007 First Light preview: I spy a decent James Bond game, for once

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It’s been 14 years since a truly great James Bond video game was released, and even longer since we’ve seen a good one.

It’s no surprise that 007 First Light is getting so much attention. Both gamers and James Bond fans are excited to see if it can recapture the magic of a series that was once hugely popular – though that was almost 30 years ago.

After playing for a few hours, if the rest of the game is as good as what I’ve seen so far, then Bond could make a successful comeback.

If you’re not familiar with it, 007 First Light is a brand new James Bond story that follows a young Bond as he completes his training and earns his license to kill.

The game starts me off in Iceland, right in the middle of a military operation that totally went south. Things get messy, and MI6 steps in – they basically have no choice. They pull me, a pre-spy version of Bond, into a super-secret mission, and it all leads to me getting recruited into the agency. It’s how I become 007, basically!

This Bond is totally different from what I’m used to! He’s not smooth and sophisticated; he’s a bit rough and unpolished. Instead of that classic Bond charm and cleverness, he’s got this kind of bold, almost arrogant attitude. Honestly, he feels like a young guy who hasn’t quite figured out he’s not all that yet – a bit immature, but interesting!

I didn’t get a strong sense of the supporting actors as individuals, but they all delivered excellent performances. Bond had great chemistry with each character, which was helped by a well-written script.

This isn’t the James Bond most people are familiar with – it’s a story about his early days. It might not appeal to all fans, but I think the writers and actor have done a great job of showing us what a young, inexperienced James Bond would be like.

Let’s get back to the gameplay – after all, this is a game! The developers at IO Interactive have used what they learned from the Hitman series to create a really strong stealth experience.

At first, the gameplay is simple. You sneak around in the grass, creating small diversions and eliminating guards.

Iceland is a forgiving place to work. If you’re new to a job, there’s plenty of room for error and you can still succeed.

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While the game initially allows for some freedom and mistakes, it later demands much more precision. You’ll still notice elements of the original, more forgiving Hitman style, but failing a mission—getting caught—often means starting over, unless you’re playing on the simplest setting.

I believe this is the right approach. While he’s likeable and young, this is fundamentally a serious narrative, and adding too much silliness would feel jarring and confusing.

Planning your next steps feels less like a complex challenge and more like solving a straightforward puzzle, even easier than the ones in the Hitman video game.

Even when something silly happens, it’s not a big deal. It’s a game, so I’m happy to overlook minor issues and keep enjoying it in the moment.

But while I enjoyed the stealth sections immensely, I was less convinced by the action sequences.

James Bond is well-known for action, but ‘First Light’ takes things to a new level with incredibly explosive and dramatic scenes.

It was hard to take seriously when our hero sped down a tight tunnel on a quad bike to confront a tank crew who couldn’t hit a simple target. The whole scene felt ridiculous.

Since I’ve already seen plenty of action in the trailers, I’m guessing this particular scene might just be a stylistic choice, and it could simply come down to what people like.

While some gamers enjoy fast-paced, action-packed thrillers, I personally prefer slower, more thoughtful spy stories – think realistic intrigue like ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ rather than over-the-top adventures like ‘Mission Impossible’. I don’t mean to get bogged down in comparisons, but that’s the general idea.

Honestly, even though I found one small thing that wasn’t perfect during the preview, I walked away feeling really good about the game. It’s a great sign!

I had previously been interested, but not sold on 007 First Light as a project.

Honestly, I was a little hesitant at first, but the story really grabbed me right away. Plus, the characters are genuinely well-written and I actually like them! Most importantly though, the gameplay is tough but smart, and just plain fun. That’s what convinced me this game was worth checking out.

I’m sure 007 First Light will be a fantastic Bond game. I’m hoping it will be a truly memorable experience – one that leaves me feeling thrilled and excited, just like a classic Bond movie.

Authors

Alex RaisbeckGaming writer

Alex Raisbeck writes about video games for TopMob, covering both big-name titles and smaller independent games. He’s also contributed to well-known gaming publications like VideoGamer, GamesRadar+, PC Gamer, and PCGamesN.

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2026-04-30 18:35