I feel like I’ve mentioned it numerous times over the years, but I’ll mention it again; I’m a massive Bond fan. I’ll try not to let my bias get in the way, but as you could imagine, this is one of my most anticipated titles of the year. I watch the films regularly, have read multiple novels and comics, and, you guessed it, played the majority of Bond’s video game tie-ins and adventures.
In many ways, 007 First Light has a bunch riding on its shoulders. It’s been a while since the last Bond film, No Time to Die, and an even longer time since the last Bond game, which was 007 Legends; the less we say about that one, the better. While I unfortunately own a copy of that game, I assure you it’s only to round out my collection.
While both the Uncharted and Hitman games have been used as examples to help describe the gameplay and mechanics of 007 First Light, I must admit that’s true.
But take an Omega Seamaster watch, for example, Bond’s watch of choice. It tells the time like any bargain bin watch, and at a glance, looks like any other watch at a tenth of its price tag. But when you look a little closer and consider the details, its look, feel, and quality, its value ultimately speaks for itself. The same should be said for 007 First Light.
It should not be talked about as the best Bond game ever made, but as one of the best games of 2026.
Light, First Light
First Light plays out as a reimagined origin story for Bond, which sees a 26-year-old aircrewman swept into a world of espionage and eventually MI6 after an operation gone wrong. The introductory mission, which plays out like a tutorial, is classic Bond, turning what can otherwise be deemed a crazy situation into an even crazier one. But for the most part, it works, and it’s followed up by an awesome Bond title sequence, featuring Lana Del Rey’s new titular theme song.
I don’t really want to spoil what follows. Still, as we see Bond come to grips with the new world of MI6 and international espionage, there comes a thread of close calls, double-crosses and thrilling action setpieces, complete with some fresh and memorable characters and performances along the way. The core of the narrative unfolds beautifully through the course of the 15-hour runtime, weaving its characters and themes evenly throughout.
It all rolls along at a breakneck pace, but I never really felt lost in the details or broader world the game is trying to build, which is a huge compliment to the team at IO Interactive. They certainly are a bunch of loyal Bond fans, and really do understand what makes the character tick, even in this younger, more naive version of Bond.
I will admit that most of the classic tropes are here; there’s plenty of romance, crazy villains and henchmen, and certain gadgets, weapons and vehicles that can’t wait to come out and play. While it’s using these tropes to the best of its abilities, at no point in time did I ever feel First Light was derivative or unoriginal in any way. Quite simply, it feels like it belongs with the best of Bond, books, games or films, which is honestly the best compliment I can give it.
I’d even push for actor Patrick Gibson, who provides the voice and likeness for this version of Bond, to be strongly considered for the upcoming film. He’s just that good.
Your Bond, Your Way
007 First Light divides its gameplay into a few distinct segments, interspersed with set pieces and linear portions. For the most part, this is a very linear experience that goes where the story demands, meaning you’ll be walking through the corridors of MI6 headquarters, talking to characters like M, Q, Greenway and Moneypenny quite often.
When First Light gets to stretch its legs, we get to see the DNA of IO Interactive’s Hitman series, as you figure out the best course of action to complete a particular objective. This could be finding a certain person of importance or accessing a certain area that’s initially inaccessible.
Unfortunately, First Light doesn’t give you the scope and freedom that the Hitman games do, but there’s an impressive amount on offer here. Within these sequences, Bond is able to eavesdrop on conversations to gain access to important information, which can then unlock various pathways to completing a certain objective.
As a result, Bond can use his Q-Watch and various gadgets to get the job done, including a laser which can temporarily blind enemies so you can slip by, or even shoot a poisonous dart to make them temporarily sick, remove them from their post and even pickpocket them for important items.
If all else fails, Bond can even use what the game refers to as Instinct Points to bluff his way past enemies. Instinct Points are gained from taking down certain enemies via stealth or in combat, or even by simply eavesdropping. You only really need to bluff when you’re caught in the act, but it’s a fantastic way to balance out gameplay, while simply making you feel as cool and suave as the British spy himself in the process.
When you’re not sneaking around, using gadgets or bluffing, you will occasionally need to punch and shoot your way in and out of sticky situations. Bond will generally refer to his hand-to-hand combat skills in these more open areas, which can also help contain situations before they get out of hand. It feels awesome, with Bond able to not only strike, dodge and counter, but grab enemies to kick and throw them about, even going as far as to smash enemies into nearby walls and tables. Bond can even throw empty weapons at enemies to get the drop on them, leaving them open to a final takedown move.
