarities turn into reproductions it gets embarrassing.

While it succeeds in nailing some key moments from the films, Quantum of Solace fails to place them within an organized package and ends up making the events utterly confusing. I have yet to see the movie, and I don't feel spoiled at all. The gameplay is filled with the same tired old clichés that a shallow melee system comes nowhere close to saving, and the multiplayer is just a shameful cop-out. Quantum of Solace serves as the latest casualty in the never-ending tirade of movie-based games that are meant to coincide with the film, rather than providing a compelling experience that can be enjoyed on its own. For those who are longtime Bond fans and just aching to fill the shoes of 007 once again, it's probably best to stick with a rental, as the game only supplies what we've seen in shooters in recent years.

Score: 7.0/10