Coming from IO Interactive, 007 First Light is James Bond’s first video game foray in fifteen years. Given the studio’s pedigree as custodians of Agent 47’s globetrotting assassination exploits, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is Hitman re-skinned. Whilst there’s plenty of mechanical overlap, 007 First Light instead appears to be both a culmination and an evolution on what the studio has honed through numerous Hitman games.
For an overview of 007 First Light’s storytelling, mechanics, gameplay, and more, check out our already published “15 Things to Know videos”, as here we’re exploring the differences between Bond and Agent 47 beyond a shared clandestine knowhow.
Bond Isn’t Yet The “Anti-Hero”
While canonically, he eventually grows into the emotionally stoic anti-hero we recognise in books and movies, First Light’s young Bond is essentially a “good guy” – in inverted commas – not yet jaded by his demanding career in espionage. In contrast, Hitman’s Agent 47 is a genetically-engineered killing machine. Sure, he’ll rarely assassinate do-gooders, but ultimately he’s a necessary evil bent on command to destroy nefarious power. He’s a true anti-hero; a form Bond doesn’t echo until later life.
Young Bond Guided by Morals
And, seeing as First Light’s Bond is fresh into the world of espionage, he still adheres to his values, principles, and unwavering patriotism. First Light presents a character-driven narrative, suggesting opportunity for story events to push Bond’s resolve beyond its limit, forcing you to make decisions under pressure which might not align with his morals. If so, this would produce a more layered narrative experience than Hitman, where Agent 47’s approach is single-minded.
First Light’s Character-First Framework Influences How You Engage
First Light’s character-first framework will influence how you engage with its world in comparison to Hitman, too. The young Royal Navy airman introduced at the beginning of First Light is multifaceted, with influence drawing from across Bond’s entire spectrum, to the facial scar lifted straight out of Ian Fleming’s early novels, to close-quarters, hand-to-hand tussling personifying the intensity of Daniel Craig. Agent 47 isn’t one-note by comparison, but there are actions you’ll take in his command which feel “correct” for the character. Bond’s design, instead, is such that crisscrossing between playstyles feels apt, even if First Light brings frequent on-rails scenarios which usurp freedom for spectacle.
Agent 47 is a Blank Slate
Even though First Light’s Bond is multifaceted, you could argue his character isn’t yet fully-realised. As his arc progresses, you’ll progress with him. From this perspective, then, you could also argue that Bond is already pre-defined; or, at least, the various playstyles the game presents allow you to hone his image through pre-determined lenses. Agent 47, in contrast, is a blank slate whom you’ll characterise through playstyle, giving you more freedom in how you shape his persona. As much as First Light’s juvenile Bond replicates this, his path is already set.
Hitman Thrives on Emotional Detachment
Agent 47, the agent of chaos that he is, still treats his assassination targets as objectives. In First Light, there’s a sense that Bond’s targets are woven intrinsically into his existing relationships; the trailing of rogue agent 009 in the game’s preview footage, for instance. There’s a higher personal stake in Bond’s mission compared to Agent 47, and this should strike a richer emotional chord amongst players.
Hitman’s Missions are Self-Contained Sandboxes
Beyond character, both games demonstrate significant structural divergence too. Missions in Hitman are ostensibly puzzles with moving pieces, and it’s up to you to concoct a solution (or a sequence of solutions – the game’s sandbox design doesn’t limit you). Now, despite the promise of playstyles and player agency, 007 First Light’s structure appears, by comparison, much more procedural. Yes, you can choose whether to play stealthily or with gusto, but the overriding ethos here is “forward-momentum” – no matter what, Bond always forges onwards.
Hitman Encourages Replayability
And, as Hitman’s levels are sandboxes, their design encourages repetition: uncovering new routes, finding new, often more outlandish assassination methods; they bring mastery through experimentation. First Light appears more concerned with curating a first-time experience, and it’s unclear at this stage how much emphasis IO Interactive has placed on replayability.
