Hot Play

Leaner, meaner Bond works better in pixel form, too

James Bond 007 in Quantum of Solace

DS, PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii

A new James Bond movie is always a reason to celebrate. A new James Bond videogame...not so much. That’s because games based on movies usually stink. They tend to be blatant cash grabs thrown together for tie-in marketing, corporate synergy or whatever. In fact, there’s a parallel of shame here: games based on movies
tend to be just as bad as movies based on games.

But just as 2006’s Casino Royale defied expectations and rebooted the 40-year-old series with a leaner, meaner, more-credible Bond, the Quantum of Solace game promises big changes. Aesthetically, it’s the first game to feature star Daniel Craig’s likeness, which is impressively realistic, right down to his intense I’ll-rip-your-effing-throat-out glare. Surprisingly, it’s also the first Bond game for next-gen consoles, meaning top-notch cinematics and crafty AI opponents.

And this colder, more lethal Bond doesn’t need silly gadgets like jetpacks or exploding sporks. Instead he’s all about intense first-person shooting, including both one-on-one and large-scale melees. Some scenarios, however, call for covert ops, at which point the game switches to a third-person perspective so you can actually see (and control) Craig’s wiry frame as he sneaks around, doing recon and silently dispatching foes.

Online multiplayer modes include “Bond vs. Bond” or “Golden Gun,” but the real appeal is the story, beginning with missions from Casino Royale, and moving into the new movie. Because we’ve just gotta know: What the heck is a “Quantum of Solace?”

Release date: November 4  

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

PS3, Xbox 360

Isn’t it nice when the title says it all? The great arcade fighting game returns with its classic characters lined up to beat the crap out of classic heroes and villains from DC Comics, including Batman, Catwoman, Superman, The Joker and Wonder Woman. Apparently there’s a story, but who cares — just bring on the kolourful, kaotic klose kombat.

Mirror’s Edge

PC, PS3, Xbox 360

In a totalitarian (but clean and well-lit) dystopia, underground info moves via “runners” — extraordinary athletes who leap off buildings, vault fences and run up walls, parkour-style. The twist? First-person gameplay delivers a fresh sense of perspective as you traverse skyscrapers through the runner’s eyes, eluding capture and the authorities.