‘007 First Light’ Review: The Best James Bond Game Since ‘GoldenEye’

The stellar spy game features a title track by Lana Del Rey, an appearance by Lenny Kravitz and shout-outs to Omega, Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin.

When GoldenEye 007 came out on the N64 in 1997, no one could have predicted that it would set the standard for every Bond game ever. In the ensuing three decades, excellent entries like Nightfire and Everything or Nothing would find their way into the hearts of 007’s fandom but nothing came close to that original experience of GoldenEye until now. 007 First Light is the Bond game we’ve all been waiting for. 

007 First Light is set in the modern world but reimagines the Bond mythology entirely. It begins with our young hero plucked from the Royal Navy for the 00-program after a mission goes awry and the still-green Bond salvages things through a combination of courage and recklessness. 

What follows is perhaps one of the best playable training montages ever committed to a video game, simultaneously teaching the player the ropes and their way around the controller while seamlessly introducing the cast of characters, building genuine camaraderie among the 00 class and giving insight into who this Bond really is. 

Things quickly escalate as the game moves out of tutorial and into what ultimately becomes a full-fledged Bond movie that flows perfectly between cut-scene exposition, player-choice conversation, stealth investigation and guns-blazing combat. 007 First Light is truly a marvel as games rarely pull off the balance of engaging story and addictive gameplay this well. 

Much early criticism came from the confusion that IO Interactive, the studio behind First Light and the recent Hitman: World of Assassination, were basically just skinning Hitman with Bond. That is NOT the case here. IOI’s fingerprints might be all over this game but this is undeniably 007’s show. 

With First Light IOI has leveraged their experience with the Hitman franchise into something entirely new. Yes, the games share a familiar third-person perspective. Yes, IO’s expertise in building levels that feel open, alive and full of worthy reasons to explore is on full display. Yes, Bond’s movement is as deliberate as Hitman’s 47. It’s fair to say that Hitman walked so 007 could run. The fundamentals may not have changed but the end result is something entirely different; cinematic, never repetitive and ready to leap from stealth to gunfight and back at a moment’s notice. 

It is largely due to that combat that the gameplay genuinely feels so different from Hitman’s. In 007 First Light, stealth is a choice but not the point, a weapon in Bond’s arsenal that’s as viable as his Walther PPK or the gadgets in his watch. Because First Light is linear where Hitman isn’t, every choice here is the right one though, based on the player, not always the best one. Throwing punches or grabbing a gun to exercise his license to kill is just a normal part of the mission for Bond. 

These choices really work for the game because the combat in First Light is straight-up awesome. Brawling feels like it’s straight out of the Arkham series, a high water mark in gaming combat, even among multiple enemies. It’s visceral and rewards timing with brutality. Gunplay is reminiscent of the Uncharted series; never over-emphasized but with a good variety of weapons available and major set pieces that require skill and feel rewarding to accomplish.

All of the gameplay is ultimately in service of the mission and the mission is the story. It’s a sweeping plot that takes Bond on a proper globetrot to exotic locales, full of twists and charm and eccentric villains. It unfolds quickly and makes the game hard to put down. In fact, there’s a solid case to be made that First Light’s story betters some of the recent Bond movies (Casino Royale and Skyfall, obviously excluded.) 

Conspicuous cameos lend First Light its cinematic credibility, from Lenny Kravitz as Bawma the pirate king to Lana Del Rey’s title sequence to the lineup of Jaguars, Land Rovers and Aston Martins featured throughout the game to the moment early on when Bond chooses his Omega watch. They’re the hallmarks of a Bond flick—the rockstar pop-in, the big name title song, the luxury product placement—and they’re all there.

Solidifying its movie qualities, 007 First Light’s leading man, Patrick Gibson, delivers a performance as a young James that should make him a top contender for the next on-screen Bond. He captures the swagger, brashness and charm of the iconic character perfectly while still making this Bond feel unique. 

All of these elements culminate in a game that’s so good, it’s not often found attached to a huge IP like 007. Ironically, this game wouldn’t reach the level it does without the lore of Bond and his instantly recognizable world. An easy early contender for Game of the Year with the likes of Insomniac’s Wolverine and, of course, GTA VI, 007 First Light is going to be a major contributing factor in 2026 being a historic year for gaming. Watch the official trailer below.