While the Grand Carpathian is a place for all kinds of escapades in 007 First Light, IO Interactive also showcased another mission in the Kensington Gala during the latest State of Play. Bond is tracking an assassin but can’t give himself away, which is difficult when he has to access the upper floors.
Fortunately, by listening to surrounding conversations, he manages to impersonate a photographer (and steal a camera) to gain access. The gameplay jumps forward to Bond needing to escape through the garden, learning about a keycard required to do so. There are multiple routes and methods to escape, but while you could beat down enemies, they may call for reinforcements.
Causing distractions, sneaking about and getting creative is thus important. Thankfully, you have multiple Q Gadgets to achieve this, from the signature watch laser that can stun enemies and knock down objects to the smoke device, which confuses foes and enables stealth takedowns. Alternatively, you can bluff your way through conversations, even if it doesn’t always work.
Melee combat is also fairly robust, with Bond having access to parries and strikes. He can also throw objects, from empty weapons to pool balls and use the environment to take down enemies. Once enemies with the urge to shoot Bond appear, the License to Kill activates, and you can use different firearms to go loud. Instincts come in handy here, since they allow for focusing on targets and various environmental objects.
007 First Light launches on March 27th, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-orders are live, with the Standard Edition costing $69.99.
