007 First Light Review

It’s been a long while since we have had a video game featuring James Bond, with the last one probably worthy of a mention being 007 Legends back in 2012. It’s been a long time coming, and though I’m not the biggest fan of the movies, I’ll always check out the games. For clarity, we weren’t lucky enough to receive a code for the game for review. So you can be safe in the knowledge that these words are from my personal perspective after parting with my hard-earned cash. 007 First Light is finally in our hands on Xbox Series X/S, Playstation 5, PC and coming later this year to Nintendo Switch 2.

An Intriguing Story With A Young Bond

Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the storyline for you here. A brief overview, though, here the narrative follows a young James Bond. You’re out to prove everything, and that you’re capable of tackling anything thrown at you. Nobody seems to give you a chance at first, but this is all about proving your worth to MI6 and slowly but surely paving the way to that 007 status. It’s an adventure that sinks its hooks into you from the get-go, it’s a rollercoaster, and you’ll get close to the characters and their personalities. The cast and the voice acting shine through in the overall story, and it does feel like you’re playing a part in a major operation and movie at the same time.

A Sharp Blend of Stealth, Tension, and Cinematic Action

There is a great mixture of gameplay throughout 007 First Light. A blend of stealth, infiltration, platforming, combat and gunfights. You can tell that some of the elements from the Hitman series shine through in this game, but that isn’t a bad thing at all, and it works really well. After getting through the initial Bond training, this is when the missions really become interesting and a joy to play through. Replayability is there if you want to follow different infiltration paths, chase optional objectives and hunt the hidden intel throughout missions.

There are a few personal gripes I have with the gameplay, though. AI feels very lazy, and what I mean by that is that they must be hard of hearing or blind. At several moments throughout my stealth gameplay, I ended up in fist fights, where other enemies are a whisker away and stand staring into space. It’s almost as if they are oblivious to the fact that you’re making loads of noise in proximity to them. Combat is simplistic and repetitive, with coloured markers always indicating whether to dodge or counter an attack. After a while of this, it becomes very predictive and doesn’t seem fluid. Camera angles can be awkward, and on occasions, you’ll be fighting with other enemies just standing there, pointing weapons at you, not firing. It might just be me, but it all just seemed a bit clunky and robotic.

Gunplay seems pretty solid, and I enjoyed diving around, popping headshots and causing massive explosions. It’s just what you want and need from an action-adventure game. I was slightly disappointed with the fact that you can only carry two gadgets into missions with you, and you’re never told which ones will work best for you in that level.

A Visual Masterpiece

IO Interactive has absolutely nailed every aspect of the visual and audio presentation, carrying on their exceptional work from the Hitman series. The attention to detail throughout all of the environments is simply superb, nailing the balance between cinematic and this being a video game. Believe me when I tell you that this is one of the best-looking games you’ll dive into in this generation. There is a particular segment where you’re undercover in a nightclub, and it felt like I was there. I spent much longer in this area of the game than was required, simply because I was soaking in how incredible everything looked. The lighting, the music pumping through and orchestrating an infiltration, pure art in video game format. Performance on Xbox Series X is near perfect. Throughout my playthrough, I didn’t experience any visual hiccups with a smooth and stable 60fps.

Wonderful Audio & Brilliant Voice Acting

Audio design in 007 First Light is just as magnificent as the rest of the package. Voice acting is a particular highlight, with a fully fledged cast of professional actors who have made notable appearances in movies and TV series. Lennie James was instantly recognisable as his appearance is like-for-like in this game. If you’ve watched The Walking Dead or Line of Duty, you’ll know him, a class act. When the opening tune is sung, especially by Lana Del Rey for this game, you know they have gone all in with the production value. The soundtrack leans into that typical Bond style with music ramping up in the most intense moments, with calmer music suiting the atmosphere in the quieter times.

Final Thoughts

007 First Light is a good Bond game, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is a game-of-the-year contender. Did I have fun with the experience? Absolutely, i had fun time, playing as Bond, but it could have been better in several areas. IO Interactive has done a great job with the presentation, voice acting, and the overall feel of the adventure. If you’re a James Bond fan, or even a fan of games like Uncharted and Tomb Raider, this will be right up your street. I was pleased with the length of the game, clocking it at just under 20 hours, and I did take my time, dying on multiple occasions during my playthrough.

Whilst I had some gripes with the lazy AI, clunky combat and some of the repetitive nature of the game, I’d love to see IO Interactive continue with the series. From what I’ve read, additional content is likely en route, and that is fantastic news. For a studio that has mostly had its toes in the Hitman franchise, though, it’s a bloody good attempt at diving into the world of Mr Bond. If you fancy picking up a copy on Xbox Series X/S, then you can do so HERE.