CVG's sister publication, GamesMaster, got its hand (the other was holding a martini) on the latest Bond game, James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace. Previously confirmed to run on Infinity Ward's slick Call of Duty 4 engine, it is said to combine scenes and settings from the upcoming (22nd!) Bond flick as well as the previous film in the franchise, Casino Royale. (GamesMaster confirms that one of them is the latter's thrilling "free running" opening sequence.)

Gameplay is set to be a mix of first- and third-person action that sounds a lot like Rainbow Six Vegas. The camera reportedly pulls out for a view of Bond when he sticks to cover, climbs ladders, climbs along ledges, and in other "cinematic" situations, such as stealthy button-timing based takedowns ... or, dare we suggest, for "interacting" with the Bond girls?

Intuitively, winning at a video game should be more fun than losing, right? Thankfully, science is around to show us exactly how our intuition is totally wrong. According to a study in the February issue of science journal Emotion, "the wounding and death of the player's own character may increase some aspect of positive emotion."


The study also found that students that scored higher on a common test for "psychoticism" experienced less anxiety when shooting opponents. So the next time you enjoy fragging an opponent in Halo 3, remember ... there is a good chance you are psychotic!

[Via GameCritics. Photo Credit]

Resting their cred on "very reliable sources" and evidence that they claim to have seen, Xbox Evolved is reporting that Nintendo 64 classic Goldeneye will be coming to the Xbox Live Arcade shortly before Activision (the current 007 IP holder) releases their new James Bond title. The news comes (according to the site) after an agreement between Microsoft, Rareware, MGM Studios and Activision. XE says the game will feature new graphics and online multiplayer, and that other Rare games may be in the pipeline like Banjo Kazooie and Perfect Dark.

OK, sounds great, but is it true? We have no evidence one way or the other, but we think it would at least make sense for all the parties. Microsoft gets more solid XBLA titles, Rare (which is owned by Microsoft) reminds people of the company's glory days and MGM gets more publicity for James Bond. As for Activision, well, we already know they're not above pimping out a license for cash. We'll keep you updated.

[UPDATE: This looks like it was happening, but has been been put on hold.]

You know, up until a few years ago, James Bond games were big business. In fact, they were so hot that publishers actually created 007 plotlines (Everything Or Nothing, Nightfire) when movies weren't coming quickly enough. Sadly, since 2005's From Russia With Love, the series has sat stagnant, with the best Bond film in recent memory not even getting the video game treatment.

Now though, it appears Ian Fleming's secret agent is staging a comeback, not only with a Treyarch-developed action game but with a previously-rumored second Bond project, which EGM may have gotten the scoop on. The mag is reporting the rumor that recently-acquired Bizarre Creations is the dev behind the second project, a driving-heavy 007 outing. (If the idea sounds familiar, it should: EA took at stab at it in 2000 with the PSone's 007 Racing.) We're not sure what we're more excited about: The fact that Bizarre could be working on a Bond game, or the welcome news that there's not going to be another street racing franchise cluttering up shelves.

This is by no means new stuff, and might be old to some of you, but it's so darned good that we had to share it. Some people with a lot of time on their hands recreated GoldenEye in live-action goodness, complete with the score and sound effects from the game. That garage scene is FTW!

While that whining alarm sound brought back too many nightmares, this really makes us want to drag the N64 out of storage and hook it up, just to play GoldenEye again. If Nintendo sticks this on the Virtual Console, it'll go through the roof.

[Thanks, uakronkid]

He's dashing, he's debonair and most importantly, he's packing a very large gun. Clearly, this is exactly the kind of man you need to persuade gamers to pick up a PlayStation 3 when it launches in Europe next month. His name is James Bond, and according to GamesIndustry.Biz, his latest outing on Blu-ray will make its way to the first 500,000 gamers who register their consoles on the PlayStation Network.

Sony's VP of brand and consumer marketing, Darren Carter, calls Casino Royale a "phenomenal incentive" for gamers to join the PS3's online service, no doubt drawing attention to the fact that it's a hell of a lot better than Talladega Nights. Catch all the reckless driving, lustful double-crossing and unashamed Daniel Craig-ery on your European PS3 when it launches on March 23.

Keynoting this year's D.I.C.E. Summit, Sony executive Yair Landau revealed the concept for SOE's forthcoming MMO: spies. The project, codenamed "Vista" because its been delayed (har, har), is being developed by SOE's Seattle studio, where supposedly the game is already running on live servers. Landau previewed a conceptual clip that showed off a third-person shooter set in Prague with all of the appropriate set pieces in place -- or at least the necessities: femme fatales and exotic rides.

