007 First Light Review: Competent Bond, Diluted Hitman

Key Takeaways

• IO Interactive's Bond narrative shows genuine love for the franchise but takes three hours before the game does anything novel
• The blend of Hitman sandbox mechanics and linear Naughty Dog-style action leaves neither approach room to shine
• At $70, the 18-hour campaign has strong moments but mostly delivers familiar third-person action you've played before

Six hours. That's how long PC Gamer's reviewer played 007 First Light before encountering something that felt genuinely novel. In a $70 game from the studio that created the modern Hitman trilogy, that's a problem.

IO Interactive's James Bond origin story arrived with enormous expectations. The Danish studio had spent years crafting intricate assassination sandboxes where every playthrough could unfold differently. Now they were tackling gaming's most famous spy. The question was simple: would this be a Hitman game in Bond clothing, or something new entirely?

The answer, unfortunately, is neither. And both. In ways that serve neither approach well.

A Bond Story Worth Telling

The narrative setup works. Young James Bond starts reckless, cocky, and callow. But dammit, he gets results. Off he goes to Vauxhall Cross for induction into the world of laser wristwatches and exploding gadgets.

IO clearly loves Bond's history. The writing team has crafted an origin story that respects the character while finding new angles to explore. M gets introduced with her "massive basement gaming rig," a detail that suggests the writers understand both the seriousness and absurdity that makes Bond work.

The problem isn't the story. It's the three hours of "spy A-levels" before the game trusts you with anything interesting. Iceland's SAS chopper gets shot down by terrorists. Bond navigates the aftermath. Then comes the training. And more training. The game seems afraid to let its best ideas breathe until you've proven you can handle basic third-person shooting.

The Identity Crisis

IO Interactive makes sandbox stealth games. They're the finest in the business at creating spaces where player creativity drives the experience. Hitman's levels work because they're dense systems of interconnected possibilities. You discover routes. You improvise. You create stories through play.

007 First Light wants to be that and a linear cinematic action game in the Naughty Dog mold. The result satisfies neither ambition.

Where IO leans on its sandbox strengths, the game feels like a diluted version of Hitman. The systems are there but simplified. The spaces exist but feel smaller, more directed. Where it tries linear action, IO's inexperience with the form shows through as awkward gameplay moments that interrupt the flow.

The one standout sequence? Fighting through a plane in flight. A hack lets you control the aircraft's roll, banking it left or right to send enemies and cargo flying while you shoot your way to the cabin. It lasted perhaps three minutes. It's the only moment in the first six hours that feels like genuine invention.

What the Numbers Say

The game has sold 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours, making it IO Interactive's fastest-selling title ever. Critics have been largely positive, with an 89 score on OpenCritic. IGN called it "the best Bond game I've ever played."

But there's nuance in the community response. Steam's Very Positive rating comes with caveats. Players praise the "License to Kill" mechanic and the visual fidelity of IO's Glacier engine. They also keep asking for more open-ended gameplay. More Hitman DNA. Less linear corridor shooting.

The 18-Hour Question

007 First Light runs approximately 18 hours across its 17-chapter campaign. At $70, that's about $4 per hour of entertainment. Not unreasonable for a AAA release.

The question is how many of those hours feel earned versus padded. The review suggests a pattern: drawn-out and repetitive sequences punctuated infrequently by neat ideas. The narrative wrapper works, but it's wrapped around "sometimes-clumsy gameplay you've seen many times before."

This isn't a bad game. Some parts really do shine. But "competent" isn't what anyone expected from IO Interactive making a Bond game. We expected them to reinvent the spy game genre the way they reinvented assassination sandboxes. What we got was a studio trying to be two things at once and not quite managing either.

Should You Buy It?

If you're a Bond fan who can accept competent third-person action as a delivery mechanism for a well-written spy story, you'll find things to enjoy here. If you were hoping IO would bring Hitman's design brilliance to the Bond universe, you'll likely feel the same frustration as the PC Gamer reviewer: waiting for the game to do something new.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is 007 First Light?

The campaign runs approximately 18 hours across 17 chapters, though pacing varies significantly with some drawn-out training sections early on.

Is 007 First Light like Hitman?

It borrows Hitman's stealth mechanics but dilutes them with linear action sequences. Players hoping for full sandbox gameplay may be disappointed.

Does 007 First Light have multiplayer?

No. The game is entirely single-player, focusing on James Bond's origin story.

What are the PC requirements for 007 First Light?

PC Gamer tested on Windows 11 with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700x, 32GB RAM, and RTX 4080. Steam Deck compatibility remains unknown.

Is 007 First Light worth $70?

At roughly $4 per hour of gameplay, the value proposition is reasonable for a AAA title. Whether those hours feel satisfying depends on your tolerance for familiar third-person action between narrative highlights.

Source: PCGamer latest