007 First Light

About

007 First Light is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by IO Interactive A/S and was released on May 27, 2026. It received very positive reviews from players.

Experience the origin of James Bond in 007 First Light. Order the game on PlayStation 5 and step into a world of espionage with exciting missions full of iconic moments when it's released on 27 March 2026. Made by IO Interactive, creators of the Hitman series, 007 First Light mixes gun fights, combat, stealth and exploration to deliver explosive thrills.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,704 reviews

story193 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

Exceptional cinematic experience that truly captures the essence of a James Bond movie with stylish action, smart storytelling, and immersive world-building.
Smooth, fluid gameplay blending stealth elements reminiscent of Hitman with dynamic, cinematic combat and environmental interactions, providing multiple ways to approach missions.
Highly polished graphics and sound design, with solid optimization on a range of systems and engaging voice acting and characters.
Well-crafted origin story that offers a fresh and compelling take on James Bond, with witty dialogue and strong character development.
Tactical gadget use and social engineering mechanics add depth and fun to gameplay, making the player feel like a real spy.
Strong replayability potential supported by additional challenge modes and post-launch content plans.

Lack of a field of view (FOV) slider causes motion sickness and discomfort for some players.
The driving mechanics are clunky and less refined compared to the rest of the gameplay experience.
The game is heavily linear with limited player agency in progression and mission sequence, leading to feeling more like a guided interactive movie than a sandbox game.
Some performance issues persist on certain hardware, including frame drops in crowded areas and sporadic crashes.
Denuvo anti-tamper DRM integration restricts offline progression and modding, causing frustration among players.
Criticism toward lengthy tutorials and heavy use of unskippable cutscenes and quick-time events (QTEs) which can hamper pacing and player engagement.

