You only live twice: Once when you are born, and once when you look death in the face.” So said Ian Fleming, the man who brought James Bond to life. After more than a decade of absence from the gaming world, Bond has returned in as charismatic yet calculating form with IO Interactive’s 007 First Light.
You’ve doubtless seen the reviews by now, which place it as one of the best games of 2026 – which feels like a common refrain nowadays, especially after Forza Horizon 6, Resident Evil Requiem and so on. While there’s near-endless praise for its ability to capture the essence of Bond, First Light is particularly worthwhile for really dipping into the espionage aspect of the universe. Which, unsurprisingly, intertwines masterfully with the stealth.
It all begins innocently enough with our hero freezing after a particularly nasty dip in the ocean following his helicopter going down. Crouch, shimmy across crevices, take cover – the usual stealth tenets. However, Bond speaks to the enemy at one point, and suddenly a whole new world opens. A world where all these elements work in concert to really make you feel like a superspy.
As much as First Light’s linear sections and explosive set pieces stand out, there’s equal appeal in the more methodical areas, where the floor is yours, and you dictate the approach. It sounds simple enough in most cases, especially if you have what seem to be the right gadgets. The Phone Dart, for example, is just as good at inducing sickness in someone to open up a spot as it is to reduce the number of targets to take down from 3 to 2. The Q-Watch is your Watch_Dogs-like hacking tool – perfect for scoping out your surroundings in a busy setting, but also great at bringing a speaker to life, luring yet another guard away. And then there was one, which is usually when a quick fist or two comes in handy. Mop up the rest, and you’re golden.
You can – and will – approach many of the game’s encounters in the same way, dissecting these encounters into acts of microaggression, gradually whittling down the enemy’s numbers. But you can also choose the path of least resistance, skillfully maneuvering through cover and keeping a low profile. The Smoke Pod is especially handy, especially if you’re caught and need to make a quick getaway. Maybe blinding an enemy with the Laser Strap.
However, these translate equally well into scenarios where violence is secondary. Where Bond’s talking can do the heavy lifting, whether it’s convincing enemies that he belongs, is friendly or even an authoritative individual. You don’t even need to glance at those gadgets – sometimes, all it takes is some good ol’ sabotage, like breaking a door handle to contain a threat, or creating a fire to draw attention.
Several missions require gaining entry into a specific area. Easier said than done, given the number of guards in locations like the gala who will outright tell you to leave. Maybe you’ll wander around and find some press credentials, either by convincing someone that you’re someone else, or by hitting them with a Dart and taking a press badge when they’re not looking. You might eavesdrop on conversations and observe others to steal their badge when they’re not looking.
In the same vein, another mission, “A Night Out,” opens up opportunities to use Bond’s exceptional ability to climb and reach areas undeterred. Perhaps you’ll try to get a stamp of approval for access, once again convincing the man in charge you’re someone else. Alternatively, just steal it when they’re not looking. Keep in mind that all these steps are simply to gain entry to the next part of the mission, and while you could be as ingenious as possible, nothing is stopping you from adopting simpler methods for success.
Either way, you’ll need to explore a level and seek out those opportunities, carefully observing the environment and people around you. They may have their own stories and dilemmas, but in that moment, they’re tools for Bond to exploit, even if it’s a bit of sweet talk to get by. As much as the fast cars, the speedboat, the range of weaponry and the explosions contribute to the superspy fantasy, it’s the moments where you’re undercover, adopting an entirely different identity and causing shenanigans without getting exposed.
Of course, there are valid criticisms. As pointed out before launch, you can’t move the bodies of knocked-out enemies. On the one hand, it’s understandable, especially for those used to more mechanically dense stealth games like Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid. But in First Light, this often forces you to do what Bond does best: Improvise. Talk your way out of it. Stay quiet and pick your targets off one by one. Get spotted and unlock the License to Kill, unleashing as much lead as empty guns into the faces of your enemies. Close the distance and smack fools around. Or some combination of all four, before moving on.
And that goes back to the real appeal of 007 First Light – the fact that it’s not pure stealth, or pure action game. Or trying to be overly linear, but also not throwing these massive sandboxes at you to get lost in (and bog down the pacing). It’s the James Bond experience, and while some situations will force you to be stealthy or rain fists down on your enemies as necessary, others require a bit more finesse and proper espionage to pull off. The fact that you can take different gadgets into the same mission and discover new ways to progress only further reinforces how important Bond is throughout all of this. These situations, this kind of stealth, and the results that follow occur because it’s Bond who we’re embodying through all this.
Of course, there will be plenty of points that fly in the face of logic, and you have to go with the flow (like believing that one guard can’t hear you pummeling his friend a few feet away). It’s to the credit of the writing in such cases that First Light doesn’t get too bogged down by such inconsistencies. “Are you fighting again?” Moneypenny asks, to which Bond replies, “Wouldn’t dream of it”, before quickly containing another situation. The wry wit ensures that each moment feels like you’re in a bona fide 007 flick, and in many ways, you are.
And that’s really the key appeal of the experience. First Light doesn’t choose to completely gamify Bond (at least, outside of the TacSim), but it also doesn’t put him on the straight and narrow path to the only ending. It’s full of cinematic moments and cutscenes while simultaneously ensuring you’re in control during many of the moments that matter. You’re traveling to these exquisitely designed locations – a proper globe-trotting adventure – but they’re more than just beautiful sets that lack any real life. They boast impressive attention to detail, which becomes all the more important when looking for different opportunities.
In that sense, IO Interactive has delivered one of the best 007 games of all time, precisely because it presents every aspect of the character in such a stunning fashion. Even when it feels like “live and let die” is the only course of action, Bond’s nature as a smooth talker, a stealth artist, and most importantly, a spy shines throughout.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
