007 First Light is a brand-new action-adventure game centred around the world's most famous spy, James Bond. As one of the most anticipated releases of 2026, it also had the challenge of resurrecting Bond's image following his notable absence in gaming.
With its release just on the horizon, has the wait been worth it?
Put simply, 007 First Light is a game of immense depth that will draw you in from the outset. It balances the familiarity of one of the most iconic franchises while also ambitiously charting a fresh course.
The writing is slick, juicy in all the right places, where you’ll hunger for every piece of dialogue, every line of overheard gossip, and hunt down every collectable possible just to piece together events quicker than the game cares to reveal.
Make no mistake: Bond is back. And this is him at his best.
The beginning of Bond
First Light opens with a baby-faced James Bond, far removed from the tuxedo and finesse we're accustomed to. He’s a Naval air crewman who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. When his helicopter is shot down, the 26-year-old is sent into a hornet’s nest of hostiles, armed to the teeth with guns and explosives.
While battling the onset of hypothermia, James presses on toward a mysterious base to pull off unimaginable heroics, all of which earn him the respect (and curiosity) of MI6.
Demonstrating equal levels of bravery and recklessness, he is offered a golden opportunity: join the newly revived Double 0 programme to become a spy. And so begins the birth of Bond, a reimagining of his origins in which players will strive to earn his iconic digits and reputation.
Set in 2026, this story comes with plenty of surprises as it grapples with the ever-growing debate over artificial intelligence. It turns out even spies are worried for their jobs.
Bond’s ingenuity and unpredictability make him an almost invaluable asset in an era of algorithms and computer processes. And he must use these skills to overcome immense trials and tragedy to save the world from all manner of threats.
Patrick Gibson rises to the occasion
As an original story, First Light faces the challenge of not only drawing inspiration from the iconic Bond franchise but also bravely staking its own claim in the Bond multiverse. And that means introducing its own cast, and its very own Bond.
As the film franchise stalls on deciding its next leading man, Irishman Patrick Gibson more than rises to the occasion in game form, balancing Bond’s signature quick wit with a touch of arrogance that you can’t help but rally behind.
Even from the opening scenes, you’ll gravitate toward his unexplained and unqualified charisma. Lennie James, whose portrayal of Bond’s irritable mentor John Greenway, and Priyanga Burford’s reimagined take on a younger M both do well in reining Bond in with their authoritative presence.
The game also promises a plethora of dastardly villains and shady personas. Whilst I won’t spoil the intricacies of the 'whodunit', special kudos goes to rocker Lenny Kravitz, who plays pirate King Bawma. If we’re expecting more games from this Bond universe, his kingdom of Aleph is on my wish list of destinations to revisit, crocodile pits and all.
From fists to firearms, charm to chaos
With a solid storyline, First Light's next task was to convince players they were indeed spies in the making. Gameplay here is best described as a crossroads between action and adventure, with a sprinkling of puzzles for good measure. Think the Uncharted series meets Hitman, and you’ll get a sense of what to expect.
Firstly, let’s talk gadgets. Even as a novice, Bond is entrusted with plenty of sleek inventions, courtesy of Q, designed to spice up even the most mundane fights and solve clever environmental puzzles, with pizazz and style assured.
His watch can be used in almost unlimited ways, including hacking electronics to manipulate the environment. He has earphones that turn into concussive blasts when thrown. His mobile phone shoots noxious darts at unsuspecting victims, causing them to fall ill almost instantly. And when all else fails, you have a pen that shoots missiles. Yes, really.
Admittedly, there is something morally grey (and utterly hilarious) when Bond lasers the eyes of an unsuspecting maid only to swipe her staff key card. Or when he poisons a receptionist from afar so that he’ll leave his workstation and allow you to search a drawer.
Gadgets can often interact with the environment too, transforming even the most hostile of locations into Bond’s playground. A distant fire extinguisher that could create a cloak of cover. A giant fan turned on to blast down a wandering soldier. A radio or photocopier you can activate with your Q-watch to cause a sudden, split-second distraction.
The quick-fire nature of gadgets is what injects fun and unpredictability into the game. That said, gadgets must be resupplied with either energy or chemicals to be reused, so you must be selective in who you harass. And you can only equip a select few gadgets per mission; there’s some strategy to how, when, and if gadgets should be used.
A mix of spycraft, combat and convincing
Aside from gadgets, players have a choice when it comes to combat. You can favour a stealthier approach, where you slink around corners, between tables, atop rafters and through vents, all the while keeping a low profile, performing silent takedowns and keeping bruises to a minimum.
No matter how light-footed you fancy yourself, stealth isn't always an option, nor the most entertaining. At some point, in typical Bond fashion, you’ll hunger for a bit of action.
When confronted by enemies, Bond again has options. Melee combat sees players chain punches, slowly staggering foes for an eventual takedown. Bond can use the nearby environment for extra performance points, shattering glass cabinets, smashing desks and throwing coffee cups. Whatever is nearby can and will be used.
But particularly in the latter stages of the game, guns almost always do the most talking. When taking aim, Bond can slow down time to focus his shots, aiming at a variety of enemy body parts for specific outcomes; shoot their hand to disarm them, wound their legs to immobilise them, while headshots... well, let’s just say they end the fight there and then.
Enemies usually come in large numbers, all dotted throughout the level, causing all sorts of paranoia. With no ammo supplies in-game, you’ll have to collect weapons from fallen or disarmed foes as you move, exhaust their remaining bullets against their colleagues, rinse and repeat.
That said, Bond does have a moral code regarding the preservation of life. The license-to-kill mechanic means he cannot draw his own firearms until there’s an immediate threat to his life, so intense combat is reserved for when you’ve exhausted all other options.
Finally, Bond’s secret weapon also makes an appearance: his silver tongue. Players should never underestimate his ability to bluff on the spot. If you’re found in an area he shouldn’t be, you can try coming up with a plausible cover story on the spot that even players could believe. Or confront them to back down. This is where the quick-fire dialogue really does shine, authenticating this version of Bond.
Combat or convincing, fists or firearms, no matter your fancy, Bond is a spy of your own creation.
A new era for a modern Bond
Developers IO Interactive have delivered upon their ambitious promise of bringing Bond back to the forefront of gaming. 007: First Light is a story that will draw you in from the outset, balancing familiarity while also charting a fresh, new and exciting course for the world’s most famous spy.
The title sequence even comes complete with a suitably Bond-esque new song from Lana Del Ray.
There are chess tournaments in Slovakia to sleuth through. Shady auctions in the middle of nowhere to attend. A surprise scramble for a parachute mid-fall. Femme fatales that you’re not quite sure will kiss or kill you. And plenty of tactical simulations that separate the novice spies from the elite.
Throw in a black-tie gala or two, and a plethora of zany spy gadgets, and you have all the ingredients of what makes Bond, Bond. And as this is set at the start of his career, I, for one, am delighted that he’s only just getting started.
007: First Light is available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The game releases on May 27
