007 First Light Reviews
007 First Light doesn’t merely earn its licence to kill. It earns its licence to stand alongside Naughty Dog with its kennel full of best action-adventure games of this modern generation.
007 First Light delivers on almost all fronts, with great storytelling and writing, captivating gameplay, committed performances, and stunning visuals in one of the finest James Bond games ever made.
Were a lot of those purchases made by cult fans of the 007 series? Perhaps, but were they treated to a master craft of a title? 100%. Stealth, ingenuity, and the ability to use your surroundings to your own benefit are the backbone of this title. We will all get the same result in the end, but how you get there can differ in so many ways, which gives the title its longevity. To quote from the Goldfinger movie, this title is “Shocking, Positively Shocking”, in a good way!
007 First Light is one of the most pleasant surprises of recent years, and certainly one of the best 007 games ever released
Review in Greek | Read full review
IO Interactive has really pulled off the best Bond game to date, giving us depth to a character that often is just regulated to being a generic action hero. Gibson's Bond is what you'd want from an origin story, as he is a Bond that feels perfect for the modern age.
007 First Light isn’t just a great Bond game – it’s one of the best action-adventure games released this decade. Witnessing the birth of the 007 legend through Bond’s eyes from the beginning is a tale that was long overdue for a video game adaptation, and IO Interactive has pulled it off flawlessly. Tie this origin story in with gameplay systems that prioritize the precision and creativity that 007 is known for, and you have what amounts to one of the best iterations of James Bond that we have seen in recent memory.
We experienced a true adventure with 007 First Light, an adventure that brought back the spirit of classic-generation cinematic games focused mainly on pure fun. IO Interactive delivered an experience that lets us step into the role of James Bond as if we were watching a fully cinematic film with its own identity and high-level direction. All of this comes with enjoyable gameplay and varied, creative level design, in a journey that kept us excited and eager to see more of the 007 world in the future.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
007 First Light got off to a rocky start: IO Interactive's departure from the Hitman franchise and a lackluster marketing campaign had fueled low expectations, which were promptly dashed. The game proves to be an excellent action game and, above all, a faithful yet original portrait of a new James Bond—young, developing, and perfectly placed in the present. From a purely gameplay perspective, the blend of Hitman and Uncharted works, driven by a pace that seamlessly alternates action, stealth, and cinematic direction. A few naivetés—slow enemies, tricky mechanics—and a solid technical framework in terms of frame rate, but not up to par with the excellence of the models and animations, dampen the momentum. The result is a very successful and highly recommended title, which only needs some final polish to make the leap.
Review in Italian | Read full review
007: First Light isn't a flawless game, but it flawlessly understands what makes Bond so unique, and no game has ever fit us into the tuxedo quite this convincingly.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
IOI has crafted a new Bond for a new age with a thrilling campaign and likeable characters. However, the lack of replayability and failure to address certain aspects inherent to the character make what could be an exceptional outing merely great.
007 First Light comes highly recommended because it successfully brings the essence of James Bond back to the world of video games with a game that perfectly captures the character. It’s not a perfect title that seeks to reinvent the genre, but it does offer a very solid, well-designed adventure with plenty of personality. I can assure you that we are witnessing the return of the legendary MI6 agent.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
007 First Light delivers a massive, bombastic action-adventure that blends elements of IOI’s Hitman series with Uncharted. Its depiction of Bond balances being fresh while maintaining all the required characteristics, and it’s sold incredibly well by Gibson’s performance. This Bond’s first adventure is a worthwhile, satisfying, and creative outing from start to finish. All I can ask for now is even more silver screen-worthy adventures in the future.
007: First Light is one of the most addictive video games in recent memory. Its narrative, character development, and gameplay are so expertly crafted that they immerse you completely in the world of espionage. I believe it is safe to say that this is the best game not only in the 007 franchise but in the entire espionage genre to date. Despite a few technical shortcomings, it shines brightly by blending elements borrowed from other franchises.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
007 First Light is very nice to play, very spectacular even if it tends to put us in a spectator seat. An original story-shaped adaptation where charismatic characters and ingredients, who license what it is, are respected. We are curious to see what the suite will offer for this version of 007.
Review in French | Read full review
007 First Light sets a new benchmark for James Bond games and is an impressive achievement for IO Interactive, which successfully moves beyond its traditional formula to deliver a thrilling spy adventure. With spectacular action, clever gadgets, a strong technical execution, and an engaging story, it stands as a very polished AAA experience that appeals far beyond Bond fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review
After 14 years away, 007 First Light doesn’t just bring James Bond back in style, it reminds us why he belongs in the gaming space in the first place.
With high levels of production, compelling Hitman-lite gameplay and deeply engaging story that isn't out of place in a post Casino Royale world, First Light doesn’t compete with other Bond games, it competes with the Bond cinematic universe. However, just like James Bond, First Light is slightly flawed. Gameplay feels like a small step back for IOI, as it removes a lot of the freedom and improvisation Hitman became known for, some of the missions constantly move the goalposts, and despite a great performance, this version of Bond is a little short on charisma. If you stripped away the IP, what’s left underneath is a very good action-adventure, but the addition of one of the most iconic characters of all time means that 007 First Light supplants Goldeneye as the undisputed best Bond game.
With 007 First Light, IO Interactive demonstrates remarkable maturity in its first outing with the franchise, delivering one of the year's best action-adventure games as well as one of the finest portrayals of Bond across any medium.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
IO Interactive’s take on James Bond is confident, stylish, and effortlessly absorbing. Patrick Gibson’s James Bond is charming and memorable without leaning on familiar interpretations, supported by a cast of likeable characters. The blend of stealth, action, and gadget play brings out the best of IO Interactive’s design strengths, resulting in an expertly paced, all-killer-no-filler experience that rarely overstays its welcome. It balances careful infiltration with more bombastic spectacle when needed, always encouraging improvisation over perfection. Hand-to-hand combat is a weak point, but First Light compensates with encounters that encourage experimentation and creative flow. This isn’t just a great James Bond game; it’s the best one yet.
007 First Light has the look, sound and occasional swagger of a Bond adventure, but once you start poking at its systems, the illusion quickly falls apart.