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| | Title:
Everything or Nothing
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System:
Gamecube
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Genre:
Action
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Publisher:
Electronic Arts
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Developer:
Electronic Arts
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Release:
02/17/2004
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Teen (T)
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James Bond games have come a long way since the revolutionary Goldeneye for the Nintendo 64. Between that time and the release of Everything or Nothing, James Bond was only playable in the first-person. Electronic Arts have changed that with Everything or Nothing, giving players a third-person perspective with movie quality voice-acting and cinematics to accompany the non-stop action. The game also has players venturing around the world in classic Bond fashion, battling in the Big Easy with the DB7 Aston Martin, and saving lovely ladies while falling from a cliff.
The story is vintage 007 with an all-star cast featuring Pierce Brosnan, Willem Dafoe, Heidi Klum, Judy Dench, and Shannon Elizabeth. Gamers certainly won’t be disappointed with the presentation. Nikolai Diavolo (Dafoe) is an evil mastermind (did you expect any less?) He’s using Dr. Nadanova (Heidi Klum) as a hostage to utilize nano-bots she’s been working on. What’s so important about this nano-machines? Well they can be programmed to dissolve anything composed of metal. Before terrorist acts ensue, Bond must do everything in his power to stop the evil terrorist Diavolo, who either wants (wait for it...) Everything or Nothing.
The gameplay in Everything or Nothing is complimented well with the third-person change that EA and MGM have come up with. Seeing James gives players a more cinematic experience, and also allows for players to have more control in stealth-oriented missions. Putting one’s back up against the wall (hugging) and peeping around corners, or crouching behind a box really comes together because of the third-person view. James is also equipped with suitable gadgets, and items to help him along the way. Conveniently, the game is set up for players who enjoy either stealth or action related gameplay. For instance, 007 will have the option of using a silencer on his P99 for near noiseless dispatching, or players can choose to gun through stages as loud as they want. However, stealthy players will be rewarded more points for using secret agent tactics rather than the standard run-and-gun option. There’s also a nano-cloak that allows the secret agent to turn invisible for a brief period of time. James also has EMP grenades to disable cameras and other electronic devices. Electronic Arts did a fantastic job of giving gamers a good sense of taking on the role of Bond with all his gadgets and high-tech weaponry. Speaking of weapons, like the first-person alternatives, Bond can still pick up anything his enemies drop but he also comes equipped with some fancy gear as well. From several different variations in grenades, to remote controlled cars and spiders, to sniper rifles, rocket launchers, pistols, SMGs, assault rifles, and fists...yep, James can even fight hand-to-hand now.
Because we’re able to see James now, it also means a more well thought-out fighting scheme has been implemented. While you can simply sneak up behind someone and choke them, players also have an impressive array of secret agent techniques at their disposal. Besides the standard punch and kick enemies can also be grabbed, and their moves can easily be countered. What makes the fighting so seamless and fun is the fact that while James is punching/kicking, he can easily transition into a grab or throw. This makes fighting multiple enemies an easily entertaining event due to the simple controls, and versatile fighting mechanics that EA brought to Everything or Nothing. Be warned though, on the harder difficulty settings enemies are not push-overs. While melee combat is fun, and run-and-gunning can be entertaining, enemies in this game will work together to flank you, to surprise attack you or even throw stuff at your head. Stealth is a virtue in this game, and Splinter Cell/MGS players will be sure to catch on quick how to be successful at utilizing James’ stealth and melee properties.
I do have a gripe about one aspect of the combat, and that’s the auto-targeting. For the life of me, I can’t understand why they didn’t let gamers just manually move around a reticule. While hand-to-hand combat is solid, the shooting is entirely reliant on an auto-targeting system. Most of the time, the ATS (auto-targeting system) works well, allowing players to lock-on to enemies within range of the selected weapon. However, there are times when an enemy is just out of the lock-on range for the weapon, but still visible enough to be shot. Instead of letting players manually target and shoot at their own risk, players are simply unable to shoot enemies at all. However, that doesn’t mean players can’t shoot without the ATS, it just means players can’t shoot at enemies. The camera controls also play a factor into how well the ATS works, and if players don’t conveniently keep the camera on enemies, the ATS is quite useless. It’s not terrible, but it is frustrating at times when you know you can shoot someone but the lack of manual aiming prevents that from happening.
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