story
481 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
59%
1%
The story is widely praised as a compelling and well-crafted James Bond origin tale, blending cinematic storytelling with engaging characters and intense missions that keep players invested. It combines the feel of a Bond movie with gameplay elements reminiscent of Hitman and Uncharted, offering multiple mission approaches while maintaining a strong narrative focus. Though some note pacing issues and minor plot holes, the overall narrative experience is seen as a refreshing, modern, and quintessential Bond adventure that enriches the game's appeal.
- “The story is an absolute masterclass.”
- “The narrative apparently stands shoulder to shoulder with some of Bond's best, a thrilling spy story that grabs you and doesn't let go.”
- “007 First Light delivers everything you’d want from a modern James Bond experience — stylish action, smart storytelling, and cinematic visuals from start to finish.”
- “The story in Hitman felt lackluster, like they chose the locations first and made up a story to connect the dots second (and I'm fairly certain they have confirmed that in interviews).”
- “The script and story are so predictable and lazy it makes me feel like it was written by AI or someone with very little experience.”
- “The story is full of holes, plot points that are easily picked apart and events that are just silly.”
gameplay
305 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The gameplay of "007 First Light" combines stealth and strategic mechanics reminiscent of Hitman with cinematic action set pieces like Uncharted, delivering a smooth, immersive James Bond experience that feels like being part of a movie. Combat, stealth, and gadget use are praised for their fluidity and creativity, though some note occasional clunkiness, linearity, and bugs that slightly hinder pacing. Overall, it is widely regarded as having some of the best and most engaging gameplay in a Bond game, blending narrative and mechanics effectively.
- “The gameplay is where this game really shines.”
- “It plays like Hitman’s stealth mechanics and Uncharted gameplay all wrapped in a proper Bond game.”
- “Ioi took the best parts of Hitman, improved them, and then added in a bunch of awesome new stuff that comes together to make a truly thrilling and satisfying gameplay experience.”
- “The narrative is pretty good when the mediocre gameplay doesn't ruin the pacing.”
- “The mediocre gameplay consistently ruins the pacing of a good narrative.”
- “The combat is also extremely repetitive and very underwhelming despite what was shown in the trailers and gameplay videos.”
optimization
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
41%
12%
The game's optimization is generally praised for delivering smooth, stable performance with high frame rates even at 4K ultra settings, making it one of the best-optimized releases recently. Many users highlight excellent use of DLSS and frame generation technologies, allowing great visuals without major performance hits. However, some report occasional stutters, issues on certain hardware (notably AMD or laptops), and minor performance dips in crowded scenes, indicating room for improvement.
- “It's rare for any game to come out as polished as this and even have proper optimization to boot.”
- “The optimization is the best I have seen in recent times; I have a rather modest system and I am able to play it maxed out at 1600p at ultra settings on a laptop no less.”
- “The performance has been phenomenal.”
- “60fps at 4k low settings with DLSS performance on is unforgivable.”
- “At this point I start to give up on my hobby thanks to the gaming industry... constant crashes, blurry graphics, completely outdated character design... the game requires a nuclear reactor to even run... I'm forced to turn on Nvidia frame generation (meanwhile running Cyberpunk on native 4k without DLSS on my PC) to get 60fps on a game which looks 10 years old... the performance is an absolute joke.”
- “First impressions is very bad idk if it's a bug or what but once installed the game was stuttering went into settings to fix and turn DLSS on but it was greyed out my drivers are all up to date I even uninstalled and reinstalled everything even after all that the game was still unplayable until it's fixed I recommend either waiting or getting the game on console”
graphics
167 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
38%
4%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their stunning visuals, cinematic quality, and detailed environments, often compared favorably to high-profile AAA titles with smooth performance and strong optimization, especially on Nvidia hardware. While some users note occasional performance issues on AMD cards or older GPUs, most appreciate the game's polished art direction and atmospheric presentation that enhance the overall storytelling and gameplay experience. A few critiques mention dated or coarse textures and limited advanced graphical options, but overall the graphics significantly contribute to the game's immersive James Bond feel.
- “The visuals are incredible too, lighting, reflections, environments, and facial animations all feel polished and detailed.”
- “Stunning visuals optimization: the graphics are absolutely gorgeous, but what makes it truly impressive is the flawless optimization.”
- “The graphics look unbelievable, like truly, I can't believe I can max out everything but textures and it runs at a steady 60fps on my 3070.”
- “I am running on a RTX 3070 Ti laptop (not top of the line GPU I know) but I am getting unstable frame rates during some action-intensive scenes even on medium-high settings in 2K, and the graphic quality itself doesn't justify the performance in my opinion.”
- “The game looks terrible with default graphics settings (turn off all the blur, grain, vignette etc).”
- “At this point I start to give up on my hobby thanks to the gaming industry... constant crashes, blurry graphics, completely outdated character design... the game requires a nuclear reactor to even run... I'm forced to turn on Nvidia frame generation (meanwhile running Cyberpunk on native 4K without DLSS on my PC) to get 60fps on a game which looks 10 years old... the performance is an absolute joke.”
music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
49%
2%
The game's music and soundtrack receive high praise for perfectly capturing the iconic James Bond atmosphere, including the classic themes and a standout Lana Del Rey opening song. Reviewers highlight the score's dynamic use during key moments, its seamless integration with gameplay and cinematics, and its strong contribution to the overall cinematic experience. The audio design is considered top-tier, enhancing tension and excitement while faithfully evoking the Bond legacy.
