Metacritic Games

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy (Xbox 360)

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy gives players the experience of becoming a 30 million dollar elite agent, fusing an experience that delves deep into Jason Bourne's character with game play and game presentation inspired by the aggressive filmmaking and frenetic action found in the films. Only by playing Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy can players discover Bourne's true identity and experience the very moment he became a malfunctioning weapon, first hunting targets around the world as a deadly government assassin then marking himself as his agency’s most wanted. As a third-person espionage action game, players move from fistfights to firefights to experience sequences that blend Bourne's signature hand-to-hand combat with intense shooting and the ability to escape and evade deadly situations. [Vivendi Games]

Vivendi Games / Sierra Entertainment
Action, Adventure
Players: 1
T (Teen)
Developer: High Moon Studios
Released June 3, 2008

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

71 / 100

Critic Reviews

91 GameFocus
I was completely expecting this game to literally suck, but in fact it is well done and very fun game that does the Bourne name justice.
85 AtomicGamer
The shooting isn't as tight as Gears of War nor the fighting as honed as a focused brawler, but the combination of simple, satisfying mechanics coupled with quality-oozing production values shoot this one to the top of the movie-licensed heap.
85 GamerNode
By no means does this look like a MGS4 or Ninja Gaiden 2, but the graphics are not a sour point and fit well with the environment. Finally seeing destructable environments used to such a strong degree in a game is a definite welcome.
84 GamingTrend
The few places where it stumbles are more than made up by the polish and attention to detail everywhere else.
83 DailyGame
It's not that often you encounter a game that mixes genres and still manages to be above-average in quality.
83 GameShark
Take any thoughts of how the game is based on a movie out of your head, as The Bourne Conspiracy is a compelling action game built on mostly solid gameplay ideas.
82 Planet Xbox 360
The character models, even with the lack of Matt Damon’s representation as Jason Bourne, are great in retrospective. The level environments are exquisite and full of interactive objects to use for satisfying takedowns.
81 Team Xbox
It’s not a perfect action game by any stretch, but one that does keep the player engaged from point to point—and that’s all you can ask.
80 Hardcore Gamer Magazine
Most games based on movies are cheap shovelware that are released to capitalize on the popularity of the franchise they're based on. The Bourne Conspiracy, however, is clearly a labor of love.
80 Kombo
At the end of the day, Conspiracy is a winner.
80 GameSpy
At around 10 to 15 hours, The Bourne Conspiracy isn't exactly a brief experience, but its addictive and gratifying combat can certainly make it feel so.
80 Cheat Code Central
By breaking all the assumptions that normally come with a movie-based license (such as using the film's actors and pushing to do a simultaneous game-film release) High Moon Studios has crafted a solid action game.
80 GameSpot
Translating the lightning-quick close-quarters combat of the Bourne films into viscerally satisfying gameplay is no mean feat, but High Moon Studios has done it and done it well. The adventure is a bit short, and the solid gunplay becomes tedious the second time around. Still, the combat system alone makes this game worth playing, and the dramatic moments it creates are the real treat.
80 MS Xbox World
The Bourne Conspiracy is a valiant effort for a movie tie in game and captures the flavour of the movies it is based upon very well due to its unorthodox stop start action sequences and variant gameplay.
80 Thunderbolt
It's rare to see a movie game that is enjoyable in its own right. Even without the Bourne license, Conspiracy would be a great action game. It blends two totally different gameplay styles together and delivers them in quick, intense bursts.
80 GameZone
The Bourne Conspiracy does a marvelous job of giving us a taste of what it’s like being Jason Bourne and it captures the essence of the movie and Robert Ludlum’s books just right.
80 Gamers' Temple
Overall Bourne Supremacy is an enjoyable game.
80 Worth Playing
The Bourne Conspiracy is a surprising gem of a beat-'em-up with plenty of riveting, arcade-styled action to entertain fans of the film or action junkies who are looking for a little wetwork.
80 Total Video Games
The Bourne Conspiracy is certainly as good as most other shooters that utilise the Unreal 3 engine, but it's no Gears of War. Instead, it's a thoroughly competent display of some top of the range next-gen tech.
77 Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
Insanely linear and frustrating, but it absolutely nails the movie experience.
77 Console Monster
Sadly the game isn’t as spectacular as I was hoping and the repetitiveness will soon set in during your first trek through the levels providing very little replay value, however while it lasts, you will no doubt love whacking people time and time again with a few sequences, while also testing your timing and even driving skills.
77 Gamer 2.0
The Bourne Conspiracy, despite its shortcomings, is an example of a very good movie-licensed game.
76 Computer Games Online RO
The Bourne Conspiracy is one of the better movie-based games out there, with intuitive and spectacular hand-to-hand fights, interactive cut-scenes and more than decent graphics.
75 GamePro
There were definitely moments when I wanted to chuck my controller across the room because one of its minor design flaws sent me to a cheap and unfair death. And yet, there were also moments when the game clicked for me and I really did feel like I was a damaged super spy on the run.
75 IGN
The power, brutality and creativity that Jason Bourne uses in the films are excellently handled with the hand-to-hand system. Unfortunately, the shooting and driving mechanics leave much to be desired.
75 Official Xbox Magazine
Bourne Conspiracy screams weekend rental. It isn’t a one-trick pony, but it has three or four moves at best - enough to truly impress you for a while, but not enough to compel most of you to punch, kick, and shoot all the way to the end of the game.
75 Gameplanet
A decent, fun game, but the excitement is much too short-lived.
75 Games Master UK
Disappointingly, the patented 'escape and evade' gameplay dynamic comes with a hefty price to pay; put simply, The Bourne Conspiracy might just be the most linear game since the original Dragon's Lair.
