The World is Not Enough Preview

The world's sexiest, craftiest, most debonair spy is back not only on the movie screen but also on the video game screen. The World Is Not Enough follows the recent trend of making James Bond games that closely follow the plotlines of the movies they're named after. The N64 version of TWINE is the second Bond game to appear on the N64, as EA's first attempt with the Bond license appeared only on the PlayStation. Like GoldenEye, TWINE is a task-based first-person shooter where you assume the role of James Bond.

While The World is Not Enough is the second Bond game to be published by Electronic Arts, it's the first game to return to GoldenEye's first-person shooter formula. Michael Condrey, the game's producer, explains why EA chose to return to an FPS viewpoint. "No doubt, N64 gamers want Bond, and we most definitely want to provide them with the James Bond sequel. That said, they also asked us to maintain the first-person-shooter style of the previous Bond-licensed N64 title. Accordingly, you will be Bond, and you will experience the world through the eyes of James Bond." TWINE will definitely maintain the style of GoldenEye, with similar mission objectives and control layouts, yet it will also feature new gameplay elements. Still, TWINE has to face some tough competition, as GoldenEye's developer Rare is close to being done with its latest FPS creation, Perfect Dark. Condrey doesn't seem to be concerned: "[TWINE] is stunning, with spectacular graphics and incredible environmental effects. And most importantly, it achieves that level of graphic quality while maintaining an extremely fast frame rate. Plus, the player gets to be Bond - the girls, the gadgets, the exotic locations - in a role that has thrilled fans over the last four decades."

But while TWINE is a first-person shooter, the gameplay isn't all shooting. As in GoldenEye, you'll have mission objectives that you'll have to complete to pass the level. Not only will these objectives differ between skill levels, but objectives can also be updated as you're playing the level, giving you new tasks to accomplish depending on your actions. EA is also taking some creative license with the title. As Condrey explains, "TWINE was an incredible movie, and the storyline lends itself to a terrific game design. However, we also wanted to have creative license to develop the plot further than the movie could. Players anticipating all the action of James Bond will definitely get it, including the opportunity to further their experience through stealth, strategic planning, and utilization of a full arsenal of Q-Lab gadgets." So while the game will follow the plotline of the movie, it won't be restricted by it - allowing you to actually experience every aspect of Bond.

Experiencing every aspect of being Bond includes using all his amazing spy gadgets and high-powered weapons. The N64 version of TWINE will have more than 40 weapons and gadgets, which is significantly more than the PlayStation version has. Each of these weapons and gadgets will have its own unique feel and will affect enemies differently. "In the single player missions, nothing is more satisfying than using the Q-Lab watch tazer to temporarily stun an enemy, and then finishing him off with a classic Bond right cross to the jaw! You will also have night vision, X-ray glasses, satchel charges, and other Q-Lab gadgets throughout your missions. In single-player and multiplayer modes, you will have opportunity to use some of the big gun; the GL-40 grenade launcher, the MRL-22 shoulder-fired rocket launcher, the AT-420 antitank missile, and the hard hitting .44 caliber Windsor Viper, for example."

Being one of the few N64 first-person shooters, TWINE looks remarkably good. The levels in TWINE are actually larger than those in Tomorrow Never Dies and GoldenEye, giving you plenty of room to accomplish your objectives. Each of the enemy characters is motion-captured, with more than 30 different captured motions and reactions per character. Just like GoldenEye, TWINE will feature localized hits, and enemy characters will react to where you've shot them. Shoot a character in the leg, and he'll hop about and stumble; shoot him in the arm, and he'll grab it painfully. Hit his gun straight on, and you'll force him to drop it. This system makes the shooting elements of TWINE very realistic, and it rewards sharpshooting players. Still, even though the game has all this graphical goodness, Condrey expects the game to suffer from very little pop-up and almost no slowdown. "Frame rate is one of our highest priorities. Fortunately, Eurocom's game engine is very fast, and our frame rate is stellar. TWINE will definitely be faster and smoother than GoldenEye, and further, we expect it to be the fastest N64 first-person shooter on the market this holiday season."

Creating one game on several platforms usually leads to little or no variation between consoles. Still, it's obvious that the versions will be different. The N64 version will have exclusive levels not found in the PlayStation or PS2 versions, and it will have its own brand of multiplayer modes. Additionally, the N64 version will feature speech, and it will tell Bond's story through the use of in-game cinematics. But that's not all that's exclusive to the N64 version. "While each development group is striving to maintain a certain amount of consistency with the movie, as well as across platforms, each also has the creative license to push the strengths of the individual consoles to their fullest. Consequently, each title will be unique in its own regard. The World Is Not Enough on the N64 will showcase a deep gameplay experience, with levels, mission objectives, weapons, and gadgets found only on the N64 version. Additionally, the multiplayer modes and arena maps are completely original on the N64 version."

With games such as Perfect Dark and GoldenEye as competition, TWINE has a lot to stand up to. But EA doesn't seem to be concerned. Hopefully, we'll see a Bond game that's not only better than GoldenEye but also better than any other N64 shooter. We'll just have to wait and see.