- “The soundtrack is chef's kisses... they save the Bond melody for the right moments and do not overuse it.”
- “The soundtrack and sound design are some of the best I've ever heard in a game, and the levels are very creatively designed as well.”
- “The music, the tension, the gadgets, the stealth, the action sequences… it all just clicks together perfectly.”
stability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
32%
The game generally runs well, with many users praising its smooth performance and good optimization, even at high settings and resolutions. However, some players report crashes, glitches, and bugs impacting stability, particularly in specific scenarios or hardware setups. Overall, stability is solid but not flawless, with room for improvement.
- “The short version: lock it to 30fps, drop settings to low/medium, and this thing runs great.”
- “I'm obviously at the very start, but the game runs great, has smooth movement and combat, you can feel the love and the quality in the decisions and how the game feels.”
- “Also, it runs great even with max settings, while the cutscenes make you feel like in a movie.”
- “Now it won't launch at all, and yes, did all the usual troubleshooting tips and tricks that have been mentioned.”
- “The first car chase for some reason my GPU usage goes to 99% then the game freezes and crashes to desktop.”
- “Add to this, the fact that the game is unplayable, even with upscaling, which you don't want to do anyway, because it causes graphical glitches.”
atmosphere
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
48%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its cinematic, immersive, and authentic James Bond experience, capturing the classic spy vibe with stylish visuals, sound design, music, and attention to detail. Players feel fully immersed in a thrilling, glamorous, and tense espionage world that enhances both the narrative and gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that elevates the entire experience.
- “The intro immediately sets a cinematic atmosphere that many games fail to capture.”
- “It captures that classic Bond atmosphere — the glamour, the danger, the dry wit — better than any previous game in the series.”
- “The atmosphere, cinematics, and attention to detail are on another level.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The game offers a good amount of replayability, especially through its tactical simulation modes, multiple mission routes, and challenge systems, though some players find it less replayable than titles like Hitman due to a stronger narrative focus and more guided gameplay. Offline play restricting access to challenges negatively impacts replay value. Overall, the blend of strategic elements, memorable characters, and varied approaches makes replay appealing for those interested in exploring different tactics and story reactions.
- “The replayability is impressive, and allowing players to use quick thinking to adapt is done basically perfectly.”
- “Memorable characters, even the side characters are memorable, witty dialogue, intriguing story, great use of soundtrack, fun to stealth, fun to fail said stealth, good amount of replayability for challenge or to see how Bond and the world reacts.”
- “Having said that, the 'sandboxy' element of the missions invites replayability - having 'completed' one area, I'm left thinking about all the other routes, doors, and areas that remain unexplored which I'm keen to go back to and unpick.”
- “On top of that, playing offline inexplicably blocks access to the challenge systems, which are heavily tied to the game's progression and replayability.”
- “It has a tactical simulation mode to replay levels, but my early impressions tell me it's not quite as replayable as Hitman, likely due to its stronger narrative focus.”
- “Very little replay value.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is widely praised for its witty, cheeky, and true-to-Bond style sarcasm, making the experience enjoyable and funny with clever dialogue and playful action moments. Several users highlight its charming British humor and humorous references to the Bond universe, although a few find the tone corny and unrealistic. Overall, the humor enhances the game's appeal, blending well with its story and gameplay.
- “The story has been very good; the humor is witty and funny, and the gameplay is just as good as Hitman.”
- “Bond is actually funny, constantly doing ridiculous things, and has more gadget options than fingers.”
- “There's a bunch of stuff that made me laugh, like completing the challenge to get Omar off the balcony in a straight combo and having his trainer say, 'Hey, make sure you clean yourself up and get some rest kid,' while I was thinking to myself, 'I'm pretty sure he fell off a two-story roof after getting hit in the head with a dumbbell.'”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
Character development in the game is generally praised for being rich and well-executed, contributing to a strong and engaging story after an initially shaky start. Players appreciate the depth, design, and progression of characters, which enhance the overall experience despite some technical and performance issues.
- “The story is rich, with strong plot and character development.”
- “Excellent game with beautiful scenery, amazing action scenes, and great character development.”
- “The story at the beginning is a little shaky in terms of pacing and character development, but once the game finds its stride it plays excellently.”
- “It's fun to do and there are things to look at and take in regarding the character development.”
- “The character design is completely outdated, which detracts significantly from the overall experience.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Grinding in this game is more engaging and enjoyable compared to others like "Hitman WOA," with varied and entertaining gameplay elements such as platforming, stealth, and boss battles that keep the experience fresh rather than tedious.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's emotional storytelling compelling, feeling a strong connection to young Bond's mental and emotional journey, which comes across as fresh and impactful compared to previous portrayals.
- “The story so far in First Light has more impact, and I feel more connected to Bond's mental and emotional state than I ever did to 47's.”
- “The young Bond story is fresh and surprisingly emotional.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game runs smoothly and feels great to play, but many users criticize its monetization, viewing it as a blatant cash grab typical of open-world games.
- “Total cash grab.”