007 First Light Review

You step into 007 First Light as if IO Interactive were pulling you into a long-imagined experiment they've been building for years. Coming off the legacy of the Hitman series from IO Interactive, the studio has always been known for systems-driven stealth, patient planning, and letting you solve problems in multiple ways. So when they finally got their hands on the James Bond universe, it didn't feel like a surprise so much as a "this was inevitable" moment.

You've probably thought the same thing over the years whenever you've played a Hitman mission and imagined what it would look like if the same design philosophy were applied to a tuxedo-wearing spy with a license to kill. That idea becomes 007 First Light, a game that tries to balance IO Interactive's slow-burn stealth design with James Bond's explosive identity.

And right away, 007 First Light makes it clear that it isn't interested in being just Hitman in disguise. It also isn't trying to be a straight cinematic shooter like Uncharted. Instead, it sits somewhere in between, constantly shifting tone depending on what the mission demands from you.

That constant push and pull defines your entire experience. One moment you're quietly gathering clues, listening to conversations, and piecing together information like an investigator. The next moment, 007 First Light throws you into high-speed chaos, where bullets, explosions, and hand-to-hand combat take over. This dual identity shapes everything you do in 007 First Light.

And while it doesn't always land perfectly, it creates a version of James Bond that feels surprisingly complete.

The story in 007 First Light drops you into a younger version of James Bond, long before he becomes the fully polished version you already know. You're not stepping into a flawless superspy; you're stepping into someone still learning how to operate in a world of espionage, manipulation, and controlled violence. That framing changes how you interpret almost everything around you.

From the start, 007 First Light builds its identity around Bond's early career and the relationships that shape him. You're introduced to familiar MI6 figures like M, Q, and Moneypenny, but they aren't just background names. They actively interact with you, guide you, challenge you, and sometimes question whether you're ready for the field at all.

Moneypenny, in particular, is a highlight in 007 First Light, not just as a supporting character but as a figure who drives much of the narrative's emotional beat. Her views keep you grounded in the missions, often tempering Bond's more reckless instincts.

Bond himself is written and performed in a way that leans heavily into charm and confidence, but with hesitation beneath the surface. You feel like you're watching someone grow into the identity of James Bond rather than already being there. That evolution is central to the story's pacing.

The antagonist side of 007 First Light also avoids simple villain tropes for most of its runtime.

It's not just an overblown threat but a story about motives related to modern intelligence systems and AI decision-making, which makes it surprisingly relevant. You are not chasing a person. You are chasing ideas of control, prediction, and trust in systems that may or may not be trustworthy.

Throughout the story, 007 First Light shifts tone between grounded espionage and cinematic spectacle. Some missions unfold like traditional spy missions, where you gather intelligence gradually, while some turn into full-blown action sequences that feel like set-pieces from a Bond film. The structure is purposely episodic, almost as if you're playing through a series of mini Bond films sewn together.

By the end of the narrative arc, 007 First Light settles into something more emotionally grounded than you might expect. The final missions are a real treat, thanks to the relationships you've built with characters like Greenway, M, and Moneypenny—even if the pacing falters in earlier sections.

The core gameplay of 007 First Light is built on constant shifting between systems. You are never locked into a single playstyle for long, and the game keeps pushing you to adapt. One mission might lean heavily into infiltration and observation, while the next turns into a linear cinematic escape sequence.

007 First Light uses a flexible mission structure where you're usually dropped into a location with multiple objectives. You start by gathering information, often through environmental storytelling or overhearing conversations.

Then you move into infiltration, where gadgets and positioning are more important than confrontation.

The game gives you tools like Bond's scanning vision, hacking devices, distraction gadgets, and poison-based tools that allow you to manipulate enemies without confrontation. You tend to use these tools to open up rather than brute-force solutions.

One of the most important design decisions for 007 First Light is how it combines open-ended problem-solving with guided narrative pacing. You're rarely given total freedom like in Hitman, but you're also not locked into strict linear paths. Instead, the game constantly opens and closes its systems depending on the mission moment.

During infiltration sections, you often find multiple approaches to the same objective. You could crawl through air ducts, social engineer guards, or distract with gadgets. This gives a feeling of multi-layered freedom where your choices still count even within a well-controlled system.

