The James Bond franchise has had a long history with the video game industry, and it even changed the industry forever with the classic and influential Nintendo 64 game GoldenEye. Now, the British spy will be making a return to video games in a big way, as IO Interactive is working on Project 007.
Fans believe the game has huge potential, as it is being developed by the creators of the most recent and universally Hitman trilogy, but not much is known about the project and it's seemingly top secret. If IO was to look to the past for inspiration, there's a lot of content to pull from. Of the 25 official Bond movies, these 10 deserve the video game adaptation treatment more than the others.
Moonraker (1979)
Moonraker isn't a highly-rated James Bond movie by any means, and there aren't any noteworthy meticulous action sequences. It's the lowest-rated Roger Moore 007 movie. However, the film is so bad it's good, as the premise is so outlandish that it almost sounds like it'd be better suited as a video game.
The movie sees the superspy globe-trot to Venice, Rio De Janeiro, and... outer space after an industrialist hijacks an American space shuttle. The 1979 release could make for easily the most exciting Bond game yet, especially as the movie also features one of the fan-favorite Bond henchmen, Jaws, who would be such a fun boss in the video game.
Spectre (2015)
Spectre was considered by most fans and critics as a disappointment when it was first released, and some even think it's the worst Bond movie. It tried and failed to balance the silliness of older Bond movies with the maturity and realism of Craig's films. However, it could translate much better to the video game format, and it's the movie that would fit the Hitman style of gameplay the best.
The opening six minutes of the movie is one long tracking shot of James Bond walking through an epic Day of the Dead parade and disguised in a typical Mexican outfit. The whole sequence seems lifted from Hitman, which sees players using different disguises to access restricted areas. A Game adaptation of Spectre could expand this and have each level as a huge explorable area, including Blofeld's evil lair.
Die Another Day (2002)
Like Spectre, most fans would rather forget about Die Another Day, the twentieth film in the series. Where Brosnan's stint as Bond started as being reminiscent of Sean Connery's charm, it ended with him reminding audiences of Roger Moore's wackier outings.
However, the 2002 movie isn't without its merits, and all of those outrageous gadgets and vehicles make for some great jumping-off points for a video game. Where driving an invisible car, surfing down glaciers, riding in a hovercraft, and even sword fighting are ridiculous concepts for a movie, those together would make for an action-packed third-person adventure.
Casino Royale (2006)
Between making Bond relevant again and giving the character more depth, Casino Royale is a masterpiece. But on paper, the 2006 movie doesn't sound like it'd make for a great video game, as it's surprisingly grounded, a lot of it takes place in a single room, and more hands of poker are dealt than shots are fired. However, some meticulous action sequences would play great in a game, and as Daniel Craig's depiction of bond is the most agile and fastest, Casino Royale could be a fantastic third-person shooter with great gameplay.
As the movie opens with the epic parkour and crane jumps, that could be implemented into the game and it could have that sublime and effortless Mirror's Edge free running-type gameplay. On top of that, the obvious poker minigames that'd be built into the game would make it endlessly replayable.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Jumping the shark doesn't make for a great film, but it certainly makes for a great video game. And though The Spy Who Loved Me doesn't quite reach Moonraker levels of absurdity, the first Roger Moore bond movie has its moments. While the novel takes place in a single hotel, the movie is ambitious in scope and so many sequences would make for great video game levels.
Gamers could control the iconic parachute jump, the submersible Lotus Espirit underwater, and take part in the rooftop brawl. And speaking of jumping the shark, the movie also marks the first appearance of Jaws, who could again make for some great altercations, especially if the game features decent hand-to-hand combat.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the only George Lazenby-starring Bond movie. And while the film earned mediocre reviews upon release, it has since become one of the most respected movies in the series and the most faithful adaptation of Ian Fleming's source material.
Given the movie's reputation, it deserves a video game adaptation just like how From Russia With Love got one in 2005. The mid-2000s saw a fad of developers making games based on 60s and 70s movies, and the adaptation of the 1963 movie is one of the most underrated. A Majesty's Secret Service game could even find influence in the extreme sports series SSX when developing the movie's iconic skiing sequence.
Live And Let Die (1973)
With Moore's movies in the series being so out-there and unapologetically camp and over the top, they would all make great video games. And Live And Let Die could be the best of them all, but for completely different reasons.
Though Moore's outings as Bond are very high-concept, Live And Let Die is surprisingly grounded, and it doesn't even feature any megalomaniac villains that had become a staple of the franchise. Instead, the movie is all about drug trafficking and takes place in Harlem and New Orleans. The 1973 movie could be a third-person crime game like Grand Theft Auto, and players could freely roam around those areas accepting missions when they choose.
Thunderball (1965)
Thunderball is on such a huge scale, the set pieces are so ambitious, and as it follows Bond's search for two stolen atomic bombs, the movie could work as a Tomb Raider or Uncharted-like adventure game. With most of the movie taking place in the Bahamas, the playable Bond could be a Nathan Drake-type character, making witty jokes as he fights his way through exotic locations.
As the Spectre organization feature heavily in the movie, the video game could be full of great boss battles too, including the eyepatch-wearing Emilio Largo, Fiona Volpe, and Count Lippe. And though it's hard to pull off a memorable final boss, Bond's final bout with Largo could be up there as one of the best.
License To Kill (1989)
License To Kill could make for an aesthetically different type of James Bond game, as the film has a much darker tone than other 007 releases. The movie follows Bond, who has been suspended from MI6 and goes rogue by searching for drug lord Franz Sanchez and seeking revenge for his attack on Felix Leiter.
The movie is notable for its huge practical stuntwork and action sequences, which would translate well when adapting the film into a video game. And while it'd lack the supernatural elements, a Licence To Kill game could be similar in tone and gameplay to Max Payne, another rogue agent who is seeking revenge for his family.
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
No Bond movie is more perfect to adapt into a video game than Diamonds Are Forever. The film has it all, as not only is it Connery's swan song as Bond, but it features 007's arch-nemesis, Blofeld, and it has a high concept in which Blofeld is using diamonds to build a space-based laser weapon.
And the movie is full of spying, espionage, and stealth, as Bond acts as a diamond smuggler to infiltrate a smuggling ring. So a Diamonds Are Forever could feel like a 60s version of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell games, especially Double Agent.