'GoldenEye: Rogue Agent' Formally Announced for Nintendo DS

It’s been a long time coming, but EA have made a formal announcement about the upcoming Nintendo DS version of GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. Released on Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox late last year, the handheld version has been in the works for some time.

Earlier rumoured to be a port of Rare’s original masterpiece also titled GoldenEye (based on the film of the same name), it was soon revealed that the new game would be an adaptation of EA’s most recent entry in their lucrative Bond game franchise.

In GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, the player assumes the role of an MI6 agent cast out of the spying game after a reckless mission. The player – in the title role of GoldenEye – soon encounters various Bond characters from all throughout the filmic series (and even an appearance by Bond himself!), as he moves up the ranks of Auric Goldfinger’s villainous organisation.

EA’s press release follows.

EA Announces GoldenEye: Rogue Agent for the Nintendo DS; Villains Rule in Latest Edition in James Bond Videogame Series

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 7, 2005

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS) today announced plans to release GoldenEye: Rogue Agent for the Nintendo DS this June. Going where no previous James Bond game has dared tread, this first-person shooter gives players the chance to explore the dark side of the Bond universe and experience life as a ruthless, unpredictable villain. All-new features and innovative gameplay are only made possible by the Nintendo DS platform.

“We are thrilled to bring GoldenEye: Rogue Agent to the Nintendo DS and create distinctive new features to benefit from the platform’s unique technology,” said Jon Dean, Executive Producer at EA Tiburon. “Playing this action-packed game on the go and right in the palm of your hands is incredible. Bond fans will not be disappointed.”

As an aspiring 00 agent dismissed from MI6 for reckless brutality, the player is recruited by Auric Goldfinger in a ruthless war against Dr. No for control of the Bond underworld. Players wreak havoc as they make their unrelenting rise through the ranks of villainy. On globe-spanning missions of vengeance and demolition, players encounter such legendary Bond characters as Oddjob, Dr. No, Goldfinger, Scaramanga, and Xenia Onatopp.

Gamers outwit villainous rivals and battle it out in the intense wireless multiplayer mayhem with up to seven other players using only one cartridge, a unique feature for the Nintendo DS. The game also features a robust single-player campaign divided into six missions. Players can exploit multiple weapon combinations through the dual-wield gunplay system, or go head-to-head, melee-style, by taking enemies hostage or knocking them out with one punch.

The dual-screen display provides a gameplay window on the top screen and the heads-up-display (HUD) on the touch screen. The HUD provides vital intelligence to players and allows for them to check ammunition levels, hack electronic devices and weapons, decode security locks, and more. In the all-new for DS ‘Virtual Training’ mode, players sharpen their lethal edge and gain experience by defeating infamous Bond villains in order to earn valuable upgrades for their GoldenEye weaponry. Left and right-handed gameplay controls, plus stylus and thumb-pad play, take full advantage of the platform’s unique touch-screen capabilities.

Officially licensed by MGM Interactive, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent for the Nintendo DS is developed at EA’s Tiburon studio under the EA GAMES brand. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is also available on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Xbox video game system from Microsoft, and Nintendo GameCube. For more information, please visit the game’s official site at www.goldeneye.ea.com or press site at www.info.ea.com.

CBn recently obtained early screenshots from the game, which is due for release this June.

EA is still to make a formal announcement about its next Bond adventure, From Russia With Love, in which the original 007, Sean Connery, will reprise his role as James Bond by providing both his likeness and voice to the character.

Sean Connery is BACK as Bond!

Exciting news! Sean Connery is BACK as James Bond! At least his VOICE is back.

CBn has confirmed that Sean Connery WILL be providing the voice of 007 in the new James Bond videogame from Electronic Arts, James Bond 007: From Russia With Love.

Some voice work for the game has already been completed in Los Angeles. Connery will be recording the full voice track in the Caribbean during the next few weeks.

Game Informer magazine recently ran 10 pages of coverage of the new EA Bond game, including the first pictures. CLICK HERE for CBn’s full coverage of that article.

'Game Informer' Declassifies EA's 'From Russia With Love'

Hold onto your joysticks everyone.

The April issue of Game Informer magazine (www.gameinformer.com) has blown the lid off EA’s new Bond game, James Bond 007: From Russia With Love, with a full 10 pages of exclusive coverage! The cover features a first look at Sean Connery’s CG image. Not bad.

Currently the magazine is only available to subscribers and is expected to hit newsstands in a matter of days. However, CBn’s own Jack Bauer has the magazine in hand and reports on the exciting details revealed inside:

* The game follows the storyline of the film closely, but it will feature many elements of the early Bond days to recreate the feel of the era (thus, the jetpack).

Game Informer, April 2005

* The cars will be from the 50s and 60s, gadgets will be bulkier, etc.

