Prior to GoldenEye, the James Bond video games consisted of mainly top-down and side-scrolling shooters, but a third-person perspective might serve future Bond games best going forward. GoldenEye 007, a first-person shooter for the Nintendo 64, remains probably the most beloved Bond game; but the series has had plenty of third-person games as well, even if they aren't quite as well-known.
The film franchise has been pumping out blockbusters for decades, and this October's release of No Time To Die marks the 25th Bond movie in the Eon Productions line of films. Yet some may be surprised to find out there have been just as many James Bond video games - more, if counting dedicated handhelds, early text adventures, and the Project 007 (working title) from IO Interactive. GoldenEye was hugely influential for console FPS games, and many Bond titles after would attempt to follow its example, though it was actually a top-down Game Boy game called James Bond 007 that followed GoldenEye. The next full console game, 1999's Tomorrow Never Dies for the PlayStation, would be the series' first attempt at a proper third-person perspective.
James Bond games then went back to first-person until Everything or Nothing released for the Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox in 2004. Everything or Nothing was followed by a third-person game adaption of From Russia With Love, the second Bond film starring Sean Connery from 1963. Daniel Craig's likeness was then used for a handful of games, including Blood Stone, the final third-person game in the series. Only four games in the Bond game franchise have been third-person shooters, but it is likely the most desirable option for IO Interactive's Project 007.
Why A Third-Person Perspective Is A Great Fit For Project 007
GoldenEye is a near-timeless testament to the success of first-person James Bond games, but its legacy doesn't always have to dictate the perspective of future titles. For starters, IO Interactive is the developer of the Hitman series, meaning it already has experience working in third-person. While Agent 47 doesn't exactly go about his missions in the same way as 007, there's sure to be some overlap in the gameplay, and the recent Hitman games do spy-craft and infiltration very well.
Another reason to make Project 007 third-person is Bond himself. While the Ian Fleming novels have their own version of Bond, and the different actors who portrayed him have created even more, James Bond is still an established character. A major factor in first-person games is using that perspective to deepen immersion. While IO will likely want Project 007 to be immersive, playing the game from that perspective would risk stripping away some of the Bond character's tangibility and appeal.
There hasn't been a new James Bond game since 2012, and the time will have grown to become more than a decade by the time Project 007 releases, so the one surefire selling point for the game is Bond himself. It could be a chance to kickstart the franchise, and perhaps create a unique Bond not based on one of the many actors that have portrayed him in the past. Rumors gleaned from a job listing indicate Project 007 might be a third-person action game , and if true, this is likely a smart move. IO Interactive's recent track record with Hitman, combined with the allure of 007 as a character, gives the future of the James Bond game franchise plenty of exciting potential.
