- 007 First Light is a solid AAA third-person action-adventure from IO Interactive, blending Hitman-style stealth with Uncharted-esque action.
- Experience a young James Bond's origin story, focusing on his recruitment into MI6 and early missions.
- Gameplay offers diverse approaches: slick stealth, improvisational combat, and gadget use.
- The game features stunning visuals and a compelling narrative, despite some pacing issues in its 15-20 hour runtime.
- Bond fans and AAA action enthusiasts will likely find this a must-play experience.
Is 007 First Light Worth Buying?
Before you commit to purchasing 007 First Light, it's essential to understand what this new James Bond adventure from IO Interactive brings to the table. Developed by the acclaimed studio behind the Hitman franchise, this game offers a fresh take on the iconic spy, focusing on his early days within MI6. It's a bombastic AAA third-person action-adventure that delivers a unique blend of stealth, combat, and cinematic storytelling.
Video Highlights:
- 007 First Light is a solid AAA third-person action-adventure that delivers.
- It blends Hitman-style public space infiltration with Uncharted-like cinematic action.
- Combat is improvisational, heavily utilizing environmental interactions and limited ammo.
- The game's narrative follows a younger Bond, recruited by MI6, with a strong supporting cast.
- Expect a 15-20 hour experience, with replayability in its Tactical Simulations (Taxim) mode.
This title is a full-throated Bond adventure, capturing the essence of the character while introducing a new, younger iteration. It’s an experience that aims to make you feel like the clever, resourceful spy, whether you're navigating high-stakes social events or engaging in explosive firefights.
For Bond fans, 007 First Light is highly recommended as it delivers a unique and authentic Bond experience, blending new and classic elements without compromise.
Gameplay Mechanics: Stealth, Combat, and Gadgets
007 First Light strikes a balance between calculated stealth and explosive action, drawing inspiration from IO Interactive's past successes. The game encourages player agency, offering multiple ways to approach objectives.
Stealth and Social Spycraft
The stealth mechanics in 007 First Light are reminiscent of a "diet Hitman" experience. Missions often begin in public spaces, requiring you to observe, interact, and find unconventional ways into restricted areas. This might involve distracting guards, impersonating individuals, or cleverly using the environment to your advantage. While not as open-ended as Hitman, there are still a good handful of options for creative infiltration.
Hitman-esque Infiltration
- Public spaces: Navigate freely, gather intel.
- Distractions: Light garbage cans, hack devices.
- Impersonation: Blend in to gain access.
- Multiple routes: Choose between vents, staff passages, or social bluffs.
Splinter Cell Conviction-style Stealth
- Cover mechanics: Hide in grass, behind corners.
- Lure & takedown: Quietly neutralize enemies.
- Environmental hacks: Blind enemies with bursting pipes or cameras.
- Bluff mechanic: Use resources to talk your way out of being spotted temporarily.
While stealth is a core component, NPCs can be quite easily duped, which might reduce the challenge for hardcore immersive sim fans. The gadget usage can also feel a bit silly at times, allowing Bond to stand in plain sight while using his Q-watch.
Fluid and Environmental Combat
When stealth fails, or when the situation demands it, 007 First Light seamlessly transitions into dynamic combat. Hand-to-hand combat is intuitive, featuring parries and dodges. However, the true depth comes from environmental interactions. You can grab enemies and throw them, shove them into objects, or use items from the environment as improvised weapons.
| Combat Element | Description | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Melee Combat | Intuitive and punchy hand-to-hand brawling. | Parry, dodge, contextual takedowns, environmental slams (walls, tables). |
| Gunplay | Standard third-person shooting, limited ammo. | Aim assist (controller), slow-motion kill chains, precision targeting rewards. |
| Environmental | Dynamic interaction with surroundings. | Throw enemies, use objects (bottles, bricks), shoot explosive barrels. |
| Weapon Cycling | Constant weapon swapping due to limited ammo. | Seamlessly pick up dropped weapons, kick them up with feet for quick use. |
The game's combat encourages improvisation. You might blind enemies with a smoke bomb, take two down with your hands, shoot an explosive barrel, then grab a foe and throw them off a cliff. This dynamic flow makes every encounter exciting and makes you feel like a true secret agent.
