007 First Light Review: Licence to Thrill

“Bond. James Bond.” Just that one phrase and the familiar notes start playing in your head. That's the kind of permanence 007 occupies in the collective consciousness. It's immediate and total recall: there he is with his ravaged, handsome face, his licence to kill, his ability to seduce, his martini — shaken, not stirred. Crisp tuxedos, posh public-school accent, and flexible morality. Bond. James Bond.

He is easy to recall, but not so easy to resurrect. Each new Bond in Eon Productions' long-running film series comes with both baggage and a blank slate. He is a product of his era. At times refined, then camp. More recently roguish and rugged. But always a postcolonial token of Britain's soft power when no more hard power was left to cling to. And if each new Bond is all of that, then how do you bring him back in 2026?

Amazon MGM might still be wrestling with that question for the next James Bond film, but IO Interactive, the Danish developer known for its frankly excellent Hitman games, has found the answer with 007 First Light. The studio has managed to resurrect a Bond that is at once an homage to the character's persistent mythos through different eras and an acknowledgement of the anxieties of today. A Bond between past and present, recognisably quaint and refreshingly modern.

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And in the process of reimagining James Bond, IO has crafted a video game that — quite like its hero — amalgamates age-old design choices with an experience firmly rooted in contemporary tastes. 007 First Light is a 20-hour, narrative-driven linear story that shares its DNA with Hitman and Uncharted games — a species increasingly endangered in a medium obsessed with open worlds. But gameplay systems here are distinctly modern and surprisingly versatile. Because of those choices, First Light tells a compelling, convincing James Bond story, while delivering throwback spectacle through twisty car chases and laser-spitting wristwatches. And it does it all with humour and heart and a few other neat tricks up its sleeve.

007 First Light is an origin story that essentially brings back the spy from the cold. James Bond is a lingering literary and cinematic icon, but he's been away for a long time now. Eon's last Bond film with Daniel Craig as 007 came out nearly five years ago. The mantle has not yet passed to another. It's perhaps more difficult to inject warm blood into a character who has been on ice for a while. But IO has taken the first principles route to telling a story: start at the beginning.

007 First Light's James Bond is played by Irish actor Patrick Gibson
Photo Credit: IO Interactive

James Bond, 26, brash, handsome, pedigree unknown, starts off as a Royal Navy aircrewman on a clandestine, no-questions-asked retrieval operation in Iceland. The SAS team is ambushed and downed, and an injured but intact Bond decides to continue the mission on his own. He quickly finds an MI6 handler in his ear, but instead of following instructions, Bond follows instinct to achieve results. His antics, that betray any sense of self-preservation, get him recruited to the secret service's newly revived “00” program.

The dramatic introduction slips into a breezy opening act comprising one of the more clever training montages in recent memory and an equally smart setup of characters and contours of the story. Bond is behind schedule and takes time to both catch up and warm up to other “00” recruits, all of whom have had a months-long head start on him. But his charm is undeniable and his ability unquestionable, so by the end of the training program, he has everyone on his side, except his MI6 mentor, John Greenway, one of the game's new characters amidst a cast of familiar ones.

James Bond's story begins as a Royal Navy aircrewman on a mission in Iceland
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

Even as Bond has new friends and roommates in Cressida and Monroe, his fellow “00” recruits, he finds it hard to win the trust of Greenway, a grizzled spy himself whose dark past makes him suspicious of everyone. Aside from the new faces, we're also introduced to old ones: M, Q, and Miss Moneypenny, recreated in First Light with just the right balance of nostalgia and newness. Bond engages in skilful repartee with both M and Moneypenny, and the game wastes little time entrenching him in a world that will eventually become his home.

It's impressive how IO revives these characters, retaining glimpses of past interpretation even as it creates ample room for new ones. But perhaps more impressive is how the studio breathes life into its new characters who have no existing ties to the franchise. Cressida, for instance, is instantly likeable. She is cool, confident, and suave, not too unlike Bond himself. Monroe, on the other hand, is a classic gentle giant — his brutish, tough exterior only hides a soft, caring interior. The chemistry between Bond and his two new friends feels real, tangible, and believable. And it forms the emotional core of the early part story that leaves Bond with scars both physical and emotional.

007 First Light brings back familiar faces from the James Bond franchise
Photo Credit: IO Interactive

The lightness of the setup gives way to the heavy stuff that comes after. Things go wrong in one of your first big missions; stakes are revealed, and so are some of the main players of the story. 007 First Light topples what you've built up to that point with cruelty. And through the setbacks, you see Bond harden, just a little bit — an early glimpse of his cold exterior explored often in movies. Refreshingly, however, IO refuses to let that hardness reach his heart. First Light's James Bond is perhaps the most bright and earnest take on a character that has often been portrayed with a certain cynicism in the past. Part of it comes from the fact that he is still 26 here, not yet a man surrendered to his fate, but a boyish novice still learning the ropes.

