007 First Light is like a James Bond movie in the best way possible | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.007 First Light is like a James Bond movie in the best way possibleNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...EntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingGames ReviewCloseGames ReviewPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Games Review007 First Light is like a James Bond movie in the best way possibleThe studio behind Hitman has captured the franchise’s signature spectacle.The studio behind Hitman has captured the franchise’s signature spectacle.by Tauriq MoosaCloseTauriq MoosaPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Tauriq MoosaMay 27, 2026, 1:30 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: IO InteractiveThe James Bond franchise is nothing if not a spectacle: Aside from the explosions and gun fights, even its calmer moments are dripping in the pomp and glamour of elite ostentation and luxury locales. Bond, however, has always been an odd mascot for the espionage profession, which ordinarily operates under silence and shadows. With 007 First Light, an origin story from Hitman developer IO Interactive, that spectacle rivals any of Bond’s cinematic adventures. Across 20 some hours with the game, that breathtaking spectacle punctuated one of my favorite action games in years, one filled with exhilarating combat and an incredible variety of missions.The game starts with Bond, still merely a British soldier, called in with his squad to check in on unresponsive scientists operating in the frozen wilderness of Iceland. The squad is shot down and only Bond survives. The opening sequence is, unfortunately, extremely generic, but it does its job in setting up Bond’s future. Despite the improbable odds, he succeeds, but not without killing several bad guys and blowing things up. It’s this, combined with his refusal to leave people to their fate, that garners the attention of “M,” the new head of the reinstated “00” program of MI6 (the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service). Bond joins the recruitment program and starts training, under the guidance of the irascible Greenway, played by The Walking Dead’s Lennie James. To say more would spoil the otherwise enjoyable plot, but the story explores everything from double agents to the rise of AI and corporate control of humanity.Don’t let his recruit status fool you: This is James Bond. He is charming, funny, an incredible fighter, highly intelligent, and surprisingly emotional and caring. No doubt much was drawn from Daniel Craig’s turn as the character, though there is no relation to the films. More importantly, playing as Bond feels incredible, as he is highly responsive, agile, and adaptive. In melee fights, he’ll not merely punch and kick when you press the “hit” button, he will also throw enemies headfirst into walls and windows if they are nearby; he will grab smashable objects to destroy on their heads; he will charge them. First Light is powered by the Glacier engine, the same tech behind the Hitman series, creating an ultrarealistic environment, with breakable objects and interiors; papers fly, smoke lingers, objects spin and roll. Like Bond himself, the environment is incredibly responsive.What really makes First Light work is the variety in missions. We go from tracking government workers in underground London nightclubs to a sprawling, multilevel Slovakian castle hosting a major chess match to uncover a double agent. And, in keeping with Bond tradition, each mission escalates, often in unexpected ways. At one point, Bond engages in a car chase that ends up chasing down and destroying a plane; another mission has you navigating a pirate den in a fictional Mauritanian city, having to raise $100,000 by participating in a range of illegal activities, from fist fights to gambling.I should note that the pirate den is where you meet Bawma, played by Lenny Kravitz. Oddly, he’s being touted by some places as the main antagonist, when he is not only not a villain, let alone the main villain, but also has a total screentime of about five minutes. It’s not a huge loss, though: Kravitz’s performance is terrible, and his American accent jarring.Though it comes from the team that made Hitman, I very rarely had to wear disguises or deceive my way into places — a frequent occurrence in Hitman that would also make a lot of sense for an espionage game. Instead, Bond finds other methods, usually grates and sewers, to enter spaces. I used disguises twice in my entire playthrough. Stealth is still your primary method of approach, but there is no insta-fail state. Bond can make quick work of multiple enemies, but it felt “wrong” to me when I failed stealth. If, like me, you choose to load a checkpoint to keep your stealth streak, be prepared for strangely long loading times and very annoying checkpointing. I couldn’t tell if IO even wanted me to focus on stealth, given the checkpoints before long unskippable conversations or before extensive platforming sections.Image: IO InteractiveBefore every mission, like in the films, Bond is kitted out by Q, the head of research at MI6 headquarters. Here, you can also speak to colleagues, hear conversations about your missions, and so on. It made MI6 not merely a faceless entity but alive with people you come to know. This becomes important for later developments I’d rather not spoil. You can take at most three devices into each mission, ranging from the laser watch to nausea darts. Every device is useful. Padlock on a door? Laser it. A guard is blocking a hallway? Shoot him with a nausea dart. Your choices directly impact how you’re able to approach situations in the field. During missions, you will encounter various “opportunities,” which make a return from Hitman. You may overhear a conversation about a reporter running late, then assume his identity to get into restricted areas; one time, I managed to fleece an ID card off a man all because I overheard his friend’s name.First Light’s variety kept me on my toes, never once allowing me to guess where the game would go. The spectacle and set pieces rival even Uncharted, without ever once making me feel like I was merely a spectator. It’s not the Hitman-like game I initially expected given its developer; instead, it’s one of the best action games I’ve ever played, one that leans into the elements that have made Bond so enduring. And with the future of the film franchise up in the air, First Light is coming at exactly the right time and clearly in the right hands.007 First Light launches on the PC, PS5, and Xbox on May 27th; a Switch 2 version is also in the works.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Tauriq MoosaCloseTauriq MoosaPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Tauriq MoosaEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentGames ReviewCloseGames ReviewPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Games ReviewGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingMost PopularMost PopularJony Ive’s Ferrari looks nothing like a FerrariUber president says AI spending is getting ‘harder to justify’Google Health is here, but a lot of people want their Fitbit app back insteadNvidia has retired its GeForce Control Panel app after 20 yearsYou’re about to feel the AI money squeezeThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in EntertainmentThe best part of Mina the Hollower is how it randomizes the Zelda formulaThe Witcher 3 is getting another expansion, more than a decade after launchSony’s sloppy Spider-Man universe gets even messier with Spider-NoirMemory V re-creates the Memorymoog without the massive headaches or price tagNobody wants to tell me why they only listen to their own Suno slopSpotify is narrating magazine articles nowThe best part of Mina the Hollower is how it randomizes the Zelda formulaJay PetersAn hour agoThe Witcher 3 is getting another expansion, more than a decade after launchAndrew WebsterAn hour agoSony’s sloppy Spider-Man universe gets even messier with Spider-NoirCharles Pulliam-MooreMay 26Memory V re-creates the Memorymoog without the massive headaches or price tagTerrence O'BrienMay 26Nobody wants to tell me why they only listen to their own Suno slopTerrence O'BrienMay 26Spotify is narrating magazine articles nowJess WeatherbedMay 26Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop StoriesTwo hours agoThe new Razr Ultra isn’t your average phone — for better and worseTwo hours agoThe AI fight brewing inside The New York TimesMay 26Jony Ive’s Ferrari looks nothing like a FerrariTwo hours agoThe Pope isn’t AGI-pilledA minute agoThis smart bird feeder captures more of my backyard dramaA minute agoRoku’s new homepage is rolling out to everyone.The VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie PolicyLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform Status© 2026 Vox Media, LLC. 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The game First Light is presented as a cinematic spectacle by drawing inspiration from the world of the Hitman studio, as noted by Tauriq Moosa. The experience is framed around James Bond, whose narrative is expanded through an origin story provided by IO Interactive. The gameplay encompasses approximately twenty hours of exhilarating combat and diverse missions that emphasize pomp, glamour, and the high-stakes nature of espionage, mirroring the aesthetic of the Bond franchise.