Gadgets and Progression
Bond's gadgets, courtesy of Q Branch, are central to both stealth and combat. While you select a few preferred gadgets before missions, the game's progression is relatively simple, focusing more on the freedom to use what's available rather than complex loadout customization. The Q-Lens, for example, is a versatile tool for scanning environments, hacking devices, and distracting enemies.
Key Gadget Utilities:
- Hack electronic devices to create distractions or open paths
- Temporarily stun or blind guards to bypass them
- Scan environments for pickups, exits, and points of interest
- Use social bluffs to talk your way out of sticky situations
While the gadget economy is not as deep as some might expect, it serves its purpose in enabling diverse gameplay approaches. A sequel could potentially expand on these loadout concepts for greater player customization.
Story, Characters, and World of 007 First Light
007 First Light offers an original, standalone James Bond origin story, developed in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios. It introduces a younger, more reckless Bond as he begins his journey in MI6.
A New Origin Story
The narrative follows Bond as a newly recruited naval air crewman who, after a heroic act, is offered a spot in the revived Double 0 program. His first major mission involves stopping a rogue agent, leading him to uncover a deep conspiracy alongside his reluctant mentor, Greenway. The story handles the transition of Bond from recruit to the spy we know with confidence, immersing players in a world of deception and danger.
The game's story, particularly after a somewhat rough opening act, evolves into a compelling narrative centered around AI, security, and the risks of technological fallibility. This theme is highly relevant and provides a strong foundation for the villain's motivations, making them more interesting than typical mustache-twirling antagonists.
Patrick Gibson's portrayal of a young James Bond is a standout, capturing the character's charm, cunning, and wit without being insufferable. His performance, combined with excellent writing, makes this Bond feel authentic and fresh.
Supporting Cast and Fan Service
Familiar faces like M, Q, and Moneypenny make appearances, some with fresh takes (Q is particularly cool). Lenny James as Greenway, Bond's mentor, is a highlight, delivering a brilliant performance that adds significant heart to the story. The chemistry between Bond and Moneypenny is also well-handled.
For long-time Bond fans, the game includes subtle fan service and hidden references that enhance the experience without feeling forced. Moments like exploring Q Branch and interacting with prototypes truly allow players to live out the Bond fantasy.
| Character | Role in First Light | Portrayal Notes |
|---|---|---|
| James Bond | Young, resourceful, and sometimes reckless MI6 recruit. | Patrick Gibson delivers a perfect blend of charm, wit, and subtle bravado. |
| Greenway | Bond's reluctant mentor, a key supporting character. | Lenny James' brilliant performance adds significant depth and heart to the narrative. |
| Moneypenny | Field analyst, Bond's longtime ally. | Cool, quirky, and fun, with well-handled chemistry with Bond. |
| Q | Gadget master, provides Bond with essential tools. | Portrayed with a fresh, "cool" spin, a father figure of sorts. |
| M | Head of MI6, provides steady hand and guidance. | Performs her duties as expected, secretly supportive of Bond's risk-taking. |
| Villain | Central antagonist, motivated by AI and security concerns. | Compelling and relevant motivations, moving beyond stereotypical villainy, emerges after Act 1. |
Exotic Locations and Visuals
The game takes players to breathtaking and exotic locations, from a remote Icelandic island to a secluded resort in Vietnam and high-society galas. IO Interactive's Glacier engine, purpose-built for dense crowds and detailed environments, shines in these settings. The visual design carefully balances mundane office interiors with glamorous set pieces, creating a world that feels both grounded and spectacular.
The game's visual fidelity, especially in capturing the glamorous aesthetic of nightclubs and exotic resorts, offers a unique "virtual tourism" experience, much like Assassin's Creed does for historical locations.
Performance, Presentation, and Replayability
007 First Light boasts a high level of technical polish and presentation, enhancing the overall spy experience.
Technical Performance
On high-end PCs, the game runs smoothly at 4K with DLSS, achieving around 100 FPS with minimal crashes or bugs. While there was an isolated stuttering issue in the final mission for one reviewer, it's hoped this will be addressed before launch. The game's facial animations are particularly impressive, capturing the subtle expressions crucial to Bond's character.
The game is PS5 Pro Enhanced, leveraging the console's ultra-high-speed SSD for near-instant load times and DualSense controller's haptic feedback for enhanced immersion during action sequences.
