After enduring a somewhat tepid response to Agent Under Fire, EA is attempting to return the James Bond franchise to its former glory with NightFire, an original adventure that you won't see in the theaters, though its release coincides with MGM's new Bond film Die Another Day. NightFire captures the spirit of the films perfectly with its high-adrenal action and racy costars. Pierce Brosnan even lent his charming visage and smooth voice to this wonderfully filmic effort. An arsenal of Q-issued gadgets helps you through your missions, however, they tend to be useful only in specifically scripted circumstances. It would have been nice to see more "creative use" situations and interactive environments. Also, the cumbersome item-access issues encountered in previous 007 titles remain intact. And a lack of save points has a deleterious effect on gameplay, forcing you to either keep playing or abandon several missions' worth of progress. NightFire hearkens back to the golden age of GoldenEye with furious multiplayer action. As you complete single-player missions, you unlock classic Bond characters (Pussy Galore, Jaws, etc.) and new map areas. While there aren't as many modes as in a "pure multiplayer FPS" like Unreal Tournament, you'll be treated to an intense and thoroughly entertaining skirmish. Anyone who enjoys Bond films will certainly get a thrill out of NightFire with its variety of driving, stealth, and full-on firefights. Even if you don't care for 007's hackneyed hi-jinks, NightFire is a worthy challenge.