* While they can’t get voice talent from many of the actors in the original film, as they’ve either retired or passed away, EA is planning on adding in additional content so they can get some big-named talent involved.

* We get to see Bond duke it out on the Orient Express, take part in a high speed boat chase, and see a gypsy fight in one way or another (either playable, or a sequence).

* While the final fight in the film revolves around Bond taking down Klebb and her boot knife, it doesn’t make for a very good boss battle, so there’ll be a lot more to it this time around.

* Whereas Everything or Nothing had 2 different game engines, one for fighting and one for driving, From Russia With Love will run on one single engine so the transition between the two will be much smoother.

* Much like the Grand Theft Auto games, Bond can “fire a few rounds from his Walther PPK, hop into an authentic ’60s car to strategically use the vehicle’s armor and weaponry, then hop out and keep going.” However, it won’t be like Grand Theft Autoin the sense that Bond has a mission that he must follow.

The jetpack is back!

* In many other games, there is one set path to success. In From Russia With Love, EA lets you choose your path. For example, if you find a motorcycle, you could take it and ride up the stairs, gunning down the opposition if they get in your way. Or, if you find a jetpack, fly up the stairs. They let you choose your way through.

* There is a new mechanic called “Focus Mode”, which allows you the ability to slow down time to get a more accurate shot. It is supposed to take you into Bond’s mind, and what he’s thinking about, so you could shoot at an enemy’s specific body part, or something on him, like a radio or grenade.

* Enemies now seem to work together to coordinate attacks against Bond. They’re a lot smarter than previous artificial-intelligence.

* Also, guards will be different, now. Instead of facing a group of identical looking goons, you could face 10 different looking guys.

* Like Metal Gear Solid, you can choose how you want to beat a level. If you want to go through it slowly and stealthily, you may. However, as the primary objective of a Bond game is to come out guns a-blazing, you could have shootouts with your foes, letting them know where you are.

Sean Connery IS James Bond

* There is a new gadget called the “Serum Gun”. A bar shows up on the screen letting you know how long the serum has until it goes into effect. The guard will go berserk, and kill everything around him, his allies included.

* Daniela Bianchi’s likeness is in the game. Her character will assist Bond by pointing out shortcuts and doing other things.

* Kerim Bay will also help out James, and even fellow MI6 members will help him out when needed.

* Regarding the use of his image, GI quotes Sean Connery as saying, “As an artist, I see this as another way to explore the creative process. Video games are an extremely popular form of entertainment today, and I am looking forward to seeing how it all fits together.”

Lennertz to Score EA's 'From Russia With Love'

Christopher Lennertz has been signed by Electronic Arts to compose the music to their James Bond line of games beginning with James Bond 007: From Russia With Love, according to the Film Score Monthly message board. FSM says “the entire look and feel of the game is very 60’s and the score will very much be a part of and add to that overall ambience.”

Lennertz begins recording at the famous Abbey Road studios later this month.

EA had planned an original 007 outing in the vein of Everything or Nothing for 2005, and hired Bond veteran Bruce Feirstein to write the storyline. However, when it became clear Pierce Brosnan would not be returning to the role of 007 and that an announcement of a successor was still some time away, it was decided to shelve the original and go with the remake concept.

The storyline of From Russia With Love will expand beyond the storyline of the 1963 James Bond film.

EA is expected to make an official announcement about the game soon.

EA Confirms, Previews 'From Russia With Love'

Electronic Arts last week visited the University of Florida where it confirmed that their next James Bond video game will be From Russia With Love, reports IGN.com. EA also confirmed that they have another James Bond game in development at their LA studio (site of last year’s GoldenEye: Rogue Agent Community Day).

Using an early build of From Russia With Love on a PC workstation, EA showed six scenes of the company’s first revisionist Bond game. The first scene portrayed Sean Connery flying across the sky in a jetpack in small town set in the 1960s. After landing, Connery jumps into a sports car with a desirable girl and a car chase-scene ensues. The scene ends as Connery’s driving antics knock down a water tower. The other scene showed Pierce Brosnan sneaking on a boat dock, firing and blowing up explosive crates, and then jettisoning the location in a hybrid boat/hovercraft.

EA had planned an original 007 outing in the vein of Everything or Nothing for 2005, and hired Bond veteran Bruce Feirstein to write the storyline. However, when it became clear Pierce Brosnan would not be returning to the role of 007 and that an announcement of a successor was still some time away, it was decided to shelve the original and go with the remake concept.

It not known whether this second game currently in development is based on Feirstein’s original.

EA’s video game adaptation of From Russia With Love will expand beyond the storyline of the 1963 James Bond film.

EA is expected to announce more details soon.

Bruce Feirstein To Pen Next EA Bond Game!