Sound and Music
The soundscape of 007 First Light is top-notch, featuring killer music that blends ambient tracks, big orchestral action scores, and classic Bond motifs. Lana Del Rey's original title sequence song, "First Light," also adds to the cinematic feel.
Replayability and TacSim Mode
The main campaign offers a substantial 15-20 hours of gameplay. While the social sequences aren't as replayable as Hitman's sandbox levels, the game introduces a separate "TacSim" mode. This challenge-based mode offers VR training simulations with modifiers and alterations for combat and stealth scenarios. Players can earn scores, ranks, and points to unlock new gear, gadget upgrades, and outfits in a dedicated Q Lab area.
| Mode | Description | Replayability |
|---|---|---|
| Main Campaign | Linear story-driven adventure, 15-20 hours. | Limited replayability for social sequences, but higher difficulties offer challenge. |
| TacSim Mode | VR training simulations with combat/stealth challenges and modifiers. | High replayability, score-chasing, unlocks, and future content. |
The TacSim mode is a pleasant surprise, offering a great excuse to embrace the game's fluid combat and stealth mechanics outside the main story. IO Interactive plans to expand this mode with future content, including driving challenges.
Potential Drawbacks to Consider
While 007 First Light delivers a largely positive experience, there are a few areas that might not meet every player's expectations.
Pacing and Padding
Some reviewers noted that certain levels felt padded to extend the game's 15-20 hour runtime. These sections, often involving extensive "walk and talk" segments or searching for keys in less interesting environments, could feel less thrilling compared to the more action-packed or clever parts of the game.
Immersive Sim Elements vs. Action
The game attempts to blend immersive sim elements with cinematic action. However, some feel that it doesn't fully commit to either. Hitman fans might find the puzzle-box levels less reactive or sophisticated, while action game enthusiasts might desire more combat sequences. The balance means both aspects can feel slightly "underbaked" or "overstretched" at times.
Driving Sequences and Boss Battles
The driving sequences, particularly those involving sports cars, were mentioned as not being as tight or thrilling as hoped. While other vehicle sections with trucks offer good destructive fun, the dream of "whipping around a badass Aston Martin" didn't quite hit the mark for some. Additionally, some boss battles were criticized, with the final boss being a particular disappointment, continuing a trend seen in other AAA third-person action games.
Expect some obvious "yellow paint" guidance, a common feature in AAA third-person action games, which can sometimes break immersion for players who prefer less hand-holding.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?
007 First Light successfully delivers a thrilling and authentic James Bond experience. It’s a game that largely fulfills the long-held desire for an IO Interactive take on the 007 universe, albeit with a few minor missteps.
For Bond Fans
- Absolute must-play.
- Captures the essence of Bond.
- Excellent portrayal of young Bond.
- Rich fan service.
For AAA Action Enjoyers
- Highly enjoyable.
- Fluid combat and stealth.
- Cinematic and bombastic.
- Engaging story and visuals.
Considerations
- Some pacing issues.
- Immersive sim elements are "light".
- Driving and some boss battles could be improved.
- Limited progression/loadout complexity.
The game's ability to blend clever spycraft, improvisational combat, a compelling story, and stunning visuals makes it a standout. While it may not be a perfect masterclass, its flaws are overshadowed by its strengths and the sheer fun it offers. It's a game that truly makes you feel like James Bond.
Frequently Asked Questions About 007 First Light
Q: What type of game is 007 First Light?
007 First Light is a third-person action-adventure game that combines stealth, combat (both unarmed and with weapons), and the use of gadgets. It also features vehicle segments.
Q: Is 007 First Light based on a specific Bond movie or book?
No, 007 First Light is an entirely original and standalone story. It is not directly based on any previous James Bond media but is developed in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios.
Q: How long is the main campaign of 007 First Light?
The main campaign for 007 First Light can range from 15 to 20 hours, depending on your playstyle and how aggressively you progress through the story.
Q: Does 007 First Light have multiplayer?
At present, 007 First Light is confirmed as a single-player experience. There is no information regarding multiplayer modes.
Q: Which characters appear in 007 First Light?
Alongside James Bond, the game features series favorites M, Q, and Moneypenny. It also introduces new characters like Greenway, Bond’s mentor, and the Pirate King Bawma.