007 First Light Review: A Masterclass In Spydom

After MindsEye, this game had a bit of an uphill battle coming in. There was already plenty of doubt surrounding 007 First Light, with many assuming it would simply be another Hitman game wearing a sleek James Bond suit. After playing it, I can confidently say that is not the case at all.

While IO Interactive’s fingerprints are absolutely all over this game, 007 First Light stands on its own as a cinematic, stylish, and surprisingly heartfelt origin story for one of the most iconic spies in entertainment history. It understands the assignment of what a James Bond game should feel like, while still giving players enough freedom to approach missions in their own way.

Gameplay & Story

007 First Light is an origin story for the super spy we all know and love, but more importantly, it is a story about James Bond before he fully becomes 007. This is Bond still finding his footing, learning what kind of agent he is going to be, and developing into the smooth, dangerous, and emotionally guarded spy audiences have followed for decades.

Because this is absolutely a story worth experiencing for yourself, I will be avoiding spoilers here. What I will say is that the game does an impressive job of making everything feel like a playable 007 film. The pacing, the set pieces, the conversations, the betrayals, the sudden bursts of action, and the quieter character moments all work together to capture that classic Bond rhythm. There are some surprisingly deep, guttural moments throughout the story, along with a sense of heartfelt camaraderie that I was not fully expecting.

This game is very much rooted in IO Interactive’s style of development. At times, missions carry that familiar Hitman flow, giving you different ways to approach an objective, observe your environment, and decide how clean or messy you want the job to be. However, 007 First Light also borrows the cinematic flair that comes with the 007 territory. It regularly throws you into the kind of big, explosive moments you would expect from Bond, and that helps separate it from simply feeling like a spy reskin of Hitman.

The gameplay itself feels very personalized to each player. Since I have played a lot of Hitman, I naturally leaned into a stealthy approach for most missions. I wanted to observe guard patterns, find alternate routes, and avoid turning every objective into a firefight. That said, there are moments where the game pushes you into full-on action, and those moments work surprisingly well.

If you want to take a more aggressive route, the game supports that too. The hand-to-hand combat is incredibly satisfying. Dodging, parrying, striking, grabbing enemies, and using the environment to get the upper hand all feel fast, fluid, and brutal in the best way. It makes Bond feel dangerous even when he does not have a weapon in his hand. You can slam enemies into objects, counter their attacks, and improvise in the middle of a fight, which keeps combat from feeling stiff or repetitive.

I do think the game is designed with the intention that players will use a mix of stealth and brute force. Some missions reward patience and subtlety, while others clearly want you to embrace the chaos. What I really appreciate is that not every mission treats being spotted like an instant failure state. If you are trying to be stealthy and something goes wrong, you still have a chance to fight your way out, clean up the situation, and keep the mission from spiraling completely out of control. That balance makes the game feel less punishing while still keeping tension in the moment.

Driving is also a highlight. It is very arcade-like, so do not expect anything overly serious or simulator-focused, but it feels great for the type of game this is. The chase missions are fast, stylish, and chaotic in a way that feels right at home in a Bond story. They add just enough variety to break up the stealth and combat sections without feeling like a gimmick.

Graphics & Design

This game is gorgeous. The lighting, music, sound design, environments, and character models all come together to create a polished and cinematic experience. Whether you are sneaking through a high-security facility, walking through a lavish party, or barreling through a chase sequence, the game constantly looks and sounds the part.

The character work especially stood out to me. The facial expressions do not feel like they are just there because modern games are expected to have them. They actually help sell the performances. When Greenway cracks a smile, it feels like something you earned in the moment rather than just a pre-programmed animation playing out. Small details like that go a long way in making the characters feel more believable.

The music and sound design also deserve credit. A Bond game needs to feel sleek, tense, and occasionally explosive, and 007 First Light nails that atmosphere. The score knows when to pull back and let a scene breathe, but it also knows when to swell into something more dramatic during a major action beat. It constantly reinforces the feeling that you are inside a spy thriller.

Feedback

Any complaints I have are honestly nitpicks or personal wants more than major issues. This game is fun as heck, action-packed from the start, and built around a story I could actually follow and stay invested in. That alone already puts it in a strong position.

That said, I do wish there were more opportunities for things to go wrong based on your choices. In a video game, especially a spy game, I love when the player’s decisions carry tension. I wanted more moments where saying the wrong thing, choosing the wrong person to address, or pushing too hard in a conversation could put the mission at risk.

There is a great example of this early on during a field test mission, where you are conversing with a potential buyer and have to decide who to address. In that moment, it genuinely feels like you might let the mission slip through your fingers. That kind of social stress test is exactly the type of thing I would have loved to see more of throughout the game. Bond is not just about sneaking, shooting, and driving. He is also about charm, deception, and reading the room. More moments built around that tension would have made the spy fantasy even stronger.

Still, that does not take away from how strong the overall experience is. The combat works, the stealth works, the driving works, and the story delivers more emotional weight than I expected.

Final Verdict

007 First Light is not just Hitman in a tuxedo (another one I guess). It is a stylish, cinematic, and genuinely exciting Bond origin story that understands what makes the character so iconic while still giving players room to make each mission their own. This is a slick, cinematic spy thriller that makes every mission feel like a Bond film you get to control. 

The game blends stealth, hand-to-hand combat, gunfights, driving, and storytelling into one of the most complete spy experiences I have played. While I would have liked more choice-driven social moments where Bond’s charm could either save or sabotage a mission, the full package is still incredibly impressive.

007 First Light delivers the action, style, emotion, and spectacle you want from a James Bond game. It is a masterclass in spydom, and easily one of the most exciting action games of the year.

007 First Light releases on May 27th 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

For more upcoming releases, reviews, guides, and tech coverage, be sure to check out our 2026 Video Game and Tech Release Calendar. We’ll be updating it throughout the year with the biggest games, hardware launches, and everything else players should have on their radar.