![]() ![]() Some sequences are dull and go on too long, while others are spectacular but so packed with sudden death drops and hard-to-dodge obstacles that getting through is more a test of memory than reaction. They're unquestionably the best looking parts of the game, but the gameplay isn't tight enough. Oddly, given Bizarre's heritage, it's the driving portions that feel most disappointing. There's scope for strategy, but not enough freedom to really make it interesting. Plus, while the use of a smartphone to give Bond tactical info and highlight objectives is a nice move, it can turn the game into a bit of a breadcrumb trail. ![]() Sadly, this doesn't always happen, and while there are some great levels, with Bond infiltrating a Monaco casino or hiding from the police in Bangkok, there are also plenty of levels where we're back in shooting gallery mode, clearing each room of enemies in sequence then moving on to the next. We get all the things we expect from a modern Bond tale - exotic locations, car chases, boat chases, stunts, hard-hitting fight sequences and a spot of gunplay - and the vocal work from Dench and Craig is a fair replication of what we heard in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Bond's initial battle against a nasty Russian oligarch takes him from Athens to Istanbul, Monaco and Siberia, and from there events lead him onwards to Bangkok. The general storyline isn't bad by Bond movie standards, even if there's a slightly odd feeling that it begins with one evil plot and villain, then expands outwards just to beef up the running time. It's not quite a dud, but it's more Octopussy in quality than You Only Live Twice. Instead, Blood Stone is a half-decent action-er spoilt by some fairly major flaws. The fact that it fills the gap left by the postponement of the 23rd Bond film could have been the icing on the 007 cake. A totally original Bond game, scripted by a Hollywood screenwriter, voiced by Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, starring a digitised Joss Stone and developed by the team behind The Club and Project Gotham Racing, Blood Stone should have been a blinder. The studio's previous game, the lukewarm 2010 remake of the classic GoldenEye 007, also failed to capture hearts and wallets and the Derby-based studio was closed at the end of 2012.(Pocket-lint) - This is what you call a missed opportunity. The last Bond game, Eurocom's 007 Legends, was derided by critics and failed to make an impact on the sales charts, despite being timed to coincide with the release of uber-blockbuster Skyfall. It is possible that Activision has pulled the plug on this arrangement. Activision obtained the gaming rights to the then-lucrative Bond license from EA in 2006, in a deal with MGM and EON that was scheduled to last until 2014. One reason for games being pulled from digital sale can be down to licensing agreements expiring, as happened with GTA: Vice City on Steam recently. The game is still available to buy on the PlayStation 3, but it is not clear if the game will remain listed on the PlayStation Store when the marketplace is refreshed this week. ![]() On the consoles, the Xbox 360 Games on Demand version of GoldenEye 007: Reloaded has also been pulled. There are no results in Activision's own store, either. Spotted by, 007 Legends and James Bond 007: Blood Stone, from now-defunct studios Eurocom and Bizarre Creations, and the Treyarch-helmed Quantum of Solace are no longer available to purchase from Steam. ![]() Activision's suite of James Bond games have all disappeared from Steam, Xbox 360 and Activision's own digital store. ![]()
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