007 finds surprising success in a original story that many other big franchises should take serious note of.
GAMEPLAY
No time for romance, no need for fancy gadgetry; Bond in Blood Stone is all about getting from point A to point B and showing no remorse to whoever crosses his path. If you've played any 3rd person shooters in the last five years, the bare bones tutorial is a breeze, and familiarity with such controls comes easily. Navigating the usual corridors has some intuitive flair thanks to the wrap-around cover system. While hiding behind corners and objects, you can quickly maneuver to nearby cover points without totally exposing yourself. If the danger changes direction, looping around cover adds a level of control that makes you nearly untouchable. If you prefer the personal approach, Bond can vault over cover and close the gap with a brief sprint. This is where using hand to hand takedowns come into major play.
When close enough to lay the smack down, Bond does so in a fantastically fulfilling way. Unsuspecting goons can be yanked into stealthy choke holds out of sight, or you can take someone head on and enjoy the show as Bond dismantles enemies with brutal force. All this gratifying head-splitting rewards you with Focus Aim, which allows Bond to quickly pick off targets with instant kill shots using pistols, shotguns, machine guns, rifles, and the occasional grenade launcher. The selection is minimal, and the difference between each weapon is mostly cosmetic. Finding a favorite is not very difficult.
Fully utilizing all of Bond's smash-mouth skills obviously makes for an exhilarating experience, but the lack of finesse is sorely missed as the only gadget at your disposal is a cell phone. This all-in-one device basically works as your GPS, item scanner, enemy locator, security disabler, and every once in awhile an actual phone. To further enforce the brute agent repertoire, Mr. Bond takes to the road in a furious blaze through crowded cities and hazardous detours with no regards for the brake pedal. The few driving portions actually handle very well, and the intensity that unfolds through the mad dash chaos compliments the overall flow of Blood Stone mighty nicely.
Once you've conquered the campaign, challenge other wannabe agents in the multiplayer games that cater to team skirmish, objective, and escort matches. The same skills used in the single player -- including focus aim -- transfer over to the online game, but the entire experience is seriously handicapped by delays in actions performed. Overcoming such a hurdle is tough, but underneath such frustration lies a well made ranking system that rewards veteran players with better weapons and various looks for their characters.
VISUALS
Keeping true to the current James Bond of recent films, Daniel Craig is molded perfectly into the world of Blood Stone. Similar to his movie performance, his range of expressions are limited to low brow grimacing and the occasional semi-charming grin. During cut scenes, details are abundant with wonderful international back drops and equally attractive supporting characters. While traversing famous locales, Mr. Bond leaves a trail of destruction in Athens, Istanbul, Monaco, Siberia, Bangkok, and Burma.
While the destinations change in aesthetic, the layout of each level is painfully similar. Exploration is limited to only a few nooks that offer hidden intel, while the rest is basically a giant tunnel from one end of the level to another. The most variety you'll see between each level is minor variations in bad guys that fit to cultural settings and weapon usage -- shotguns equal heavy gear, snipers pack light.
AUDIO
Like any of the legendary Bond films, the opening theme song used since the 70's is fitted to the title and kicks off the super spy action just right. The remaining soundtrack is your standard horns and trumpets that are heard in a majority of Bond films, rising in tempo appropriately when action erupts.
The voice work by Mr. Daniels is solid, along with movie co-star M (boss lady), and supporting cast. Lip synching is not always perfect visually, but the sound quality is spot on; when being surrounded by goons who bark various lines, accents actually fit well to the settings.
EXTRAS
Offering nearly 7 to 8 hours of single player campaign -- many more if one is brave enough to stomach the faulty but some what enjoyable multiplayer -- Blood Stone caters to the achievement hunters in many fashions.
With seven levels dedicated to the story, broken down into individual chapters, a decent sum of at least 500 gamer points can be acquired in the first play through. Depending on play style, the curious gamer can easily find a majority of intel items using the trusty cell phone, or rely on audio prompts that let you know when such items are in the vicinity. If you prefer the more aggressive Bond, there are a slew of points to be had using takedowns, focus aim, weapons, and completing driving portions under certain constraints. The only real challenges come from the driving segments, a few secret achievements, and the handful of online weapon/level tasks. With patience and the ability to replay individual chapters, points are rewarded to the persistent.
OVERALL
A majority of video games based on other mediums usually turns out bad, especially when referring to the movie industry. This is an unfortunate stigma that many game developers battle to overcome, but only a select few are on the right path. With 007: Blood Stone, the idea of "borrowing" characters and concepts rather than regurgitating already cherished stories seems to be the smartest bet.
Blood Stone produces an original story that is finely fitted to the James Bond mystique seen in recent films; while developer Bizarre Creations compliments the adventure with solid and exciting game play. Like the online multiplayer that appears badly hampered with flaws, Blood Stone is a genuinely well made game that has a lot more to show for than most action titles. Any fan of the Bond franchise should definitely give Blood Stone a weekend sit down.