According to a detailed preview, 007 First Light, the first James Bond game in over 14 years, is set for release next month, ending a long drought that has left fans eagerly awaiting a new interactive 007 experience. The reviewer praised the title as an exceptionally authentic interactive recreation, claiming it belongs among the best-in-class licensed games like Alien: Isolation, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, all of which are critically celebrated for their near perfect fidelity to their film counterparts.
The preview noted that the reviewer initially harbored significant doubts about IO Interactive's experience and affinity for the Bond franchise. Those concerns were completely extinguished after the reviewer spent more than three hours playing an early build. The session demonstrated a deep and nuanced understanding of what makes the Bond character compelling, from his suave demeanor to his resourcefulness under pressure.
The game features a young version of James Bond, portrayed by actor Patrick Gibson. Gibson's Bond is described as fearless, cocksure, charming, and earnest, with a youthful energy that feels fresh. Notably, the preview highlights a complete absence of the snarkiness that often defines later iterations of the character, presenting a more sincere and likable hero. The story begins with Bond as a lowly naval recruit. He finds himself in the middle of an SAS raid in the icy terrain of Iceland when his helicopter is shot down by mercenaries, leaving him stranded and forced to survive in enemy territory.
The playtest itself was split into three separate sections, with absolutely no connecting narrative tissue linking them together. In the Iceland level, the emphasis is squarely on stealth, requiring players to rely on cunning and patience rather than firepower. The preview strongly advises players to stay out of sight and use environmental distractions, such as throwing objects to create noise, in order to avoid direct confrontations with armed guards. At this stage, neither the exact release date nor the specific target platforms for the game have been officially confirmed. Additionally, the overarching narrative that will eventually connect the three disparate playtest sections remains a mystery, leaving fans to speculate about how the full story will unfold.