But 007 First Light's story puts him through the wringer to accelerate his maturity. Over the course of 20 or so hours, you see Bond learn some of the lessons that will stay with him and become recognisable character traits. Because of the linear nature of the campaign, the story is impeccably paced, aside from a few uneven and outlandish turns. You're funnelled from mission to mission, but allowed room to breathe. There are moments of levity, of sombre reflection, but Bond licks his wounds quickly and is back reporting for duty without dwelling too much on the losses. This, perhaps, was my chief complaint with First Light's story. Aside from one brief sequence, Bond rarely gets time and opportunity to grieve and reflect.

Bond has little time to reflect in 007 First Light
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

In time, the story unfolds to reveal the true Bond villain, unhinged and burlesque in classic Bond villain fashion. And of course, Bond meets his match in a Bond girl, updated here to ditch the mean-spirited sexism and commodification of the character often seen in some of the earlier Bond films. In the game, 007 crosses paths with Isola Vale, a French intelligence operative whose missions and motives are often unclear. The two quickly form a rapport, but their material interests remain in conflict even if their romantic interests match. Later on, Vale's motives propel Bond and his mission towards predictable territory, but their dynamic is handled with a light touch and their relationship leaves a door open for future possibilities.

IO somehow finds the time to let the broader cast of characters shine in a tightly paced narrative. Greenway, Moneypenny, Isola: Bond's allies and enemies in First Light aren't just props in service to the spy; they share the stage with him, and sometimes upstage him, too. Greenway (an excellent Lennie James) most notably hogs the spotlight. Bond flies under his wing for most of the journey, and the initial friction between the two dissolves into respect and recognition that goes both ways. Greenway's troubled past ties directly into the story's central conflict, and his redemption becomes one of the highlights of the busy final act.

007 First Light attempts to ditch the sexism associated with Bond girls
Photo Credit: IO Interactive

But make no mistake about who the real star of the story is. Irish actor Patrick Gibson inhabits and interprets James Bond with disarming charm and wit, but he also brings a burning intensity and mystery to the character. IO intentionally keeps Bond's past shrouded; to know too much would mean finding out little. And without the text to draw margins around the character, Gibson's portrayal leans on subtext and subtlety to let Bond bloom beyond his prescription.

Clearly, First Light's Bond is a rogue with a heart of gold, but Gibson's performance leaves room for so much more, too. His Bond is devilishly handsome and debonair but without the air of someone who knows that about themselves. He is loyal, often to a fault, and retains a very clear sense of right and wrong even in strenuous circumstances. And he's also a bit of a prick who can never not have the last word in an exchange, even if it is to his own detriment. Gibson also finds a bit of genuine empathy within a character who has largely remained inscrutable over decades, short of Casino Royale stripping away the armour, quite literally, with Craig's take on the spy. And it makes Bond in First Light perhaps the most likable version of 007 in memory. You are with him, on his side from minute one. Gibson's portrayal will be hard to top for whoever becomes the next Bond.

Patrick Gibson excels as James Bond
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The story plays out across 10 chapters, each constructed to include a sprawling mission and its narrative consequence. Before you head out, there's a bit of stage setting and ceremony. You get ordered by M, briefed by Moneypenny, and equipped by Q and then let loose in the field. From here, First Light resembles its kin, IO's rebooted Hitman trilogy. You start at the margins of an expansive, interactive level full of opportunities to exploit. At your disposal is the Q-Watch, the most crucial tool you'll use in the game. The watch enables you to hack and sneak your way into restricted areas or simply blind your enemies for a brief minute so you can slip by.

But besides his selection of gadgets, which include a missile-firing pen, a shockwave-emitting camera, and a dart-shooting phone, Bond himself is the ultimate versatile handy tool in 007 First Light. He's a human screwdriver that can turn into a wrench and hit like a sledgehammer when the situation demands indelicacy. He can bluff his way out of a tight spot, slip into areas he's not supposed to be in by creating distractions, and punch his path clear when things come to blows.

Like Hitman, missions in First Light present multiple opportunities
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The focus on stealth in 007 First Light shares some common ground with Hitman, but it mirrors Ubisoft's Watch Dogs series more closely. Armed with his Q-Watch and gadgets, Bond can manipulate the environment to his advantage. Hack into a digital panel, blow up a gas main, or turn on the copier to distract a guard keeping watch. IO's formula for a hitman blending into the crowd before reaching and eliminating his target applies perfectly to a spy, too. But Bond is a little less worried about being found out than Agent 47. He is more improvisational, a little less of a silent assassin and a little more charming bullshitter.

As you explore a level, you will find opportunities to eavesdrop on people and reveal crucial hints that will present multiple pathways towards your goal. There's no mini-map or compass, but the clever level design and some minimal objective markers guide you through your selected path. These can be linear or fairly open-ended. For instance, in one of the earliest missions, you could either create a distraction or procure a press pass to gain entry into a hotel. But in a later level, the path is more flexible. The objective is to earn $100,000 to get an audience with Bawma, the pirate warlord played by Lennie Kravitz. The level allows you to proceed how you want by presenting a menu of money-making opportunities. You can gamble, or take part in an underground fight club, or hijack a shady deal going down to earn your way through.

