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007: The World is Not Enough
Background Data
Published By: EA Games Developed By: Black Ops Entertainment Released: 10 - 17 - 2000
Barcode: 0 14633 14185 6 PSRM: SLUS-020540 ID Tag: SLUS-1272
CDs: 1 Players: 1 Player ESRB: Teen (Animated Violence)
Accessories: Memory (1 Block), Analog Controller, Vibration Size: 603 MB Digital Press Rarity: 1 out of 10

Description
BOND IS BACK - Bond's Best Missions! Battle through 10 exciting levels in a variety of objectives. Experience the intensity of being the world's top secret agent. Equipped with a full arsenal of Q-lab gadgets and weaponry, you must be suave and resourceful as you carry out action-packed missions based on the blockbuster movie. Are you cool under pressure? Cunning when necessary? Of course you are - you're Bond...James Bond.

Review
     After the sweet N64 version, I must say that I’m also happy with the PlayStation version, but for a completely different reason. The Nintendo version, which was converted by Eurocom, seemed like it was trying to be a successor to Golden Eye which it was in spades. Black Ops seemed to take a different approach with Sony’s version, almost as if they really wanted you to be “in the role” of James Bond.

     The first major difference is that this World is a one player fest. No multi-player here, that’s only in Nintendo’s camp. What we do have though, is one of the most accurate movie-to-game conversions yet, right down to the movie clips included.

     10 missions await you, with some very impressive visuals. Yet again the programmers figure how to squeeze out some highly detailed textures, giving us the most photo-realistic faces you could get on the PSX. The levels, though more straightforward then the 64 Bit version, are all very well detailed and look like they were part of the movie backdrops. There’s no pop up and no fog at all. There is some occasional warping, but c’mon, it’s expected. Included as a bonus are quite a few minutes of movie footage, so much in fact that they even threw in the ending, unedited!

     Now, here’s the part that makes it stand apart from Nintendo’s. Rather than all the sneaking around and “first person shooter” game play emphasis, here you’re involved in more investigative and movie-related ideas. Take the casino for example. In the movie, Bond simply persuaded his way into Zukovsky’s office. Here though, you first have to sneak your away in, and then earn Zukovsky’s information by playing enough Blackjack to earn $100,000. Or there’s the nuclear facility, where you’ll need to earn various ID cards to finally make your way in. It’s a very different approach to the game, which works out quite well.

     Like before, the sound is also really good. Great voice acting from the cast, with John Cleese reprising his role as R. Even better, they brought back Moneypenny! Nothing like getting a sexual innuendo before you head out to save the world. Most of the supporting cast has at least one line each, while others have more, and each one counts. The sound effects are also done well, but for some reason they sometimes get lost in the music.

     The control is also just right, but there seems to be a small amount of lag time in between each weapon change that you make. Those few seconds can sometimes mean your death or mission failure from an enemy pushing the alarm before you could get to him.

     While some may whine about the lack of anything multi-player on the CD, you can’t deny that this is a great game based on a great (though flawed) movie.

 

Trivia
  •  John Cleese reprises his role as gadgets master R.

  • PSRM Notes:
    • Original Release = 020540
    • SLUSGH Release = 020542

  • Uses a character engine Developed by Killer Game

  • Supports a new 3D engine that allowed a longer point of view

  • There is a glitch in the first stage's end scene. When the female goes running off, she heads right into a closed door, and keeps going...into the closed door.

Greatest Hits
This game was released as a Greatest Hits.

GH was added to the SLUS number, and the disc PSRM number has changed.

 

Variations / Misprints
Currently researching if there is a Greatest Hits variant. 

PlayStation 2 Compatibility - Fast Load
     All times are rounded up to the nearest second. Tests are performed on a PlayStation 2 Slim Line with 1.11 PS Drivers.


Standard
Splash Screen to title - 8 sec
Briefing to game - 10
Fast
Splash Screen to title - 4 sec*
Briefing to game - 5.5 sec*

    *NOTE: All voice over tracks are garbled when Fast Load is on. The game loads the voices directly off the CD, thus rendering the Fast Load incompatible.

     Game loaded  fine with both options turned on, but still had the voice issues.  

PlayStation 2 Compatibility - Smooth
     With the smooth option on
, TWINE takes on a much prettier atmosphere, and I don't just mean the cleavage. Many of the textures get straightened out, and the odd dithering issue in regular mode gets blended nicely.

(C) Game Rave 2004/05. All Rights Reserved. Game Rave is a (C) of Jason Dvorak.