James Bond 007: Blood Stone

James Bond 007: Blood Stone is a third-person shooter video game, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the 24th game in the James Bond series and is the first game since James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing to have an original story. The game was confirmed by Activision on 16 July 2010.[1] The game was released on 2 November 2010 in North America and released on 5 November 2010 in Europe.[2] Activision's remake of GoldenEye 007 for the Wii and DS was released on the same day respectively in each region.[3] Blood Stone features the voices and likenesses of Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, and Joss Stone. Blood Stone was the final game developed by Bizarre Creations before it closed on 18 February 2011.

James Bond 007: Blood Stone
Developer(s)Bizarre Creations
n-Space (Nintendo DS)
Publisher(s)Activision
Writer(s)Bruce Feirstein
Composer(s)Richard Jacques
SeriesJames Bond
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Nintendo DS
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Release
  • NA: 2 November 2010
  • AU: 3 November 2010
  • EU: 5 November 2010
Genre(s)Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

A sequel, developed by Raven Software, was reportedly planned but was ultimately scrapped due to Blood Stone's poor sales upon release.[4]

Gameplay

Blood Stone is a third-person shooter with elements of hand-to-hand combat. Driving sequences also appear in the game. Blood Stone features a focus aim system which allows players to lock onto targets after melee takedowns.[5] There is a multiplayer mode consisting of up to 16 players that will pit spies versus mercenaries.[6] Alongside team deathmatch and other standard game modes there are massive objective-based battles where players have to work as a team to attack or defend various spy-themed goals. The player pilots several vehicle types throughout the course of the game.[7]

Plot

MI6 uncovers a plot by international terrorist Greco (Luis Soto) to conduct a suicide attack on the G-20 leaders, while attending a summit at the Acropolis structure in Athens. M (Judi Dench) assigns James Bond (Daniel Craig) to prevent the attack. After Greco flees from his personal yacht, Bond pursues him through Athens, before learning that he rigged an SUV with explosives. Forced to let Greco leave alive, Bond pursues after the SUV in a commandeered Aston Martin DBS V12, disabling it before it can reach the G-20 summit.

The following morning, M contacts Bond with news that Malcolm Tedworth (Timothy Watson), a researcher who disappeared while conducting top-level work for the Ministry of Defence, has been located in Istanbul. Suspecting he was kidnapped for his research, Bond is assigned to recover both Tedworth and his work. Finding the researcher being held at a construction site, Bond witnesses Tedworth being interrogated by a courier named Bernin (Ramon Tikaram), who seeks access to his USB drive containing his research. After acquiring what he needs, Bernin executes Tedworth and flees across the city, prompting Bond to pursue after him using an Aston Martin DB5. Unable to recover the data, Bond interrogates Bernin before killing him, learning he works for businessman Stefan Pomerov (Laurence Possa). Sent by M to Monaco, Bond works with fellow MI6 agent Nicole Hunter (Joss Stone) to find evidence at one of Pomerov's casinos.

The pair find information that Pomerov has frequented a disused chemical refinery he owns in Siberia, receiving a tip off it is storing bio-weapons, and head out to investigate it. The pair soon discover Pomerov is operating a bio-factory that is manufacturing bio-weapons, prompting them to destroy it. Discovering Pomerov intends to smuggle out bio-weapons he already has, Bond pursues after him to an ekranoplan. Boarding it before it takes off, Bond kills Pomerov and secures the bio-weapons for disposal by Russian Federation troops. After he parts way with Nicole, Bond becomes suspicious of the tip off they received when he reports to M, suspecting it was arranged to secure Pomerov's elimination. Using Bernin's phone that he took, Bond has MI6 trace a number he had received that wasn't a local call. The call turns out to come from Chinese intelligence officer General Ping (David K.S. Tse), who contacts Bond for a meeting in Bangkok to discuss the reason for his communication with Bernin.

Meeting at an aquarium, Ping reveals he was investigating a freelance mercenary named Rak (James Goode) who operates in Bangkok and sells stolen information and technology on the black market. Ping suspects him involved in Tedworth's kidnapping, but before he can reveal more, an assassin kills him. Bond attempts to pursue the assassin, only for them to die in an accident. Needing background information from M on Rak while pursued by police, Bond is sent to meet with Silk (Richard Dillane), an associate of Rak's, who provides the location for his hideout in the city. However, Silk betrays Bond after the meeting, allowing him to be ambushed by Rak. Taken to a prison camp in Burma for interrogation by Rak, Bond escapes and pursues after him for information that results in a confrontation over a dam. Although Rak pleads for his life in exchange for his employer's identity, Bond reveals he already knows and kills him.

