007 First Light Review – The Name’s Bond, James Bond

For years, I wondered what would happen if someone finally gave James Bond the modern video game adaptation he truly deserved. It always felt like only a matter of time before a studio stepped up and did it justice. Luckily for me, and many other fans, the answer came from IO Interactive, the studio best known for the Hitman series. They made 007 First Light, and it is hard to imagine a better fit for a James Bond game.

Rather than focusing on an experienced Bond at the peak of his career, First Light takes a different approach by telling an origin story centered around a younger, less polished version of the iconic spy.

Earning the Number

Unlike most previous 007 games, First Light begins before James Bond becomes the legendary agent we all know and love. It focuses more on the process of becoming 007 rather than presenting the polished spy from the start.

The story begins with Bond being drawn into the newly revived Double-0 program after a display of courage during a mission that quickly sets the tone for what kind of agent he might become.

He is not yet the confident, untouchable figure from the films, but instead someone impulsive, sharp, and still very much shaped by his mistakes.

The main plot initially revolves around the hunt for 009, a rogue Double-0 agent believed to have betrayed MI6. During his early operations, Bond grows close to Greenway, who acts as a mentor figure, and the two quickly become partners as they chase leads across multiple countries.

As the investigation deepens, it becomes clear that nothing is as straightforward as it first appears. Hidden agendas, shifting loyalties, and a wider conspiracy within the intelligence world slowly begin to surface.

The younger Bond is cocky and sometimes a bit arrogant, but given his age and skill, it works. He is confident in a way that still feels unrefined, and watching him grow, gain experience, and slowly develop into a proper spy feels like the story is heading in the right direction.

More Than Just Another Shooter

One of the biggest expectations going in was that First Light would end up being just another third-person shooter action game. Thankfully, it is much more than that.

At its core, 007 First Light builds on IO Interactive’s strengths, blending stealth, improvisation, and cinematic action into a system that constantly encourages player choice.

Missions are structured in a way that rarely forces a single approach, instead allowing you to move between stealth, social infiltration, and open combat depending on how situations unfold.

In other words, you are free to tackle objectives however you see fit, whether that means putting on a disguise and walking straight into enemy territory without raising suspicion, manipulating systems to disable security and slip through unnoticed, or simply going in loud and punching your way out.

Not only that, but what really make the experience dynamic are the social stealth and bluff mechanics. Instead of always relying on hiding or takedowns, Bond can often talk his way through situations and walk away clean.

That is easily one of the strongest parts of the game, the freedom of choice, which also reminded me of how Dishonored structures its missions and lets players decide how to approach them.

Combat itself is a mix of third-person shooting and close-quarters melee. Gunplay feels responsive and grounded, with a focus on cover-based encounters rather than pure run-and-gun action. This is also tied to limited ammo, meaning you are constantly switching weapons from defeated enemies to stay in the fight.

Melee combat is exactly what you would expect, with punches, grabs, parries, counters, and takedowns all playing a role in close encounters.

Now, Bond without his gadgets would be like Batman without tools, they simply cannot be separated. The game introduces a solid range of gadgets that give you tactical advantages, including hacking devices, stun tools, and distraction equipment.

That said, I mostly ended up relying on the same couple of gadgets throughout the game, which worked fine for my playstyle.

A Beautiful World To Spy In

Throughout the game, there are multiple moments where it genuinely feels like you are playing through a Bond film.

The way scenes transition, the pacing of missions, and the cinematic presentation all work together to create that feeling. It constantly puts you in the action and makes you feel like part of a blockbuster spy thriller.

Another highlight is the environments, which are generally very well designed.

Several major locations stand out in particular, such as Malta, the MI6 training facility, the Grand Carpathian Hotel in Slovakia, the Gala in Kensington, and the Pearl Resort in Vietnam. Each of these locations feels distinct, both visually and in how they play.

They help give the game a real sense of global scale and variety, making each mission feel like a new chapter in a different part of the world.

Not Quite Perfect

As much as I enjoyed my time playing through the campaign of 007 First Light, I do wish there was more replayability. There is some replay value thanks to different approaches and mission paths, but coming from IO Interactive, I expected a deeper system similar to Hitman’s level of experimentation.

After a few missions, you start to recognize patterns in how things play out, and while the first playthrough is excellent, I did not feel much desire to jump straight into a second run. That said, this does not hurt the overall experience too much, since the first playthrough is where the game shines the most.

Verdict

007 First Light marks the beginning of what could become a strong new Bond game series. Starting with a young Bond was the right decision, and it pays off by giving the story room to grow naturally.

There is a lot to learn from this first entry, and I am genuinely curious to see where IO Interactive takes it next. If you are a James Bond fan, you will feel right at home here, and even if you are not fully convinced going in, it is still worth experiencing.

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Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: IO Interactive
Country of Origin: Denmark
Release Date: May 27, 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2)

This review is based on a developer-provided copy of the PC version of the game.

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