A View to a Kill (video game)

"A View to a Kill" is the name of two separate computer games based on the James Bond film "A View to a Kill" released in 1985.

Action game

Domark created an action game split into three separate sections, inspired by scenes from the film. The game starts with the famous movie intro sequence of the moving gunsight and Bond shooting towards the camera.

In the first section set in Paris, James Bond commandeers a taxi to follow May Day who has parachuted from the Eiffel Tower. Roadblocks and police cars are out to stop Bond, who can shoot his pistol at them to get them out of the way. The display is in three sections - an overhead map of Paris, a small 3D view from the car's point of view, and a scanner showing May Day's height. James must arrive at the right location to catch her as she lands.

In the second section, James must help Stacey Sutton escape from San Francisco City Hall, which is on fire. Each room is displayed from a side-on perspective. James must collect useful objects to get through the floors of the building, such as keys to open doors and buckets of water to stop the progress of the fire.

In the third and final section, James must collect the code numbers to stop the detonation of Zorin's bomb. Bond runs around the mine, avoiding rockfalls and long drops. Among the objects he can pick up are a grapnel gun (to fire ropes upward which he can climb to safety) and a plank of wood to bridge gaps. May Day is also somewhere in the mine.

A password system lets you play the second or third levels on their own without completing the first.

Music

The music for the Commodore 64 version was written by Antony (Tony) Crowther, and consists of two covers. One is the famous James Bond theme by Monty Norman. The second is the Duran Duran theme for the film.

Critical reception

The game was widely criticized at the time of its release, but Domark would go on to secure the license for further James Bond games based on the new films as they were released, and on the back catalogue.

Adventure game

Mindscape Inc published the text adventure game by Angelsoft Inc for DOS and Apple II computers.

External links

* [http://www.fortunecity.co.uk/cinerama/western/129/to_a_kill.htm Movie Game Database - A View to a Kill]
* [http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/games/avtak.php3 MI6 :: James Bond 007 Video Games - A View to a Kill]