First Light’s Bond is More Combat Ready
In Hitman, squaring up to a band of enemies was usually a last resort. Agent 47’s mission success hinged on remaining clandestine, where exposure often led to being overwhelmed. It’s fair to say IO Interactive’s skillset, as a studio, emphasised a deliberate form of gameplay (a point they’ve addressed when developing First Light which we’ll expand on later). Regardless, First Light, in comparison, brings an evolved combat experience via precise shooting mechanics, aim assists, and environmental explosives. And on closer examination, you’ll notice intimate camerawork frames Bond when engaging in hand-to-hand combat too, providing a visual example of IO Interactive’s renewed combat-ready focus.
James Bond’s Fantasy is More Realised
Wherever your opinion lands on First Light’s version of James Bond, one thing IO Interactive truly understands about the character is that he’s a fantasy. He’s smart, attractive, charismatic; he’s a taste for luxury and sophistication; his career, let’s be honest, is exciting. So, whilst these fantastical elements are grounded in real-world settings, First Light – like Bond fiction writ large – still has room for illogical, disbelief-suspending moments. A fight on the wing of a huge, taxiing airship, for example. Whilst there’s operational overlap, Hitman as a series is less concerned with fulfilling a fantasy. Its scripted moments aren’t used as cinematic tools like in First Light, instead funnelling you towards specific outcomes.
Both Games Handle Failure Differently
If you’re discovered in Hitman, or fail in any capacity, your progress resets cleanly. In 007 First Light, whilst there are indeed moments that push you to your most recent checkpoint if you fail, the game’s overarching design discourages resetting. Yes, we’re talking forward momentum again, but this mindset is hardwired into First Light’s circuitry and it’s worth repeating. The game gives you numerous tools to overcome failure, from confidently bluffing your way out of suspicion, to escaping through smoke bombs or swiftly dropping an assailant whilst they’re calling for backup.
Clockwork Versus Organic Level Design
Stepping away from mechanics, the way these games communicate their design intent is also markedly different. For instance, Hitman’s levels often run like clockwork, with guards, targets, and other NPCs following intricate routines. It’s a key ingredient in the series’ recipe, bringing discovery through patience and observation. In First Light, there are elements of timing and surveillance, sure, but levels appear designed as fluid spaces, where occupying NPCs move organically. A less systemic, open-ended design supports First Light’s curated narrative pacing.
Patience No Longer a Core Skill
Expanding on the point just made: patiently waiting, memorising patterns, compartmentalising predictable routines, these are skills which define Agent 47’s archetype. First Light, instead, is built on momentary study, where any available options can be immediately executed. This means more decisions will be taken on-the-fly, like we alluded to earlier, bringing an intense pressure compared to Hitman.
Agent 47 Observes, Bond is Told
And if there’s something which underlines Agent 47 and Bond’s diverging approaches – patient observation versus momentary study, calculated maneuvering versus instinctual decision-making – it’s in how the pair gathers information. Put simply, in Hitman, all the information you need to complete a mission is generally discovered in-world, whilst mission-critical info is routinely fed to Bond through earpiece guidance or NPC interactions. In First Light, you’ll be less of an overseer and more an active participant.
Both Games Demand Different Perspectives
Zooming out of both titles, we can assess the different perspectives you’ll need to bring as a player. As we already suggested, Hitman is ostensibly a puzzle game with pieces you’ll need to put together to succeed. First Light, meanwhile, embodies its puzzle pieces more broadly into each element of gameplay: narratives, objectives, social interactions, and so on. Playing Hitman, your perspective is singular and focused. In First Light, it seems, your attention is split between multiple priorities.
IO Interactive Has Evolved
As a studio, IO Interactive has evolved to match 007 First Light’s ambition. They’ve brought in specialised talent to portray driving mechanics, gunplay, and action set-pieces, as these are areas that simply weren’t a priority in the Hitman series.