IOI going bond

License to thrill

It's been one heck of a time for IO Interactive for these past few years as they've moved into independence from Square whilst getting the opportunity to keep their trademark brand. As the visionaries behind the Hitman games and most recently the one's who spearheaded Agent 47's return to the limelight, it's hard to deny that they're reached that special level of independence that other game companies can only dream of. And it comes as they sit at quite possibly the top of their game, putting out the 'No subtitle' trilogy and showcasing their mastery of their brand and work time and time again. If you've spent any amount of time around this blog you'll know that I've a huge proponent of IOI and their work on the Hitman games, going so far as to call some of their design work actual examples of excellency for the industry to admire. And though I've not said it myself, I have heard folk talk about the newer Hitman games as the perfect spy-action game that we always wanted. And I agree. It's as though the best case scenario Bond game that we never really got made it our way thanks to Agent 47 and his globetrotting adventures. That makes it all the more fitting, for IOI's next project.

You see for a while now we've been hearing that IOI is excited to be done with the Hitman games because they have something big coming down the pipeline, the only question remained for what that big thing exactly was. A new IP coming out of IOI after all this time could be literally anything, the guys had been doing Hitman for so long who knows where the team would like to branch out their talents next, but it seems even when given the freedom of independent the choice was made not to branch out too far. In amidst all of the speculation and theorising I must admit, it never occurred to me that the team would take the comparison to it's logical conclusion and literally make a James Bond game; but here we are and that is the timeline we find ourselves in. (And I'll admit I kinda like it.)

Yeah, if you haven't had the chance to see the teaser by now then I suggest you give it an eye, but to summarise, IOI exploited their frightening familiarity with ballistic weaponry in order to parrot that ever familiar 'down-the-barrel' famous Bond intro, accompanied with the unmistakable trumpet riff. This is an honest-to-goodness James Bond game being made by the literal dream-team for this sort of project, this literally never happens in the industry so I for one am quite chuffed to see everything fall into place so spectacularly. And what makes this all the better? We aren't looking at another poor movie adaptation which'll no doubt prove rushed and messy like every movie tie in ever is. (Not including you, Spider Man 2 on Consoles, you fine) Apparently this game, codenamed 'Project 007', will take us to an origin tale of the man, myth and legend; and that, if I may say, is an absolutely fine choice for someone looking to make a franchise. (And I think IOI might be!)

As of right now it's unclear what connection this has with the main Bond brand with the exception being that it obviously has been given the licence. But best-case scenario would dictate this story has the chance to follow a completely original version of James Bond that doesn't have to wear some nightmarishly grafted skin-suit of the actor-of-the-time. This is certainly supported by the idea of how this game will apparently be an 'all original' story, thus not abiding by the lore of the first mission which was established by Daniel Craig's 'Casino Royale' not the oft-overlooked 'Young Bond' book series by Charlie Higson. (You know, I never really thought of myself as a 'Bond fan' but I do seem to know a disgusting amount about this character, don't I?)  

Now one thing I have been ignoring, something which people will no doubt be shouting about, is the long legacy of Bond games that have already existed within the gaming world, but there's a reason for that; I don't want any of them to influence this game. Don't get me wrong, they are all unique titles of varying quality, with one in particular literally shaping modern FPS', but in my heart I would love it if IOI acknowledges all that, but still precedes to take the gaming Bong in a wholly new, but still amazingly interesting, direction. I want some more of that thoughtful, well designed, not adrenaline fuelled, action which the team have wowed the world with in recent years, not more dull bullet-drenched affairs that get lost in the crowd. That worked for Golden Eye, but gaming has moved on now, and I'd love for Bond to do so too. And perhaps that mirrors a sleight dissatisfaction with how the movies have been trending too, (Or at least, how they were before Daniel Craig came aboard) but I just know that if they're given the chance to, IOI can make a Bond even more iconic then he's ever been before.

All that being said, I don't think this is just going to end up being 'Hitman with spy gadgets' because that would be a waste of a new IP. No, I'd like to see a different sort of game come out of IO for 'Project 007', maybe one with a more action-adventure vibe to it's control scheme and world design, but still a game that learns from all the nuance (and, crucially, the replay-ability) which made Hitman such a masterpiece. Right now it's hard to create a clear image in my head of what I want the game to look like, and that's completely fine because it allows by expectations to be up in the air until we hear more about this game. Which, to be honest, probably isn't going to be anytime soon. I'm saying that we may hear a little bit more around this time next year by my best estimates. This really did seem like a teaser in the utmost sense. (Hell, the game still has a 'codename' attached to it!)

But of course, we can't talk about a 'Bond game' without addressing the elephant in the room, and that being my own past comments. Cast your mind back in a Pensieve and you'll remember how I once gave 'Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater' the accolade of 'the greatest James Bond game ever made', (with the added stipulation that James Bond isn't in it) and will I be willing to concede that title once this new game launches? Likely not, because the things which makes MGS3 so brilliant transcend technical mastery and delve in really complicated topics like storytelling and pacing, the sorts of things that I'm currently unsure about with IOI after their slightly spotty history on Hitman. (This round still goes to Kojima for now, guys. But then we are talking about my literal favourite game ever made so I wouldn't take that too personally. You weren't ever gonna win that fight in my heart.)

At the end of the day, there isn't anyone as excited about this news as I am. (Save for, possibly, the folk actually working in IO, as I can only imagine that getting paid to do something you love adds it's own special flair to the occasion. I wouldn't know.) I absolutely adore the sorts of games that take you on an adventure, and in the age of Open-worlds that's really becoming a little bit of a lost art, so I positively guffawed when I realised that Bond spells the perfect breeding ground for such a narrative! Grand, globetrotting, espionage adventure; I couldn't be more happy right now! Congrats on IOI for landing the job of a lifetime and MGM for securing the best possible folk, now all there is to do is wait for the inevitable magic to happen!