Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Diesby Electronic Arts
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Teen
ASIN: B00002R28M
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Editorial Review: Expectations ran high for this game, due to its exciting, eponymous movie and the exceptional Nintendo 64 James Bond game GoldenEye 007. And while this game presents the variety and intrigue one would expect from the beloved licensed-to-kill, martini-sippin' spy, it would have benefited from a bit more polishing. Don't expect this game to be on par with the games and movies that preceded it. In fact, if you're looking for a GoldenEye-like experience for the PlayStation, you'd be much better off with the WWII period piece, Medal of Honor.
Tomorrow Never Dies uses an auto target mode, but it's far too restrictive to be of use here, requiring players to stand still in order to keep the target locked. The game loyally follows the film, but when the action intensifies--such as a hot pursuit on skis, or flying a nuclear warhead-laden jet out of a hot zone--players are forced to either relinquish control entirely or have minimal input.
Gadgets from Bond's old pal Q are too sparsely used, and the absence of any multiplayer mode seals this game's fate as a small diversion rather than a stellar accomplishment. --Jeff Young
Pros:
Excellent music
Good use of real film clips to propel the story
Cons:
Very poor control scheme and limited distance vision inhibit stealthy playing style
Skiing and driving sequences feature outdated graphics and ambiguous controls
Easy levels and no multiplayer mode give this game little, if any, replay value
Product Description: A two-year delay (Tomorrow Never Comes?) only added more fuel to the explosive hype surrounding this espionage-themed, third-person action-adventure game for the PlayStation. As spy extraordinaire James Bond, players sneak and shoot their way through more than 10 different missions on a quest to thwart the latest global villain, megalomaniac media mogul Elliot Carver. Loosely based on the feature film of the same name, Tomorrow Never Dies has Carver dreaming up a fun and original way to spark World War III and, naturally, it's up to our supersuave hero to save the world.
Tomorrow Never Dies takes players through a variety of game environments. In addition to attempting ground missions on foot, Bond straps into skis and gets behind the wheel to complete his goal. Of course, players test a variety of Q's latest techno-creations along the way, ranging from exploding cufflink detonators and microscopic tracking devices to ski pole rocket launchers and satellite up-link cameras.
The variety of action moves available to the player is impressive. Bond performs 360-degree tuck and roll moves, dive and fire attacks, and stealth wall sneaks. Because the intelligent enemies react to audible and visual cues, stealth is often the key to a successful mission.
Support for the dual shock controller ensures players will be shaken, if not stirred, by the adventure. --Eric Twelker
GameSpot Review: Rare's GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64 was certainly a hard act for Black Ops to follow, urging an amendment to the old showbiz adage so that it reads, "Never follow children or animals or one of the best games ever made." Expectations have been seriously high for the PlayStation James Bond title because of the success of GoldenEye, and though it had appeared from the beginning to be a radically different game, everyone hoped it would at least meet the same level of quality as Rare's N64 masterpiece. Unfortunately, it doesn't. Instead of being a mission-based first-person shooter like GoldenEye 007, Tomorrow Never Dies is a mission-based third-person shooter much like 989 Studios' Syphon Filter. Though the bulk of the game has you shooting enemy agents and running spy errands, TND also contains levels where you destroy a convoy of vehicles by using a tricked-out car, perform combat ski maneuvers, or enjoy a short stint behind the controls of a jet plane. Considering that the developers tried to vary the play modes instead of just sticking with one, the graphics are pretty strong. But the third-person shooting segments don't look nearly as good as those in Syphon Filter - pop-up does occur, the explosions are uninspiring, and you're not allowed to look far enough into the distance with the game's sniper scope. The latter is probably because the pop-up would have become even more evident, which is understandable; but if you can't get really close up with a scope, a sniper rifle isn't worth much. Otherwise, the game camera is very agreeable. It hovers above and behind Bond, and if he gets in the way of something you want to see, he automatically goes translucent. Also, if you're in a tight hallway or small room, the perspective flips to a first-person view. You can aim your weapons using a first-person sighting or wait for a lock-on target to appear on your enemies once you get close enough to them (at least for every weapon except the rocket launcher). This makes a majority of the game very easy, because all you have to do is to let the auto-targeting lock on to a baddie and then fire several times. Repeat and serve. In some cases though, you'll have to shoot enemies that are just out of your line of sight. You know they're there because you've been shot at, but you might only be able to see a glint of something in the distance. The trick? You cheat by standing just outside their visual range and shoot them, just as they've done to you. Your character control is very tight, but the game controls themselves take some getting used to. Changing weapons is the stickiest part: You must hit the triangle button, cycle through your entire inventory, and then select a weapon, instead of the better option, which is to have a button setup that lets you manually run through your weapons choices. The first time you get shot while fumbling for a better gun will get you pretty mad. The fifth time... you get the picture. Lucky for you, the enemy AI isn't close to being the smartest the PlayStation has ever seen. Agents who've shot at you from far away will rarely come after you or even alert their friends to your presence. An object in the mark of their shot? They'll just keep blasting away as if you're right in front of them. The driving/shooting section of TND makes you long for a 3D Spy Hunter game. While the skiing segments are relatively fun, both are over pretty quickly. You'll pick up the controls for these side games easily, but that's partially because they're fairly simplistic. In fact, all the levels end up seeming rather basic. Instead of being epic, every mission ends on an anticlimactic note, making you think, "Oh, it's over?" instead of "Whew!" Unlike in GoldenEye 007, you won't want to play the stages over again to get a better rating or to try a harder difficulty level. And you can blow through the whole game in less than five hours. Tomorrow Never Dies isn't a particularly bad game, but it's definitely one you might want to consider renting instead of buying. It's nowhere near the quality of GoldenEye 007, and it feels like a watered-down version of Syphon Filter. If you've got a jones for a good spy game, either pick up Syphon Filter or Dreamworks' GoldenEye 007-style shooter, Medal of Honor.--Joe Fielder--
From the Manufacturer: The most complete Bond experience ever. As suave secret agent 007, you'll employ your cunning wit and dozens of high-tech gadgets to survive multiple levels of espionage based on exciting situations from the blockbuster film. Expect danger, but expect to handle it. After all, you're Bond...James Bond. There are multiple action modes! Sniper, skiing, driving, and more. Various combat styles! Tuck-and-roll, dive-and-fire, and stealth. Dozens of classic Bond weapons and gadgets-cufflink lasers, infrared cameras, and more.
