James Bond 007: Blood Stone



James Bond 007: Blood Stone is a video game published by Activision and developed by Bizarre Creations. The game is featured in third-person perspective, as opposed to Quantum of Solace and GoldenEye 007. GoldenEye 007 was released the same day, although only for the Wii. This game was released for the XBox360, PS3, PC and the Nintendo DS. The DS version uses the same third-person perspective and was developed by n-Space, who also developed the GoldenEye remake for the same system.

Plot
The story is set after the events of Quantum of Solace (film and game). Greco, an international terrorist, who plans on assassinating the G-20 summit leaders. On hand is M, who is having a conversation with the chief of Athens police forces. He assures her that everything is under control. M says that she places her faith in Bond. Bond is on route, and M notifies him that the terrorists are moving up their timetable. Bond parachutes into Athens harbor and pursues Greco while taking out his henchmen. He foils Greco's plans by disabling the vehicle carrying a bomb and saving the G-20 summit leaders.

After the titles, Bond is in a hotel in Athens. He receives a call from M informing him that Malcolm Tedworth (a British scientist) is missing and must be found. Bond takes off for Istanbul where Tedworth placed a traceable call to MI-6. It was feared that Tedworth was preparing to defect, but it seems like he had a change of heart. Bond infiltrates the construction site, and tracks down Tedworth to the catacombs. Bond overhears a conversation of Tedworth being tortured for a password to a USB drive. Tedworth submits, whispers the password and is executed. Bond pursues the executioner through the catacombs, who is named Bernin. Bernin goes topside and Bond pursues in an Aston-Martin DB5, ending at an old coliseum. Bond fights with Bernin's guards, and Bernin hands off the briefcase (with the USB drive) to an awaiting helicopter. Bernin is caught by Bond, and tells Bond that he is working for Stefan Pomerov. Bond kills Bernin.

Contacting MI-6, Bond learns that Pomerov will be at his villa in Monaco. MI-6 sends an agent to Nice, France to meet with Bond. Nicole Hunter (a wealthy jewelry designer and MI-6 agent) picks Bond up in a Koenigsegg CCXR and takes him to Pomerov's Villa. While she is discussing business with Pomerov, Bond infiltrates the villa and breaks into Pomerov's office and retrevies the video of Tedworth's interrogation along with some invoices. After breaking out (with the help of Hunter) Bond is contacted by M. She informs him that the documents from the safe were invoices for rare chemical manufaturing equipment, and that they were delivered to a Siberian chemical plant owned by Pomerov.

Bond travels with Hunter to Siberia to investigate the plant. This time Bond is posing as Hunter's bodyguard. Again, as Hunter distracts Pomerov, Bond infiltrates the chemical plant. Tanner contacts Bond and tells him that the information is encrypted, and can't be access unless he establishes an uplink with the main computer. Bond infiltrates the main computer room and finds out that Pomerov has been manufacturing chemical weapons. Bond then heads to the main control room to trigger a meltdown. Pomerov then takes the toxins by train, and Bond pursues with Hunter in the Aston-Martin DBS V-12. They board the train, but Pomerov loads the chemical toxins onto a ekranoplan and takes off. Bond and Hunter chase in a hovercraft. Bond takes out the ekranoplan's defenses and boards it. He kills Pomerov by shooting the emergency exit and sucking Pomerov out of the plane. The weapons are recovered, and Bond and Hunter part ways. He tells M, on the phone, that someone wanted the weapons out of the way and Pomerov dead. Someone who tipped off MI-6 with the phone call. He uses Bernin's cell phone to gain a lead in Bangkok, Thailand. He contacts Colonel Ping of the Chinese Secret Service.

In Bangkok, Bond meets with Ping at an aquarium. Bond finds out about a man named Rak who the Chinese have been watching during visits with Geneva. As he is talking with Bond, an assassin kills Ping, and Bond pursues. They go out on the rooftops and end the chase through the streets. The assassin is driving a dump truck while Bond pursues in a tow truck. The assassin is killed in a crash and Bond is now a suspect, wanted by the Thai Police. He evades the police while searching for Silk, a contact in Bangkok. After contacting Silk, Bond leaves for Rak's hideout. Silk sells him out and Bond is captured.

Bond is taken to Burma where he is tortured by Rak. After escaping, Rak and Bond fight a few times before Bond corners Rak on top of a dam (that is under construction). Rak attempts to plead for his life, but Bond has deduced who he is working for and kicks Rak off. Rak lands on an Osprey helicopter and a last fight ensues. Bond emerges triumphant.

Back in Monaco, Nicole Hunter is on the phone with a mysterious man. She planned the kidnapping of Tedworth and is planning a second kidnapping attempt on another person. Bond shows up, and she flees. Bond pursues her to a bridge in Monaco where she talks about her employer. She says that she did it to prove herself to a very rich and powerful man, and that same man is watching them. She claims that he is larger than everything, including MI-6. A Reaper Drone then swoops down and kills Nicole, with Bond narrowly escaping. As the drone flies off, M contacts Bond and asks if everything is ok. Bond informs her of Nicole, and tells her that she will need a new contact in Monaco. He signs off and is alone with the now dead Nicole.

Gameplay
The game borrow's heavily from Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, and the video game adaptation of Quantum of Solace. The hand-to-hand combat is similar to Quantum, but more takedown moves are present. There are also some driving sequences that were absent from Quantum of Solace, and a new "Focus lock-on" mode that allows you to shoot more accurately. The focus is earned after you take down some enemies.

Development
Blood Stone was developed by Bizarre Creations. The game was hinted at on April 21, 2010 in Britian. Bruce Feirstein (GoldenEye, remake) was hired to pen the story. Singer Joss Stone was hired to create the opening credits song, and also received a part in the story. She is the second singer to get a major role in a Bond video game, as Mya was the first (in Everything or Nothing) while singing the theme song. Ben Cooke, who doubles Craig in the films, provided the motion capture for Bond as well as being listed as the stunt coordinator for the game.

Sequel
Activision has hinted at a possible sequel or tie-in to Skyfall, but so far the only game to hit the shelves is GoldenEye Reloaded. The sequel was to have been created by Raven (the company behind Hexen) and be a tie-in to the plot/cliffhanger ending of Blood Stone. So far, though, nothing has come about.