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007 First Light - Reviews Thread

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Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Game Information

Game Title: 007 First Light

Platforms:
  • PlayStation 5 (May 28, 2026)
  • Xbox Series X/S (May 28, 2026)
  • PC (May 28, 2026)
  • Nintendo Switch 2 (Delayed)
Trailer:
Developer: IO Interactive

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 91 average - 100% recommended
Metacritic - 88 average based on 28 reviews (PS5 version)


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Critic Reviews


Atarita - Atakan Gümrükçüoğlu - Turkish - 93 / 100
Centering on James Bond's origin story, 007 First Light blends action and stealth elements with flawless pacing, delivering that long-awaited, glorious return to the franchise. With its impactful melee combat mechanics, cleverly designed spy gadgets, and stellar acting performances, it places the player directly in the lead role of a breathtaking blockbuster movie.


But Why Tho? - Matt Sowinski - 9 / 10
IO Interactive feels like they've found a new home in the James Bond franchise. 007 First Light is a blast, with a tense and enthralling narrative that punches way higher and harder than anyone could have expected.


DayOne - Jon Clarke - 9 / 10
With a great cast of characters, tons of imagination, and just the right amount of player agency and replayability, there is a delightful playground full of gadgetry and spycraft that players will want to return to again and again. A confident return for the Double-O program, and - sorry Goldeneye - this is, without a doubt, the best James Bond game ever made.


GAMINGbible - Olly Smith - 9 / 10
007 First Light is an exquisite taste of slick spy action and blockbuster storytelling, and is fully what a Bond game should be, but rarely is.


Gfinity - Alister Kennedy - 10 / 10
007 First Light is, for me, an absolute masterpiece that shattered all pre-release anxieties and is, in fact, the greatest Bond video game of all time. IO Interactive masterfully balances explosive action with "Hitman"-inspired stealth, all brought to life by Patrick Gibson's breathtaking, definitive performance as a young James Bond. Equal parts thrilling and cinematic, this incredible experience is a gorgeous love letter to the franchise and a sure-fire Game of the Year contender.


IGN India - Rayan Sayyed - 9 / 10
007 First Light understands what makes James Bond interesting beyond the suits and gadgets. This younger Bond is reckless, emotional, and still figuring out his fundamentals, making his story feel more personal. Pair that with flexible stealth, solid hand-to-hand combat, strong production values, and Hitman-style mission design, and you get a Bond game that feels cinematic that gives players plenty of freedom. Plus, the variety in mission design and the satisfying spy fantasy make 007 First Light gives James Bond the best debut in this generation.


INFINITY AREA - Florian Prache - French - 9.5 / 10
James Bond 007 First Light is a huge surprise from IO Interactive. Far from being just a Hitman clone in disguise, the game establishes its own identity with rich gameplay, smart stealth mechanics, and explosive action. Despite disappointing driving sequences and the lack of English voice acting, the game manages to keep players engaged from start to finish thanks to its atmosphere, visuals, and great freedom of approach. An essential adventure for James Bond fans.


INVEN - Kyuman Kim - Korean - 9.1 / 10
After a long stretch in the dark, a truly worthy 007 game has finally arrived. With a young Bond at its center, it delivers nearly everything fans could want from a Bond film—thrilling storytelling, clever twists, and charismatic characters alike. It feels poised to become a new "first light" in the history of 007 games.


Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 9 / 10
007 First Light is a superb adventure game that does so much more than simply coast on the popularity of its franchise.


Manual dos Games - Luiz Henrique Silva - Portuguese - 10 / 10
007 First Light delivers on the promise of being the ultimate James Bond game by introducing a new version of the character that oozes charisma in every second on screen, alongside an excellent storyline supported by memorable side characters who help drive the narrative forward. The game also features an extremely creative level design that fully embraces its stealth and combat systems, making players truly feel like an MI6 spy.


PCMag Middle East - Ali El Sayed - 5 / 5
First Light feels like a true Bond game, a strong IO Interactive game, and the best blueprint 007 has had in video games for decades. It balances story, action, stealth, gadgets, and style better than any Bond game before it.


PSX Brasil - Ivan Nikolai Barkow Castilho - Portuguese - 90 / 100
007 First Light is an excellent James Bond game: varied gameplay with intelligent approach options, a story worthy of the character's films, beautiful graphics, and great technical performance. The TacSim mode is a great way to increase the title's longevity. Although the campaign features many slow-paced moments with secondary characters and combat animations that repeat frequently, it's an adventure that deserves to be checked out by any 007 fan or action game enthusiast in general.


Region Free - Joonatan Itkonen - 4 / 5
I don't think we've seen a better example of Bond as a genuine character in gaming. This isn't just a replica of what we have on the screen, either. In First Light, Bond is his own character, as important a part of the canon as Brosnan, Connery, or Craig. This is one of the most thrilling Bond adventures to date.


The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 9.5 / 10
007 First Light is not only the best James Bond video game to date, but also one of the greatest action-adventure titles of this generation, full of jaw-dropping action sequences, a compelling narrative, and superb acting.


Tourens - Mert Tuna - Turkish - 8.5 / 10
Despite its slow pace at the start and a few minor AI glitches, this is an experience that keeps players locked to their screens with its rich level designs, freedom oriented stealth mechanics, and satisfying cinematic action. A game that's definitely worth a try.
 
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Holy shit.

I expected it to be good but not this good. I was thinking high 70s or low 80s at best.

Glad I accidentally forgot to cancel my preorder.
 
Wow I did not expect such high praise but I am glad the reviews are positive

I dont want to read them though I want to go in blind and get my own opinion of the game but congratulations to IO Interactive for this game
 
Hah, I knew it was going to be a banger! Now the hard choice of playing now on PS5 Pro, waiting for Path Tracing, or double dipping -_-
 
How's the driving? Only an extremely small portion of the game for that? Like maybe a couple chases and that's it? Was hoping you could drive from point a to point b sometimes.
 
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I don't know. I just cannot see this game getting scores over 7. It looks so average (if that) at everything. Still I wish it will be success. We will see. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.
Well, I know what is on the menu tonight. It is crow, and Bond!
I was wrong and you know what? I am glad I was :messenger_smiling_with_eyes:
 
I always believed it would score high. People should stop saying late reviews are a red flag, it was proven wrong many times

Yeah, it's been noted many many times when a game reviews late and yet still has great scores, but that doesn't seem to register with a lot of folks. They remain suspicious that the publisher is trying to hide something.
 
Just with every IOI game, this will have good legs. They are constantly updating their games with content for years, this will be no different.

I dont know why that user is doubting their sales because IO Interactive games are very popular

Hell look at this, people like their games

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Just with every IOI game, this will have good legs. They are constantly updating their games with content for years, this will be no different.
I would hope so and I dont doubt IOs ability to do so, but the Bond license might have a negative impact to that.
Amazon (the current ip owner) can suddenly decide that it is not worth licensing out and even get the game delisted.
 
With 30~ reviews, the OC has only dropped one point to 90.

I think, at most, this will stay in the high to mid 80's after 60, 70 reviews,
 
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