GoldenEye 007: Blowing Up Helicopters and Jungle Fever

Sometimes, James Bond sneaks into a hostile situation without being detected, noiselessly disposing foes wherever he goes. And other times, the secret agent feels like tearing down an entire city in his wake.

Graham Hagmaier, a producer at Activision, explained that giving the player options in the way Bond tackles a level was one of the main goals for the project.

“One of the big keys [for developer Eurocom] in regard to game design is player choice,” said Hagmaier. “[The game] has multiple routes through areas, so you can take the stealthier route and kind of use close-quarter combat — such as takedowns. Or you can go in guns-a-blazing — American style, as I like to call it — and just firefight and take out enemies.”

Nintendojo reported a new level starts with Bond, in a tank, chasing an automobile. You can hear Daniel Craig as Bond in a voice over, detailing the events happening. Craig’s performance sounds top-notch, equivalent to something straight from a movie. But before you hear too much from 007, a helicopter blows a bridge sky high, leaving you without a tank and a lot of ground to catch up.

The pursuit that follows displays the impressive visuals for the game. The tank smashes everything in sight, like cars and enemy trucks. Even better, the armored vehicle blasts through cement pillars underneath buildings throughout the level. But that’s not all. Huge skyscrapers and buildings tumble down, blanketing the ground with dust and rubble. The effects are pretty stunning, and the frame rate seems to hold steady.

The cause of this destruction rests with an army of trucks and helicopters attempting to stop Bond in his tracks. The whirlybirds flutter above in the sky, launching missiles at the secret agent. The missiles display realistic smoke trails, and then boom, spectacular fire explosions. Once again, the graphics are definitely something to talk about.

As for destroying these enemies, you have the tank at your disposal. You primarily keep your foot on the gas moving forward with the control stick, with the right analog stick navigating your reticule (with missiles and a submachine gun). Obviously, the game was demoed, once again, with the Classic Controller Pro.

GoldenEye 007’s single player campaign looks to be a pretty spectacular experience. The level showcased some memorable and stunning scenes, as well as capture the Bond feel and look. The developer Eurocom seems to be on the right track with James Bond’s adventure for Wii.