Industry megalith Electronic Arts’ latest use of the Bond License it has hogged since just after the success of (the original) GoldenEye is From Russia With Love. With EA's development cycle outstripping even the prolific Bond film franchise, the company has had to look further than the most recent Bond film for material to base their licensed games on. One product of this policy was Nightfire, a made-for-videogame-only story, and the controversial Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, which appeared to many outsiders to be exploiting the good name of Rare’s genre-defining N64 blockbuster.
EA’s marketing svengalis, apparently noticing that there are in fact quite a few Bond films which have yet to be made into games, have assigned their dev drones the task of concocting an interactive re-working of From Russia With Love in time for an autumn release.
Coup number one in this enterprise was the enlisting of outspoken Scottish Nationalism posturer Sean Connery as voice talent. Regarded by many as the definitive Bond, Connery starred in the original film, itself a favourite of Bond fans, in which criminal super-organisation S.P.E.C.T.R.E attempt to lure the secret agent into a trap in Turkey. For the pop-pickers among you, S.P.E.C.T.R.E is an acronym of Special Executive for Counter-inTelligence, Revenge and Extortion.
Now EA has announced that co-starring in the enterprise will be current flavour of the month Maria Menounos. Menounos has starred in such TV shows as One Tree Hill and Without a Trace, and will be playing the part of Eva, a role created specially for her. Eva will be driver, henchwoman and chauffeuse to villain Donald ‘Red’ Grant. It’s all a bit confusing – one would have thought that seminal Bond girl, original FRWL star Daniella Bianchi would have been enough when it came to eye candy.
It’s interesting watching EA’s attempts at zeitgeist cross pollination and alchemy – it often seems as if their formulae are randomly generated by computer rather the result of any sharp creative acumen. In any case, it pretty much always does well when its games go on sale. And while the game of From Russia With Love isn’t top of our Christmas list, it will be interesting to see what EA does with such revered subject matter. If you’ve any thoughts, post them in the forum below.
EA’s marketing svengalis, apparently noticing that there are in fact quite a few Bond films which have yet to be made into games, have assigned their dev drones the task of concocting an interactive re-working of From Russia With Love in time for an autumn release.
Coup number one in this enterprise was the enlisting of outspoken Scottish Nationalism posturer Sean Connery as voice talent. Regarded by many as the definitive Bond, Connery starred in the original film, itself a favourite of Bond fans, in which criminal super-organisation S.P.E.C.T.R.E attempt to lure the secret agent into a trap in Turkey. For the pop-pickers among you, S.P.E.C.T.R.E is an acronym of Special Executive for Counter-inTelligence, Revenge and Extortion.
Now EA has announced that co-starring in the enterprise will be current flavour of the month Maria Menounos. Menounos has starred in such TV shows as One Tree Hill and Without a Trace, and will be playing the part of Eva, a role created specially for her. Eva will be driver, henchwoman and chauffeuse to villain Donald ‘Red’ Grant. It’s all a bit confusing – one would have thought that seminal Bond girl, original FRWL star Daniella Bianchi would have been enough when it came to eye candy.
It’s interesting watching EA’s attempts at zeitgeist cross pollination and alchemy – it often seems as if their formulae are randomly generated by computer rather the result of any sharp creative acumen. In any case, it pretty much always does well when its games go on sale. And while the game of From Russia With Love isn’t top of our Christmas list, it will be interesting to see what EA does with such revered subject matter. If you’ve any thoughts, post them in the forum below.
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Comments
YenRug 4 Aug 2005 13:02
1/3
I've not had the slightest interest in the previous EA Bond games, I think the last Bond game I did play was Licence to Kill on my Amiga, however this one does seem to be creating some interest in me. Not sure whether it's because they seem to be doing a good job of capturing Connery, or what, but I think there's good chance I might buy this one.
VastikRoot 5 Aug 2005 08:58
2/3
oops
VastikRoot 5 Aug 2005 08:58
3/3
Having worked as a games tester on one of the recent Bond games I certainly won't be purchasing this one as I imagine EA will continue the trend in making bland, unimaginative pieces of *&^% that are marketed well and sell in droves.