To lean further into the themes of what a James Bond game would entail, the studio made use of the Sapienza level, which involves the players assassinating targets in a large mansion while also destroying a dangerous virus that was being developed in an underground lab beneath the mansion.

“We actually did put Daniel Craig in there”, Abrak said. “We just modeled his head and put it in instead of Agent 47, just for demo purposes, giving an impression of what these living, breathing spaces mean in an IO game. And if you are acquainted with the franchise, there is a level called Sapienza with the virus in the caves underneath the compound. So we showed some things off there and, yeah, it was well received.”

According to Abrak, the fact that IO Interactive was able to pitch a game that didn’t just involve constant action set pieces with guns blazing and explosions everywhere helped sell the idea more. The core of the pitch revolved around the fact that the studio is able to design intricate levels that offer a variety of gameplay styles, all of which would be right at home in a game based on James Bond.

“It was just for demo purposes, right?” Abrak explained. “I think what they saw in us and what we are also conveying is our angle would be to try to deliver a 360 experience where it’s not necessarily about only shooting and cut scenes — there’s certainly that in our game as well — but it’s also being able to explore the part of the Bond fantasy where he is in social spaces where he is using not only his fisticuffs, but also his charms and bluff and figuring out different ways in those social spaces to overcome the obstacles or get what he wants. How would a charming Bond fare in a situation like this where he doesn’t have to necessarily resort to violence?”

As for why the final product doesn’t feature Daniel Craig’s take on the James Bond character, Abrak revealed that the studio wanted to focus on an origin story for 007. To do this, it ultimately decided to go with Patrick Gibson to portray Bond in 007 First Light. This, he explained also helped the studio in making sure that the title isn’t seen as simply being a movie adaptation. Rather, as Abrak describes it, the studio wants it to be “built from the ground up as a game for gamers” while also offering an authentic James Bond experience.

“We’ve only made original worlds and characters before, so this is our first time working on something else”, Abrak said. “So it was very important for us that we could put our creative fingerprints on this as well. So we weren’t interested in a gamification of a movie or maybe where it’s about technical prowess only, like pushing the pixels on Pierce Brosnan, for example, or just taking some bespoke scenes from a movie and realizing them in gaming.”

“It was very, very important for us that this was built from the ground up as a game for gamers, but that really, really felt like a genuine Bond experience. And also exploring a space that hasn’t been explored before, where it’s not necessarily about just starting from day one with this super-experienced agent that knows exactly from the start of the game how he wants his drinks or how he’s walking around in a tuxedo. But part of the experience is that this young man is learning the ropes and is being faced with the world of espionage and becoming throughout this journey. So I thought that was very interesting to explore.”

007 First Light is being developed for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and the Nintendo Switch 2. The title is slated for release on March 27, 2026.

Sure, with Episode 2: Sapienza you’ll get a well rounded, if open story that should lead well into the next episode, where we all know there’s something bigger and more mysterious that lies beneath. An overarching story that is riddled with questions thrown about here and there that will eventually — hopefully — lead to something we didn’t see coming. Or at least something that’s pretty cool. This, of course, should be a no-brainer when dealing with what should have been launched as a whole story and ripped into pieces.

"Also returning in this episode is the Opportunity system that allows Agent 47 to listen in on nearby conversations where he can collect information, evidence or — naturally — opportunities to figure out the next move in this stealth puzzle that will allow him to progress with almost any type of mission."

As in the Episode 1: Paris, everything within the controls and gameplay returns as expected. Tight, responsive commands keep the ability to get Agent 47 to his objectives in various intriguing ways, even if it did take some time to get used to in the first episode. Collecting items and intel are of course a breeze and there’s really nothing that shouldn’t be expected if you joined in from the last episode.

Also returning in this episode is the Opportunity system that allows Agent 47 to listen in on nearby conversations where he can collect information, evidence or — naturally — opportunities to figure out the next move in this stealth puzzle that will allow him to progress with almost any type of mission. This really comes in handy when there’s something that you know you’re missing, but you just can’t grasp the next piece until you match it with the story that only this Opportunity system can provide. Similar to the sequences in Assassin’s Creed, where you must stay within a certain range to hear the key moments, this Opportunity listening system feels more authentic and actually much more real. What’s unique about the Opportunity system, however, is this acquired information is not necessary. You don’t have to do these at all, in fact. But they do give a different point of view and extra leverage down the line that can assist in further executing a beautiful stealthy assassination.

"Open from all directions, this is truly a sandbox map for an episodic stealth game. What looks like handcrafted buildings and towers, intermingled along with eye popping vistas of tropical lands, magnificent seas flowing in all directions, this truly is a landscape that demands to be explored."

Sapienza is where all the fun takes place within the second episode and it is vastly different than what can be found in Paris. Paris, the city of the first episode was quite a stunning feet of innovation with it’s sprawling landscape, bright open hallways and wonderful lighting. Sapienza shares a lot of qualities to Paris but steps it up substantially. More so than most would think. Sapienza is a vast sprawling city along the shore. Open from all directions, this is truly a sandbox map for an episodic stealth game. What looks like handcrafted buildings and towers, intermingled along with eye popping vistas of tropical lands, magnificent seas flowing in all directions, this truly is a landscape that demands to be explored.

Sadly, the game still has minor flaws that return from Episode One: Paris. The AI is almost completely inept. They work, sure, but their abilities are so controlled, so predictable, and so by-the-numbers, working your strategy around them is going to be damn easy at times. Now that’s not saying they are easy to fool, but learning their techniques, their paths, and what the Opportunity system can teach you will improve your odds of success much quicker than in most other games of this type.

"Sapienza shares a lot of qualities to Paris but steps it up substantially. More so than most would think."

Again as in the first episode, loading times are a drag. It’s odd that they couldn’t improve these from the first episode. Especially when much larger open world games don’t have as many loads or they are as long.

At the end of the day, Hitman Episode 2: Sapienza offers a better experience over the first episode when it comes to scope and magnitude. However, carrying over the dirty laundry of stale AI and longer than usual loading times, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Getting these two simple complaints right for the next episode shouldn’t be taken as a near impossibility or considered too much to ask for. It’s reasonable and should make the experience of the new Hitman legacy superior.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox One.

Hitman Episode 2- Sapienza is due out tomorrow (you can already download the update that prepares the game for the new episode, as a matter of fact), but the developers are still sharing new footage for the episode even with less than a day left before everybody can play it for themselves. I guess that is the confidence and benefit that comes with the territory when your game is a sandbox game.

This new footage for the episode was shown off at PAX East. The footage is 12 minutes long, and it shows off Agent 47 doing what he does best, including a shockingly gruesome way to take down a security guard at the end. If you’re faint of heart and/or at work, you may not want to see this.

Hitman is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It will continue getting episodes and updates through the end of this year, which will be followed by the release of a retail version with all the episodes and updates bundled onto a disc next year.

IO Interactive is prepping Hitman‘s second episode for release next week. Heading from Paris to beautiful Sapienza, Agent 47 will be tasked with assassinating bio-engineer Silvio Caruso. Check out the new trailer showcasing Sapienza below.

Don’t feel too guilty about Caruso’s impending demise – he’s carrying a DNA-specific virus that can infect the town. And with how nice Sapienza looks, it’d be a shame to see its residents fall to the virus.

Full release notes for Sapienza should be out later today with the game’s servers going offline for maintenance. This will conclude in two hours or so look out for more information on the next episode today.

Hitman Episode 2: Sapienza will be out on April 26th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Those who purchase the Full Experience will see it available at release while the standalone cost is £7.99. The physical release of Hitman which collects all the episodes together will be available later this year.