007 First Light Review: Bond Has Never Been This Cool

James Bond is one of the most iconic and well-known names in the entertainment industry. Seriously, you can ask literally anyone, and they will be familiar with the famous British spy. Making his initial debut in the 1953 novel Casino Royale, the fictional character James Bond skyrocketed to fame through multiple movies, TV show appearances, and, of course, video games.

There have been many different takes on this character, with multiple actors taking on the role and putting their own spin on his persona. However, while this spy has evolved and changed over the years, there’s one thing that has remained the same and has been constant throughout — James Bond is freaking cool and will always be cool.

The challenge of making a James Bond game worthy of the name is not an easy task. It’s been over 14 years since the last game was released, so when IO Interactive announced 007 First Light, my excitement was through the roof. Still, I also kept my expectations in check, simply because I have never really been a huge fan of this developer’s games, who are most known for their Hitman series.

How do you take such an influential IP that has been absent from this medium for so long and make a game that is worthy to fit in its pantheon? Well, there are two answers to this question: first, you simply don’t, which is not the fun answer. Or second, you create 007 First Light, a well-written, carefully crafted adventure that is as sleek as it is exciting. Kudos to IO Interactive for pulling off such a tough feat.

Welcome to MI6, Bond

A James Bond game can have the best gameplay in the world, but if the story is mediocre at best, the whole project is a bust. The reason this is true is that James Bond is known for having high-stakes stories, filled with thrills, action, surprises, and spectacle. Failing in the story department would be detrimental, so I’m happy to say that 007 First Light succeeds.

007 First Light follows James Bond in his younger years and is a re-imagining of how he became a spy with the MI6, a branch within the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service. They are highly skilled agents whose main job is to gather intel and conduct espionage activities in and out of the country.

007 First Light opens up with James Bond participating in a routine military mission in Iceland, with nothing out of the ordinary for his crew. However, things go south, leaving Bond in the hostile territory of an unknown enemy. As it turns out, this wasn’t a procedural military mission, and he just stumbled into the midst of an active MI6 operation.

This is where the origin of 007 begins, as James Bond communicates with an MI6 operative over the radio, being forced to do the “boots on the ground” work for the organization. After successfully completing the mission, in the classic over-the-top and messy way that James Bond is known for, the head of MI6 is impressed and asks you to be among the first to attempt to join the newly reinstated 00 program.

What sounds like a simple premise evolves into something much deeper as the game goes on, which I’ll let you discover on your own. Overall, I really appreciate what IO Interactive created here, as the story kept me engaged throughout, playing the cards close to its chest and never giving direct answers. Instead, you have to work for those answers, as the story drip feeds you information, slowly uncovering the conspiracy at play.

As you work on your first official assignment with the MI6, you will visit a variety of beautiful locations and meet many different characters who can essentially help you with your task. Due to the fantastic voice acting all around, even from some of the smallest roles in the game, I was fully invested in meeting these characters and hearing what they had to say. They all made the world and story feel so believable.

007 First Light also does a great job at subtly including nods and easter eggs to die-hard fans of James Bond. When I heard the “shaken, not stirred” phrase come up in dialogue, I found myself sitting up in my chair and pointing at the TV in complete satisfaction. You know, like Leonardo DiCaprio in that famous meme.

By the time the credits rolled, I came to the conclusion that my favorite part of 007 First Light was the story, something that I never thought I would say. I never considered IO Interactive to be great at cinematic storytelling, so I was worried that the story here would be the game’s weakest aspect. I am so happy that’s not the case.

Expressive and Cinematic Gameplay at its Forefront

The best way to describe the overall gameplay of this newest Bond game is that it's a unique combination of cinematic action and systemic stealth design. 007 First Light borrows ideas from a range of notable titles, but ultimately builds something that feels distinctly its own.

There’s a taste of Uncharted there in its cinematic set pieces, such as chasing a fleeing vehicle or hanging onto a flying plane, and all of them are done with such great spectacle and confidence. One of my favorite moments occurred during a fight through a luxury spa resort, where a beautiful array of fireworks was going off in the background. As the nighttime sky filled with colorful explosions, I thought to myself, “Yeah, this rules.”

Meanwhile, 007 First Light’s stealth and improvisational gameplay is reminiscent of Hitman, giving the player many different ways to handle each situation. This is made possible through the various gadgets you unlock as you progress through the game, each having a unique purpose that can determine how you approach each encounter.

Let’s take a look at the Dart Phone and Smoke Pod as examples. The former is a silent dart that you can shoot at any hostile, instantly making them feel nauseated and dizzy, forcing them to move to a different location. This allows you to remove guards blocking the path forward, opening up a route to your current objective.

On the other hand, the Smoke Pod completely disrupts the enemy’s vision, allowing you to either deal a silent takedown with ease or escape a messy situation. Using the Dart Phone and Smoke Pod as a means to progress through an encounter is the perfect way to take the stealth approach, if that’s your preferred playstyle.

However, if you aren’t a fan of stealth in general, there are other gadgets that allow you to play more aggressively. For example, the Missile Pen shoots an explosive at a target, instantly killing them and dealing damage to those in proximity, while the Laser Strap can be used to temporarily stun an enemy, allowing you to rush in to get a handful of free punches in.

On top of the gadgets in your arsenal, you can also interact with the environment in many different ways. This system reminded me of Watch Dogs, where you can manipulate electronics from a distance, such as turning off cameras for stealth or hacking a piece of machinery for a noise distraction. The multiple ways you can interact with the environment make each encounter feel fresh, even on a second playthrough.

Licensed to Kill

007 First Light essentially has two combat systems: hand-to-hand combat and shooter elements. When it comes to the hand-to-hand combat, it can easily be compared to the fighting from the Batman Arkham games. Punching, countering, and dodging are at the center of fist fights in 007 First Light, and it all feels great.

However, due to the way each level is structured, with many obstacles and objects scattered around for cover and stealth, the camera can sometimes have a difficult time keeping up with these fight sequences. There were plenty of times when I was engaged in a fist fight and had the camera get stuck behind cover, forcing me to adjust quickly in order to see what was going on. Not the end of the world, but definitely frustrating.

Besides fist fights, the rest of the combat takes a cover shooter approach. For the most part, I really enjoyed the overall feel of the gunplay, and it made for some really intense moments. Honestly, I was surprised by how difficult the gun combat sections actually were, as I found myself taking a ton of damage and dying fairly quickly.

Since there are missions that focus purely on stealth, the forced gun combat encounters, which the game calls “Licensed to Kill,” are a nice change of pace. Having to take down waves of enemies with minimum ammo, clearly pinning you as the underdog and demanding you to think on your feet, is exhilarating.

The fact that you can implement gadgets and environmental hazards into these combat encounters makes them even better, since it allows for a great range of expression. For example, my favorite move was to use the Laser Strap on a sniper to blind him temporarily, then come out of cover to execute a headshot.

Creating a new James Bond game after a 14-year hiatus was a risky endeavor by IO Interactive. This is one of the most iconic characters in all of entertainment, and doing him justice is not easy. Somehow, however, IO Interactive pulled it off and not only produced an amazing video game, but also created a story that is worthy of the Bond pantheon. With superb writing, top-notch acting, beautiful cinematography, and expressive gameplay, 007 First Light is as sleek as it is engaging. James Bond is back, baby, and he's never been this cool.