The early 2000s were a weird, transitional time for shooters. Everyone was chasing the ghost of GoldenEye 007, trying to bottle that N64 lightning twice. Most failed. But then Electronic Arts dropped James Bond 007 Agent Under Fire in late 2001, and honestly, it was better than it had any right to be.
It didn't have Pierce Brosnan’s face. It didn't follow a movie plot. It was basically a standalone Bond adventure that felt like a playable action figure set. If you owned a PlayStation 2, GameCube, or Xbox back then, you probably remember the feeling of grappling up to a balcony while a tank chased you through the streets of Bucharest. It was loud, it was fast, and it was unashamedly "Bond."
The Identity Crisis That Actually Worked
Most Bond games are tethered to a film. You know the drill: see the movie, play the level that looks sort of like the movie, get bored. James Bond 007 Agent Under Fire took a different path. Originally, this was supposed to be the World Is Not Enough port for the PS2, but EA scrapped that and built something original.
Because they weren't restricted by a script, the developers at EA Redwood Shores (who later became the legendary Visceral Games of Dead Space fame) just went wild. They created a villain named Nigel Bloch—a guy who looks like every generic 90s corporate baddie—and a plot involving cloning and world domination. It’s cheesy. It’s over-the-top. It’s exactly what a Bond game should be when it's not trying to be "Art."
The game uses the Id Tech 3 engine, the same bones that powered Quake III Arena. You can feel it in the movement. Bond moves like he’s on skates, and the shooting is snappy and arcade-like. It’s not tactical. You aren't leaning around corners or managing stamina. You're just clicking heads with a Wolfram P2K.
The Gadgets Changed the Game
While the gunplay was solid, the gadgets were the real star. Think back to the Q-Claw. This little cell phone/grappling hook hybrid changed how we looked at 2001-era level design. You’d be pinned down by guards, see a faint blue icon on a crane, and zip—suddenly you have the high ground.
Most shooters back then were hallways. James Bond 007 Agent Under Fire felt vertical.
Then you had the Q-Laser. It wasn't just for cutting through locks; it was a desperate last resort when you ran out of ammo. And the Q-Decryptor? Simple, sure, but it gave you those five seconds of tension while a door opened and guards closed in. These weren't just menu items. They were integrated into the flow of the missions.
Why the Driving Levels Weren't Terrible
Usually, vehicle levels in FPS games are the "mandatory fun" sections everyone hates. You know the ones. They’re clunky, the physics are off, and you just want to get back to the shooting.
Surprisingly, the driving in this game felt okay. EA brought in the Need for Speed team to help out, and it shows. The Aston Martin Vanquish felt heavy but responsive. Rockets popping out of the grille, oil slicks for the guys behind you—it was pure wish fulfillment. The mission "Paris Cause Célèbre" is still a masterclass in how to do a linear vehicle chase without making the player want to throw the controller at the wall.
The Multiplayer: A Dorm Room Staple
If you weren't playing Halo or TimeSplitters 2 in 2002, you were likely playing the multiplayer here. It wasn't as balanced as GoldenEye, but it was chaotic.
The jetpacks. My god, the jetpacks.
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Adding verticality to 4-player split-screen changed the dynamic. You weren't just checking corners; you were looking at the ceiling. Maps like the "Town" or the "Submarine Base" became arenas of madness. You’d have one friend hovering in the air with a rocket launcher while another tried to snipe them from a moving elevator.
- Low Gravity Mode: Basically a requirement for every session.
- The Viper: A rapid-fire rocket launcher that ruined friendships.
- Characters: You could play as clones of Bond, or the bizarre villains like Jackal and Baron Samedi (if you unlocked them).
It lacked the "prestige" of Nightfire (which came out a year later), but it had a raw, fast-paced energy that felt more like an arena shooter than a spy sim.
Technical Achievements (For 2001)
Looking at it now, the textures are muddy and the character models have those "lobster claw" hands. But in 2001? This was a showpiece for the PS2.
The lighting was particularly impressive. Muzzle flashes would illuminate dark hallways, and the rain effects in the early levels were some of the best we'd seen on consoles at the time. It also ran at a fairly consistent frame rate, which was a miracle considering how many explosions EA liked to cram onto the screen.
The sound design deserves a shout-out too. Even though they couldn't get Pierce Brosnan (they used a look-alike named Andrew Bicknell and a voice actor named Adam Blackwood), the music was pure Bond. The orchestral swells when you found a secret area—the "Bond Move"—made you feel like you were actually accomplishing something cool.
Common Misconceptions and the "Nightfire" Shadow
People often lump this game in with 007: Nightfire. They are very different beasts. Nightfire is often cited as the superior game because it had better graphics and a more "Bond-like" feel, but James Bond 007 Agent Under Fire has a specific, twitchy arcade DNA that Nightfire lacked.
Some critics at the time complained it was too short. They weren't wrong. You can beat the campaign in about four hours if you know what you're doing. But the replayability came from the medal system. Getting a "Gold" or "Platinum" medal on a mission wasn't just for bragging rights; it unlocked the cool stuff. You had to find all the Bond Moves, keep your accuracy high, and finish within a certain time. It forced you to master the levels, not just pass them.
Legacy of the "Bond Move"
This was a brilliant bit of game design that more modern shooters should steal. A "Bond Move" was basically a scripted, stylish interaction. Maybe you shot a valve to blow steam in a guard's face, or you used the grapple to bypass an entire guard post.
It rewarded you for thinking like a secret agent instead of a terminator. It encouraged exploration. Instead of just walking through the front door, you'd look for the one vent or the one chandelier you could shoot down to take out three guys at once.
Actionable Steps for Modern Players
If you’re looking to revisit James Bond 007 Agent Under Fire today, you have a few options, but some are definitely better than others.
- The GameCube Version is the Winner: If you have the hardware, the GameCube version generally runs at a smoother 60 frames per second and has slightly better textures than the PS2 version.
- Emulation (Dolphin/PCSX2): This is the best way to play in 2026. You can up-scale the resolution to 4K, which makes those old textures look surprisingly crisp.
- Check for "Bond Moves": If you’re playing for the first time, don’t just rush. Look for the icons. The game is significantly more fun when you’re trying to trigger the cinematic moments the developers hid in the corners of the maps.
- Local Multiplayer: It still works. If you can get three friends and some old-school controllers, the jetpack-heavy multiplayer is still a blast, even in an era of Call of Duty and Fortnite.
This game wasn't trying to redefine the genre. It wasn't trying to be a deep political thriller. It was a love letter to the Roger Moore era of Bond—gadgets, girls, and things blowing up for no reason. It’s a snapshot of a time when games were allowed to be "video games" first and cinematic experiences second. If you missed it, or if it's just been sitting in a box in your garage for twenty years, it’s worth a replay. It’s short, it’s punchy, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
To get the most out of your run, aim for the 00-Agent ranking on the "Precious Cargo" mission. It’s the ultimate test of your shooting and gadget-switching speed, and unlocking the "Golden Gun" for multiplayer makes the late-night sessions with friends significantly more intense. Overcoming the initial learning curve of the old-school controls pays off once you start chaining grapples and headshots together in total flow. High-level play in this game feels less like a shooter and more like a choreographed stunt sequence.