007 First Light Reviews
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.
IO Interactive's 007 First Light is easily the best Bond game we've seen. Rare's GoldenEye 007 was momentous when it launched, and it's stuck around the zeitgeist because it was a portal into Ian Fleming's world of shaken martinis and spy thrills we'd never seen before. What 007 First Light feels like is a playable, limited spy series that transports the player into a gripping and memorable espionage story.
Outstanding production values, thrilling action set pieces, strong performances, satisfying gunplay, and a great technical performance make this an impressive debut for IO Interactive’s 007. First Light earns its license to thrill.
007 First Light still maintains its advantage in a balanced game-style blend and the creation of the young Bond universe. Instead of competing with the films, it offers an alternate version of the main character.
007 First Light is undoubtedly one of the best James Bond games released in the last twenty years and, even if it may not fully satisfy every Hitman fan, it is easily the most ambitious project the studio has undertaken to date. The blend of action and stealth does not always come together perfectly and, at times, the rather foolish antagonists push certain moments close to parody. Nevertheless, Bond fans are treated to one of the most cinematic and well-presented entries the franchise has ever seen, delivering an experience that captures the spirit of 007 remarkably well.
Review in German | Read full review
007 First Light shines brightest when it leans into its hybrid identity. It doesn't try to be Hitman all the way, nor does it try to be a linear action game all the way. Instead, it constantly moves between both identities, creating a rhythm that feels distinct in modern action-adventure design.
In a year where major releases often arrive broken or soulless, 007 First Light stands out for doing the basics extraordinarily well: telling a good story, introducing characters that matter, and leaving the player wanting more. If this is the beginning of a new era for Bond in games, the future looks very promising.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
007 First Light finally delivers a modern Bond game that understands the character beyond the action scenes. Combining stealth, spycraft, cinematic storytelling, and IO Interactive’s design strengths, this is easily the best James Bond game in decades.
007 First Light is the Bond game the franchise has needed for fourteen years. A story that genuinely matters, melee combat with real weight, and a gadget system with actual consequences. The exploration segments drag more than they should, but when First Light lets Bond be Bond, it's hard to look away.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
First Light, as a title, has a dual meaning, too, since it’s not only an origin story for this rendition of James Bond, but also hopefully a new dawn for IOI’s ambitious interpretation of what a 007 game can be.