First Quantum of Solace DS details break cover
Customised touchscreen controls along with some promising features
With the kind of timing that would see Bond fail every mission he's ever undertaken, the first DS-specific details of forthcoming Quantum of Solace game have arrived, two days after the DS screenshots showed up. Still, better late than dead.
So, what do the details say? Well, they confirm the game is based on both the Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace films, but they also reveal that you get to control Bond through in-game conversations with multiple narrative options. Depending on your choice, expect to unlock new abilities and uncover special items. Which is an interesting facet to what we thought would be a straightforward action/stealth affair.
Clearly, there's still plenty of action. You get to choose how you want to complete your missions, apparently, with the options to rely on espionage skills to take out adversaries silently, lean on your sniper ability to neutralise from a distance or have enough confidence in the "innovative touchscreen combat system" to come in close for some melee business.
We've yet to see the control system in question, but Activision assures us it's been streamlined to ensure the whole game revolves entirely around stylus input, whether Bond is engaging in exploration, stealth or combat.
The final revelation relates to the game's upgrade mechanic, which sees points Bond earns exchanged for better items, while special playing cards help customise and enhance your abilities. The gameworld apparently is worth exploring in order to find rare and powerful items, which throws another dynamic into the mix.
It's all sounding rather solid at this stage. Clearly we won't know how well all of the above translates into play until we've experienced it ourselves, but with a release date scheduled for the autumn, it'll be a little while yet before that opportunity is likely to arise.
When it does, all those who've clicked 'Track It!' will get the Eyes Only version of the file. (Which for the record may be identical to the article you'll find on the site.)
