For the most famous not-so-secret spy in the world, James Bond hasn’t exactly managed to successfully infiltrate gaming. There’ve been some great efforts in the past, but they’ve been overshadowed by numerous games in the franchise that were 00-Crap. And if Telltale Games had their way, they’d make a James Bond title that was faithful to the source material.
“I’m a giant James Bond fan and I’m always frustrated by games that make him a mass murderer,” Telltale co-founder Kevin Bruner said to OXM
He’s a super-spy, and that’s a different skillset. The films make him less of a mass murderer, and there’s not much killing in the books – more spying and intrigue.
Thanks to various licensing deals, Telltale has managed to create a formula for games that has worked out pretty well so far for that studio. But they can’t rely on creating games based on existing properties forever, something that CEO Dan Connors was well aware of as Telltale is keen to create their own franchise.
“I think we’re looking more at ‘Can we engage some great storytelling mind to come in and work with us on something and make it not just a game franchise, but a full-on entertainment franchise with comics or a TV show and such and build it all together at once?’ We really see that as the next thing that’s gonna happen,” Connors said.
Going back to James Bond though, I reckon Telltale could do a decent job of bringing the original fictional character to gamers. But the thing is, movie James Bond and Ian Fleming authored James Bond are pretty much two different characters. After almost two dozen films, the mainstream audience expects a certain kind of Bond, who cracks down on international crime with a well placed quip and a martini that has been shaken, not stirred.
I’d still like to see Telltale make their James Bond game if they were ever given the chance, but I’d also like to see a studio get the cinematic James Bond formula right, something that I haven’t experienced since the very superb and underrated 2003 PlayStation 2 classic, Everything or Nothing.
Last Updated: January 8, 2014
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 8, 2014 at 14:43
How about a game series based on Archer? That way you get the spy genre & a ridiculous world.
Also, I’d rather have a new NOLF game than JB.
VampyricSquirrel Monk
January 8, 2014 at 14:45
No One Lives Forever was really good… both of em.
TiMsTeR1033
January 8, 2014 at 14:49
They were indeed!
Admiral Chief in Vegas
January 8, 2014 at 14:45
NOLF3 would MAKE my 2014!
Hammersteyn
January 8, 2014 at 15:11
Same! Lipstick BOMBS!
Admiral Chief in Vegas
January 8, 2014 at 15:27
cyanide-tipped bullets!!!!!!!!
Sageville
January 8, 2014 at 15:14
Archer indeed, but then I’d want to play as Pam.
RinceThis2014
January 8, 2014 at 15:07
Golden Eye was the only good bond game!
Hammersteyn
January 8, 2014 at 15:11
Anyone who picked Odd Job was an ahole
RinceThis2014
January 8, 2014 at 15:21
Haha! True. Was a brilliant multiplayer though!
Sageville
January 8, 2014 at 15:21
Can’t say I’d be interested in a Bond style Gentleman Spy character, I suck at bakara and in-game you wouldn’t get to spade the baddie lady spy.
Matewis Jubilai
January 8, 2014 at 15:31
hmmm how about a ‘good’ version of Evil Genius with 007 as one of your agents? Then the MI6 base(s) form part of the management part of the game where you do research, recruit new agents, train agents, invent ridiculous contraptions and fight of the odd evil genius attacks on your holdings. In the puzzle part of the game you send one(or more) of your agents to various evil bases/casinos where you have to meet whatever objectives by using the agent(s) training and contraptions from your base. Could be fun…
Adam Jensen
September 11, 2017 at 12:49
Oh fuck no. James Bond games have already gone to shit with the Craig
focus, Telltale are just going to make it even worse with their shitty
episodic format, even when bought in a combo pack you STILL have to run
each game separately from each other. James Bond games were far better
in the GC/XB/PS2 gen and especially when they were a single and
complete-on-release FPS game…