True. I tend to give LTK a pass on it since it was the first time they’d really done that in a Bond film to that point and since it was billed as something different from your typical Bond film. They also set the stakes up as being something different from the traditional Bond film, with Bond shockingly disobeying orders and going after revenge for both Felix as well as a kind of cathartic mission to in some roundabout way avenge the death of Tracy.
I think that it’s clear, though, by looking at some of the aborted ideas for what would have been Dalton’s third film, that Cubby wasn’t looking to make this the main focal point of the franchise moving forward for the next three decades. This was something, though, that Barbara really ran with when she took over and it’s really transformed what James Bond is over the past 30 years or so.
I suppose that would come only at some considerable cost. And wouldn’t that work against the general idea to have for the first time a young Bond starting out with the Service? Why undercut its USP with familiar faces that mean little to the youngsters this hopes to attract? It could probably be done but I doubt that’s in Amazon’s interest.
I’m not interested in former Bond skins, to be honest. I’m embracing IO’s version for what it is, scar and all. I think clothing is a good enough way to reference the films. I see lot of gamers reacting on YouTube and getting excited. Forget about what Ian Fleming Publications are currently attempting, this has a much better chance of creating new Bond fans rather than turning them away.
Pretty sure that they would also have to secure the rights from the actors to use their individual likeness in the game which I have a hard time believing would happen.
Thanks for these @dalton. I respect the guys at IO. After watching these it’s clear to me they know how 007 differs from 47, and we’re not getting a reskin of Hitman. I like they’re aware of the general Bond cocktail but want to create their own thing. If that wasn’t on the table they probably would’ve passed.
It seems apparent Bond starts out cheery and that’s impacted by the events of the game, perhaps their equivalent of Vesper’s death being the pivotal moment. The talking to guards and charm component sounds good. Fighting multiple enemies at once and throwing stuff makes third person the better perspective for Bond.
No doubt - but it would still cost a pretty penny for a, relatively speaking, minor treat that doesn’t do a lot to support the game’s initial purpose.
But who knows, maybe something like it would come down the line as an Easter Egg. It seems at the moment this game already generates the publicity and could make major inroads with the gamer community. If the game holds up to the hype there’s every reason to hope for a success that would guarantee Bond a presence in kids rooms around the globe for a considerable time. That would justify a little extra cash for a former Bond and the necessary voice takes.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of legs this game will have, and what that means for any kind of further additions to the game through DLC, considering it’s releasing in the same year as Grand Theft Auto VI, which will be the biggest game of all time and targets a very similar audience to this one. Maybe they’ll get lucky and GTA will delay again into 2027.
Fortunately, i dont think IO need as big an audience to be considered a success. Nothing is standing up to GTA 6, any game developer or studio thinking otherwise is stupid or wanting to tank the company.
I mean, as soon as I saw the trailer this game shot past GTA VI as my most anticipated game. I haven’t really felt this way about Bond games before. Maybe it’s the lack of anything Bond since With a Mind to Kill, but the trailer really looks high quality and IO seem to be taking great care to do the license justice.
We’re ready for a new start, and it may as well be this. IO having a proven track record helps too. The last time I was excited about Bond games was the EA era, and perhaps anticipating Blood Stone. But First Light should be a jump in quality despite the nostalgia I have for yesteryear.
I remember being excited for Blood Stone, but not like this. I think, like you, the last time I was this hyped for a Bond game might have been Everything or Nothing (EA era) which I still consider to be the best Bond game and Brosnan’s fifth film.
I like EA’s From Russia With Love. It’s a good game and getting Sean back one last time was a real coup. But the overall package didn’t quite have the same Everything or Nothing magic. The same applies to Blood Stone.
I played the EoN demo disc which was included with the PlayStation magazine, and from that point it’s not an exaggeration to say I was obsessed. In comparison to the style we had up until then it was revolutionary, and it’s yet to be bettered IMO.
First Light can take that torch and build upon it.
I still think it was a mistake for EA to not make an original Bond game with Connery. From Russia with Love is fun enough, but we could have gotten one last new Bond adventure with Sean Connery.
I also really like EA’s FRWL as well. It seems like it was a bit of a rush job, for various reasons. I would have actually started it at Dr. No’s lair. More Bond movie influence, and not a damsel or politician in distress cliche. Honey Ryder could have made a surprise appearance. Also, I would have Christopher Lee come back as Scaramanga, hunting Bond and Octopus, for various reasons. So basically, while not the cluster of production troubles like Goldeneye Rogue Agent, we should be happy with the EA FRWL we got. It was just in the middle of a perfect, once in a rare release time that maybe rushed some production values.
