Starting with the hugely successful film adaptation of Casino Royale a couple of years ago, Ian Fleming’s famous secret agent has been experiencing a rebirth of sorts. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that James Bond has also been reinvented on consoles, courtesy of Activision. Quantum of Solace represents the first game from the 007/Activision coupling, releasing across a variety of systems, including handhelds like the Nintendo DS.

As in the console versions, the Nintendo DS version of Quantum of Solace follows the general plot of the film from which it gets its namesake, as well as its film predecessor, weaving together elements from both films in a well executed and seamless fashion. The game features an impressive amount of voice work, including some work from the stars of the film, like Judi Dench and Daniel Craig.

Quantum of Solace for Nintendo DS also follows a pretty unique gameplay format, playing like an action title with adventure elements as opposed to a full-on action shooter like its high-def brethren. The game isn’t perfect, and has some pretty frustrating shortcomings here and there. Still, it is generally an impressive DS game that uses the system’s touch-screen capabilities very well.

As opposed to a first-person shooter like the other iterations of Quantum of Solace, the DS version plays out more like a top-down action adventure. The game has a focus on items, as you’ll search for special items throughout the environment and employ stealth tactics more than traditional combat; think more Metal Gear than Call of Duty.

Quantum of Solace uses the touch screen almost exclusively. Holding the DS on its side like a book (as in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword), you simply point on the screen where you’d like Bond to go and he’ll move to it. Tapping on Bond himself will make him go into stealth mode, moving slowly but enabling him to sneak past enemies. You’ll be able to use interaction buttons on the screen in order to engage puzzles or acquire new items. Additionally, you’ll be able to shoot enemies by holding down one of the directions on the d-pad (or a face button if you’re a lefty) to draw your weapon and tapping your foe on the screen.

The game is not without its share of shortcomings. First off, the camera is pretty problematic. As it uses an isometric view that focuses a bit too closely to the action, using your gun against an enemy can be an exercise in frustration, as the camera is zoomed in a bit too tightly, making it very difficult to shoot enemies if they’re out of your view. This doesn’t stop them from taking fire at you, however, which is very annoying.

Additionally, hand-to-hand combat is also quite problematic. As you use the stylus for fighting, certain attacks don’t register as well as they should and feel quite unintuitive. You’ll often take quite a beating when trying to take on an enemy with your bear hands, as blocking doesn’t work nearly as well as it should.

Graphically, the game is pretty good, but not the best use of 3D on the DS. The character models move decently enough and look good, but the whole look feels pretty uninspired and plain compared to many titles on the system.

The sound fares quite a bit better. The music is well done and sounds good on the DS, and the sheer amount of voice work is very impressive.

Quantum of Solace is a good attempt to bring 007 to handhelds, adding a stealth element and full touch screen controls. However, there are some glaring issues that keep the game from being a standout title.

Gameplay: 6.5
The DS version of Quantum of Solace feels more like Metal Gear Solid than a traditional action shooter. The sideways “book” styled controls work generally well, but the low-aimed camera and lousy hand to hand combat controls are a drag.

Graphics: 7.0
Decent looking character models, but generally pretty basic for a DS game.

Sound: 8.5
The music is well done, and the amount of voice acting (done by some members of the film cast) is very impressive.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7.0
The stealth heavy gameplay mechanics and touch screen-focused controls are good, but there are some execution problems.

Overall: 7.0
Quantum of Solace is a solid effort to bring Bond to the DS, but there are a few looming problems with the translation.