007 Legends
A 2012 Bond game celebrating the film series' 50th anniversary.
007 Legends is a first-person shooter from 2012 that puts players in the role of British secret agent James Bond. Eurocom handled development, while Activision published it. The game launched in October 2012 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with Windows and Wii U versions arriving later that year. The Wii U release was canceled in Australia, and the game was pulled from all digital storefronts in January 2013.
The title was timed to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the James Bond film series. Its single-player campaign pulls one mission from each of the six actors who played Bond: Goldfinger (Sean Connery), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (George Lazenby), Moonraker (Roger Moore), Licence to Kill (Timothy Dalton), and Die Another Day (Pierce Brosnan). A level based on Skyfall (Daniel Craig) was released later as free downloadable content for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows, and was included on the disc for the Wii U version. Several original actors from the films contributed their likenesses and voices for their characters.
Critics gave 007 Legends generally negative reviews, pointing to the poor selection of missions, dull gameplay, and a lack of a coherent overarching story. The multiplayer mode did receive some praise. This was the fourth and final James Bond game published by Activision, and the last game Eurocom developed before the company shut down. No major James Bond games followed until 007 First Light in 2026.
The gameplay is built around first-person shooting, with players controlling Bond through levels based on the films Die Another Day, Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, Moonraker, and On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Combat involves firefights against groups of enemies in various locations, drawing comparisons to the Call of Duty series. Players can use iron sights, crouch behind cover, and vault over objects. Stealth sections let players knock out enemies or kill them with a silenced weapon. Gadgets like a radar wristwatch and tranquilizer darts aid in sneaking. Completing in-game challenges earns experience points, which can be spent on weapon upgrades and character improvements like increased health or aiming speed. Melee boss fights rely on quick time events, and driving sections involve escaping pursuers while dodging rockets.
Quick Facts
- Title
- 007 Legends
- Developer
- Eurocom
- Publisher
- Activision
- Writer
- Bruce Feirstein / Robin Matthews
- Composer
- David Arnold / Kevin Kiner
- Series
- James Bond
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 / Windows / Wii U
- Genre
- First-person shooter
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
007 Legends was developed by Eurocom, who had previously worked on other James Bond games such as The World Is Not Enough, James Bond 007: Nightfire, and GoldenEye 007. For the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, holding company Danjaq and video game publisher Activision contracted Eurocom to make a game that incorporated key moments from the franchise. The single-player campaign includes one mission from each of the six actors' eras: Goldfinger (Sean Connery), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (George Lazenby), Moonraker (Roger Moore), Licence to Kill (Timothy Dalton), and Die Another Day (Pierce Brosnan). A level based on Skyfall (Daniel Craig) was later released as free downloadable content for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Windows versions, and included on disc on the Wii U version. Some of the original talent from the films provided their likenesses and voices to their associated characters.
The game begins with the opening chase sequence from Skyfall, in which Bond pursues the mercenary Patrice in Istanbul, only to be accidentally shot and wounded aboard a train by his partner Eve Moneypenny. Plunging into the river below, Bond begins to flash back to several of his previous missions. The plot then proceeds through levels based on Goldfinger, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Licence to Kill, Die Another Day, and Moonraker, before returning to the present. The game has been rendered as non-canon with the release of Spectre.
Gameplay consists largely of firefights against groups of enemies, with occasional stealth sections, melee fights featuring quick time events, and driving sections. The player can earn experience points by completing in-game challenges, which can be used to purchase weapon upgrades and character improvements. 007 Legends also features shorter single-player levels called MI6-Ops and multiplayer modes for up to 12 players online or four players in split screen.
Reader's Guide
007 Legends is significant as the fourth and final James Bond game released by Activision and the last game Eurocom developed before the company ceased operations. It was released to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the James Bond film series, making it a unique attempt to span the entire franchise's history in a single game. However, upon its release, it received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized the choice of missions, bland gameplay, and lack of an overarching story, though its multiplayer mode did attract some praise. The Wii U release of the game was cancelled in Australia, and the game was removed from all digital storefronts in January 2013. No further major James Bond games were made until 007 First Light in 2026, making 007 Legends the last major Bond game for over a decade. Its legacy is thus tied to both the end of Activision's involvement with the franchise and the closure of Eurocom, marking a transitional period for James Bond video games.
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