Landau clearly sees the new MMO as a descendant of the James Bond films -- fitting nicely with his shtick about adopting film genres into games -- choosing to preface the game's introduction with a Casino Royale trailer during his keynote. While spies have long been starring in their own games, there's an opportunity for SOE's project to further evolve the international espionage genre. Large-scale cooperative and PvP instances will obviously introduce some new dynamics, but toss in a proposed Second Life-styled virtual network, and suddenly Sony's giving players the ability generate their own content; making each player not only a 'James Bond,' but a 'Q,' capable of stuffing a laser cutter and remote detonator into an otherwise ordinary wristwatch. Of course, user-created content was not part of Landau's address, nor was a release date or platform.

As noted earlier, a list published by UK newspaper The Independent reveals what many already assume; Nintendo's Mario is the best-selling franchise of all time. Coupled with the second best-selling franchise Pokémon (also a Nintendo property), the two series, which have sold a combined 348 million games worldwide, account for nearly 34% of the total sales of the top-twenty best-selling franchises; which include two additional Nintendo IPs ranked in the top ten, Donkey Kong and Zelda. So what's Nintendo's secret?

Cross-culture appeal, spin-offs (e.g., racers, sports titles, puzzlers), brand saturation (e.g., apparel, card games, TV shows), and E-ratings all appear part of a profitable formula built for the long haul.

The 22-man team working to modernize Goldeneye 64 with the Source Engine have given everyone the perfect Christmas gift: a public beta showing off the fruits of their labor. (It's just a step above last year's present, the alpha version.)

The mod, which requires a Source-based game to work, has already garnered much attention over the years for the level of detail in its stage design and weaponry. All information, including known bugs, can be found on the developer Wiki. Here are some suggestions, via the mod's main website, on how to stabilize the game:

• Check for and download latest video card drivers
• A server with 10 people seems to work better
• Have the Base SDK installed
• Download the mod again on another mirror and reinstall the mod.
• Turn HDR off
• Turn shadow detail on low

A patch is being planned but no date has been determined.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Those already picturing the mesmerizing possibilities of an action/adventure set in the world of financial loans will have to face disappointment yet again, as Ultimate Spider-Man developer Treyarch has been tapped by Activision to create a game starring the other and recently less valuable Bond. James Bond. Likely based on the upcoming film franchise reboot, Casino Royale, the game is targeting next-generation platforms and the general consensus that Bond games aren't worth a (Money) penny.

Having rescued the Bond license from the metallic hands that programmed Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, Activision will no doubt attempt to do right by Fleming fans if they wish to reap the rewards from their investment. Giving Treyarch the job seems like a good decision, certainly superior to that of placing a permanently disgruntled, blond man into the suave spy's shoes. Indeed, it seems preferable to place the gamer in those rocket-propelled shoes instead. Who wouldn't want to be a man of mystery (like, which STD does he have?) traipsing across the world, bedding foreign beauties and then killing said foreign beauties when they inevitably betray you? Also -- casino minigames!

AddictedGeek.com recently dropped a N64, four controllers, and a copy of the much-beloved Goldeneye in front of a 12 year-old. Mind you, said 12 year-old, while a "confirmed geek," has never played a game that predates 2001. His entire gaming collection is firmly rooted in a high end PC, Xbox 360, and PS2.

So what was this young upstart's reaction to what many of us consider a 'timeless classic?' Well, the little bastard panned it:

"The single-player was one of the worst I have ever played ... I can see why it was so popular when it first came out, but nowadays very few aspects of the game stand out, and many more pull it back ... it wasn't long before we pulled out Halo 2." (Kids these days...)

You know how, in first person shooters, you're running all the time while observing the polygonal world down the barrel of a gun? Yeah, good times. As clear and undeniable proof that not only are video games not realistic but they're totally funny, we point you towards this Goldeneye spoof-video where our would be James Bond kicks his feet so high in the air, it reminds me of ... well, me in high school gym class I guess.

Check out the video (embedded after the break) while I drown my high school memories in round after round of XBLA UNO. Who's the nerd now?

[Via Cathode Tan]

As of yesterday, our favorite secret-agent with a license to kill will be taking orders from somewhere else. Yup, M EA's out of the picture and number two publisher, Activision, will be handling the James Bond franchise from now on. "Who does number two work for?"

EA has been chasing the success of Rare's 1997 N64 classic, Goldeneye; having secured the rights to the Bond franchise until 2009, EA has made five Bond titles, none of which achieved Goldeneye's level of success. When Sony bought MGM in 2004, things apparently went south (shades of the messy Never Say Never Again situation). EA has since decided to give up the franchise to "refocus on all-new games" allowing Activision to obtain the exclusive license to the franchise until 2014.

Will Activision reinvigorate the Bond franchise while EA creates attractive, original titles? Never say never.

[Thanks to everyone that sent this one in]

(Update: cleared up some confusing language. It's much better now.)