Quantum of Solace is a solid Bond game that mixed third-person and
first-person shooter gameplay styles to deliver a satisfying
single-player mission and a good selection of multiplayer types. The
game runs on the Call of Duty 4 engine, and you can definitely feel the
resemblance as you play. All the elements are there: bullets go through
walls, the weapons pack a hefty punch, and the visuals are still
impressive. Some reviewers considered Quantum's similarity to CoD4 a
fault, but I thought the engine actually lent the game a more realistic
feeling than previous iterations in the Bond franchise, and that's not
such a bad thing.
Moreover, Quantum isn't entirely similar to CoD4, given that the game
employs a Gears of War-like cover system that shifts to a third-person
view whenever you duck behind something. You might assume that melding
two very different perspectives into the same game might feel
disjointed, but I actually enjoyed switching between first and
third-person views since it added some nice variety to the gameplay.
The single-player missions themselves are fun and quite varied in terms
of level design. Since the game is based on both Daniel Craig Bond
films, you get to traverse a lot of locations and play through pivotal
moments in both movies. Quantum alternates between stealth and
trigger-happy missions, so you never get too tired of either. With the
help of the franchise's classic score, the single-player experience is
well-worth playing for any Bond or action game fan.
In addition, there are a variety of multiplayer modes that include some
standard game types (territory, free for all, team slayer) but also
some uniquely Bond-ish modes (such as Golden Gun, which resembles Halo
3's "Oddball" mode, and Bond Versus, which pits the lone agent against
a team of terrorists). To top it all off, Quantum carries over Call of
Duty 4's weapons upgrade system, which creates some balancing issues
for beginners but adds tremendous value to the online experience.
All in all, Quantum is a great package with a brief but satisfying
campaign and numerous multiplayer options to keep aspiring M16 agents
coming back for more.
