Blood Stone Is Out

TonyDP

This game has really flown under the radar, getting almost no buzz, news or any significant media coverage. That's usually cause for concern, especially when the game is released by a media powerhouse like Activision, and it looks like the first reviews bear this out.

IGN gives it a 50/100, calling it "painfully average". As was the case with QoS, there seems to be little in the game to distinguish it as a Bond adventure as there is a dearth of gadgets, your only weapons are standard issue guns and rifles and there's only a token appearance by the DB5. The campaign clocks in at a meager 5 hours (shorter even than QoS) and multiplayer appears to be a shallow, forgettable afterthought. I think I'll wait for a price drop before thinking about picking this up. Something tells me I won't have long to wait.

Full review is here: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/113/1131346p1.html

Ricardo C.

I heard it was seven hours at most. Yeah, I think I'll pass.

SilentSpy

Waiting on price drop too. The last great Bond game was Goldeneye on N64. All the others have been pretty average and not worth paying full price for.

Ricardo C.

SilentSpy wrote:

Waiting on price drop too. The last great Bond game was Goldeneye on N64. All the others have been pretty average and not worth paying full price for.

I disagree. Everything or Nothing was pretty damn fun. Goldeneye 007 is not the only fun Bond game.

TonyDP

For my money, Everything or Nothing was the best Bond game made as it had a good mix of gameplay styles: 3rd person action, on-rails shooting, hand to hand combat, gunplay, good driving sequences and some innovative gadgets. It also didn't become unfairly cheap in the latter levels. The game also ran at hi-def resolutions on the Xbox. Definitely a quality game in terms of gameplay and the technology used and it still holds up nicely today.

Goldeneye was fun but the gameplay was basically the same from level to level and the latter levels of the single player game were cheap and artificially difficult.

Barry Nelson

Is EoN upward compatible on the 360? I really liked that game.

Ricardo C.

TonyDP wrote:

For my money, Everything or Nothing was the best Bond game made as it had a good mix of gameplay styles: 3rd person action, on-rails shooting, hand to hand combat, gunplay, good driving sequences and some innovative gadgets. It also didn't become unfairly cheap in the latter levels. The game also ran at hi-def resolutions on the Xbox. Definitely a quality game in terms of gameplay and the technology used and it still holds up nicely today.

Goldeneye was fun but the gameplay was basically the same from level to level and the latter levels of the single player game were cheap and artificially difficult.

What do you mean by "cheap" excatly ? Cheap as in production value ? Cheap as in lacking in substance ?

TonyDP

Ricardo C. wrote:

What do you mean by "cheap" excatly ? Cheap as in production value ? Cheap as in lacking in substance ?

"Cheap" is a word often used in videogaming to mean lazy programming. For example, fighting games where computer controlled opponents can perform moves human are incapable of doing or sports games where the opposing team suddenly starts making impossible plays are examples of "cheap" programming.

The latter levels in Goldeneye had some of that "cheap" programming in that the computer controlled opponents could suddenly kill you with one shot or could take lots of damage from you before going down, attributes that were not present in the earlier levels.

Ricardo C.

TonyDP wrote:

Ricardo C. wrote:

What do you mean by "cheap" excatly ? Cheap as in production value ? Cheap as in lacking in substance ?

"Cheap" is a word often used in videogaming to mean lazy programming. For example, fighting games where computer controlled opponents can perform moves human are incapable of doing or sports games where the opposing team suddenly starts making impossible plays are examples of "cheap" programming.

The latter levels in Goldeneye had some of that "cheap" programming in that the computer controlled opponents could suddenly kill you with one shot or could take lots of damage from you
before going down, attributes that were not present in the earlier levels.

Okay I understand what you mean now.

BTW, have you ever played Nightfire ? I heard that was pretty good.

TonyDP

Ricardo C. wrote:

Okay I understand what you mean now.

BTW, have you ever played Nightfire ? I heard that was pretty good.

Yes I did play Nightfire (still have it for my original Xbox). If you liked Everything or Nothing you'll probably like Nightfire as it also mixes up the gameplay with first person action, driving levels and some fun gadgets.