Then, 007 First Light suddenly changes gears into combat-heavy segments. These moments are supposed to be more cinematic and fast-paced, highlighting cover shooting, hand-to-hand combat, and explosive set pieces. The transition between stealth and action is one of the defining rhythms of the entire game.

Driving and traversal sections also appear throughout 007 First Light, though they are more limited in scope. These sequences are designed to maintain momentum rather than closely simulate vehicle systems.

They act as connective tissue between larger mission beats. What is most noticeable in gameplay is how often 007 First Light encourages replaying missions. Different approaches can lead to very different experiences, and the game actively encourages experimentation through its structure.

That's where the Hitman DNA is the most obvious in 007 First Light.

You're always watching enemy paths, listening to dialogue, and recognizing behavioral patterns. But this is not a pure sandbox stealth game; in fact, you are often guided toward specific narrative beats that limit your total freedom. Stealthing is very much about gadgets, particularly tools such as poison darts, hacking equipment, and distraction devices. These let you isolate targets or create openings, but they also make stealth more about timing than long-term planning.

One of the strongest aspects of stealth in 007 First Light is social interaction. You don't just hide; you listen. The chatter of NPCs is often rich with clues about goals, passwords, or environmental changes. It makes the world feel alive and reactive, as if information is flowing around you all the time.

Stealth can sometimes be a bit of a pain, though. Some puzzles or goals have only one solution, which can limit pacing. You may find yourself scanning large areas trying to locate a single trigger or clue, which interrupts the otherwise fluid rhythm of gameplay.

Combat is where 007 First Light fully shifts gears.

When stealth fails, or missions demand action, the game turns fast, aggressive, and cinematic. Hand-to-hand is especially strong, with contextual interactions letting you make dynamic use of the environment. You can grab weapons in the middle of combat, throw things, and chain melee takedowns together that feel grounded but impactful. Gunplay is controlled, not chaotic, demanding precision and pacing over spray-and-pray.

The success of the Mission and Replay systems is key to the development of 007 First Light. Finish challenges in the main campaign and tactical simulation modes to unlock gadgets, upgrades, and customization options. These systems encourage the player to replay missions using different approaches to optimize efficiency or test out new strategies.

The tactical simulation mode, in particular, offers a lot of replay value. You can replay encounters with different rules, such as limited ammo, tougher enemies, or specific objective restrictions. This makes familiar missions into new challenges that test your understanding of the systems.

Visually, 007 First Light is a little more measured. It toggles between simple environments and highly detailed cinematic spaces instead of throwing spectacle at you every second. There are offices, laboratories, and plain interiors, offset by high-end places like nightclubs, resorts, and luxury social events.

007 First Light knows how to display when it wants to. Crowded places become alive, especially social hubs where every NPC has its own movement and reaction patterns. These areas feel like working spaces rather than frozen levels.

Another major strength of 007 First Light is character animation. Storytelling relies heavily on facial expressions, subtle gestures, and eye movement. The animation is so expressive that often you get the emotional context without dialogue.

The sound design supports the cinematic tone and accentuates the atmosphere.

The environments are layered, from quiet conversations in hallways to loud, crazy action scenes. The whole cast does a steady and grounded job with their voices, which keeps the story more believable, even in the high-stakes moments.

In terms of performance, 007 First Light runs well on most systems with stable frame rates and excellent overall optimization. The experience is mostly stable and responsive throughout, though there are some problems in some later sequences.

007 First Light shines brightest when it leans into its hybrid identity. It doesn't try to be Hitman all the way, nor does it try to be a linear action game all the way. Instead, it constantly moves between both identities, creating a rhythm that feels distinct in modern action-adventure design.

You end up experiencing a version of James Bond that feels broad and flexible. Some moments are slow and investigative, others are loud and chaotic, and many sit somewhere in between. It's that variance that keeps the experience engaging, even when the pacing sometimes lags.

By the time 007 First Light is over, it has the feel of a game that knows what Bond is all about much better than any stiff gameplay formula. It seizes the charm, the tension, the spectacle, and the improvisation that characterize the characters.