To complement the launch of James Bond’s next heroic adventure, Skyfall, Activision has decided to go in a different route with its next spy-driven video game adaptation. Instead of focusing on just the one film, the company has decided to make use of five additional classics from the series’ lineage, in order to tell one incredibly unique story. Gamers will be able to play through stages from the as-yet-unidentified masterpieces, culminating in some Skyfall action.
Known as 007 Legends, this project is in-development at Eurocom. You’ll know them as the studio that was responsible for bringing us the Wiimake of Goldeneye 007, as well as Goldeneye 007: Reloaded, its 2011 high-definition console port. This game is said to act as a spiritual sequel to those releases, with their popular M16 missions and online-enabled multiplayer modes set to return. The difference here is that you’ll now be able to play through those same missions from the bad guy’s point of view. Neat, huh?
This is very interesting news, as the aforementioned design happens to be something I’d been hoping Activision would look into. Being a fan of classic films, including many of the James Bond movies of yesteryear, I find myself eagerly anticipating this game. However, like everyone else, I’ll have to wait until 007 Legends launches this fall. Hopefully it’ll be shaken, not stirred.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EXPERIENCE JAMES BOND’S MOST ICONIC AND INTENSE MISSIONS
AS THE WORLD’S TOP UNDERCOVER AGENT IN 007™ LEGENDSSanta Monica, CA – April 18, 2012 – To celebrate the James Bond franchise’s 50th anniversary, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), will launch gamers back through time to relive a selection of Bond’s most iconic and intense undercover missions from the popular Bond film franchise with 007™ Legends.
A first-of-its-kind Bond video game, 007 Legends features an original, overarching storyline tying together six classic Bond movies, concluding with this year’s highly-anticipated 23rd installment – SKYFALL – to offer the most diverse Bond gaming experience yet! As with the feature films, 007 Legends equips players with state-of-the-art spy gadgets, an arsenal of weapons, including Bond’s signature Walther PPK, and sleek vehicles as they jet off to exotic locations and utilize Bond’s quick wits, class and style to take down notorious villains and their brutal henchmen, perform impressive stunts, and of course…mingle with gorgeous Bond women.
“To honor 50 years of the world’s top secret agent, 007 Legends offers a collection of his most famed moments in the smartest and most treacherous Bond game yet,” said David Oxford, Executive Vice President at Activision Publishing, Inc. “Creating a video game storyline that ties together six popular, yet very different, Bond movie narratives can be challenging, but together with EON Productions, our developer Eurocom, has pulled it off to create an homage that we think will be a unique and highly entertaining Bond video game.”
In addition to 007 Legends’ main story, the game will feature the return of fan-favorite single-player Mi6 Ops Missions, which debuted in GoldenEye 007: Reloaded and challenges players to complete extra missions ranging from all-out action to stealth and gadget-based gameplay and compete for the highest online leader board scores. For the first time ever, players will be able to participate as one of Bond’s cohorts or villainous foes, reliving the missions through their eyes, as well as 007’s. The robust James Bond multiplayer experience includes local four-player split-screen game modes and online competitive gameplay with new maps, weapons and characters derived from Bond’s 50 year legacy. With more gadgets, deeper stealth and spy investigation gameplay, gamers will have every opportunity to truly feel like the world’s favorite spy.
Planned to launch this fall, 007 Legends is being developed by Eurocom, under license from EON Productions Ltd. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. (MGM) for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.