It was developed by Eutechnyx, published by Electronic Arts, and released for the PlayStation console system. Including many revived characters from previous entries, the game is considered to be a spin-off of the original chronicles.

The Story Behind 007 Racing

The story opens with Bond rescuing Cherise Litte from an Eastern European country (presumably Estonia) and getting her over the border in his Aston Martin DB5. A sequel for the PlayStation 2 was announced shortly thereafter, but was never released. He intercepts the transporter with his Aston Martin.

Bond continues with finding the electromagnetic pulse device that was stolen and destroying ten computers in the distribution center from which a car transporter carrying the smuggling cars. Upon arriving in New York he is informed by a villain that a bomb has been planted on his car and that any attempt to defuse it or slow down the vehicle will cause it to explode. 007 Racing uses a modified version of the game engine that was developed for Eutechnyx's earlier Le Mans 24 Hours.

How 007 Racing Plays

Cars include the Aston Martin DB5 made famous in its initial appearance in Goldfinger, the Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only, and the BMW Z8 that briefly appeared in The World Is Not Enough as well as seven other automobiles. Bond then goes to Mexico with his BMW Z3, where he is pointed by questioning the transporter driver, the henchman Whisper. The story opens with Bond rescuing Cherise Litte from an Eastern European country (presumably Estonia) and getting her over the border in his Aston Martin DB5.

In 007 Racing the player takes on the role of British secret agent James Bond, behind the wheel of several of his vehicles from the then-19 official films. Back in New York, Bond downloads the files from four limousines with his BMW Z8 and discovers that Litte's real plan is to release a deadly virus that will kill millions. This game marks the seventh appearance of Pierce Brosnan's James Bond; the game included his likeness but not his voice, which is provided by Tim Bentinck.

Why Players Still Load It Up

Fans of these types of games would be better served by Driver 2." Retro Gamer criticized the slow pace of the missions. It's filled with awkward spots and questionable areas (like when I reached the broken bridge in Escape and the vocals chimed in after it was too late to launch my parachute), and it becomes a chore rather than fun. Now, if you don't mind, I've got an old-school arcade to find." Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot gave a mixed review, stating: "The game's varied mission objectives occasionally give it a Driver-like feel, but the clunky control issues really manage to take you out of the game.

He added: "It's not original, nor is it good looking. He called the voice acting "excellent", particularly praising the performance given by Cleese, but thought the game had an inconsistent mix of content. Game Informers Paul Anderson called the graphics "ugly" and "nasty", but said there are some "well-designed" missions.

007 Racing — Frequently Asked Questions