Not Shaken, not Stirred, not Bad: James Bond 007: Blood Stone Review

Daniel Craig's James Bond has been praised for his realism and homage to his Ian Fleming roots. While we can probably guess what you thought of Quantum of Solace and Spectre, you probably enjoyed his 007's adventures in Casino Royale and Skyfall. Overall, Danny Craigs delivers a great adaption of our favorite alcoholic murder machine. What was stopping him from carrying on the tradition of "shaken, not stirred" to games? Nothing.

James Bond 007: Blood Stone delves into a classic sub-genre of modern gaming - the James Bond video game. Ever since titles such as the phenomenal Everything or Nothing (2003), gamers have loved to step into the expensive leather shoes of the world's most famous spy. The 2010 release showcases a fun but fairly typical journey to thwart a dastardly plot hatched by dastardly megalomaniacs.

A James Bond game such as this deserves an attention-grabbing James Bond opening. The Dame Judi Dench reprises her role as firm M to counter Craig's ridiculous Bond antics, and is the first person you see as you start. Parachutes, bombs, arms dealers and extravagant cars all lend to a pretty great prologue mission. Blood Stone's introduction crescendos with a unique MGM-esque musical performed by Joss Stone and Dave Stewart. Overall, the feel of this game is smooth and stylish.

While smooth and stylish, Blood Stone offers little in terms of detailed aesthetics. As a small release, it's understandable to see small sets with minimal graphics and a low performance physics engine. While it's pretty enough to pass today's standards, a lot of visual issues exist in Bond's world. Certain fixtures such as movement, facial motions, and dialogue are scrappily put together and can make the game look older than it already is. Explosions even look like they were transplanted onto the screen like a 1930s Disney movie. As negative as all of that sounds, it's not unexpected and certainly didn't stop us from enjoying a game that thankfully didn't take itself too seriously.

Let's expertly segway into the content of this third-person Bond shooter. While dramatic and Daniel Craigy at times, Blood Stone works hard to deliver a well-constructed spy game that doesn't go over the top (or at least tries not to). Players take Bond on a mission to uncover a deadly plot to develop weaponized toxin, as well as smuggle precious metals around the globe. While the story takes you from one mission to another pretty seamlessly, there is one thing missing. James Bond games, like the films, usually feature a beautiful array of amazing gadgets - your best gadget in Blood Stone: a smartphone. We know! Not even your gorgeous Aston Martin does anything spectacular. This is honestly one of the flaws of the game that keep it from being pretty damn good instead of just good.

The characters in Blood Stone are just what you expect, which is actually a plus. James Bond is a smooth yet serious "blunt instrument." M is a voice of reason, but also acts as a limitation on Bond's recklessness. There is a beautiful love-interest, and a handful of nasty bad guys. The game has a genuine spy thriller feel (aside from the lack of exploding pens), and entertains players on several levels. Exotic places, fast cars, cool tuxes and a thankfully diverse arsenal of weapons facilitate a cool adventure.

To wrap this martini of a review up, James Bond 007: Blood Stone is reminiscent of the 007 games of yore. While it lacks the styles of better spy games, it certainly boasts its own charm and personality. All criticism or praise aside, it was fun to finally see Daniel Craig's James Bond in an independent 007 video game.