James Bond 007: Blood Stone is a 2010 third-person shooter video game developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the 24th game in the James Bond series and is the first game since James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing to have an original story, set between Quantum of Solace (2008) and Skyfall (2012). The game was confirmed by Activision on 16 July 2010 and was released on 2 November 2010 in North America and released on 5 November 2010 in Europe. Activision's remake of GoldenEye 007 was released on the same day respectively in each region. Blood Stone features the voices and likenesses of Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Joss Stone.
The game received mixed reviews from critics upon release. It was also the final game developed by Bizarre Creations as the studio was closed just a few months later on 18 February 2011. Critics praised the game's production value, visuals, soundtrack, setting, and characterization, while receiving criticism regarding the game's length, story, and mission design. In the years since Blood Stone release, the game has undergone positive critical re-evaluations, and is retrospectively considered to be an underrated and under-appreciated title in the James Bond series.
The game was nominated for several awards during the Spike Video Game Awards 2010, 7th British Academy Games Awards, GoldSpirit Awards 2010, and International Film Music Critics Association Awards by International Film Music Critics Association, winning the Best Original Composition (Video Games) Award at Music + Sound Awards in 2012. A sequel, developed by Raven Software, was reportedly planned but never produced, most likely due to Blood Stones poor sales upon release.
Gameplay
Blood Stone is a third-person shooter game with elements of hand-to-hand combat similar to games like Uncharted, Gears of War and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and with an elements of stealth, similar to Splinter Cell: Conviction, Blood Stone has a "Focus Aim" system that lets you accurately shoot enemy which is unlocked by taking an enemy with melee combat. Driving sequences also appear in the game. There is a multiplayer mode consisting of up to 16 players that will pit spies versus mercenaries. Alongside team deathmatch and other standard game modes there are massive objective-based battles where players have to work as a team to attack or defend various spy-themed goals. The player pilots several vehicle types throughout the course of the game.
Plot
In 2010, MI6 uncovers a plot by international terrorist Greco (Luis Soto) to conduct a suicide attack on the G-20 leaders, while attending a summit at the Acropolis structure in Athens. M (Judi Dench) assigns James Bond (Daniel Craig) to prevent the attack. After Greco flees from his personal yacht, Bond pursues him through Athens, before learning that he rigged an SUV with explosives. After deciding to let Greco leave alive, Bond pursues after the SUV in a commandeered Aston Martin DBS V12, disabling it before it can reach the G-20 summit.
The following morning, M contacts Bond with news that Malcolm Tedworth (Timothy Watson), a researcher who disappeared while conducting top-level work for the Ministry of Defence, has been located in Istanbul. Suspecting he was kidnapped for his research, Bond is assigned to recover both Tedworth and his work. Finding the researcher being held at a construction site, Bond witnesses Tedworth being interrogated by a courier named Bernin (Ramon Tikaram), who seeks access to his USB drive containing his research. After acquiring what he needs, Bernin executes Tedworth and flees across the city, prompting Bond to pursue after him using an Aston Martin DB5. Unable to recover the data as it is fenced, Bond interrogates Bernin before killing him, learning he works for businessman Stefan Pomerov (Laurence Possa). Sent by M to Monaco, Bond works with fellow MI6 agent Nicole Hunter (Joss Stone) to find evidence at one of Pomerov's casinos.