007: Quantum of Solace

Quantum of Solace might have rightfully garnered the lukewarm reviews it received in theaters, but I'd like to propose it deserves a better critical reception in its game incarnation. While Quantum of Solace is a far cry from the quality leap between The Chronicles of Riddick film-to-game translation, QoS is a simple shooter with enough little twists and capable design to make it something to grin over instead of cry about if you blind buy it from a bargain bin.

QoS has a number of things going for it, but the most obvious is that it's a freaking Bond game! More than any other franchise, the Bond series has always got away with average games due to its fun and familiar presentation. Bond is a lovable character and it's always fun to take the role of the romantic spy, sneaking by guards and getting away in a high-speed chase. More than any of the past games, QoS plays true to the events in the two Bond film that it follows, recreating all the memorable action scenes of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace while creating a few of its own scenarios. Sadly, the game completely fails to tell a competent narrative, which leaves the game's context only open to understanding to the select few who understood the confusing plot of the Bond film. Presentation is Quantum of Solace's weak point and it doesn't stop with the storytelling.

For a game built on the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, QoS looks like it came from the CoD2 engine. The game isn't exactly ugly and there are a couple moments that look rather nice (the Casino Royale level wouldn't look too bad in a screenshot). It's a bit obvious that QoS was put on the backburner in favor of Treyarch's other 08' shooter, Call of Duty: World at War. Nonetheless, for those of us who don't think "short" is synonymous for "bad", QoS's single-player campaign is a fun ride that keeps things varied and exciting enough (not quite as much as CoD4, of course). Where the game truly shines is two areas: the cover mechanic and the multiplayer.

The pop-and-glock gameplay has been everywhere since Gears of War, but applying that gimmick to Bond just feels right and changes the nature of the game. You really feel like you are sneaking past guards, and taking a risk when you pop out for a quick headshot. More unique is QoS's multiplayer, which takes CoD4's unbelievably addictive structure and adds something special to it. You still have most of the multiplayer staples (deathmatch, VIP, and a couple Goldeneye 007 throwbacks), but it's the "Bond Versus" mode that stands out.

One person plays Bond, who must survive and defuse 2 of 3 bombs, while everyone else plays the organization who must kill Bond before he defuses the bombs. What could be an unfairly stacked game is ingeniously balanced through subtle changes: Bond has more health, two lives (organization players die permanently), and a radar with all opposing players on the map. This makes the game into more of a multiplayer stealth experience then even Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Online, and is constantly intense and thrilling. With all the nice COD4-esque perks and experience (well, cash in this game), these two elements make QoS a game well-worth playing -- too bad you won't find anyone online now (if the servers are even running, that is.)

QoS isn't nearly as complete an experience as other shooters from its year and it might not be pushing boundaries, but it still remains one of the best shooters of 08'. If we can live in a world that accepts one more Call of Duty game with less features than the last, then we should be able to embrace this FPS that takes us to new locations, adds a solid cover system, and has creative, fun multiplayer. As a Bond fan, I'll take what I can get when it comes to good Bond games.