James Bond has a lengthy catalog of movies, which has been added to as recently as 2021, but new games for the franchise haven't been released in roughly a decade now. However, that hiatus seems to be ending with Project 007 in development along with a remaster of GoldenEye. While GoldenEye is a fan favorite James Bond game, being loaded with nostalgia for some players, it isn't the only one that deserves a remaster.
Released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, GoldenEye 007 is a classic FPS that has since grown outdated when it comes to gameplay controls and graphics. A GoldenEye 007 remake has been confirmed, and its multiplayer will now be online instead of limited to split-screen co-op, which might be a welcome change for many players. However, the decision to remaster GoldenEye 007 instead of other Bond games could have been influenced by its nostalgia factor, even though other options - like Nightfire, which had improved gameplay - deserve a remaster too.
More than one Bond game has suffered from issues with development, and some were canceled as a result, such as Casino Royale, which was discontinued due to the timing of the release of the Bond movie of the same name. Other Bond games that made it to release had issues with licensing arrangements and legal issues, which led to their stories or characters being changed. Regardless of development issues, there are Bond games that could benefit more than GoldenEye 007 with a remaster update since players would be unlikely to consider nostalgia as a factor when playing, letting their reviews be based more on the game itself instead of comparisons to memories of the original.
Nightfire Made Improvements To Both Multiplayer & Controls
Compared to GoldenEye 007, Nightfire's controls are smoother, making it closer to the style of a modern FPS. Nightfire included multiple game types to try in local multiplayer on its console releases, but the PC version allowed for online multiplayer, albeit with fewer game modes available. Both versions included the option to play with people or bots.
While Nightfire might not be among the worst James Bond video games, and it holds up fairly well today, it could still benefit from a remaster. The vehicle missions are more linear than in some other Bond titles, but they're absent from the PC version altogether. A remaster could turn Nightfire into a modern James Bond FPS with a fun single-player mode and an online multiplayer mode in which players could sink hours.
Everything Or Nothing Features An Original Campaign & Co-op
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing has multiple features that set it apart from other Bond games, including an original campaign and a shift from FPS to a third-person view. Pierce Brosnan reprises his role as James Bond against Willem Dafoe, who stars in the role of antagonist in a game that could be considered as a continuation of 2002's Die Another Day. Everything or Nothing even received its own James Bond 007 theme song.
This was also the first Bond game that let players choose between single-player or multiplayer with co-op for the main campaign. Everything or Nothing might lack a multiplayer mode outside its campaign, but the campaign features most of the elements that can give a Bond game the feeling of a Bond movie, such as a blend of action and stealth sequences alongside the use of iconic vehicles and gadgets in order to stop Nikolai Diavolo from reprogramming nanobots to use for his own purposes. While it may not have reached the same level of renown as GoldenEye 007, Everything or Nothing could have been a better choice to receive a remaster.
A Remaster Could Give From Russia With Love A Useful Layer Of Polish
From Russia With Love shares a lot of resemblance with Everything or Nothing, particularly with controls, as there were developers who worked on both games. From Russia With Love marks Sean Connery's first time doing voice work for a video game, and it closely follows the events of the movie with the same title with the except of a few original missions added in. However, some changes to the story were made due to legal issues, such as SPECTRE being renamed to OCTOPUS.
From Russia With Love might not be as beloved as GoldenEye, but a remaster could create a refined James Bond third-person shooter to match the vision of the original developers, as director Michael Condrey told Polygon that the team lacked both the time and resources to achieve what they envisioned. Some missions can be repetitive, but the game creates an overall cinematic feeling and brings players back to the classic 1960s Bond era with its setting. A remaster could give From Russia With Love a second chance, which isn't needed by the already beloved GoldenEye 007.
Agent Under Fire Has Clunky Controls & Was Underappreciated At Launch
Agent Under Fire isn't groundbreaking or revolutionary in terms of Bond games, but it is among the games that feature an original storyline despite starting as a game meant to be based on the movie The World is Not Enough. The storyline is over-the-top and a bit silly, like GoldenEye 007 nearly sending Bond to enemies' hospitals would have been if Shigeru Miyamoto's plans had been followed. When players are done preventing a set of world leaders from being cloned, they can get more hours out of the game with its multiplayer mode.
Some missions might feel a bit on the short side, but they have a balance of action and stealth that is fitting for the Bond franchise. Agent Under Fire, although it might be lacking in some aspects, makes up for its faults by being generally fun and entertaining. Despite not being based off a Bond movie, Agent Under Fire is still able to maintain the feeling of the franchise and can take players on an exciting, ridiculous journey as James Bond.
The 25th anniversary of GoldenEye 007 passed recently, and it's a game often romanticized by players for good reasons. Although Bond games tend to be hit-or-miss, and it's been years since one has been released, even the best of them haven't managed to reach the same level of renown as GoldenEye. However, that doesn't mean that GoldenEye is the only James Bond game deserving of a remake, as other titles like Agent Under Fire could have a second chance at becoming classics with some polishing.
Source: Polygon