007 First Light: Bond Is Back, and He’s Never Felt This Alive
Two days ago, on May 27, 2026, IO Interactive dropped 007 First Light into the world, and I’ve barely slept since. As someone who grew up renting the GoldenEye N64 cartridge until the magnetic tape practically wore out, and who has suffered through every underwhelming Bond tie-in since, I approached this with equal parts excitement and skepticism. Could the studio behind the modern Hitman trilogy actually capture lightning in a bottle twice? Turns out, they didn’t just capture it—they refined it, suited it up, handed it a martini, and let it loose across the globe.
At around 15-18 hours for the main story (more if you’re a completionist hunting every gadget upgrade and optional objective), First Light is an origin tale that feels both fresh and deeply respectful to the 007 mythos. It’s not a retread of any film. Instead, it gives us a young, cocky, still-forming James Bond—played with magnetic charm by Patrick Gibson—who’s raw around the edges but already showing the steel that will define him. This isn’t the finished article sipping vodka in Monte Carlo; this is the recruit learning how to tie his first bow tie while bullets fly.
The Story: Earning the Double-O
The plot kicks off with Bond involved in a messy hostage situation in Iceland as a promising but undisciplined MI6 asset. M (Priyanga Burford) sees something in him—the instinct, the improvisation, the sheer audacity. She fast-tracks him into a special training program overseen by John Greenway (Lennie James), a grizzled former 00 who values discipline over flair. Their dynamic is one of the highlights: mentor and protégé clashing philosophies while chasing a rogue 009 who’s gone off the reservation.
From icy fjords to the neon-drenched black markets of a fictional city called Aleph (ruled by the flamboyant Bawma, voiced by Lenny Kravitz), the story globetrots with confidence. Gemma Chan shines as a complex ally with her own agenda, and the supporting cast feels lived-in. The writing, handled by Michael Vogt and team, walks a tightrope: it has the glamour and one-liners you expect, but also real emotional weight as Bond confronts what becoming 007 will cost him.
I won’t spoil the twists, but there’s a mid-game sequence in Slovakia that had me pausing just to process the implications. It’s cinematic without feeling like a quick-time movie. Cutscenes blend seamlessly into gameplay, and dialogue choices (nothing game-changing, but enough to flavor interactions) let you lean into Bond’s emerging personality—suave, sarcastic, or straight-up aggressive. By the end, you genuinely feel like you’ve watched a young legend earn his number. It’s the best Bond narrative in a game, full stop. Not GoldenEye levels of cultural impact, but deeper and more personal.
Gameplay: Hitman Meets Uncharted, With a License to Thrill
If you’ve played Hitman 3, you’ll feel immediately at home, but IO has evolved the formula. First Light is more action-oriented while keeping that delicious systemic sandbox DNA. Levels are large, interconnected playgrounds where you can go loud with gunfire, go silent with improvised takedowns, or go full gadget Bond.
The core loop revolves around missions that give you multiple paths. Want to sneak through vents and poison a target’s drink? Classic. Prefer to cause a distraction with a rigged lighter and then snipe from afar? Go for it. Or you can kick the door down, dual-wield, and turn the place into a John Wick fever dream. The game encourages replaying levels for different approaches, with score multipliers and challenges unlocking cosmetics and story insights.
Combat feels weighty and satisfying. Hand-to-hand is brutal and fluid—think Sleeping Dogs mixed with Hitman’s close-quarters mastery. Gunplay is tight, with a great selection of iconic weapons (Walther PPK, of course) and some wild experimental stuff from Q branch. Cover is contextual rather than sticky, pushing you to stay mobile. I died a fair bit in the early hours learning the rhythms, but by the midpoint, I was chaining takedowns like a pro.
Stealth is where IO truly shines. The AI is sharp but exploitable in smart ways. Guards have routines, blind spots, and personal weaknesses you can discover through intel gathering. Disguises return, and they matter—walking too confidently in the wrong uniform raises suspicions. Environmental kills are plentiful and hilarious: icicles in Iceland, faulty neon signs in Aleph, you name it.
Driving sequences deserve special mention. The Aston Martin chases are pure adrenaline, blending arcade thrills with some light physics. One reviewer called them “one-button” in clips, but in context, they’re exhilarating set pieces that mix with on-foot sections. They break up the pacing perfectly.
Gadgets are a blast. The Q-Watch (your high-tech wrist device) serves as a multi-tool for hacking, scanning, and non-lethal takedowns. The lighter doubles as a blowtorch or explosive, the pen is mightier than the sword (literally, it’s a dart gun), and there are more surprises I won’t ruin. They integrate into gameplay rather than feeling like gimmicks.
The game isn’t perfect here. Some levels feel a bit padded with backtracking, and the tutorial phase eases you in slowly—perhaps too slowly for veterans. A couple of boss fights lean too heavily on spectacle over strategy. But these are minor quibbles in a package that otherwise nails the fantasy of being Bond.
Presentation: Globe-Trotting Eye Candy
Running on the Glacier engine, First Light looks stunning. On PS5 (I played the Pro version), it’s a visual feast—crisp 4K at 60fps in Performance mode, or gorgeous ray-traced visuals in Quality. The lighting in nighttime Aleph markets, the reflective ice in Iceland, the detailed interiors of MI6 safehouses… it’s all top-tier. Character models are excellent, especially Gibson’s Bond, who conveys swagger even in idle animations.
Audio is impeccable. The orchestral score swells at the right moments, mixing classic Bond motifs with modern tension. Gunfire cracks realistically, footsteps echo with purpose, and the voice acting is across-the-board strong. Patrick Gibson is Bond here—charming, dangerous, with that hint of vulnerability that makes him human.
One small nitpick: occasional texture pop-in on PC (depending on your rig), but nothing game-breaking. Load times are near-instant on current-gen hardware.
Multiplayer and Longevity?
It’s strictly single-player, which feels right for a narrative-driven Bond game. No tacked-on modes. Post-launch support seems likely given the strong reception—rumors of DLC missions swirl already. New Game+ with tougher AI and gadget loadouts adds replay value, and the challenge system keeps you coming back to perfect levels.
Who Should Play It?
If you’re a Bond fan who’s waited decades for a proper game, this is your holy grail. If you loved Hitman but wanted more story and action, you’ll be hooked. Even if you’re just after a polished single-player adventure in 2026’s crowded year, First Light delivers.
It’s not revolutionary in every mechanical sense—it builds smartly on proven foundations—but it executes the James Bond fantasy better than anything before it. The elegance, the danger, the wit, the globe-trotting escapism… it’s all here.
Final Verdict
007 First Light is a triumph. IO Interactive has crafted what might be the definitive James Bond video game experience. It respects the legacy while carving out its own identity as a more grounded, character-focused origin story. With Metacritic scores hovering in the high 80s and widespread praise calling it one of the year’s best, the momentum is real.
Is it flawless? No. Pacing dips occasionally, and some systems could use more depth. But when you’re speeding through the streets in an Aston Martin, gadgets at the ready, trading barbs with a villain while a killer soundtrack plays… those flaws melt away like ice in a shaken martini.
Bond is back. And for the first time in a long time, he feels essential again.
Score: 9.2/10
Earn the number. You won’t regret it.
