One of the best things about experiencing new art, be it an album, a movie, or a video game, is that you never know when you’ll fall in love next. Sometimes, over the course of listening to an album or playing a game, you start to realize that it was exactly what you wanted. And you didn’t even know it until you were already in it. That’s often how I felt playing 007 First Light. I was in awe at every title card, engrossed in the story, engaged in the combat, and, by the end, I knew that IO Interactive had not only made their best game yet, but also one of my new favorite games of all time.
First Light is an origin story. Over the course of the game’s 15 hours, you play a young James Bond who is finding his footing at MI6. While the narrative certainly has the expected Bond-isms that fans of the character are familiar with (fast cars, cool tech, hot women), Bond is still very much a newbie at the start of his espionage career. It goes without saying that at the front and center of the show is Patrick Gibson as Bond himself, and he does a fantastic job embodying the character’s charm while still being endearing. He’s backed by a colorful cast of characters, all of whom are voiced incredibly well. It’s their performances, paired with the writing, that make the banter believable. Even if, at times, they seemingly won’t shut up.
I’m no stranger to IO Interactive, so I was expecting a good-looking game that plays smoothly, as I will get into; however, I was surprised at how much I grew to enjoy the characters. It’s nice to see a modern linear single-player game with characters that grow and change over the course of the narrative. The villains still monologue and Bond still quips, but it’s not at the expense of the characters around him. In fact, taking the time to really explore each area and take part in optional conversations with NPCs pays off in its own way down the line. Much like the drive and talk sections of a Grand Theft Auto game, the walk and talks in First Light are significant to the way you understand its characters.
There are quite a few James Bond references sprinkled throughout the game, but they’re mostly set decoration. You can play First Light without any Bond knowledge and still have a great time with it. The globe-spanning setpieces are varied and fun, brought to life with cinematic realism. Nearly every level is presented impressively, backed by a sweeping orchestral score, and designed to naturally guide you to points of interest, which is good because, much like Hitman, there are often a few different ways to complete the objective.
Most of the time, James has to enter a restricted area without being detected. In a given mission where you have to snoop around a fancy hotel, for example, everything from how you get in to how you stay undetected is up to you. Sneak in through an open window. Distract the guards and walk right in. Moments like this are where Hitman‘s DNA is felt the most in First Light, though the sensation is mostly prevalent in specific levels. The key distinction comes from the way the protagonists approach the task. Unlike the cold and calculating Hitman, young Bond still has a conscience, but not always a Licence to Kill.
To get around conflict, Bond has a few tricks up his sleeve. The first is the Omega watch from Q, which is the main part of your loadout. You can equip up to 4 gadgets to it at a time, and they are fueled by tech and odd liquids found around the levels. The gadgets can range from poison darts that will make the target leave their patrol route to mini-missiles that do exactly what you expect mini-missiles to do. While it’s fun to see them get experimented on in Q Lab, it’s out in the field where they’re really tested. This makes each encounter in a mission a puzzle. There might be an optimal way to solve it, but the best one is the one you come up with on the spot.
When your cover is blown, it’s time for action, and thankfully, First Light delivers an awesome fight system. It’s not uncommon for Bond to be swarmed by enemies if he’s spotted, and the gameplay is designed to help you manage that. You have your simple attack buttons to get in a punch or combo, but things get really exciting when you start to move. There’s a physicality to the combat in First Light, which allows Bond to grapple with enemies, push them into one another, or throw items (like mugs or keyboards) to stun them.
Remarkably, when things get really serious and you are given permission to deaden enemies, the gameplay retains that physicality. IO Interactive put a lot of time into crafting the way Bond moves, and it shows in these intense sequences. Tapping the button to pick up a weapon while on the move will make Bond kick the weapon up to his hands. If a gun is out of ammo, Bond can throw it to momentarily stun enemies, giving you a window of opportunity to bumrush an armed guard. And successful hits will also net you special finishing moves as a reward.
It’s not an immediate game over or shootout whenever you’re spotted, either. First Light features a bluff system where Bond can make up an excuse for why he’s somewhere he shouldn’t be or fake surrender to get the drop on an enemy. Violence isn’t always the option, and the game equips you with enough mechanics to avoid it. As a whole, the gameplay systems in First Light are finely tuned, due in large part to the work IOI has done on Hitman. I don’t actually know how many variations of a task there are in each chapter, but I always felt in control. As if the path was being laid out before me based on my individual actions.
On a technical level, 007 First Light is solid. The game consistently looks amazing across the various locations that Bond visits on his mission. Details like accurate lip syncing and eye animations go a long way in making the characters feel alive as much as the way they interact with each other and the world around them. As you play, Bond will occasionally reach out to touch the wall or a chair, and it grounds him in his location during exploration, similar to throwing bottles at an enemy during a fight. The game also sounds great through chats and fights alike, with ample orchestral themes woven into the soundscape for good measure.
I have a few random notes to share before wrapping up this review. Firstly, I really loved the cold open and the cut to credits featuring the original theme song from Lana Del Rey put a smile on my face. As for some criticisms, I have just a few. To start, the game only installed up to the end of the opening credits initially, and for some reason, I had to reinstall the game to continue playing. Next up, anyone who is excited to customize Bond’s look should know that outfit changes are limited to the TacSim, which is an in-universe way for you to replay missions. Lastly, if you’ve been listening/reading to my reviews for a while, this shouldn’t be a surprise, but the game doesn’t currently have a photo mode. Though one is promised as an update later as part of their Year One roadmap.
There was a lot of talk, prior to release, about how First Light would simply be a Hitman game with a 007 coat of paint. However, after experiencing the full game, it feels more like the prior Hitman games from IO Interactive were preparing the team to make their best game yet. First Light is an engaging, globe-trotting adventure that’s also an origin story for one of the most popular spies in the world. And it looks, plays, and sounds great while doing it. I’m not sure how the MGM/Amazon deal will impact the development of the next game, but if IOI is behind it, then I will be there day one. 007 First Light is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
