If you’re a longtime reader of the site, then you’ll probably be aware that we have some big James Bond fans on the team, myself included. So, of course, there’s a lot of interest in 007 First Light, the upcoming video game from IO Interactive (IOI), the game studio that gave us the Hitman games. I think there’s a lot to be excited about after seeing just over half an hour at the September State of Play, but also a few things to be concerned about. Let’s dive in.

007 First Light is an original story set in the James Bond universe. Unlike other Bond games, which featured the likeness of one of the actors playing Bond in the movies, First Light is carving its own path and, as such, has its own Bond. Stepping into the iconic role is Patrick Gibson, perhaps best known most recently as the lead from Dexter: Original Sin. Fans of the original Fleming novels will note this Bond has a book-accurate scar on his face. Gibson’s Bond doesn’t shy away from the charm and the puns, citing that photography can be such a negative experience, for instance. Groan, but in the right way, considering the franchise. In First Light, Bond has yet to achieve his 00 status, making this a form of origin story for the character. It’s also contemporary, so the modern issues and values are being acknowledged in this iteration, says the dev. When asked how the women in this Bond universe will be portrayed, IOI stated that they’ll be treated “as characters” and not objects. Joining Gibson in the cast are Lennie James as Greenway, Priyanga Burford as M, Alastair Mackenzie as Q, Kiera Lester as Moneypenny, and Noemie Nakai as Miss. Roth.

The gameplay shown was broken into three distinct gameplay styles over two different missions. The first was a narrator-less segment at a Slovakian mansion where a chess competition is being held. Being a relative newcomer, Bond is operating as a getaway driver, while a later mission sees him infiltrating a gala, which had the devs breaking down certain gameplay elements. After a slow drive to the mansion, Bond starts to tail a suspicious-looking bellboy, breaking away from his post against orders, and it’s here where the gameplay really starts to feel like a Hitman game. The mansion is naturally blocked off unless you have a pass, so Bond is unable to get in. But there’s a lot of things nearby that Bond can exploit to his advantage. By distracting one guard to obtain a lighter and then setting a wheelbarrow full of flowers on fire to distract another guard, Bond is able to access a pipe and sneak into a window.

It’s here where one of my first concerns comes into play. To distract the first guard, Bond turns on a sprinkler to get the guard’s attention. All well and dandy, but the guard stares down that sprinkler valve way too long, looking for the great mystery of life in the handle. I think the guard should react more appropriately to a smaller level of distraction. Likewise, when the wheelbarrow is lit aflame, the guard near it merely walks over and also starts staring into the fire instead of rushing to get help or an extinguisher. NPCs also apparently can’t look up, as Bond hanging on the side of the building would have surely been noticed. Considering the March 2026 release date, I hope IOI can fix the enemy AI to be more reactive and realistic. Alternatively, Bond could have procured a press badge and posed as a member of the media.

After sneaking into the mansion and bluffing his way past the maids (something that doesn’t always work), the video cuts ahead to Bond chasing down rogue agent 009 in a vintage Aston Martin. It’s a cool sequence, very Xbox 360/PS3 era in its arcadey and drift-heavy mechanics, but I also felt it overstayed its welcome considering the level of interactivity shown. There was also a high level of motion blur in effect that I found distracting, which was a shame because this is a good-looking game, especially the lighting and the art direction. Said blurring was also too apparent during the other action sequences, such as hand-to-hand and shootouts, so I hope the devs tone this effect down as I found it muddled the screen.

The final segment shown in the first chunk of the demo was largely action-driven, with Bond having chased 009 to an airstrip and engaging in a pretty nifty shootout, allowing him to make use of his license to kill (Bond is unable to whip out his gun whenever, as it wouldn’t be the MI6 agent’s protocol). It’s cover-based, but very interactive. Much like Star Wars Outlaws, Bond is equipped with his service pistol, but can pick up enemy weapons to supplement temporarily. When that ammo runs out, Bond can whip the empty gun at a nearby enemy, stunning them before disarming and taking a new weapon at the same time. Another neat moment saw Bond throw himself and a goon off a catwalk, using the enemy to break the fall. Very cinematic. Bond also shoots a red barrel to let the gasoline leak out and flow towards a car, blowing it up. Naturally, being a video game and an airport, there’s red gasoline tanks everywhere, and there’s a great level of destructibility shown. Once in the air, Bond hacks the plane and forces it to bank to the left and right, causing the cargo to become weapons against the foes aboard. But the game struggled with all the explosions and action during this segment and the shootout on the ground, with frames dropping severely in this section. Much like the A.I., I hope the devs can fix this in time.

The showcase then pivots to a narrator-focused segment in a different mission, with the devs explaining certain game mechanics. I was more impressed with this mission, probably because we got to see a lot of different outcomes for the same scenario. It’s these freeform sections that really feel like a Hitman game, where Bond can engage with the environment and exploit it to create advantages and openings. This isn’t a follow-the-path-until-the-check-marker style of game; there’s numerous different paths and styles you can take to get to the objective at hand, much like Agent 47 did in the Hitman games. The demo also used this opportunity to properly showcase gadgets, which you can bring four with you on any given mission. Bond can use his laser watch to sever a chandelier to make a distraction, or he can use smoke to slip in for some stealth takedowns, or send in a dart at one of the guards and charm the rest. Likewise, instead of throwing down a quick beatdown on the guards, you can distract one and lock him in a closet by breaking the handle, trapping him. These little touches make the game feel more unique than the standard action/adventure game it could have been. Gadgets and charms pull from a resource meter to prevent you from spamming them and making the game too easy. Hand-to-hand combat also looks awesome, very Bourne meets Wick in terms of its level of interactivity with the environment and improvisation. Using pool balls and throwing people over the table feels very much like something you’d see unfold in a movie, and I’m there for it.

007 First Light certainly has my attention, but it has also brought up a few issues that definitely need some attention before the game releases on March 27th, 2026. Here’s hoping IOI can polish out the rough edges, as there’s a lot of potential in this gameplay style. It’s Hitman with just enough of Uncharted to keep the action and adventure more cinematic and engaging, which was not really the point of the original World of Assassination games. I’m definitely there for that, I just hope the end experience feels more like a refined Omega watch rather than a misaligned watch you bought at Walmart for $30.