SilentSpy

The real problem with these Bond games is that they try too hard on the mixing of movie elements with the game. When this happens, you get things like "press the button to massage the girl" and other Bond stuff. Nightfire, Everything or Nothing, and From Russia with Love (a really so so game) all had this mix and weren't as fun after the initial first completion. I would only end up playing certain levels and most of the time it was the driving levels. Nightfire has a cool Vanquish stage and Everything or Nothing has a motorcycle on bridge scene I remember. I had to check youtube to remember the final boss of Everything or Nothing just now. With Goldeneye I bet people don't forget the protect Natalya stage. Which was really cheap at times on 00 Agent difficulty. I remember getting there many times without taking damage only for Natalya to get shot. However, pretty much every level in Goldeneye is fun to play multiple times.

TonyDP

Barry Nelson wrote:

Is EoN upward compatible on the 360? I really liked that game.

Barry, sorry I missed this.

No, unfortunately EoN was never made backwardly compatible with the 360; apparently, the programmers of the game had used some non-standard techniques to get the most out of the old Xbox hardware and that made it impossible to support on the 360.

The only Xbox Bond games that will run on the 360 are Nightfire and Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, though I have never tried either one on my 360 so I can't comment on how well they run.

Double0Seven

I'm playing Blood stone and it and I do feel that that it trying to hard and has lost a bit of the touch that older bond games have had. The game it self looks excellent and is backed with a good story but this is where is almost ends as the controls could have been more easier for the pc version with and the controller.

The actions in the way you take down feel like they been nicked from Splinter cell convictions rather then the Quantum of solace quick and fast kills as well the new additions are the driving elements that made me happy to see bond behind the wheel of an old DB5 as well as the DB9 but the levels are trick and even a single bump into and you ether dead or screaming at the game as you lost the enemy.

I think it could have been better if was like Quantum of solace with first person and third person but other then the small hicks with this game it good and fills the gap between the film and other games.

Ricardo C.

SilentSpy wrote:

The real problem with these Bond games is that they try too hard on the mixing of movie elements with the game. When this happens, you get things like "press the button to massage the girl" and other Bond stuff. Nightfire, Everything or Nothing, and From Russia with Love (a really so so game) all had this mix and weren't as fun after the initial first completion. I would only end up playing certain levels and most of the time it was the driving levels. Nightfire has a cool Vanquish stage and Everything or Nothing has a motorcycle on bridge scene I remember. I had to check youtube to remember the final boss of Everything or Nothing just now. With Goldeneye I bet people don't forget the protect Natalya stage. Which was really cheap at times on 00 Agent difficulty. I remember getting there many times without taking damage only for Natalya to get shot. However, pretty much every level in Goldeneye is fun to play multiple times.

I enjoyed the mixing of elements in Everything or Nothing, it gave leeway to great gameplay. You could take down enemies all sorts of ways and the best one would increase your score.

Ricardo C.

TonyDP wrote:

The only Xbox Bond games that will run on the 360 are Nightfire and Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, though I have never tried either one on my 360 so I can't comment on how well they run.

Recently I bought Rogue Agent and I didn't even bother to finish it. The gameplay was just so dull. Also the story was completely idiotic. It's like a 14 year old wrote awful awful fan-fiction.

TonyDP

I used to own Rogue Agent as well and sold it back after finishing it. Visually it looked nice but the gameplay was horribly unbalanced and the Goldeneye enhancements - the game's real hook - were next to useless. The story was also really weak, one step removed from amateur fan-fiction with its mix of classic villains operating with and against one another. It was a misguided effort and really signaled a downturn in the quality of Electronic Arts' Bond games.

For anyone curious in following how Blood Stone is doing with reviewers, check out this website which aggregates both pro and fan reviews of the game:

http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/james-bond-007-blood-stone

Ricardo C.

TonyDP wrote:

I used to own Rogue Agent as well and sold it back after finishing it. Visually it looked nice but the gameplay was horribly unbalanced and the Goldeneye enhancements - the game's real hook - were next to useless. The story was also really weak, one step removed from amateur fan-fiction with its mix of classic villains operating with and against one another. It was a misguided effort and really signaled a downturn in the quality of Electronic Arts' Bond games.

For anyone curious in following how Blood Stone is doing with reviewers, check out this website which aggregates both pro and fan reviews of the game:

http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/james-bond-007-blood-stone

I know ! I never even bothered with using the upgrades. Only good thing about it was looking at that beautiful concept art drawn by Ken Adam.