The narrative begins with Bond, a British soldier, being tasked with investigating unresponsive scientists in the remote wilderness of Iceland. Following an initial engagement where his squad is destroyed, Bond survives and subsequently gains attention from "M," the new leader of MI6's reinstated "00" program. Bond enters the recruitment process and training under the instruction of Greenway. The underlying story delves into complex themes such as double agents, the emergence of artificial intelligence, and the control exerted by corporations over humanity. The protagonist Bond is portrayed as charming, highly intelligent, emotionally responsive, and exceptionally agile in combat, demonstrating adaptive movement that allows him to interact with the environment physically, such as throwing enemies or utilizing smashable objects.

Technically, the game employs the Glacier engine, the same technology used in the Hitman series, to generate an ultrarealistic environment where objects are physically interactive; smoke lingers, papers fly, and interiors feature breakable elements. This responsive environment enhances the immersion throughout the experience. The mission design is characterized by significant variety, ranging from tracking government personnel in underground London nightclubs to navigating a sprawling, multilevel Slovakian castle for a chess match, and even engaging in chaotic car chases and navigating pirate dens. These missions frequently escalate and incorporate unconventional elements, demanding dynamic problem-solving.

The interaction design allows for multifaceted approaches to mission completion. While stealth remains a primary method of engagement, the system permits various manipulative tactics, such as using disguises and exploiting overheard conversations to gain access to restricted areas or acquire information. The mechanics integrate elements from the source material, including the deployment of various devices, like a laser watch or nausea darts, which influence tactical positioning during missions. The game structure intentionally presents opportunities for player agency, allowing choices to directly impact field approaches.

The story also introduces memorable characters, such as Bawma, who appears in a pirate den setting, and allows for interactions with colleagues at MI6 headquarters, making the intelligence organization feel more populated and dynamic. Despite some perceived mechanical friction, such as the variable loading times associated with checkpoint systems, the overall effect of First Light is one of unparalleled spectacle and action. It successfully blends high-octane combat with intricate world-building, positioning itself as a superior action game that deeply explores the enduring elements of the Bond mythology.