8 Video Games That Feel Closest to the James Bond Movies

Ian Fleming's 007 book series made its debut in the early 1950s, capitalizing on a post-war world that was starting to change. It was seeking stories that were a bit more grounded, and Fleming found a winning formula with a gritty, darkly complex series of novels. As it always has been, however, intellectual properties that have even a modicum of success are going to be sought after for adaptations.

The film franchise based on Fleming's novels started in 1962 with Dr. No, and for as long as I can remember, video game developers have attempted to recreate them. The swagger, over-the-top action, and authentic Bond charm have been chased by game developers for years now.

Thankfully, several of them have managed to accomplish that feat. It's not easy, as many games have tried and failed to capture that cinematic magic, but the ones that do have become some of the most wonderfully entertaining games I've ever played.

8 GoldenEye 007

The Opening Salvo of the Console Shooter Revolution

Following Pierce Brosnan's iconic first turn as James Bond in 1995's GoldenEye, a video game adaptation by Rare for the Nintendo 64 in 1997 showcased just how much potential the character had in this medium. Though it came out two years after the movie, playing it back in the day brought all the memories of the classic movie flooding back.

GoldenEye follows the plot of the film closely, but it's how that works in practice that's actually so incredible. Everything that you're doing in the game's levels, all the way down to the environments themselves, feels like a perfect recreation of the classic movie. Even the music is the same.

Like the film itself, the pace and execution of each section is fantastic. The first-person perspective really sells the whole thing, too, as it was the first time I remember ever feeling genuinely immersed in the footsteps of the fictional superspy. As a game, GoldenEye is one that's potentially showing its age a bit, but as an interactive James Bond experience, it's still a winner.

7 The World is Not Enough

An Overlooked Spectacle

The World is Not Enough was Pierce Brosnan's third on-screen outing as James Bond, and the game that followed the film's theatrical release a year later is one of the most underrated 007 games of all time. Unfortunately, the game came out during the middle of a console generation change, and just got lost in the shuffle.

Though it was made by different developers, The World is Not Enough feels like a natural evolution of 1997's GoldenEye. It looks a bit sharper, plays a little nicer, and most importantly, captures the spirit of the equally overlooked Bond film beautifully.

The action is explosive, and the gadgets are a delight. It also matches the pace and structure of the film itself, with an average runtime of roughly two hours. It really does feel like you are right in the middle of an interactive James Bond movie.

6 James Bond 007: From Russia with Love

Weird Flex, but Awesome

I remember thinking at the time how strange it was that EA announced a video game adaptation of 1963's From Russia with Love. It just felt so incredibly random, but they clearly knew what they were doing, as it turned out to be one of the best Bond games ever made.

From Russia with Love also featured the return of Sean Connery, in what would be his final turn as Bond. It's honestly such a bizarre concept to adapt a film as old as this one, but it was genuinely phenomenal. It was an absolute blast from start to finish.

The combination of explosive set-pieces, enjoyable shooting, and vehicle scenes is something the Bond games have always done well. What From Russia with Love does is add such a unique flavor due to the inclusion of Connery and adherence to the film's plot. I don't know who asked for a video game adaptation of From Russia with Love, but I'm certainly glad they did.

5 James Bond 007: Blood Stone

The Best Bond Finally Gets a Good Game

For my money, Daniel Craig is still the best on-screen James Bond we've ever had. His natural charm and subtle performances have produced some of the best Bond films to date, but his video game track record was less than stellar.

Quantum of Solace was lackluster, and the 2010 remake of GoldenEye was decent, but it had all been done before. With James Bond 007: Blood Stone, I felt like we finally got the Daniel Craig-led game I'd been begging for.

Blood Stone is a no-frills, completely off-the-wall blockbuster. As far as modern third-person action/spy games go, Blood Stone is one that was devastatingly left behind. It sadly came during a generation where this style of game was incredibly common, but it's one that I highly recommend revisiting if you consider yourself a Bond fan.

4 James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire

A Surreal Bond Experience

I am admittedly something of a casual Bond movie and book fan, but am an absolute superfan of the games. I will make time to play a new Bond game, and that's absolutely what I did back in 2001 with Agent Under Fire.

Though it was disappointing that established Bond actor Pierce Brosnan did not return for face capture or voice performances, the Bond that's in this game is actually quite dapper. While games like GoldenEye did their best, Agent Under Fire was an amazing next step in creating the cinematic Bond adventure fans had been dreaming of.

EA had acquired the Bond license back in the late 90s, but Agent Under Fire was the one that really showcased the potential for what they could do. No one quite had a handle on the IP quite like EA, and Agent Under Fire was the first in what would be a spectacular legacy of Bond adventures.

3 James Bond 007: Nightfire

Certified Classic

EA's grip on the Bond IP was honestly pretty amazing back in the day. It was just expected that a new Bond game was coming, whether it had a movie to tie into or not. After all, EA spent quite a bit of money on this license, so they were going to get their money's worth.

Even all these years later, I believe it was money well spent, as their work on James Bond 007: Nightfire still holds up. The opening section of Nightfire felt more like a Bond movie than any game had to that point, combining driving with shooting and that trademark 007 flair.

Nightfire is one of the best shooters of its generation. Everything about it feels fabulous, and the driving sections were powered by EA's own Need for Speed engine, so you know that part was good. It's just an altogether brilliant package that feels like a proper Bond movie.

2 James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing

The Best Bond Movie That Was Never Made

It took quite a while, but after multiple games and contract negotiations, Pierce Brosnan was finally on board for a Bond video game. Previous games had either had his likeness without his voice or absolutely nothing. In that sense, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing still feels like the greatest James Bond movie that never existed.

What really makes Everything or Nothing so much fun is the fact that, instead of first-person, it's a third-person game. Bond had already produced some amazing first-person entries prior to this, but by using a third-person perspective, EA constructed something truly special.

It was keenly focused on creating an experience that just dropped you into the middle of a playable Bond movie. This is evident from the very opening scene, which captures the spirit of a Bond film perfectly. The song by Mya is excellent, and no game to date has been able to replicate the magic of a Bond film opening before.

1 007 First Light

Next-Gen Bond Blockbuster

After seven years and hundreds of millions of dollars, IO Interactive's 007 First Light finally came to fruition this year. It was a long, arduous wait, but it turned out to be well worth it. 007 First Light feels like the Bond game we've always wanted, and is an easy contender for Game of the Year.

From the incredible opening that introduces us to a new, younger, and fresher 007 played by the marvelous Patrick Gibson, all the way to its propulsive, energetic pace, First Light is a Bond movie through and through. The opening song by Lana Del Ray is also an instant classic, as her signature vocals are a pleasure to listen to.

First Light also doesn't stop after the spectacular intro. It fuses IO's trademark stealth gameplay that they cultivated in the Hitman franchise, blending that with Bond's over-the-top bravado in such an amazing way. A Bond game from IO felt like a no-brainer, and the immensely talented team has proven that it was the best possible path forward for the franchise. A new Bond movie is still quite a ways out, and I don't think anyone will mind if IO continues to fill that gap in the years ahead.