James Bond: Quantum of Solace

Reviewed by:
Gerasimos Manolatos

Price: $59.99 (360, PS3), $49.99 (PC, Wii), $39.99 (PS2), $29.99 (DS)

The Skinny: 007 returns with a new babe, more intense action, and a movie tie-in game that doesn't suck!

The Good: The presentation of the game is flawless. From the opening scene when you infiltrate Mr. White's mansion to having the screen turn into the trademark 007 gun-barrel when your health is low, you feel like you are in a Bond movie. Complementing the gunplay is a slick, yet simple takedown system, allowing you to give enemies the ol' heave-ho without making a peep. When you're done saving the world in the single-player story mode, Xbox Live and PSN awaits, where you'll find a deep and satisfying reward system. Everything you do yields a certain amount of money which you use to either unlock new weapons or upgrade them with scopes and grips—you can even "goldenize" them, so don't be surprised if you get taken out by a shiny sniper rifle.

The Bad: The game is fun, in the same way the Super Mario Bros. on the NES is still fun to play today. QoS fails to really set itself apart from other first-person shooters, especially with Gears of War 2 and Resistance 2 soaking up the multiplayer market. That's not to say that there aren't people playing this game online, because there are plenty. But, when you've got 60 bucks burning a hole in your pocket, it's hard justifying purchasing a game with a five-hour single-player experience with noticeable AI quirks.

Maxim Tip: While the game straddles both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, those worried about having the upcoming sequel ruined for them will only find a relatively small amount of spoilers—namely, everything except the very last location of the movie is revealed. Just a word of warning.

Buy, Rent, or Disembowel? Rent it. It's got a short, but sweet singleplayer and the online portion may hold your attention long enough until James Bond: 2 Quantum 2 Solace.

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