Bond can sneak his way into restricted areas
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

And at any given point, the approach can change. Stealth is not a strict requirement and often a bit of action is encouraged. Here's where 007 First Light differs most from Hitman. Bond can throw down. Getting into fisticuffs in the game is enormously fun and fairly challenging, especially when facing down multiple enemies. It's a simple but effective system: you dodge, you parry, and you punch hard. But the impacts are crunchy and the animations are fluid, and they more than make up for the lack of mechanical depth. The combat system flows from fists to firearms seamlessly, too. When Bond is in mortal danger, the screen flashes “Licence to Kill,” and that's when you can take your gun out and start shooting.

The transition is so smooth you don't even notice it. In a few specific sections of the game, fistfights or shootouts are locked in, but mostly, the two parts of the combat system are baked together. You could take out a couple of guys silently, punch the living daylights out of a few others, pick up a gun and go loud — all in the span of 60 seconds. Shootouts are hard, too. You can never just rely on firepower as ammunition is in short supply. And you can never stick to a single cover and clear out the room. Instead, 007 First Light wants you to be on your toes. Take cover, shoot some bad guys, run out of bullets, throw your gun into the face of an enemy closing in on you, rush him and knock him out, pick up his gun and start shooting again. It's this fluidity that elevates 007 First Light's gameplay from other third-person action/shooter games like Uncharted.

Shootouts and fistfights flow into each other seamlessly in First Light
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

Perhaps the best part of the combat system is how it leans heavily on environmental improvisation, both in fistfights and shootouts. You can throw coffee mugs, wrenches, and paperweights at enemies to disorient them and rush in for a takedown. You can also grab hold of someone and slam them into tables, walls, electrical compartments, fire extinguishers, and other environmental hazards to take them out quickly. And when exercising your licence to kill, you can blow up trusty red barrels or shoot at gas pipelines, overhanging cargo, and a variety of props to immediately neutralise the threat.

There's a real tactility to all these actions in the field. Everything you do as Bond, from hacking to punching to shooting, feels at once both video gamey and cinematic. Unlike Uncharted, 007 First Light wears its video game badge proudly. It isn't obsessed with cinematic realism, whether it's how things look or how they feel. That doesn't mean that the action isn't grounded, but First Light is also not worried about looking silly, especially in its big set piece sequences. Whether it's high-speed car chases, or a shootout at an airport conspicuously littered with fuel barrels, or a rooftop hide-and-seek with a sniper gunning for Bond's pretty head, the game finds the right mix of over-the-top action and believable realism. The action can get a tad repetitive, but the shifting environments and the forward momentum of the story allows the game to move quickly without exhausting itself.

007 First Light creates urgency in its missions, constantly pushing you forward
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The action set pieces themselves are nods to memorable sequences from Bond and Mission: Impossible movies. In fact, 007 First Light is littered with tiny details — from names of certain characters to collectibles scattered across levels — that wink at its inspirations. The main narrative hook, too, is a nod to the storyline of the last two Mission Impossible films that explored the need for real people solving real problems in the age of an all-knowing AI. It's yet another way 007 First Light manages to feel current and contemporary while telling a story that could well be about Cold-War era spies. And that shows IO Interactive's deep understanding of the source material and the tone of Bond movies through the years.

And then it's the little details, too, that go a long way in making First Light feel authentic and alive. It's the way the game establishes Bond, first and foremost, as a handsome guy — even hostiles sometimes say things like “your time is up, pretty boy.” Or the way Bond adjusts his cuffs or brushes off his shoulder after kicking down a door. Or the way each mission, each new outfit Bond wears in the game is a homage to something you've seen in the films. 007 First Light is attentive to that kind of stuff at all points, and it makes the game feel richer, its world deeper. Visually, too, the game finds a lane between a cinematic look and a cartoonish flavour to present something that feels both real and dreamlike. The image is grainy, the colours pop, the lighting glows, and consequently, indoor areas come alive, even if the outdoors lack similar detail. 

Punchy indoor lighting and a grainy image make 007 First Light look dreamlike and cinematic
Photo Credit: IO Interactive/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

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Through its visuals, story, and the choice to approach the source material in a new light, IO Interactive's James Bond game adheres to an experience that feels singular rather than adapted. It's not a stretch to say that 007 First Light is perhaps the best Bond game ever made, even as you consider the far-reaching influence and legacy of GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64. It's also one of the better narrative-driven linear action-adventure games in the mould of Uncharted — there aren't that many of those now. The scale of IO's transformative work here is impressive. The studio hasn't just reskinned its Hitman games; it hasn't simply replaced the assassin with the spy. Instead, the developer has worked with the versatile foundation of Hitman to build something new and ambitious and innovative.

Beyond its technical accomplishments, which are plenty, 007 First Light succeeds at breathing life into a character that has purposely remained larger than life. Over the years, Ian Fleming's enduring spy has come to represent a cool, detached lover/killer — an elusive and extravagant ambassador for Aston Martins and martinis, but often little else. As if the world is not enough for James Bond. But by making him refreshingly human, 007 First Light finds a world within Bond himself.