It’s never too early to start talking about the next Bond… game that is!

In what is exciting news, CBn has learned that Bruce Feirstein is writing the next James Bond videogame from EA (Electronic Arts). This new game is due for release in late 2005.

No other details have been revealed, but with Feirstein onboard we can presume this new game will be a “classic Bond game” in the vein of EA’s 2003 hit Everything or Nothing. (EA recently released GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, a game that follows the adventures of a Bond villain instead of 007.)

Feirstein is no stranger to the world of 007. The author and journalist cut his Bondian teeth on 1995’s GoldenEye. Called in to rewrite Michael France’s original screenplay, it was Feirstein who first proposed the idea of a female M, and is responsible for the “sexist misogynist dinosaur” scene between Pierce Brosnan and Judi Dench, which has become a Bond classic. It was the inspired idea of making the villain a media baron that landed Bruce a sole writing credit on the next Bond film, 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. Feirstein then returned to polish the work of Neal Purvis and Robert Wade on 1999’s The World Is Not Enough.

With Purvis & Wade flying solo on 2002’s Die Another Day, EA wisely snatched up the services of Feistein to create the Bond game to end all Bond games. The result was 2003’s Everything or Nothing, which proved to be a hit with fans and the biggest selling Bond game of them all.

Feirstein, now considered an “a-list” Hollywood screenwriter, recently landed the job of writing the big screen adaptation of the 80s TV hit, The A-Team.

CBn will provide details on the new Bruce Feirstein scripted James Bond videogame from EA as they become available.

MAJOR UPDATE! Jan. 25, 2005:
Spong.com has revealed that the new EA Bond game will be titled James Bond 007: From Russia With Love, and will be based on the 1963 Sean Connery classic. CBn confirmed that EA’s plan to do an original game in 2005 was shelved when it was learned Pierce Brosnan would not be returning to the role of 007.

The Winners Are Announced!

Thank you to all CBn forum members who entered the “CBn GoldenEye: Rogue Agent Prize Pack Giveaway“. And the WINNERS are…

PS2 Winner: WhiteKnight
BOX Winner: PaulZ108

Congratulations to the two winners (check your e-mail, boys)! And a very Merry Christmas from CBn and EA Games *wink*

The correct answers to the competition questions were as follows:

‘Rogue Agent’ Prize Packs

Q: What’s similar about Bond’s Aston Martin in the EA game NightFire and Bond’s Lotus Esprit in the film The Spy Who Loved Me?

A: Answer could have been anything that referenced the fact that they both could turn into submarines.

Q: Which “old friend” did Bond encounter in the EA game Everything or Nothing?

A: Jaws.

Q: What was GoldenEye: Rogue Agent‘s original title?

A: Goldfinger vs Dr. No (I accepted variations of that title as well)

To Purchase this Game…

• GameCube: Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
• Playstation 2: Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
• XBOX: Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

To discuss this competition visit this thread on the CBn Forums.
Visit the GoldenEye: Rogue Agent section of CBn for info on this game.
Thanks to EA games.

Win EA's "GoldenEye: Rogue Agent"

‘Rogue Agent’ Prize Packs

Thanks to EA Games, we have two GoldenEye: Rogue Agent prize packs to give away to two lucky CBn members. You must be a registered member of the CBn Forum to be eligible to win.

Now it’s time to think like James Bond to catch Rogue Agent. To enter, fill out the following questionnaire by Thursday December 16 and e-mail it to [email protected]

1.What’s your CBn Forum Screen Name?

2. Which Platform: PS2 or XBOX?

3. What’s similar about Bond’s Aston Martin in the EA game NightFire and Bond’s Lotus Esprit in the film The Spy Who Loved Me?

4. Which “old friend” did Bond encounter in the EA game Everything or Nothing?

5. What was GoldenEye: Rogue Agent‘s original title?

To discuss this competition or if you have any questions visit this thread on the CBn Forum.

Answers Can Be Found…

• NightFire’s Mission List
• “Everything or Nothing” Mission Walkthroughs
• ‘GoldenEye: Rogue Agent’ Community Day, Part II

The Reviews Are In…

EA’s newest game, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent has met players with some very mixed reviews. A variety of gaming sites have chimed in giving their views on the newest game. Which site do you trust?

The Bond franchise has always been associated with ambition, and this is no exception. While the final cocktail that is Rogue Agent breaks very little new ground, the eye powers and deathtraps are extremely welcome additions to the shooter arsenal. We’d appreciate a more robust solo game, but there’s enough content there to prime players for multiplayer, which is where the action really is. In that respect, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is a fitting successor to one of the enduring classics of the genre.

