We expect you to talk: Everything or Nothing interview!

Raising a sardonic eyebrow, delivering a rakish quip as he sends some mentally unstable megalomaniac to an unpleasant end, even combining a dinner jacket with a scuba diving kit; in his time, James Bond has done it all. And now the roguish secret agent is set to return in Electronic Arts' 007: Everything or Nothing.

With the title gearing up for release in the next few weeks on next-gen console, we asked producer Joel Wade to explain what to expect from EA's latest attempt to keep the British end up.

We last saw Everything or Nothing last Summer, and the buzz around the game has been building; what have you added to the title since then?

Wade: We've been very busy building new levels, polishing our mechanics and putting the final touches on everything.

What were the reasons behind the game's slip to early 2004?

Wade: The company realised that it had a very good game on its hands that had the potential to be truly great given a little more time. Taking an additional three months has allowed us to remove all the rough edges, polish all the small details and get the gameplay just right on each level.

Every aspect of the game received more attention, including the targeting system, enemy AI, hand-to-hand combat and vehicle physics. We also had the ability to perform extremely rigorous play testing - far more than anything I've ever worked on - ensuring that the final consumer experience would be smooth as well as incredibly exciting.

With so many different gamestyles, is there a danger this could be too much of a mishmash, a jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing?

Wade: We were very aware of the risks of overextending development into too many areas, and it was a key reason for splitting the development of the action (Bond on-foot) and vehicle gameplay between two studios.

Not only could we tap the experience of two separate design groups, but by using two different game engines, we were able to optimize perfectly for both styles of gameplay and get the most out of the hardware.

For example, the action engine created by the Redwood Shores team was designed to render extremely detailed human-sized environments (buildings) and handle complex character animations including seamless blending and lip-synch.

In contrast, the vehicle engine created by the Vancouver-based Need for Speed team excels at racing through huge environments (cities) at high speed, with incredible vehicle physics to match.

We've seen some extremely cool gadgets in the trailers, such as the Q-spider. Tell us about that, and also some of the other toys we'll get to play with.

Wade: It wouldn't feel like Bond without fantastic gadgets. The Q-spider is a favourite team gadget because of all the rich gameplay opportunities it provides. On a basic level, the player can use it to remotely scout ahead for enemies from a position of safety and access rooms and passageways that are too small for Bond.

Once it receives its first upgrades however, (tranquillizer darts, a powerful explosive, etc) it starts really being fun, allowing the player to sneak up on groups of enemies and take them out from afar.

Another gadget we're particularly proud of is the rappel - a belt-mounted piton gun which allows Bond to climb up and down vertical while leaving his hands free for any of Bond's regular weapons. This is incredibly handy for making a quick escape or for finding a higher vantage point for taking out enemies.

And how about the actual gameplay? Will there be different ways to achieve your objectives and complete a mission, different routes, unpredictable enemy behaviour?

Wade: We work very hard to let players solve missions the way they want to and reward them with Bond moments and other surprises if they're especially clever. Making the missions open-ended definitely creates a big set of headaches - especially when testing the game as there are so many possible outcomes.

It forces us to develop in a different way - thinking of each mission as an open "sandbox" with a discrete set of "toys" like weapons, gadgets and other interactive areas in the environment. Building these systems to interact flawlessly is a big challenge - we've invested a huge amount in our AI this year making sure that they see, hear, investigate, fight, take cover, work in teams, and flank you - all in a believable, "human" way.

It's all worth it when incredible gameplay emerges... sometimes in ways we didn't expect (refuses to elaborate - Ed).

Okay, so what about vehicles?

Wade: Exotic vehicles are a huge part of the Bond experience, and we're giving people a lot to play with this year. For the very first time you'll get to ride a motorcycle (the new Triumph Daytona 600 superbike), fly a helicopter, drive the new 400 horsepower Porsche Cayenne SUV, and of course we wouldn't want to forget the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish.

Part of our finale even involves taking the controls of a tank for a battle through Red Square.

How have the multiplayer games evolved?

Wade: We have an entirely new co-operative multiplayer campaign. Two players can play split-screen in 13 custom levels designed specifically to be played together (not just the same re-hashed single-player levels).

The gameplay in co-op requires the player to support each other by providing covering fire, fighting while back-to-back, and even sharing resources such as ammunition. Both players will need to help each other defeat enemies in combat as well as solve a variety of two-player puzzles and environmental challenges.

In addition, we have a bonus unlockable Arena mode that allows up to four players together on the same screen in a frantic combat-fest.

How long is this adventure going to take to complete, and aside from the multiplayer modes, what incentives does the game offer to come back and play it through again?

Wade: We think it will take the average gamer 15 to 20 hours to finish the single-player game on the default "Agent" difficulty level. Depending on how well a player performs completing a mission, they'll be awarded either a bronze or gold medal - and hardcore fans can even attempt to win platinum if they can beat the platinum objective.

Of course, we also have a huge assortment of unlocks and bonuses based on performance, from bonus outfits, game cheats, the Arena multiplayer mode, behind the scenes photos, and even four bonus maps.

We're sure you get sick of the GoldenEye comparisons, but is this the EA Bond game that's finally going to make us hacks stop referring 007 fans to that title?

Wade: We think so. Though GoldenEye was a great game, I think it also benefits from some romanticised memories. Everything or Nothing has all the ingredients you'd want - a full cast including all the Bond regulars (Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, John Cleese), gorgeous women (Shannon Elizabeth, Heidi Klum, Mya), exotic vehicles, fantastic gadgets, and of course plenty of firepower.

We think players will be extremely pleased when they get their hands on it.

EA's 007: Everything Or Nothing is released on GameCube, PS2 and Xbox in Europe on February 27.

007: Everything or Nothing movie (PS2, GC, Xbox)
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