Quantum of Solace

Say what you will about movie tie-ins. Sure the majority stink worse than broken wind in an elevator, but to assume they are all awful is to overlook some genuinely good efforts. Fair enough, intitial scepticism probably comes from years of lacklustre marketing devices fobbed off as a game. Give Quantum of Solace the time of day however and you will be rewarded with  a shooter which, while not likely to set the world alight, is largely competent and solid. For a movie license, this is something of a rarity.

Picking up just where Casino Royale the movie left off, without spoiling anything for those who haven't seen the film, we mean literally where the film left off. It's an ace setpiece, which sums up developer TREYARCH's competence when devising really great action sequences.

This focus on gunplay is exactly why this game succeeds. Sure enough,  Jimmy Bond may like a bit of sneaking around in the dark, but reviews scores will show you that unless stealth is done right in a game, it should be left well alone. As a result, this is a pure action-fest with a mimimal inclusion of stealth but surprisingly, even this works well in small doses.

Instead, for the best part, this plays out as a first person shooter, with a neat 'snap to cover' system. This means if Bond finds himself facing a hail of gunfire he can get behind a pillar or crate for cover, fluidly switching the viewpoint to third person so you can shimmy along surfaces and move to vantage points with ease. It's a great system, making good use of two different styles of play.

Missions are varied and you will be doing all kinds of running and gunning, with a cool melee system for close quarter encounters. At first, you might find taking down people this way a tad easy, but this must be used with caution in later levels. Still, it looks badass!

The game takes you through the first half of the Quantum of Solace movie story, then you play through the entirety of Casino Royale as a flashback (the poisoned cocktail sequence is particularly nauseating) then it's back for the final showdown. The great thing is, the game deliberately skips parts of the new movie's plot, so this is more of a compliment to the film rather than an outright retelling.

It feels right too, as all the actor's likenesses and acting talents are on display, save for a really wonky looking Eva Green. The movie score is there too which really adds to the fun of the gunfights.

This isn't perfect though, it's a tad easy, one stealth level in particular really grates at points and it's painfully short. The ride, while short is throwaway fun, but it is the online multiplayer that will have you coming back for more, boasting a levelling up system and some nicely crafted maps.

With so many games out at this time of year, this may be largely overlooked. Wait until you have some disposable cash or the price drops then give it a looksee. You will be entertained for the duration, but not blown away.