Yahoo! Games

Perhaps the worst part about GoldenEye is the fact that EA had successfully transitioned the Bond series out of the first-person shooter genre not even a year ago with the release of Everything or Nothing, which was a great action adventure game. Now, the company is right back to making substandard shooters with the Bond license, and this one even takes the name of the game that made Bond and first-person shooting such a great mix back in the day and drags it through the mud.

GameSpot

To be fair, Rogue Agent makes a few attempts at having interesting foibles. Your special eye has four powers, such as the ability to create a shield or hack machines. These work okay, if unspectacularly. There’s also a dual-wielding weapon system, which is reminiscent of the similar feature in Halo 2.

Gamespy

Even when it’s not letting players chuck bad guys in the shark pond, Rogue Agent clearly shows off some challenging AI from its opponents. In the Hoover Dam stage (yes, you blow up Hoover Dam, making this the second major episode of dam destruction in a videogame this season), some large groups of enemies handle expansive areas with lots of cover particularly well. You can watch them peek out to snipe, fire blind from behind walls, or move to flank you in groups of two or three.

1Up

GoldenEye is an empty vessel of a game missing personality, charm, story or any kind of distinguishing character. If videogames were living creatures and had souls, Rogue Agent would be the wandering game in search of one. It’s a first-person shooter that feels like its dying to be like many other videogames but doesn’t achieve any sense of individualistic character. It’s missing that special something that gamers latch onto, love or obsess about in a game. Instead, you’ve got a title void of passion and a character lacking any personality. And to top it all, GoldenEye doesn’t do anything worthy of calling evil in any way, shape or form.

IGN

Even though 007 is a minor character in “Rogue Agent,” the game is firmly rooted in Bond tradition. As you undertake your violent missions in the criminal underworld, you’ll encounter some nefarious figures you may remember from the Bond movies, including Odd-Job, Xenia Onatopp and Pussy Galore. Actor Christopher Lee, who played villain Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, reprises his film role for the game. So does actress Judi Dench, who plays Bond’s boss, ‘M’.

CNN

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is an above average first-person shooter that Bond fans will love, but most gamers will want to rent first before plopping down fifty bucks.

Team X-Box

It’s not without its faults, and the multiplayer mode isn’t all that great, but for a singleplayer experience, Rogue Agent delivers.

Worth Playing

New Rogue Agent Release Date Confirmed

EA Games new James Bond based video game, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent was originally set for released on November 17th. Then earlier this week, according to the latest undercover video, the date was to be November 19th. There seems to have been a delay…

Today EA Games officially announced that GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is now scheduled for release on November 22. So get ready… in eleven days you will be able to delve into the underworld of the James Bond universe and become a Bond villain. Why save the world when you can RULE it?

Pre-Order Today

• GameCube: Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
• Playstation 2: Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
• XBOX: Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Going where no previous James Bond game has dared to tread, this first-person shooter breaks all the rules by giving you the chance to cross over to the dark side of the Bond universe to experience life as a ruthless, unpredictable villain. The focus of this highly anticipated video game in the Bond series shifts from that of 007 himself to the corrupt underworld and its criminal masterminds. Wreak havoc as you make your unrelenting rise through the ranks of villainy and encounter such legendary villains and Bond girls as Xenia Onatopp, Dr. No, Goldfinger, Oddjob, Scaramanga, and Pussy Galore.

Exploit over 100 different weapon combinations through the dual-wield gunplay system, or go head-to-head, melee-style, by taking your enemies hostage or knocking ’em out with one punch. GoldenEye: Rogue Agent fully integrates single-player, multiplayer split screen, and online gameplay for the PlayStation2 and Xbox. Featured game modes include story-based campaign missions spanning 20 gripping single-player levels and over 20 intense multiplayer arenas where you can engage in deathmatch-style showdowns and objective-based team vs. team scenarios.

With the most authentic take on the Bond universe in a video game to date, travel to famous film locations such as the top of the Golden Gate Bridge from A View to a Kill, the Pyramids from The Spy who Loved Me, and the Volcano Lair from You Only Live Twice.

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent‘s stellar talent roster includes Christopher Lee, who is reprising his role as the villainous Francisco Scaramanga from The Man with the Golden Gun and Judi Dench, who returns as M and has appeared in four Bond films to date. World-renowned DJ Paul Oakenfold composed an original score and created the game’s overarching musical personality with hard-driving, rhythmic beats hand-crafted for every mission. Rounding out the talent behind the game is Academy Award-winning Production Designer Sir Ken Adam (James Bond series), Costume Designer Kym Barrett (The Matrix trilogy), and Character Designer Rene Morel (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within).

Officially licensed by MGM Interactive, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent was developed at the EA’s Los Angeles studio and is being published under the EA GAMES brand. The game is rated “T” (Teen) by the ESRB and has a US MSRP of $49.99.

Announcement from EA’s Official GoldenEye: Rogue Agent web-site