Some partnerships just make sense.
You don't have to see the final product to know when the ingredients are right. Sometimes you can look at the people behind a project, study their history, understand their passions, and confidently say, "Yeah, they're going to rock this."
That's exactly how I felt when IO Interactive was announced as the developer behind 007 First Light (when it was just a 007 project).
Long before the name and gameplay reveal. Long before the trailers. Long before anyone knew exactly what kind of James Bond experience we were getting.
I knew Bond was in good hands. Not because IO Interactive had made a Bond game before... and not because they had experience with licensed properties.
Because they spent decades proving they understood spycraft better than almost anyone in gaming.
Before we go any further, let's jump into 30 minutes of the initial mission. If you choose to watch the rest of the mission, the option is there... but we leave it at that so you can enjoy the adventure first hand.
The Hitman Connection
If you really want to understand why IO Interactive was the perfect studio for James Bond, you have to stop looking at 007 First Light and start looking at Hitman.
For years, IO Interactive has treated espionage like an art form. Agent 47 doesn't have the charisma of Bond, but... plenty of the targets from the franchise have pizzazz.
The Hitman series wasn't simply about eliminating targets. It was about planning. Observation. Adaptation. Infiltration. Reading a room. Manipulating situations. Becoming someone else. Finding creative solutions when things inevitably go sideways.
Those are the exact ingredients that have made James Bond one of the most iconic characters in entertainment history. And I do enjoy a good spycraft film, especially when it's well rounded.
Beyond Bond's smirk and Agent 47's cold stare, the DNA is remarkably compatible.
What separates IO Interactive from many other developers is that they genuinely love the fantasy of being a spy. Not just the action movie version. The strategic version.
The thinking version.
The version where intelligence is just as important as firepower, that's why I believed in this project from day one.
Their passion for spycraft is nearly unmatched in gaming. Outside of the writers and creators behind major spy franchises like 007 and Mission: Impossible, it's a limited amount of teams who have spent as much time exploring the mechanics and psychology of espionage. Hideo Kojima is definitely a... Big Boss in the espionage area, and Splinter Cell gets a shout out, but... when it comes to a Bond game... IO Interactive is the best match in my opinion.
But yeah... this wasn't a studio taking a paycheck from what I see. This was a studio getting the keys to a dream project... and I say that because James Bond was the primary inspiration behind the Hitman series. I can just about imagine what their reactions were when this opportunity first presented itself.
The Bond Game I Was Hoping For
The funny thing is that I had absolutely no idea what 007 First Light was going to look like.
Would it lean heavily into stealth?
Would it become an action shooter like the legendary 007 Golden Eye game?
Would it focus on gadgets?
Would it try to emulate the films?
Nobody knew. But after finally getting my hands on it, my reaction was pretty simple:
This is badass with the right tools for the adventure.
The game feels confident in its identity... because it already had one to call it's on. It doesn't feel like it's desperately chasing trends or trying to imitate whatever is popular this month. It feels like a studio that knew exactly what kind of experience it wanted to build. It feels like Bond without being the 007 we know today... but that's part of the journey.
The Combat Makes You Think
One of the biggest surprises for me was how much I enjoyed the combat, I didn't feel like I was going from one situation to the next with the same moves.
Different button combinations create different outcomes, forcing you to think about how you're engaging enemies rather than mindlessly cycling through the same routine over and over again. For those concerned with getting your can kicked... don't sleep on the easier mode if you need it or just want to get your spy fix with a lower chance of catching L's.
The choice is yours. Either way... if you're willing to meet the game halfway, the combat becomes significantly more rewarding. I have to get better with grabbing and shoving enemies in the direction of others, executing the takedowns, and parrying in time. During training, you will definitely get a feel for hand-to-hand combat, driving, and shooting. Its not one specific thing more than another... unless we're talking about agility, and I like the way training is presented here because it gets you on-board in glorious fashion. Its not stale in the least.
Don't Ignore the Haptics + Audio
By the way, can we talk about the haptic feedback for a minute? And this isn't to crap on anyone else, but I don't come across as many games as I'd like that truly deliver on the haptic feedback well. 007 First Light gets two thumbs up for the haptics... because its a legitimate enhancement to immersion.
You feel more connected to what's happening on-screen. Actions have weight. Interactions have texture. Combat gains an additional layer of physical feedback that helps sell the fantasy.
It's one of those features that works best when developers understand restraint and purpose (aka... they understood the assignment).
And while we're handing out compliments, the audio team deserves some recognition too.
If you're planning to play 007 First Light, do yourself a favor. If you have access to a quality surround sound setup... use it. If not, throw on a good pair of hi-fi headphones. This further cranks up the value you'll get from the experience.
The environmental audio, effects, and overall presentation help pull you deeper into the experience. Combined with the haptics, it creates a package that feels complete... and when you're on missions you need to know who's lurking around.
If you're already investing your time into becoming James Bond, you might as well let the experience fire on all cylinders... and get your money's worth out of this $69.99 game!
Two Thumbs Up(dated)
Overall, 007 First Light isn't just a Bond game. It feels like it was made by people who genuinely understand why Bond works. That's a much harder achievement than just stringing missions together with some cutscenes in between the action.
Understanding the balance between intelligence, strategy, action, and style is an entirely different challenge.
IO Interactive spent years developing those skills through the Hitman franchise, and now we're seeing the payoff through the character that started them down the path to Hitman. I also respect that this game doesn't feel like a skin of a Hitman game. I greatly appreciate that, not because its bad but... that would've been a cheap move.
There are complaints out there about this version of Bond... but no one is going to just become 007 out of the gate. We talk to various gamers, and I'll just say that someone visiting Orlando wasn't aware that this was Bond's first mission... they were just annoyed because someone else was annoyed.
We don't know what's to come as things continue to take shape, so on that note I'd say... relax and enjoy the backstory of why he's the best of the best today. The argument got squashed when I mentioned the 2013 relaunch of the Tomb Raider franchise. Lara Croft wasn't the bold gun wielding archaeologist from the jump, we were able to enjoy the journey that built her into a household name.
In regards to launch bugs, IO Interactive is fully aware of them and is on the move. They rolled out an update 1.008 already with the 1.0.1 patch. This resolves a number of issues like narrative crashes, AI triggers, NPC pathing, etc. If you have any to report, submit them accordingly.
IO Interactive saw an opportunity to build the James Bond game they were born to make, and the mission was... successful in my opinion. You can grab the game on Epic Games, PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and Steam!
+ Sophi
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