If your enemies finally whip out their guns and show intent to put you down, you’re granted the License to Kill, meaning you’re able to repay the courtesy and clean house. Gunplay is punchy and responsive, and you’re surprisingly not given much ammo to play with.
Instead, you’ll need to scurry about and change weapons on the fly, collecting ammo from downed enemies or simply using your empty weapon as a throwable melee weapon, which even leads to a move where you can strip an enemy of their firearm. Gunplay feels reserved for certain sections and setpieces, but it always feels like a welcome change of pace, and generally suits the narrative then.
In between all of these segments, you’ll get some time to climb about environments, slip through cracks in certain areas, and while it all feels very Uncharted-esque in terms of its delivery, I can’t really say it adds much verticality to levels, as most of these climbing sections feel quite linear.
The only real downside to any of this is the driving segments. They’re actually not even that bad, as they’re plenty of fun in the moment. That being said, they’re quite straightforward and basic, and for that matter, few and far between. I know I’m asking for a little too much to be able to simply have more of these sequences inserted into the story, but they feel over a little too soon for my liking.
Beyond the story, players will get to hone their skills in the TacSim (Tactical Simulations) mode, which offers players remixed areas found in the main story for Bond to play through and complete a list of challenges and objectives, or varying difficulty. They cover a range of scenarios and environments, and I imagine will bolster the game’s longevity, as the story might not feel as replayable as any of the Hitman games, as far as variety is concerned.
But in the TacSim mode, players will be able to mix up their approach, pop on a bunch of unlockable or purchased outfits to help Bond save the world in style. On the plus side, IO Interactive have also mentioned that they will be updating this mode with new content over time too.
Look the Part
007 First Light might be a video game, but it belongs with the best of Bond where it counts. Patrick Gibson, as I mentioned, is fantastic, full of wit, charm and at times, just the right amount of cheek and sarcasm, but as the team at IO Interactive knows their stuff, it all just feels like a love letter to the broader franchise. The outfits are all inspired by various versions of Bond across the films, and they’ve even taken the scar from his cheek, as mentioned in Ian Fleming’s original novels.
The way that Bond busts out that witty one-liner, before the music swells up and the action kicks off, never ceases to amaze. There’s even a section later in the game where you get to drive a massive construction digger, in which the theme from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service swells up. It made me jump off the couch and scream.
Moments like these are consistently charming, and for Bond fans like me, a welcome addition. Even the trophies are all named after Bond references from all areas. One of the trophies, Solo, references one of the best books written by William Boyd, after the Fleming era. Honestly, give that a read too, it’s fantastic.
The two-month delay from March to May was certainly worth it, as First Light looks polished and runs incredibly well. It’s running at 60 FPS on the PlayStation 5 Pro, and while there are slight frame rate drops and texture pop-ins, they’re in no way frequent enough to disrupt the experience in any meaningful way. Unfortunately, the game did crash a couple of times, forcing me to restart the game entirely, but it’s ultimately a mystery to me as to why this happened.
Final Thoughts
I totally get that most hardcore Bond fans might still stand by the Nintendo 64’s Goldeneye 007 as the best Bond game of all time, for its influence on console-based first-person-shgooters and local multiplayer. Trust me, I played that game only a couple of months ago, and it really does hold up.
But I think we have a new champion here.
For all its quips, charm and excitement, it’s clear that the team at IO Interactive understand the character, making it an incredibly engaging experience from top to bottom, complete with decent performances, solid gameplay and an approach to spycraft that has never been executed quite this well.
007 First Light is not only the best Bond game ever made, but a frontrunner for the best game of 2026 so far. We can only ask for more.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Well-crafted, engaging narrative; Plenty of gameplay options; Patrick Gibson is awesome as Bond; Consistently cinematic and charming, belongs in the upper echelon of Bond lore
Lowlights: Driving segments feel a little sparse; Experience goes from total freedom to linearity quite often, which can feel a little jarring
Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: IO Interactive
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Available: Now
Review conducted on PlayStation 5 Pro with a pre-release code provided by the publisher.
The featured header image was also provided by the publisher.
