Even though GoldenEye 007 is widely considered to be the best James Bond game ever released, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing is secretly better. Released during EA’s tenure with the Bond license, Everything or Nothing was a third-person shooter that told its own completely unique Bond story, featuring the return of beloved characters from the series’ past, as well as the likeness of Pierce Brosnan and other A-list talents.

Brosnan was unfortunate not to receive a sequel worthy of his debut Bond flick, GoldenEye, during his time as 007, but Everything or Nothing comes mightily close. It had its own killer theme song sung by Mýa, for starters, and featured Willem Dafoe in the role of the story’s principal antagonist. Throw in a near ludicrous amount of action set-pieces for players to partake in, as well as some neat stealth and driving mechanics, and you’re left with one of the best James Bond video games to date. EA published Bond games with unique storylines before and after Everything or Nothing, but none were able to match the game’s cinematic presentation, nor its varied approach to gameplay.

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Although GoldenEye 007 is very much an icon of the Nintendo 64 and one of the most influential first-person shooters ever made, its reputation has overshadowed some of the stronger James Bond video games that were released in the years afterward. It’s certainly a great game, but there are arguably more authentic and compelling uses of the Bond license in the gaming medium, with Everything or Nothing the strongest example.

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Everything Or Nothing Gave Pierce Brosnan’s Bond A Sequel Worthy Of GoldenEye

Pierce Brosnan followed up his first outing as 007 with three sequels of varying quality, with Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day failing to live up to the promise of GoldenEye. That said, Brosnan’s incarnation of James Bond has endured as one of the better-remembered incarnations of the character, with the video games he lent his likeness to having perhaps helped cement that legacy. GoldenEye 007 is one such game that featured the actor’s incarnation of Bond, but despite its qualities, it was still just a movie tie-in. This was something EA avoided during the publisher’s time with the Bond license, releasing only two titles directly inspired by specific Bond movies. The rest were all original stories, and while neither Agent Under Fire nor Nightfire were as good as GoldenEye 007, the fact EA didn’t opt for a simple tie-in in both cases is commendable.

Everything or Nothing, though, is superior to the original GoldenEye 007. Both it and 2005’s From Russia with Love illustrate why the third-person James Bond video games are better than the first-person ones. Both are cinematic and feature the best bits of Bond in their gameplay, including multiple gadgets, iconic vehicles, and sneaky stealth sections. Both could perhaps have found time for quieter moments of espionage, emulating how Bond often hides in plain sight in the films, but that’s a relatively small complaint given they both deliver when it comes to action, stealth, and vehicle chases.

GoldenEye 007, by comparison, only allows players to fulfill one aspect of the Bond fantasy: that of mercilessly gunning down dozens of anonymous henchmen with a wide array of weaponry. That’s not to deny GoldenEye 007’s timeless qualities, but it can also get repetitive. Everything or Nothing instead offers a much more rounded depiction of Bond, complete with a unique story for players to sink their teeth into that sees 007 in a globe-trotting race to stop Willem Dafoe’s Nikolai Diavolo from unleashing a deadly swarm of nanobots against Russia. The game also includes two fun callbacks to the Roger Moore Bond films, featuring the return of Richard Kiel as Jaws, and revealing how Diavolo was mentored by A View to a Kill’s Max Zorin. On their own they’re neat callbacks, but it’s also illustrative of how Everything or Nothing got the most out of the Bond license.

All of this comes together to make James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing the most authentic James Bond video game. GoldenEye 007 may be more influential, but it lacks many of the components that make a good James Bond story and experience. Everything or Nothing, with its A-list cast, epic story, and excellent set-pieces, makes far more effective use of the license. It may lack its predecessor’s iconic multiplayer, but it’s still one of the best licensed video games ever released.

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About The Author


Ewan Paterson
(75 Articles Published)

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Ewan is a Gaming Features Editor for Screen Rant and may in fact have way too many interests. His love for comic books, video games and Dad Movies also instilled in him a love for writing, which he’s been doing since he was about 16. Originally from Liverpool, Ewan made the move to Newcastle in 2014 to study History at Northumbria University (which he loved), and has stayed there ever since. You may have heard/seen him on YouTube a bunch as well.

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