007: First Light Review – A Cinematic Masterpiece Worthy Of The Bond Legacy

Before I dive all the way into my review of 007: First Light, I just want to get this out the way: I'm a HUGE fan of narrative driven video games and I'm a big James Bond fan. Look, I know open-world games are the new norm in the video game world, and I like a lot of them - I just prefer a cohesive narrative that's easy and fun to follow. On the James Bond front, I've always been a fan of the books and movies.

I say all that to say this: a narrative driven James Bond game is something I was super excited about leading up to its release...but given the track record of James Bond games since the release of Goldeneye in 1997, I was also prepared for a huge disappointment. Because, lets face it, Bond games have been hit or miss over the last few decades. Some were enjoyable, but unfortunately most just left us fans frustrated and unfulfilled.

I'm happy to report that 007: First Light not only exceeded my expectation, but is the best Bond game since Goldeneye. I know that's a low bar to clear, but this game cleared it by leaps and bounds.

First Light Takes Players on Bond's Origin Story

It's no secret that a lot of long time Bond fans were a bit worried what Amazon would do with the property upon purchasing it back in 2025. Well, First Light is Amazon's first major outing as Bond's new steward and they tapped Hitman developer IO Interactive to create a new world for Bond. And, I'm happy to report, they did an excellent job. Patrick Gibson (star of Dexter: Original Sin) plays James Bond and is excellent in the role.

The game follows Bond as he goes from a young Navy Aircrewman to MI6 recruit to finally earning his 'License to Kill' in an original story not seen in books or film before. The cool thing - this game FEELS like your moving through a 20+ hour Bond movie, not playing a game. And I don't just mean the scenery or scenarios - which are all awesome, don't get me wrong - but, IO & Amazon went all in on making users truly immersed in this world. They cast film/TV actors like Patrick Gibson & Lennie James (famous for portraying Morgan in the Walking Dead series) in the game. They put together a film or book worthy story. You can tell a lot of time, money, and love went into this project - top to bottom. The decision truly makes the game feel like a immersive experience. You get sucked in and fully immersed in this world from the opening moments to the closing credits.

Plus, you feel like this universe could easily be translated to the big screen with little to no effort. It feels familiar and brand new at the same time - which is a hallmark of the Bond film series over it's existence. It may be a new Bond or a new era, but it all somehow feels both new & exciting and comfortable at the same time.

Spoiler Free Review of 007: First Light

James Bond was created by Ian Fleming in 1953. But despite the ever evolving times, Bond has always felt like Bond. This outing is no different. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the big bad feels like a modern bad guy we could see in the world today, but also has some of the traditional hallmarks of classic villains like Goldfinger. And James was the James Bond we all know and love - from his overconfidence, inability to follow orders, and overall ruthlessness when the heat is on. I can't sing the praises of the casting, the story, or the progression enough.

As far as gameplay goes, if you've played a Hitman game recently, the controls feels pretty familiar. If you're not (like me), it takes a bit getting used to and can occasionally be frustrating during big gun battles, but once you get the hang of things, the game is very fun and rewarding.

Like I mentioned at the very top, this is a narrative driven game, not an open sandbox type story. So, things are very linear to a point. But that doesn't mean everything is straight forward. Generally speaking, there are multiple ways to attack every mission. You bluff your way into a restricted area, you can climb through a vent, you poison a guard using one of your many toys from Q...there's plenty of way to complete your task based on your style of play. The game also encourages multiple playthroughs by having rewards based on beating missions in multiple ways - from sneaking your way through or going all out guns blazing.

The game doesn't rush the story, but it doesn't lollygag either. The story will take about 20 hours to complete. While it does feel like a complete story that leaves you satisfied, the price point for the 'short story' by comparison to other recent games may leave some users feeling a little short changed. Me, I've spent money on long games that sucked...so I won't hold it against First Light that it's short but compelling. I finished the game basically over 3 days because I couldn't put down the controller. I'd say that's a sign of a good video game.

Finally Verdict of 007: First Light

Look, I'm not going to lie to you and say this game is perfect. There's a few flaws. If you own a regular PS5 like I do and not a pro, some time the textures look a little janky due to the slower frame rate. While there is a tutorial section (which I will say is one of the best I've every played through), it doesn't fully prepare you for some of the big fire fights or situations you'll be put in -  which can be a bit frustrating.

But, nuts & bolts gameplay wise, I'd give First Light a solid 8.5. I might even bump that up to a 9 with a slight push. Story wise - this game is a 10/10. It's a story worthy of the Bond legacy. You have a compelling bad guy, interesting henchmen, Bond girls and all the other hallmarks of the franchise in a well rounded and complete story.

So, for the whole package combined, I'd give First Light a 9 and say it's a front runner for game of the year at the moment. I'm not going to say it's the best Bond game ever created...but at the very least, it's in a tie with Goldeneye. And if you remove the nostalgia from the N64 first person shooter, First Light might surpass it as the greatest Bond game of all time.