Where's my 007: SPECTRE game?!

(Sunday  13/12/15 I've managed to hide this for a few days because of my technical ineptitude and because I keep proof-reading and faffing around with it - so sorry and thank you for the comments!)

Minor SPECTRE spoilers within and overt name-dropping and cross-referencing to irritate you, too.

I mean seriously, now. Why has everyone stopped developing James Bond games? I'll tell you why: it's because nobody has ever made a better game than Goldeneye 007 on the Nintendo 64 - a game that was released some eighteen years ago.

The last Bond game, 2012's 007 Legends, was at least an attempt to shake up the formula after the fairly successful Eurocom Goldeneye remake released on Wii in 2010 and on the Xbox 360/PS3 in 2011. Both games, however, were overshadowed in their respective action/shooter genre(s). Since the explosion in popularity of the first and third person shooters kickstarted by Gears of War (or really, Resident Evil 4 - let's not kid ourselves!) and Call of Duty, the Bond licence has simply had no chance in the modern action marketplace. Quite apart from 2008's Quantum of Solace, developed by Treyarch, Activision swiftly stopped chasing their own success bred by Call of Duty and instead looked to make the Bond licence into a hybrid competitor rather than straight up competitor to its own first-person IP with releases like Blood Stone.

This strategy has not been successful.

And what's worse, the Bond game series has arguably become an anachronism without even releasing any games! Far Cry now has the best open world base infiltration mechanics that Metal Gear Solid now depends upon. Grand Theft Auto V and Online continues to deliver everything to everyone, everywhere. Just Cause gives us the tightest action hero sandbox destruction mechanics despite actually being a superhero game in disguise. (Remember when those were good too?) Moreover, what was the last thoroughly decent Splinter Cell game you played?

Let's take a moment to reminisce over what made 1997's Goldeneye 007 so successful. Good writing, a solid game engine, tight shooting mechanics, compulsive multiplayer, varied missions including vehicle sections, a memorable soundtrack and the feel that you really were embarking on missions - some secret, some not so much - that aped James Bond's. Now let's cross-reference that with the sublime Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.  Check.  Check again.  Check the remaining five other elements off that list.

SPECTRE would be superb to adapt for the controller. Forget "Press X to pay your respects" - it'd be more like "Mash X to escape death!" But seriously: I'm deliriously imagining the best of all we've seen in gaming in the last five-eight years. Conversation wheels to speak with Bond girls and super villains alike as in Mass Effect. Driving high speed through Rome like you're putting in a hot lap on Forza. Precise shooting mechanics as you duck and weave your way into enemy strongholds and fly planes down mountainsides like someone took all those EA bullshit "Battlefield moments" from the marketing trailers, mated it with Just Cause and injected a little Call of Duty into the embryonic-cellular mix. (My scientific knowledge is more like Scientology lololol). And also rob that power off angry eyes Jensen from Deus Ex to punch through walls.

"What about all those references to Bond's three prior villains in the ruins of MI6 with the black and white photographs?" I hear you ask. Simples. Non-interactive cutscenes like Half-Life 2 or F.E.A.R. And the discussion with the rotting Mr. White? L.A. Noire style interrogation, baby.  Just with more violence.  Somebody tell that new 'off-shoot-of-Rare' development studio after it's done with resurrecting Banjo Kazooie. Screw the Timesplitters revamp I hear internet commenters clamouring for and get on a new 007 instalment, post-haste.

I mean, Christ, if we're finally getting Shenmue III, we've had Outrun 2 and Final Fantasy VII is no longer confined to a technical demonstration then surely my dreams can come true too?

- This is the end, friend.

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bry159