Returning to Monaco, Bond sends Rak's knife to Nicole, identifying her as a double agent in MI6 and the head of a group that kidnaps prominent researchers, selling their data to interested parties. Frightened, Nicole decides to escape the city in her Koenigsegg CCXR, only to find herself being pursued by Bond (in his Aston Martin DBS V12), who ultimately corners her on the Millau Viaduct. Confronted by him, after suspecting she supplied the tip-off on Pomerov, Nicole reveals she works for an unknown man who is rich and powerful, but refuses to identify him, claiming he is bigger than any organisation in the world. Before Bond can interrogate her more, an unmanned drone shoots Nicole dead. With no further clues to follow, Bond reports in to M, advising her to find a new contact in Monaco, before departing.

Cast

Recurring characters:

Other characters:

Development

The game was hinted at on 21 April 2010 when British store HMV listed Blood Stone as "coming soon".[8] On April 23, Activision reserved a web domain name called bloodstonegame.com.[9] The game was announced in an Activision press release on July 16.[10] James Bond film writer Bruce Feirstein wrote the story for the game. The game itself is built on developer Bizarre Creations' Bespoke engine, which was created for the game The Club.[11] Ben Cooke, who is Daniel Craig's stunt double in the films, has provided the motion capture choreography for Bond's digital animation. He is credited as the game's stunt coordinator.[11]

While Bizarre Creations was finishing the development on The Club, they were bought by Activision, who had a license agreement at the time to make video games based on James Bond. Activision allowed the team to move forward with an original title, in order to take advantage of the gap between Quantum Of Solace and the upcoming film. Bizarre had a creative control over the title, letting them design the locations and gameplay the way they wanted to. Blood Stone was designed to capture the feel of a blockbuster movie with a "mix of characterization and adrenaline". The driving parts were mostly placed at the end of the chapters, as the developers were trying to make sure they wouldn't be seen as disconnected from the rest of the game.[12]

The game's soundtrack is composed by Richard Jacques. Joss Stone provides an original musical track to the game titled "I'll Take It All" written and performed by her and David A. Stewart.[13]

Reception

James Bond 007: Blood Stone has received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Nintendo DS version 75% and 70/100,[14][18] the PlayStation 3 version 66% and 65/100,[15][19] the Xbox 360 version 64% and 62/100[16][21] and the PC version 63% and 63/100.[17][20]

References
  1. Kris Pigna (2010-07-16). "Activision confirms Bizarre's "James Bond Blood Stone"". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  2. Wesley Yin-Poole (2010-10-22). "Activision confirms James Bond 007: Blood Stone release dates". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
  3. Guy Cocker (2010-07-16). "James Bond 007: Blood Stone confirmed". GameSpot. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  4. "First Look At Next 007 Game". MI6-HQ.com. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  5. Martin Robinson (2010-07-16). "James Bond 007: Blood Stone First Look". IGN. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  6. Andrew Laughlin (2010-07-16). ""James Bond 007: Blood Stone" revealed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  7. Jerry Paxton (2010-10-19). ""James Bond 007: Blood Stone Driving and Vehicles Trailer" revealed". GamingShogun. Archived from the original on 2010-10-29. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  8. Tor Thorsen (2010-04-21). "James Bond driving game's cover blown". GameSpot. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  9. Tor Thorsen (2010-04-23). "GoldenEye, Assassin's Creed, Driver, Blood Stone URLs reg'd". GameSpot. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  10. Activision Blizzard (2010-07-16). ""James Bond 007: Blood Stone" Press Release". Activision. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  11. MI6 (2010-07-16). "First story, character and gaming tidbits for 'Blood Stone'". MI6.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  12. Laughlin, Andrew (October 18, 2010). "Bizarre Creations ('Blood Stone 007')". Digital Spy. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  13. Johnny Cullen (2010-07-16). "Activision confirms Bizarre's James Bond: Blood Stone". VG247. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  14. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for Nintendo DS". Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  15. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for PlayStation 3". Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  16. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for Xbox 360". Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  17. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for PC". Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  18. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for DS Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  19. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for PlayStation 3 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  20. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for PC Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  21. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone for Xbox 360 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  22. Dustin Quillen (4 November 2010). "James Bond 007: Blood Stone Review for PS3, 360 from 1UP.com". 1UP. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  23. New Game Cross Review - 007/ブラッドストーン (PS3). Famitsū. No.1153. Pg.39. 20 January 2011.
  24. New Game Cross Review - 007/ブラッドストーン (XB360). Famitsū. No.1153. Pg.39. 20 January 2011.
  25. Shaun McInnis (2 November 2010). "James Bond 007: Blood Stone Review, James Bond 007: Blood Stone Xbox 360 Review - GameSpot.com". GameSpot. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  26. Hayward, Andrew. "James Bond 007: Blood Stone". Official Xbox Magazine. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
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