Customer Reviews:
An entertaining game, December 5, 2002
Reviewer: Giancarlo Penninella from Dublin, CA United States
This was an entertaining games which was based on the movie. The graphics were a bit shotty, which is why it got 4/5 stars, but you still felt like you were part of the action as you played the movie. This is definatly a game you want to replay.
Tomorrow never dies is one of the best games ever!, September 30, 2002
Reviewer: vegaspete from Chicago,IL USA
I love this game so much a fraind don't like it so he gave me it and it great i'm tell you buy this game it fun!
This must be the worst Bond there is and there ever will be, April 22, 2002
Reviewer: Georg Kröner from Bamberg, Bavaria Germany
Ok,until the day I bought this game,I already played Bond games like the superb Goldeneye,the very good The World Is Not Enough for N64 and Agent Under Fire.I thought to myself that no Bond game could ever be worse than TWINE for PlayStation 1,but when I first played this game,I knew I was wrong.
First of all,you play Bond from a Third-person perspective,which is pretty bad because of the poor controls.Sometimes I played TND without knowing what I was actually doing,but went through the level anyway.As if this weren't enough,the story of the movie couldn't have been worse adapted.
The only real positive point about this game is the sound.There are some cool tracks on the disc,nothing more,nothing less.
Last,but not least,I tell you:if you absolutely want a 007 game for your PlayStation,then buy The World Is Not Enough.It's not good either,but better than this.
A STAPLE ITEM FOR PS2 OWNERS, March 30, 2002
Reviewer: Billie J Smith from ROCK VIEW, WV USA
My son asked for this game for over a year!! It is a fun game. There is some shooting but, honestly this is no more that what you would see on the news! There is no profane language. The game itself has interresting puzzles to solve and advance to the next level. Just being 007 is fun!!
Just right for quick gaming action, February 14, 2002
Reviewer: Ed Baldwin from Jacksonville, Fl United States
I am a fan of Tomb Raider, but not really a die hard fan. To be truthful, it takes me too long to get through the game without walkthroughs. I end up stuck at a level without knowing where to go or what to do, and the game gives very little assistance when it comes to amateur play. Well, this games doesn't do that. It gives me the much needed support, as if knowing that I'm not a gaming genius who can figure everything out eventually. This game is fun and friendly. Just what a semi-gamer needs. I really couldn't put it down. It's easy to play, but has just enough challenge to make you feel as though you're accomplishing something that's worthy of a "true gamer." Oh, and I loved how it followed the movie so closely. After I finished the game, I watched the movie again. The game actually helped me see stuff I didn't notice the first time I watched it. Cool beans.
its not THAT bad, February 3, 2002
Reviewer: An 11-year old gamer
the 3rd person view insn't horrible. its not as good as goldeneye, but it is still a good game. it has 10 levels( ...) but some of them are hard. there are ten weapons. one thing it has that goldeneye doesn't is stealth mode. you creep up behind them and kills them istantly. all in all its pretty good.
me, September 17, 2001
Reviewer: A gamer from kensington, MD United States
ok i think james bond is really cool. if this game was like golden eye it would kick ... but it wasent. but still its a good game to rent once a while.
Surprisingly creative, July 26, 2001
Reviewer: An 11-year old gamer from USA
I'm quite startled of some of the mixed reviews this game got. This game was actually great and the missions aren't that simple (even though they have a lot of medkits.) The graphics are very good and the film clips at the beginning of the game are nice. Besides the fact that this game is really good, the sound is kind of bad. The sound of Bond's gun and voice is repetituous and can sometimes become annoying. These are only minor problems that don't drop the game's rating to two stars. I play it often and I think it is a lot like Syphon Filter (except that was better.) If you can withstand these problems, get this game. If not, rent it first.