73 IGN AU
A trifle repetitive and brief, The Bourne Conspiracy is a diamond in the rough. Well worth a look but it’s not going to change your life.
72 GameTrailers
The Bourne Conspiracy walks the line between pander and cater, giving an accessible roller coaster ride to anyone with rudimentary hand-eye coordination. It's a nice mix of gameplay styles that allows you to play it however you want, but all the niggling issues eventually pile up.
70 PALGN
And even though it’s a fun action in it’s own right with nice style, nice touches and some panache, the aforementioned issues as well as weak controls and brevity bring down an otherwise solid, if eventually run-of-the-mill third person shooter.
70 Gameplayer
The brilliant thing about these finishing animations is that they take advantage of the environment you’re in. These aren’t repetitive, pre-cooked animations. If you’re near a chair, Bourne might slam his enemy into it.
70 GameDaily
Compared to most movie-based video games, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy, sans Matt Damon, is a miraculous achievement in that it doesn't suck.
70 Level7.nu
License-based games seldom turn out especially interesting or good so our hopes for this title weren’t stellar, but The Bourne Conspiracy surprises us with a healthy dose of action and great tempo. There are some flaws to be found and there isn’t much to do once the story is finished, but his is a great action title nonetheless.
70 VideoGamer
This one's a brilliant weekend rental, just like the movies.
70 Maxi Consolas (Portugal)
This game accomplishes some small victories. It has one of the best hand-to-hand combat systems on a third person action game and remains true to its movie legacy. But the gameplay is kind of schizophrenic and has many weaker sections, especially the ones related with fire arms. [July 2008]
70 Boomtown
While the best part of the package lies in the repetitive but gratifying fist fighting system, a few more issues frustrated me to the end.
70 X360 Magazine UK
A fast and entertaining take on the most exhilarating spy movies in decades. The Bourne Conspiracy eventually begins to slip into repetition, but you’ll be having far too much fun to care.
70 Xbox World Australia
It delivers a well-paced and intense experience that is ultimately very satisfying and surprisingly faithful to its film counterpart, provided that you accept that it doesn't set out to reinvent, or even excel in any one area of gameplay.
68 Game Informer
Though The Bourne Conspiracy is weighed down by broken gunplay mechanics, its thrilling hand-to-hand combat, slick presentation, and relatively short time commitment (eight hours) make it a perfect rental for fans of the films.
68 The New York Times
Toward the end, one character asks Bourne, "If you kill me, who will tell you the truth?" I immediately thought, "What truth?" Unlike the movie, the game completely fails to raise any curiosity about Bourne. Conspiracy is not about finding the truth, it’s about getting from point A to point B without bleeding to death.
67 Game Revolution
Genuinely translating an action film is hardly done with as much effort as High Moon Studios has put into it. Although the combat suffers from a lack of refinement and complexity, it still keeps up with the vigorous pace and calculated intensity of Jason Bourne.
67 Gaming Nexus
It's hard to imagine, but Sierra Entertainment has been able to capture the frantic pace and edge-of-your-seat action of the Bourne movies in this game.
65 Ferrago
Overall this game just screams 'middle of the road': a good opportunity that hasn't been fully taken advantage of. Having said that, if you have a spare weekend free and fancy a game that doesn't involve too much brain power and won't take you long to complete, then this is the ideal rental, but nothing more.
60 Giant Bomb
The Bourne Conspiracy is a short game that can be clumsy and repetitive at times, but it does it with enough style that I didn’t feel like it was a complete waste of time. For what you get, though, it’s still tough to justify the $60 price tag.
60 Games Radar
A decent game - it just doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from all the other games like it. And while it's true that those games don't blend martial arts with duck-and-cover shooting, Conspiracy's approach to both of those things is just too shallow and repetitive.
60 G4 TV
What does become frustrating at times is the wild camera during fights, which can swing into totally useless positions in small spaces. It’s rarely a game killer, but there are times when you’ll lose track of Jason entirely. Still, if you could handle the camerawork in "The Bourne Supremacy," you’ll be fine here.
58 1UP
It's pretty good as a game that casual players can fly through on the easiest difficulty setting, and its production values are as good as you'll find on the market. But it doesn't hold up as well for those looking for a story or a challenge. It's a fun evening, basically.
55 Gamer's Hell
In all, what we're left with in The Bourne Conspiracy is a game which tries really hard to capture the action of the films, while not completely selling out Ludlum's novel character.
50 Official Xbox Magazine UK
But their utter linearity wears the patina thin as the same ground is covered again and again; the really exciting scenes wilt into mindless reaction games, and even the best part - the fistfights - become stale after a few repetitive bouts.
50 EuroGamer
There are still times when you'll enjoy yourself, but they're few and far between, and ultimately prove to be poor compensation for the loss of the intrigue, subtlety and intelligence that characterised the films and books whose bullet-riddled back the game is straddling.
40 Edge Magazine
Among its many failings one stands out as cardinal and, despite the slick presentation, simply can’t be forgiven: you never really feel in control of what’s going on. [Aug 2008, p.94]
30 Destructoid
Its gameplay mechanics are abysmal in almost every conceivable way. Its story is nonsensical at best, sacreligious at worst. Its entire running time is completely disrespectful to the player's intelligence, assuming that if the character models and locations change, the player won't realize he's getting into the exact same gun battles and fistfights he engaged in at the very start of the game. Looking at The Bourne Conspiracy as a list of bullet points, it is an undoubtedly awful game...But why, then, did I have fun with it?

CLOSE THIS WINDOW

©2008 CNET Networks Inc. All rights reserved.