One More Go

One liners, explosive chases, smouldering glances, and the steady tones of lapping surf. Bond as a franchise is a series of moments. Of set pieces and beautiful locations strung together by the barest of threads. 007 First Light follows that trajectory perfectly.

As you might expect from IOI, the locations depicted are stunning, though, maybe not as consistent as Agent 47‘s travel destinations. Stunning Vietnamese holiday resorts, and Mauritanian ship graveyards give way to mundane office complexes and museum storage areas. The latter let down by their linearity, rather than their lack of grand vistas.

Stages here are split into clearly defined modes, set pieces, shootouts, stealth, and exploration. These exploration sections are the biggest overlap with Hitman, but are far less open, with just a few different ways of moving into the next phase. This is disguised by allowing players to identify opportunities organically, but often leads to false starts, where it isn’t always clear how to progress. These stilted sections are usually backed up by sneaking through vents and crouching behind boxes as part of multi-phase infiltrations, though the option to bluff you’re way out of trouble feels distinctly Bond.

Steath and shooting in First Light are by far the flattest segments, and when it leans on either for too long, it feels most at odds with its source material. At their best these interactions are placed in larger maps, where small scale conflict can be resolved without turning into a tedious shooting gallery. Jumping between the different routines before settling into a rut.

Enemy aggression, and low ammunition counts encourage you to keep moving, pushing forward to disarm enemies. Gadgets can be used to turn the tide (think pen missiles and watch lasers), but amongst the chaos it can be tough to make the most of them, and I found myself regularly staring at the loading screen for a second chance. It’s a far cry from the swift competency we’re familiar with, but then, maybe that’s by design.

This is a Bond origin story, so he can be forgiven for a few one liners in need of more workshopping, but for the most part, Patrick Gibson portrays a believeable rendition of young Bond, crafting a persona that is both recongisable and distinct. His charm elevated by the stellar performances of the supporting cast, with a particular nod to Lenny James who plays Bond’s jaded mentor.

First Light is at its best when emulating cinema. It’s worth playing for the tutorial alone, a training montage that smash cuts between clambering, brawling, and driving. It’s the most dynamic and engaging tutorial I’ve ever played. It’s a shame, then, that the best First Light has to offer is served up in the opening hours.