Goldeneye 007 was a landmark title for the N64 and console first person shooters as well. Not only did it prove that the genre could work on console but it also made the James Bond license incredibly hot for nearly two decades. Even now fans still clamor for a new Bond title. But there was a time when 007 games were rare. James Bond 007: the Duel is the forgotten game in the series and I can kind of see why. It certainly tries to be compelling but numerous little issues make it an ultimately frustrating experience.
The Duel is significant in that it is one of the few Bond games to feature an original story. A mad scientist has taken over an island in the Caribbean and erected a fortress to conduct experiments. These experiments involve cloning some of 007’s worst villains such as Oddjob and Jaws to help him take over the world. Her majesty’s secret service sends in Bond to clean up the situation. Prior to its Sega debut the Bond license was primarily used in PC text adventures. The Duel marked the first time Bond starred in a side scrolling action title. This should have been an easy slam dunk. But while it has a few good points the Duel is let down by sluggish controls and a high difficulty curve.
The goal in every level is the same. Rescue a certain number of hostages, locate the bomb, and reach the exit before the bomb goes off. It sounds simple but is made complex by absolutely massive levels. Each level is labyrinthine in its construction with many dead ends and corridors that lead nowhere. This is not a run and gun action game like Contra. That approach will lead to a swift death. In some ways the Duel’s pacing and mechanics are similar to Rolling Thunder. There are doors and crevices to hide in while enemies walk past. While it is comparable in that regard the Duel has problems that make it fall short of that title.
Bond himself is animated very well; some might even say too well. Every movement Bond makes is slow because of the animation. It is not rotoscoped but just as slow and features the same delay between your button press and the accompanying action. Something as simple as crouching down and getting up is flubbed as Bond goes through the motions. The input delay affects every facet of the game, making it frustrating as hell. Because Bond is slow to act you have to run and shoot to get the drop on enemies since they are all faster than you. With time you can get used to the game’s control quirks but you shouldn’t have to. Right up until its conclusion they will always be a source of frustration.
The Duel’s massive levels are both its strong point and weakest element. It is easy to get lost in any of the game’s four stages. The game does an excellent job of hiding its hostages well, forcing you to learn every inch of its stages. But all of that space is not put to good use. Since there aren’t any power-ups beyond the rare health and grenades there is no reason to explore. There is a ton of wasted space that is filled with either nothing or repetitive enemies. The maps are also confusing in their design. There are far too many instances where it isn’t clear if a platform is safe to land on. And while the bomb countdown is harrowing in truth it isn’t as nerve wracking as it appears. After the first level the exit is always right next to the bomb, robbing it of any tension.
On top of its control issues the Duel features an exceedingly high challenge. Every enemy has an itchy trigger finger; don’t be surprised if you regularly shot in the face. Health items are rare and hard to find to boot. Bond can only fall a small height without taking damage. Those of you who have had the misfortune of playing Spelunker will probably have PTSD flashbacks after playing this. The sloppy controls make it easy to fall to your death as well. All of these problems are bad but they are frustrating than anything. The game should work but it simply doesn’t.
In Closing
James Bond 007: the Duel should have been a good game. If its control issues were sorted it would have at least been tolerable. But as is the Duel’s various flaws mean it should stay forgotten by history.
