Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Developed by Eutechnyx and published by Electronic Arts in 2000, 007 Racing is a PlayStation-exclusive vehicular action game built around one of James Bond’s most recognizable trademarks: gadget-equipped cars. Despite the title, this is not really a racing game. Instead, it combines driving, combat, chases, escort missions and timed objectives into a short mission-based campaign.
Rating: 5/10
The concept is immediately appealing. Rather than putting Bond on foot, the game places him behind the wheel of vehicles such as the Aston Martin DB5, Lotus Esprit, BMW Z3, BMW Z8 and BMW 750iL. Each car is equipped with Q-Branch technology, including machine guns, missiles, smoke screens, oil slicks and other gadgets.
The campaign contains 12 missions, and fortunately they are more varied than the title suggests. You might have to escape pursuing enemies, destroy hostile vehicles, protect another car, shoot down a helicopter, collect or deliver objects, reach checkpoints before time expires, or complete several objectives within the same stage.
This variety is probably the game’s greatest strength. 007 Racing often feels closer to Spy Hunter or Vigilante 8 than to a conventional racing title, and a few missions genuinely capture the feel of a Bond car chase.
Unfortunately, the driving mechanics are not strong enough to support the idea.
Cars feel stiff and awkward, with steering that can alternate between overly sensitive and sluggish depending on the situation. Collisions can send the vehicle in unexpected directions, and aiming weapons while controlling the car can be unnecessarily frustrating. The faster chase sequences generally work better, while missions that require precise maneuvering expose the weaknesses of the handling.
Mission design is similarly inconsistent. Some stages are completed quickly and without much trouble, while others suddenly become difficult because of tight time limits, unclear objectives or instant-failure conditions. Replaying a mission because you misunderstood an objective is one thing; replaying it because the controls or collision physics worked against you is considerably less enjoyable.
The game is also quite short. Once you understand the objectives and become comfortable with the controls, the entire campaign can be finished in only a few hours. A harder difficulty offers some additional challenge, but there is not much substantial new content afterward.
A split-screen multiplayer mode provides Deathmatch and Pass the Bomb variations, but it feels more like an extra than a major attraction. The same awkward handling remains, and the limited arenas prevent it from competing with dedicated vehicular combat games.
Graphically, 007 Racing was already unimpressive when it arrived late in the PlayStation’s lifespan. The Bond vehicles are recognizable and reasonably detailed, but environments are sparse and frequently covered in blurry textures. Pop-in, simple scenery and occasional performance problems further emphasize the game’s lack of polish. Damage effects and explosions are also fairly basic.
The audio fares better. The Bond-style music helps establish the appropriate atmosphere, while voice acting and familiar sound effects give the game more personality than its visuals. The overall presentation makes reasonable use of the license even when the underlying gameplay struggles.
007 Racing is therefore a frustrating example of a good idea receiving mediocre execution. A game dedicated entirely to Bond’s famous cars and Q-Branch gadgets should have been an easy success, and there are occasional moments when the concept works exactly as intended. Unfortunately, clumsy handling, uneven mission design, dated graphics and a very short campaign keep it from reaching its potential.
Bond fans may still enjoy the novelty of driving the DB5 and experimenting with its gadgets, and the unusual vehicle-focused approach makes 007 Racing an interesting curiosity in the series. As a standalone driving or vehicular combat game, however, the PlayStation offers considerably better alternatives.
Developed by Eutechnyx and published by Electronic Arts in 2000, 007 Racing is a PlayStation-exclusive vehicular action game built around one of James Bond’s most recognizable trademarks: gadget-equipped cars. Despite the title, this is not really a racing game. Instead, it combines driving, combat, chases, escort missions and timed objectives into a short mission-based campaign.
Rating: 5/10
The concept is immediately appealing. Rather than putting Bond on foot, the game places him behind the wheel of vehicles such as the Aston Martin DB5, Lotus Esprit, BMW Z3, BMW Z8 and BMW 750iL. Each car is equipped with Q-Branch technology, including machine guns, missiles, smoke screens, oil slicks and other gadgets.
The campaign contains 12 missions, and fortunately they are more varied than the title suggests. You might have to escape pursuing enemies, destroy hostile vehicles, protect another car, shoot down a helicopter, collect or deliver objects, reach checkpoints before time expires, or complete several objectives within the same stage.
This variety is probably the game’s greatest strength. 007 Racing often feels closer to Spy Hunter or Vigilante 8 than to a conventional racing title, and a few missions genuinely capture the feel of a Bond car chase.
Unfortunately, the driving mechanics are not strong enough to support the idea.
Cars feel stiff and awkward, with steering that can alternate between overly sensitive and sluggish depending on the situation. Collisions can send the vehicle in unexpected directions, and aiming weapons while controlling the car can be unnecessarily frustrating. The faster chase sequences generally work better, while missions that require precise maneuvering expose the weaknesses of the handling.
Mission design is similarly inconsistent. Some stages are completed quickly and without much trouble, while others suddenly become difficult because of tight time limits, unclear objectives or instant-failure conditions. Replaying a mission because you misunderstood an objective is one thing; replaying it because the controls or collision physics worked against you is considerably less enjoyable.
The game is also quite short. Once you understand the objectives and become comfortable with the controls, the entire campaign can be finished in only a few hours. A harder difficulty offers some additional challenge, but there is not much substantial new content afterward.
A split-screen multiplayer mode provides Deathmatch and Pass the Bomb variations, but it feels more like an extra than a major attraction. The same awkward handling remains, and the limited arenas prevent it from competing with dedicated vehicular combat games.
Graphically, 007 Racing was already unimpressive when it arrived late in the PlayStation’s lifespan. The Bond vehicles are recognizable and reasonably detailed, but environments are sparse and frequently covered in blurry textures. Pop-in, simple scenery and occasional performance problems further emphasize the game’s lack of polish. Damage effects and explosions are also fairly basic.
The audio fares better. The Bond-style music helps establish the appropriate atmosphere, while voice acting and familiar sound effects give the game more personality than its visuals. The overall presentation makes reasonable use of the license even when the underlying gameplay struggles.
007 Racing is therefore a frustrating example of a good idea receiving mediocre execution. A game dedicated entirely to Bond’s famous cars and Q-Branch gadgets should have been an easy success, and there are occasional moments when the concept works exactly as intended. Unfortunately, clumsy handling, uneven mission design, dated graphics and a very short campaign keep it from reaching its potential.
Bond fans may still enjoy the novelty of driving the DB5 and experimenting with its gadgets, and the unusual vehicle-focused approach makes 007 Racing an interesting curiosity in the series. As a standalone driving or vehicular combat game, however, the PlayStation offers considerably better alternatives.