And it looks like GE Wii is getting some terrific reviews:

http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/11/04/goldeneye-wii-review-roundup/

DaltonFan1

I just bought Blood Stone and feel desperately dissapointed. You basically have no control of where Bond goes, when he draws his weapon, applies a silencer, or changes the firing mode of a weapon, or even how to kill enemies. It really feels like a rehash of FRWL which was also crap.
The controls are appalling; you can't crouch or jump but simply press B button when prompted to do so.
There is little variety in weapons and they all sound very bland. There is a shotgun that doesn't sound anything like it should. And there are no gadgets apart from the Smartphone which is just the detective mode from Batman:Arkham Asylum.
Some of the shooting sections are quite fun, but would be improved by grenades(another gaping absentee), and feel like a downgrading from the QOS gunfights, which were good despite being a downgrading from COD.
The driving sections are good, showing Bizarre's Project Gotham pedigree, but they could be improved by the use of weapons while driving, and the environments are incredibly threadbare.
I'm currently on the Siberia chapter(a bit past halfway) so there is still scope for improvement in the game's second half, but if you took away the Bond label, I would not have shelled out a ridiculous €50 for this incredibly lazy game.

Double0Seven

DaltonFan1 wrote:

I just bought Blood Stone and feel desperately dissapointed. You basically have no control of where Bond goes, when he draws his weapon, applies a silencer, or changes the firing mode of a weapon, or even how to kill enemies. It really feels like a rehash of FRWL which was also crap.
The controls are appalling; you can't crouch or jump but simply press B button when prompted to do so.
There is little variety in weapons and they all sound very bland. There is a shotgun that doesn't sound anything like it should. And there are no gadgets apart from the Smartphone which is just the detective mode from Batman:Arkham Asylum.
Some of the shooting sections are quite fun, but would be improved by grenades(another gaping absentee), and feel like a downgrading from the QOS gunfights, which were good despite being a downgrading from COD.
The driving sections are good, showing Bizarre's Project Gotham pedigree, but they could be improved by the use of weapons while driving, and the environments are incredibly threadbare.
I'm currently on the Siberia chapter(a bit past halfway) so there is still scope for improvement in the game's second half, but if you took away the Bond label, I would not have shelled out a ridiculous €50 for this incredibly lazy game.

I agree with you as it a poor controllable game play is horrible as you trying to get to cover only to be on side where the bullets are coming from but the driving looks good and that about it other wise it a a dull bond game.

PPK 7.65mm

Has anyone tired the Nintendo DS version of Bloodstone? If yes then what did you think of it?

I am considering asking for it for Christmas this year.

Mr Beech

I read in one review that Blood Stone is the best Bond game since Goldeneye, however, it didn't have much competition for that title. Anyone agree? I thought Nightfire was great and I liked the elegant settings. Everything or Nothing was great too. I would say those are the two best that I have played since Goldeneye.

TonyDP

Bloodstone is, in my opinion, definitely NOT the best Bond game since Goldeneye. Personally I thought Everything or Nothing, Nightfire and even Agent Under Fire were all superior, with a better mix of gameplay styles and some fun gadgets to use.

Bloodstone is an improvement over QoS and the addition of a few driving levels mixes up the gameplay somewhat. But it is still a pretty pedestrian videogame with graphics, gameplay and a weapons selection that do not stand out in any particular way compared to "A" list titles like the Call of Duty games.

Sir Miles

TonyDP wrote:

Bloodstone is, in my opinion, definitely NOT the best Bond game since Goldeneye. Personally I thought Everything or Nothing, Nightfire and even Agent Under Fire were all superior, with a better mix of gameplay styles and some fun gadgets to use.

I think Bloodstone is the best Bond game since Goldeneye - buts that probably because I'm not a very good gamer and could complete Bloodstone - I couldn't complete the others ;%
I really enjoyed FRWL...well...as far as I could get anyway )

Mr Beech

I'm sure some people noticed this. I was always trying to find the matchup to see this because many of us will recognize that photo and the jacket:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Blood_Stone_cover.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/09/30/article-1065225-02C1063400000578-79_634x559.jpg

It's a behind the scenes photo off the set of Quantum of Solace.