Starting with the hugely successful
film adaptation of Casino Royale a couple of years ago, Ian Fleming’s famous
secret agent has been experiencing a rebirth of sorts. Therefore, it makes
perfect sense that James Bond has also been reinvented on consoles, courtesy of
Activision. Quantum of Solace represents the first game from the 007/Activision
coupling, releasing across a variety of systems, including handhelds like the
Nintendo DS.
As in the console versions, the
Nintendo DS version of Quantum of Solace follows the general plot of the film
from which it gets its namesake, as well as its film predecessor, weaving
together elements from both films in a well executed and seamless fashion. The
game features an impressive amount of voice work, including some work from the
stars of the film, like Judi Dench and Daniel Craig.
Quantum of Solace for Nintendo DS
also follows a pretty unique gameplay format, playing like an action title with
adventure elements as opposed to a full-on action shooter like its high-def
brethren. The game isn’t perfect, and has some pretty frustrating shortcomings
here and there. Still, it is generally an impressive DS game that uses the
system’s touch-screen capabilities very well.
As opposed to a first-person shooter
like the other iterations of Quantum of Solace, the DS version plays out more
like a top-down action adventure. The game has a focus on items, as you’ll
search for special items throughout the environment and employ stealth tactics
more than traditional combat; think more Metal Gear than Call of Duty.
Quantum of Solace uses the touch
screen almost exclusively. Holding the DS on its side like a book (as in Ninja
Gaiden: Dragon Sword), you simply point on the screen where you’d like Bond to
go and he’ll move to it. Tapping on Bond himself will make him go into stealth
mode, moving slowly but enabling him to sneak past enemies. You’ll be able to
use interaction buttons on the screen in order to engage puzzles or acquire new
items. Additionally, you’ll be able to shoot enemies by holding down one of the
directions on the d-pad (or a face button if you’re a lefty) to draw your weapon
and tapping your foe on the screen.
The game is not without its share of
shortcomings. First off, the camera is pretty problematic. As it uses an
isometric view that focuses a bit too closely to the action, using your gun
against an enemy can be an exercise in frustration, as the camera is zoomed in a
bit too tightly, making it very difficult to shoot enemies if they’re out of
your view. This doesn’t stop them from taking fire at you, however, which is
very annoying.
Additionally, hand-to-hand combat is
also quite problematic. As you use the stylus for fighting, certain attacks
don’t register as well as they should and feel quite unintuitive. You’ll often
take quite a beating when trying to take on an enemy with your bear hands, as
blocking doesn’t work nearly as well as it should.
Graphically, the game is pretty
good, but not the best use of 3D on the DS. The character models move decently
enough and look good, but the whole look feels pretty uninspired and plain
compared to many titles on the system.
The sound fares quite a bit better.
The music is well done and sounds good on the DS, and the sheer amount of voice
work is very impressive.
Quantum of Solace is a good attempt
to bring 007 to handhelds, adding a stealth element and full touch screen
controls. However, there are some glaring issues that keep the game from being a
standout title.
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Review Scoring Details for Quantum of Solace |
Gameplay: 6.5
The DS version of Quantum of Solace feels more like Metal Gear Solid than a
traditional action shooter. The sideways “book” styled controls work generally
well, but the low-aimed camera and lousy hand to hand combat controls are a
drag.
Graphics: 7.0
Decent looking character models, but generally pretty basic for a DS game.
Sound: 8.5
The music is well done, and the amount of voice acting (done by some members
of the film cast) is very impressive.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 7.0
The stealth heavy gameplay mechanics and touch screen-focused controls are
good, but there are some execution problems.
Overall: 7.0
Quantum of Solace is a solid effort to bring Bond to the DS, but there are a
few looming problems with the translation.
