MI6 chatted to Glen Schofield, Executive Producer on "From Russia With Love", about going retro with James Bond...

Glen Schofield Interview (2)
29th October 2005

Continuing from part 1...
Stealth and hand-to-hand combat play a major part in the movie. How have you integrated such elements in FRWL and what improvements can we expect over this system in Everything or Nothing?
Our new hand to hand system focuses on Connery’s style of fighting. He was a brawler and it’s evident in our game. He even gave us some pointers on the difference between his fighting and others. We’ve also added special moves, stealth moves and the player is rewarded for pulling them off.

EoN enlisted Hollywood acting talent and a popular singer to play original characters in the game. Have you hired any big talent to do voice-overs for the movie characters or to perhaps feature as an original character that did appear not in the movie?
Well, besides Connery, we’ve added Natasha Bedingfield, a very well known pop singer in the UK and gaining popularity in the US, as the Prime Minister’s daughter. She’s very prominent and important for the first level of the game. Not only is her likeness in it but she did all the voice work. She was great to work with.

We also have added Maria Menounous who was in this year’s “Fantastic 4” movie as well as a correspondent for the Today Show and Entertainment Tonite.

Previous Bond games have offered reward systems with bonus unlocks to extend the replay value of the game. What are your plans to extend the longevity of the single player campaign in FRWL?
We’ve far out done the other Bond games in that respect. We still have lots of unlockable content, but we’ve also added an upgrading system to the weapons and gadgets and have four unlockable bonus levels. Even our Multiplayer has upgradeable weapons and armor.

The points are earned throughout the game by fighting like Bond, using our Bond Focus shooting mode and finding Bond Moments. Use these points to buy more armor, add more clips or rounds or buy even more powerful special ammo.

Finally, what are you most excited about in this game? If successful can we expect more classic movie based Bond games in the future?
We’re very proud of our integrated levels of action, vehicles and new gadgets. But our huge new feature is the up to four player multiplayer games we’ve added. There’s deathmatch, sabatoge and even a jetpack mode. Our multiplayer lets you play as teams or go head to head and use all the vehicles, weapons, gadgets and even jetpacks that are in the single player. It is great fun.

And how can you not be proud of creating Sean Connery’s first video game and the medium that reunited him as James Bond after more than three decades.

 


If Connery offered to return for a second title would you create an original story? Will the expanded missions feature original locations?
We’d probably do another classic movie. There’s so many great movies to choose from, with wonderful locations and villains that I’d love to go back into the MGM library and pull out another Bond Classic.


Above: The Aston Martin DB5 in action in Istanbul.

 

00-Seven Questions

How were you involved in the Bond series?
I am the Executive Producer of "From Russia With Love" (VG)

What was your first ever Bond experience?
Roger Moore. Most memorable would be him against Jaws in Moonraker.

Which is your favourite Bond game?
“From Russia With Love”, what else?

What did you think of the last film, "Die Another Day"?
I liked it. A bit far fetched at times but loved the action.

What is your favourite Bond film?
That’s a tough one. Goldfinger is a great classic but From Russia With Love is right up there.

Which Bond girl should come back?
Jinx was great.

What is your favourite Bond moment from the series?
I thought the helicopters using the huge chain saws cutting the dock in half was just over the top in "The World Is Not Enough". But also the beginning of "Goldeneye" was pretty spectacular as well.

Many thanks to Glen Schofield

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